Yesterday 11 people have been arrested in Kilrush today as part of a major Garda operation into illegal money lending
The five men and 6 women were being questioned at Garda Stations throughout Counties Clare, Limerick and Galway
"Operation Payday" involved over 100 Gardai supported by the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Department of Social Protection and several other agencies, following complaints received about unlicensed money lending in Kilrush
On Wednesday’s Morning Focus John Cooke spoke with Deputy Pat Breen who complimented the Gardai- he said this type of criminal activity to taking place all over the country
The Money Advice and Budgeting Service’s national spokesperson Michael Culhitty reacted to the news
He said he is impressed with the Garda effort, adding that this is the largest crackdown on illegal money lending in the history of the state
He is delighted that these arrests are highlighting the criminal aspect of money lending and he had some advice for people who are struggling financially and either involved with, or considering getting involved with, moneylenders
Contact the MABS helpline on 0761 07 200.
Special Olympics Ireland is delighted to officially announce that Limerick has been chosen as the host city for the 2014 Special Olympics Ireland Games
The Games, which will take place in June, will be one of the largest and most prestigious sporting events to take place in Ireland in 2014
Special Olympics athletes from throughout the island of Ireland will compete in 14 sports during the Games
They will be accompanied by coaching teams and official delegates as well as a large contingent of family members and supporters
The Games will be supported by a team of volunteers who we will be actively recruiting from the Limerick area
Mary Davis, Chairperson of Special Olympics Ireland, spoke with John.
The results for Ireland in the OECD PISA report for 2012 show second-level students performing extremely well
Five thousand 15 year olds sat the tests as part of the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment in 2012
Ireland improved across all three subjects – but that’s against the backdrop of disappointing results in the last study in 2009
John spoke with Tony Donoghue, Head of Education Policy with IBEC
The employers’ body say there’s no room for complacency – despite the improved results of Irish pupils in maths, reading and science
IBEC say the figures are important when it comes to foreign investment.
2013 has been a great year for Loophead Tourism – they won the Irish Times ‘Best Place to Holiday in Ireland’ putting them on the map nationally and beyond – the group is going from strength to strength and they are working hard to ensure next Summer is even better
Cillian Murphy, Chairperson of Loophead Tourism, reflected on the year and urged people to support their fundraiser
This Friday they have organised a Speakeasy Soirée to raise money for marketing Loophead – the Bootleggers Ball takes place at the Stella Maris hotel, Kilkee.
Flagmount Author & Poet Nicki Griffin has just launched a book of poetry ‘Unbelonging’ inspired by life in East Clare
The first comes from her own experiences as an incomer to a very rural community
Nicki joined John in studio to discuss the inspiration for her work and read some of her opetry
Some of it is autobiographical, some from the point of view of an ‘imagined self’ – it is about the humans sense of unbelonging, and also that of those who struggle in new countries or within their own communities
Her book ‘The Skipper and her Mate’ is a chronicle of her and her husbands personal experience on Irish waterways.
Anne Marie O’Reilly of Clare Citizens’ Information Service joined John in studio to answer listeners’ queries
Contact 0761 07 5260.
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