Morning Focus Monday February 3rd

On today’s edition of Morning Focus we heard from Clare FM’s Gavin Grace, who was in West Clare to survey the latest damage caused by stormy seas, high winds and flooding on at the weekend – in Kilbaha he met locals who were coming to terms with a depressing sense of deja vu as the weather wreaked havoc on local roads and facilities for the second time – he met Mayor of Kilkee Paddy Collins as he looked out on the sea after Saturday morning storm hit the west Clare seaside town. Gavin also spoke with Ailish Connolly from Kilbaha and also Bernie Keating of Keating’s Bar, Kilbaha Tom Tiernan, Senior Engineer with Clare County Council also joined John to talk about the level of damage caused this past weekend following Storm Brigid. The government is set to be asked for millions of euro in additional relief funding for Clare in light of the latest storm to hit the county. The coalition has already been told that nearly 24 million euro worth of funding is required following on from last month’s storm, but the damage from Saturday’s poor weather is not likely to have been extensive. However, well-placed sources have told Clare FM that the costs will likely run into millions. Meanwhile, coastal areas are on flood alert again today with further storms and sea swells expected. Met Eireann has issued weather alerts until this afternoon. We also checked in around the county in the different areas that bore the brunt of the damage following the storm conditions. Seamus Murphy from Ballynacally and member of the IFA told John about how farm land has been flooded. He says embankments have been breached again, while in nearby Kildysart, a number of homes and the local graveyard are flooded. Tommy Comerford in Doonbeg also joined the show and described the damage in his area, where he says the sea wall was breached leading to flooding on the Dunmore road. Antoine O’Looney from O’Looney’s Bar and Restaurant in Lahinch spoke about the latest from the Prom in Lahinch while Stephen Rowan updated us from Kilcredaun Lighthouse where he says access is still an issue. John also spoke to John O’Connor from Quilty, his house was flooded from the first storms and unfortunately the water has returned following the weekend. Sergeant Joe Downey is the Crime Prevention Officer with Clare Garda Division and joined John in studio for Garda Focus. If you need to contact Ennis Garda Station you can do so on 065 6848100 Brendan McCabe is the IPPN President, the Irish Primary Principals Network, and joined John to discuss how Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has said that primary schools should use time allocated for religion to focus on improving pupils’ reading and maths. The Minister’s controversial comments were in response to complaints from school principals who told him they had difficulties covering an overloaded curriculum. Ruairi Quinn was addressing 1000 delegates at the Annual Conference of the Irish Primary Principals Network. Úna Kierse and Sarah Devane are from the Killaloe Ballina 2014 Project Team and wer ein studio today to talk about the launch of the Brian Ború Millennium Events. The action packed year of Brian Ború gets to a flying start in Killaloe Ballina with the official launch to the National Programme of events which takes place at the Lakeside Hotel on Tuesday 4th of February at 7.30pm. The event welcomes local business leaders, event planners, community and volunteer groups and patrons to celebrate the start of a busy year of cultural and historical events. As the birthplace of Brian Ború, and the seat of Power during his reign as High King, Killaloe Ballina plays an important role in the nationwide celebrations, and over the course of the year will work together with other key historical locations of Cashel, Clontarf and Armagh to promote the new National Brian Ború Trail. John Murphy from the Clare branch of Birdwatch Ireland answered your bird and wildlife queries and talked about how a whale was washed ashore over the weekend at Flaggy Shore. To contact Morning Focus please email [email protected]