Morning Focus began today with Dep Pat Breen, Minister of State for Trade spoke to us about the Future Jobs Summit which heard that Irish companies and jobs will be transformed by new technology in the years to come.
The Government is attempting to future-proof the labour market to deal with the challenges of automation and skills shortages. According to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today’s children will work in jobs which do not exist yet.
Clare FM reporter Ryan Hanton went out with his mike in Ennis to discover how people would feel about the possibility of a shorter working week amid calls for this to happen.
Séamus Ryan, Fórsa representative discussed calls for a 4 day working week to increase productivity. Fórsa believe that reduced working hours is one of the main issues in relation to the future of work.
Marie McLoughlin, Manager, Clare Haven, Ennis joined us to talk about the 16 Days of Action on Domestic Violence that the North West Clare Family Resource Centre are holding. Proceeds from the campaign will go to Clare Haven.
In the second hour of the show businessman and broadcaster Bobby Kerr spoke to us about his new role as the Chairman of the first board for the Cliffs of Moher. A new strategy for the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience will also be developed following consultation with key stakeholders.
After that, Clare County Dog Warden, Frankie Coote told us about the thousands of euro worth of damage done to two vehicles and the sitting room of his house. One person was seen running from the scene with reports of a van sighted parked up in the area at the time.
Clare FM reporter Ryan Hanton heard from the people of Ennis on how they feel about Black Friday shopping and whether they prefer to shop for it in store or online.
We had a weekend events round-up courtesy of Nicola Shannon and Eddie Power, PRO Ennis Toastmasters. There will be a Christmas Market in Clarecastle at the Abbey Hall opposite the Church this Saturday and Sunday (November 24) from 4pm to 8:30pm on Saturday and 10am to 3pm on Sunday. The Ennis Toastmasters Table Quiz will be held at The Grove, Roslevan this Friday (November 23) at 9pm. We also heard from Fianna Fáil’s Rita McInerney about the Eamon deValera commemoration at Ennis Courthouse this Sunday (November 25) at 1pm.
In the final hour of Morning Focus we had our Friday Panel discussion with Verena Tarpey, Rape Crisis Midwest, Ger O’Halloran, Board of Directors, Clare Local Development Company and local election candidate and John Quinlivan, Friends of Shannon Airport, former Regional Manager with Shannon Development. Topics this week dealt with the new drink driving rules, whether we should reduce the working week to four days, if it’s a man’s world in 2018 and whether secondary schools should focus more on life skills than exam subjects.
Listen back below:
Comedian and children’s author Jason Byrne told us about his new children’s book. The book centers around ordinary kid Onion O’Brien who is growing up in the suburbs where nothing ever happens except to him.
