Morning Focus Wednesday 2nd July

On todays Morning Focus Marian Egan was in studio for John Cooke.  Marian began the show by speaking to Marie O'Connor – Survivors of symphysiotomy Chairperson as the government announced a redress scheme for the women who underwent the surgical procedure.  However Survivors of symphysiotomy are disappointed at the Government's handling of 'this particular abuse of women in childbirth'. Marie O'Connor, Chairperson of SoS, said: 'Truth has been the main casualty. The official lie, that symphysiotomy was acceptable medical practice, continues. The draft whitewash report commissioned by the Department of  Health has now been reissued: all of its defective findings still stand, apparently'. 

Up next Marian spoke to John Cullinane – Clare Area President of St. Vincent de Paul.  The organisation say the cuts to the Household Benefits Package in Budgets 2013 and 2014 mean a loss of €19 a week for older people. The average weekly income of the poorest 20% of older people had already fallen by 11.5% between 2009 and 2011.The cuts in all the recent budgets are particularly severe for older people with an already grossly inadequate income.  Clare SVP have contact the 4 Clare TDS in the hope that they will promote SVPs position in respect of the upcoming Budget for 2015. 

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Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) is issuing a rallying call for people to recognise and celebrate nursing home residents and those providing care in nursing homes in our local communities. It is calling upon visitors to nursing homes, those working and living within them, and the wider public to nominate a Clare Nursing home for the NHI Care Awards 2014.  Marian spoke to Tadhg Daly – Nursing Homes Ireland CEO about the awards and how the people of Clare can get involved.

A documentary crew have been filming in the Burren & Cliffs of Moher Geopark in recent days as part of a documentary series due to air later this year on National Geographic, TF1 and Ushuaia TV.  The documentary will feature Peter York (University of Chester) who is studying the microclimates of grikes in the Burren. He uses dataloggers to collect hourly information on temperature, humidity and light at different depths within the grikes.  Marian spoke to Dr. Eamon Doyle –  Geologist for the Burren & Cliffs of Moher Geopark about the project.

A young West Clare woman is to become the first traveller to compete in the Miss Ireland competition.  Sarah Jane Dunne, daughter of the late musician Pecker Dunne, will represent Kilkenny, where she now lives, after being chosen in the local contest.  The 24-year-old, from Killimer, has received an honours degree from Trinity College, Dublin and is a qualified English and Religion secondary school teacher.  She spoke to Morning Focus Producer Amy Ryan about the competition and how she got involved. 

The Tuamgraney childhood home of world renowed writer Edna O'Brien has failed to sell at auction.  The highest bid received was 200,000 euro and negotiations with that person are continuing however the house is currently off the market.

The sale was attended by approximately 50 people in the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis yesterday afternoon.  Marian spoke to Noel Cocoran the Auctioneer about yesterdays proceedings and what will happen with the property going forward. 

Finally Marian spoke to Iseult  Ward – Co-Founder of Food cloud.  Foodcloud was started by students who having witnessed people suffering began to do some research. The facts spoke for themselves: copious amount of food was being wasted when people in our cities were going hungry. Foodcloud was born from the combination of idealistic optimism and the encouragement and support of Enactus (a community of student, academic and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better more sustainable world).  Since then Foodcloud has gone from strength to strength. They are now a registered as a non-profit organisation, they have an app and we have food businesses and charities registered to help right the current situation and to restore some of that old Irish community spirit based on shared food.  Check out foodcloud.ie for more.

If you have a story, comment or query for Morning Focus email [email protected] or write to us – Morning Focus, Clare FM, Francis Street, Ennis, Co. Clare.