Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation will travel to Clare today
He will give a keynote speech at the Shannon Chamber of Commerce President’s Lunch in Dromoland Castle He will then officially launch the Ennis Innovate Regional Innovation Centre at the Information Age Park, Gort Road, Ennis
Finally he will visit the offices of Magico where representatives will make a presentation to the Minister on a proposed scheme to help companies across Ireland sell their products and services online
On Friday’s Morning Focus John Cooke spoke with Minister Bruton.
Ennis Innovate is a comprehensive business support service for in the Mid West Region
Participating agencies include Shannon Development, NUI Galway, University of Limerick, Clare County Council and Ennis Town Council
Through collaboration with agencies, academic institutions and funding bodies in the region, Ennis Innovate supports start-up companies through tailored training, mentoring and business supports provided by its support partners
Gert O’Rourke, Director of the Ennis Innovate Regional Innovation Centre, had a word with John ahead of the launch. See www.ennisinnovate.ie
Sean O’Kelly of Magico on the Clonroad Bridge, Ennis also spoke ahead of their meeting with the Minister
Magico is an Ennis-based eCommerce software company
They have made proposals regarding boosting business for Irish companies and will present it to Minister Bruton later today
Sean says the benefits of ecommerce are huge and it is a thriving industry. www.magico.ie
The Wild Atlantic Drive, a new tourism initiative which will run along the western seaboard including Limerick and Clare, was announced at this year’s Fáilte Ireland tourism industry briefing for the Shannon region held in Limerick this Wednesday
Paddy Mathews, Project manager for the Wild Atlantic Drive, Failte Ireland spoke with John.
A survey undertaken by the National Disability Authority has found that attitudes to people with disabilities have become more negative since the last similar survey undertaken in 2006. Negative attitudes are one of the key barriers to children and adults with disabilities achieving equality and participating in Irish society
Siobhan Barron, Director of the National Disability Authority discussed the results of the attitudes survey. www.nda.ie
This year the government is to hold a referendum on Children’s rights
The Ombudsman for Children is an independent human rights organisation responsible for promoting and monitoring children’s rights and welfare in Ireland. Emily Logan was appointed as Ireland’s first Ombudsman for Children in Dec 2003 by the then President Mary McAleese. The Ombudsman for Children is independent of Government and accounts directly to the Oireachtas.
Their work falls into three key areas –
1) accepting & investing complaints by on behalf of children about State services for children and families
2) Giving Government Ministers advice on the probable impact of legislation and policy changes on children
3) Consulting with children directly and highlighting their concerns
They have had approximately 6,000 complaints to date. 126 complaints have come from the county of Clare
They break down into:
• Education (60%)
• Health (21%)
• Housing (5%)
Nikki Gallagher, Communications Advisor at the Ombudsman for Children’s Office spoke with John. See www.oco.ie or call 1800 20 20 40.
The closing date is approaching for entries to Clare’s Got Talent 2012 – the closing date is next Friday (27th January) at 5pm
Auditions will take place the following weekend in Glor, Ennis
The next big star of the Banner county will walk away with a €5,000 prize
This year we are particularly interested in attracting musicians, dancers and choirs
Mike Ryan, Sales Manager at Clare FM urged people to get involved.
A group of seven transition year students and two of their teachers from St Flannan’s College will travel to Calcutta for the midterm break on 9th February to volunteer with Hope Foundation and the projects it operates there in the areas of shelter, education, medical care and nutrition – especially for the street and slum children
The school has supported a specific project for the past ten years in Calcutta – The Cricket Coaching Centre that has transformed the lives of many street/ slum children
Miryam Black, a religion and history teacher at St Flannan’s College Ennis has been to has been to Calcutta twice chaperoning TY students from the school who travel each year to work with the Hope Foundation
She joined John in studio along with Transition year students Molly Breanach from Barefield and Grainne Maher from Ennis both of who are amongst the group travelling in the next few weeks.
Aidan Courtney of the Ennis Bookshop joined John for this week’s Book Focus
He took at look at:
I Was a Boy in Belsen by Tomi Reichental
He lost 35 members of his family in the Holocaust, gives his account of being imprisoned as a child at Belsen
Hitch 22 by Christopher Hitchens
His memoir where he has written of his homosexual experiences when in boarding school
Plugged by Eoin Colfer
This is an adult crime novel set in New Jersey
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