On the last Morning Focus of the week we heard from Adrian Kelly, Clare Chief Fire Officer about Storm Callum hitting Clare.
Clare escaped the worst of the damage with the Status Orange Weather Warning being removed shortly before 10am this morning.
Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley was live in studio to talk about the controversy over the tender for the National Broadband Plan. The future of this is uncertain after the resignation of Communications Minister, Denis Naughten.
Dr Micheál Collins, Assistant Professor of Social Policy, UCD joined us to discuss the Budget’s ‘rainy day fund’ which was announced by Finance Minister Pascal Donohue on Tuesday last (October 9). €2 million will be put aside as one of the measures to prepare the economy for Brexit and money will also go towards sectors such as education and agriculture.
In the second hour of the show we heard from Presidential candidate Senator Joan Freeman. The founder of Pieta House is one of six candidates vying for office when the polls open on Friday October 26.
Leonard Cleary, Director of Rural Development, Clare County Council discussed the challenges facing rural Clare. The Rural Development Directorate was set up to tackle issues such as depopulation and the development of services.
Listen back below:
After that, we had our arts round-up with Clare County Arts Officer, Siobhán Mulcahy who informed us about an Irish language event in Miltown Malbay, Ennis Food Festival and music events across the county this weekend.
Ailish Connolly gave a follow up on Storm Callum to finish out the second hour.
In the final hour of Morning Focus we had our regular Friday panel discussion with Paul Madden, Managing Director of the Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis, Sharon Cahir, Cahir & Co. Solicitors, Ennis and Brian Meaney, Former Green Party member of Clare Co Co. The topics this week were the Budget, if the lack of carbon tax is a missed opportunity, should drug and alcohol free areas be created and how courteous are Clare drivers.
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Katherine Hunka, Director of the Irish Chamber Orchestra spoke to us ahead of her performance in Glór Theatre, Ennis next Thursday (October 18). The show NIGHT MUSIC features iconic works by Mozart and Tchaikovsky.
Listen back below:
