Request for Expressions of Interest for the Kilkenny County Council Heritage Forum and Biodiversity Working Group
Kilkenny County Council’s Heritage Office is currently re-establishing its Heritage Forum and is also setting up a Biodiversity Working Group. Expressions of interest are sought from appropriate representative bodies to join.
Heritage is defined in the Heritage Act as addressing: ‘monuments, archaeological objects, heritage objects, architectural heritage, flora, fauna, wildlife habitats, landscapes, seascapes, wrecks, geology, heritage gardens, and parks and inland waterways. ‘Biodiversity is defined in the National Biodiversity Action Plan as ‘the variety of life on earth. It comprises of all living things, from plants, birds and mammals, to inspects, microbes and fungi and the ecosystems, bogs, forests rivers, oceans, grasslands, etc – that they are a part of.’
The Heritage Forum is a non-statutory advisory group established by Kilkenny County Council to provide advice on the preparation, implementation and evaluation of the County Heritage Plan. Membership of the Heritage Forum is drawn from representatives of bodies and groups with an interest in, or responsibility for, the care and protection of heritage in Kilkenny.
The Biodiversity Working Group will be a non-statutory advisory group to provide advice on the preparation, implementation and evaluation of the Kilkenny Biodiversity Action Plan. The role of the working group will be to collaborate with the Biodiversity Officer in writing the Kilkenny Biodiversity Action Plan, assist in delivery of the objectives and actions of the plan, to monitor progress and to evaluate impacts of the plan. Membership of the Biodiversity Working Group is drawn from representative bodies and groups with an interest in, or responsibility for, the care and protection of biodiversity in Kilkenny.
The Heritage Forum informs the County Heritage Plan which is a strategic document that sets out the overall vision and goals for the management and protection of heritage in the county. The Biodiversity Working Group will work on specific key priorities identified in the Biodiversity Action Plan and will regularly inform the Heritage Forum of their activities, once a year a combined meeting of the Heritage Forum and the Biodiversity Working Group will allow the showcasing of projects and provide an opportunity to discuss potential projects that combine the three pillars of built, cultural and natural heritage.
What is the commitment for the position?
- 4 meetings per year, except in the year that new plans are being prepared when there may be 2-3 additional meetings.
- The Heritage Forum/Biodiversity Working Group meetings are held during the day so you will need to be available to attend during work hours. The meetings are generally held in Kilkenny City.
- Forum/Working Group members will be asked to actively participate in the delivery of actions included in the Plans.
- Forum/Working Group members may be asked to provide advice on behalf of their organisation with regard to implementing actions identified in the Heritage/Biodiversity Plan
- Forum/Working Group members may be asked to update the group on current heritage/biodiversity initiatives that their organisation is involved with.
- The work of the Forum/Working Group should be regularly conveyed back to the partner organisation.
- Forum members are asked to serve for an initial 5 year period.
Nomination Guidelines:
Representatives of agencies or organisations with an interest or involvement in built, natural or cultural heritage operating with a countywide remit
Community groups / NGOs must be registered with Kilkenny Public Participation Network for at least 6 months.
Nominations can only be made with the candidate’s knowledge and approval.
Nominations must be made by submitting the Expression of Interest form which can be downloaded here
Expression of Interest Forms must be submitted to heritage@kilkennycoco.ie by 4pm on 10th May 2024.
The Heritage Officer Programme and Biodiversity Officer Programme are supported by Kilkenny County Council and the Heritage Council
For Heritage Forum queries contact:
Regina Fitzpatrick: heritage@kilkennycoco.ie / 056 779 4923
For Biodiversity Working Group queries contact:
Bernadette Moloney: biodiversity@kilkennycoco.ie / 056 7794487
Glaoch ar Léirithe Spéise d’Fhóram Oidhreachta Chomhairle Contae Chill Chainnigh agus don Ghrúpa Oibre Bithéagsúlachta
Tá Oifig Oidhreachta Chomhairle Contae Chill Chainnigh ag athbhunú a Fóraim Oidhreachta faoi láthair agus ag bunú Grúpa Oibre ar an mBithéagsúlacht. Tá glaoch ar léirithe spéise ó fhorais chuí ionadaíochta chun páirt a ghlacadh.
Téann Oidhreacht faoi mar a shainmhínítear é san Acht Oidhreachta i ngleic le: ‘séadchomharthaí, gnéithe seandálaíochta, gnéithe oidhreachta, oidhreacht ailtireachta, flóra, fána, gnáthóga fiadhúlra, tírdhreacha, muirdhreacha, rudaí scriosta, geolaíocht, gairdíní oidhreachta, agus páirceanna agus uiscebhealaí.’ Sainmhínítear bithéagsúlacht sa Phlean Náisiúnta Gnímh um an mBithéagsúlacht mar ‘an éagsúlacht saoil ar domhan. Cuimsítear gach rud beo, idir phlandaí, éin agus mhamaigh, agus fheithidí, mhiocróib agus fhungais agus na héiceachórais, na portaigh, na foraoisí, aibhneacha, aigéin, féarthailte, srl. – a bhfuil baint acu leo.’
Grúpa Comhairleach neamhreachtúil a bheidh san Fhóram Oidhreachta a thabharfaidh comhairle maidir le hullmhú, le feidhmiú agus le measúnú Phlean Oidhreachta an Chontae. Tarraingítear ballraíocht den Fhóram Oidhreachta ó fhorais agus ó ghrúpaí ionadaíochta a bhfuil suim acu i gcúram agus i gcaomhnú na hoidhreachta i gCill Chainnigh nó freagracht orthu ina leith.
Grúpa comhairleach neamhreachtúil a bheidh sa Ghrúpa Oibre um an mBithéagsúlacht a thabharfaidh comhairle maidir le hullmhú, le feidhmiú agus le measúnú Phlean Gnímh Chill Chainnigh um an mBithéagsúlacht. Beidh sé mar ról ag an ngrúpa oibre obair i gcomhar leis an Oifigeach Bithéagsúlachta i scríobh Phlean Gnímh Chill Chainnigh um an mBithéagsúlacht, cabhrú leis na cuspóirí agus na gníomhaireachtaí den phlean a chur i gcrích, súil a choinneáil ar dhul chun cinn agus tionchair an phlean a mheas. Tarraingítear ballraíocht an Ghrúpa Oibre um an mBithéagsúlacht ó fhorais agus ó ghrúpaí ionadaíochta a bhfuil suim acu i gcúram agus i gcaomhnú na hoidhreachta i gCill Chainnigh nó freagracht orthu ina leith.
Tabharfaidh an Fóram Oidhreachta eolas do Phlean Oidhreachta an Chontae, ar cáipéis straitéiseach é ina leagtar amach an fhís agus na spriocanna ar an iomlán chun oidhreacht an chontae a bhainistiú agus a chosaint. Beidh an Grúpa Oibre um an mBithéagsúlacht ag obair ar phríomhthosaíochtaí ar leith a sainaithníodh sa Phlean Gnímh um an mBithéagsúlacht agus cuirfidh sé an Fóram Oidhreachta ar an eolas go rialta faoina ghníomhaíochtaí. Beidh cruinniú bliantúil amháin ag an bhFóram Oidhreachta agus an Grúpa Oibre um an mBithéagsúlacht ina léireofar tograí agus a thabharfaidh an deis tograí amach anseo a phlé a nascann na trí cholún d’oidhreacht tógtha, chultúrtha agus nádúrtha.
Cad é an tiomantas don fholúntas?
- 4 chruinniú in aghaidh na bliana, seachas i mbliain ina n-ullmhaítear pleananna nua agus sa chás sin beidh 2-3 chruinniú breise i gceist.
- Beidh cruinnithe ar bun ag an bhFóram Oidhreachta/Grúpa Oibre um an mBithéagsúlacht i rith an lae. Mar sin ní mór go mbeifeá ar fáil le linn uaireanta oibre. Is iondúil go mbíonn na cruinnithe ar bun i gCathair Chill Chainnigh.
- Iarrfar ar chomhaltaí an Fhóraim/an Ghrúpa Oibre páirt ghníomhach a ghlacadh sna gníomhaíochtaí a chur i gcrích atá sna Pleananna.
- D’fhéadfadh sé go n-iarrfaí ar chomhaltaí an Fhóraim/Ghrúpa Oibre comhairle a chur ar fáil thar ceann a n-eagraíochtaí agus é mar aidhm gníomhaíochtaí a chur i bhfeidhm a sainaithníodh sa Phlean Oidhreachta/Bithéagsúlachta.
- D’fhéadfaí go n-iarrfaí ar chomhaltaí an Fhóraim/Ghrúpa Oibre an grúpa a uasdátú ar thionscnaimh oidhreachta/bhithéagsúlachta reatha a bhfuil baint ag a n-eagraíochtaí leo.
- Ba chóir obair an Fhóraim/Ghrúpa Oibre a léiriú go rialta don chomheagraíocht.
- Iarrfar ar chomhaltaí an fhóraim freastal ar feadh tréimhse 5 bliana ar dtús.
Treoirlínte Ainmniúcháin:
Ionadaithe ar ghníomhaireachtaí nó eagraíochtaí a dhíríonn ar an gcontae ar fad agus a bhfuil suim acu nó baint acu le hoidhreacht tógtha, nádúrtha nó chultúrtha
Ní mór do ghrúpaí pobail / ENRanna clárú le Líonra um Rannpháirtíocht Phoiblí Chill Chainnigh ar feadh 6 mhí ar a laghad.
Is féidir ainmniúcháin a dhéanamh ach eolas agus toiliú an iarratasóra a fháil roimh ré.
Ní mór ainmniúcháin a dhéanamh ar an bhfoirm Léirithe Spéise ar féidir a íoslódáil anseo
Ní mór Foirmeacha Léirithe Spéise a chur faoinár mbráid ar heritage@kilkennycoco.ie roimh 4i.n. an 10th Bealtaine 2024.
Faigheann an Clár um Oifigeach Oidhreachta agus an Clár um Oifigeach Bithéagsúlachta tacaíocht ó Chomhairle Contae Chill Chainnigh agus ón gComhairle Oidhreachta.
Má tá aon cheist agat faoin bhFóram Oidhreachta, déan teagmháil le:
Regina Fitzpatrick: heritage@kilkennycoco.ie / 056 779 4923
Má tá aon cheist agat faoin nGrúpa Oibre ar an mBithéagsúlacht, déan teagmháil le:
Bernadette Moloney: biodiversity@kilkennycoco.ie / 056 7794487
