On today's edition of Morning Focus with John Cooke
Postmasters are to mount a nationwide campaign for people to vote against the Government if action is not taken on sustaining Post Offices before the next General Election. Speaking at the launch of its Six Point Plan to sustain the Post Office Network and support local communities the Irish Postmasters’ Union (IPU) said that An Post runs the Network on a purely commercial basis and does not recognise Post Offices’ social or community value. Ned O'Hara General Secretary of Irish Postmasters Union he spoke to John.
There's good news for jobs in Shannon with confirmation that the aircraft maintenance firm Transaero Engineering Ireland has exited High Court protection after a three-month examinership succeeded in rescuing the business. 235 staff had been working there when the process began, and a now new owner has now been found to drive the business forward. John Cooke spoke to Michael McAteer of Grant Thornton who was appointed as examiner to the firm in January about the positive outcome of the process for the Shannon firm.
Since detecting over 30,000 suspected leaks on customer properties during its first meter reading cycle, Irish Water has so far contacted 2,500 customers offering them a free leak investigation under their Interim First Fix Scheme. The Commission for Energy Regulation has today begun public consultation on Irish Water’s continuing Draft First Fix Leak Repair Scheme. The Government has allocated a total of €51m to the end of 2016, to fund the implementation of the continuing First Fix Scheme. Aisling Buckley Irish Water Regional Information Officer for Clare, joined us on Morning Focus to speak about the scheme and answer some of our listeners queries.
MacMara, a new marine and coastal ecotourism company, based in Kinvara, will offer people a unique way of travelling to the Burren from Galway City. MacMara will offer daily bay crossings from Galway Port, in the heart of Galway City, across Galway Bay to the coastal villages of Kinvara, and Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare on alternate days, as well as coastal trips plying the bay around Kinvara and Ballyvaughan. Other land-based activities, such as food tours, biking and walking, will complement the marine and coastal tours. Gwen Ryan is Project Leader of Bay Hop Ballyvaughan and a Facilitator with MacMara; she spoke to us ahead of the launch in Kinvara on Saturday where the Ferry is due to arrive at 1PM.
MORNING FOCUS FRIDAY PANEL
Our panel of three guests from around the county join us in studio to take a look back at this week biggest news stories. Today's Panel were: Mairead Doyle Solicitor with Michael Houlihan and Partners, Ger O'Halloran of Abbey Stores Quin and Dermot Hayes Community Activist, Ennis.
Today's topics included the cancellation of Inis Fest, Hillary Clinton's Democrat Nomination and a discussion around tractor drivers on main roads and slow drivers holding up traffic in general. This topic follows a story this week whereby a tractor driver who caused an 11 Km tailback on a national primary road involving 80-100 vehicles was fined €300 and banned from driving for a year by a District Court Judge.
John Cooke put this story to the Morning Focus Friday Panel and asked their thoughts – the discussion led Timmy O'Brien Director of Farm Contractors Ireland to contact the show from Cork to defend Farmers and tractor drivers, while there are incidents of uncooperative drivers, Timmy says that not all farmers should be be painted with the one brush!
Weekend Events
Ennis will undergo one of the largest ever community-clean-ups in the history of the town this coming Saturday, April 18th, when businesses, community groups, sports organisations and residents hit the streets to pick up litter. The weekend clean-up forms part of ‘On The Move To Become Ireland’s Tidiest Town’, a community-wide campaign launched earlier this month to help Ennis achieve national success in the 2015 SuperValu TidyTowns Competition. The clean-up takes place from 11am to 1pm. Josephine Cotter Coghlan, Chairperson of Ennis Tidy Towns spoke to John.
Michael Hackett Chairman of Kincora Trad Weekend spoke to us ahead of the weekends festivities. Kincora Trad Weekend kicks off this Friday April 17th to Sunday 19th in Killaloe/Ballina; Events include muscians workshops, music sessions and a gala concert on Saturday night in O'Donovan's Bar Ballina.
Sarah Coote is Event Co Organiser of an 80s Night Disco this Saturday night at Tom Steel's bar Ennis at 10pm in aid of Clare Sunset foundation Seek and Vision – Support group for people who are blind / partially blind – A charity which is founded and run by Paddy Murphy, Ennis. Admission 10euro. Spot prize on night and raffle fancy dress optional.
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