Morning Focus opened with talk on our local roads. As you might have heard, the transport minister Shane Ross has admitted there isn't enough money to maintain the standard of local and regional roads. The minister says he's secured a 10 per cent increase in the budget for the upkeep of local roads in 2017. But that only brings the budget up to 275 million euro – less than half of the 580 million that's needed. It'll be 2020 before the budget for upkeep is in line with what's needed, according to Minister Ross. So what does that mean for County Clare?
Morning Focus opened with talk on our local roads. As you might have heard, the transport minister Shane Ross has admitted there isn't enough money to maintain the standard of local and regional roads. The minister says he's secured a 10 per cent increase in the budget for the upkeep of local roads in 2017. But that only brings the budget up to 275 million euro – less than half of the 580 million that's needed. It'll be 2020 before the budget for upkeep is in line with what's needed, according to Minister Ross. So what does that mean for County Clare? Gavin was joined on the line by Cllr Michael Begley, Independent TD in the Killaloe Municipal District, and Cllr Michael Hillery, Fianna Fáil TD in the West Clare Municipal District. Following this, Cllr Paul Murphy, FG, Ennis MD & Leas Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, came on the line.
Next Gavin spoke about research from the IONA Institute. If you're a working parent, you don't need me to tell you how hard it can be to juggle responsibilities. But would you be surprised to hear that fewer than one-in-five mums would opt for full-time work if they had the choice? That's according to a new Amarach opinion poll commissioned by The Iona Institute. The study also found that women who work in the home are undervalued by society compared with women who work outside the home. Based on the findings, Iona says the plan by the Minister for Children to increase childcare support for working parents is out-of-step with public opinion and discriminatory. Gavin was joined live in studio by Clare Burke from the Clare Women’s Network and on the line by Brendan Conroy, a stay-at-home dad & spokesperson for the IONA institute.
As we approach Christmas, our thoughts are more likely to turn to family gatherings and nights out with friends than they are to the suject of crime. However, we can't escape the fact that we all need to be more security conscious in the run up to the festive season. With that in mind, local Gardaí have designated this as Retail Safety Day. Their main aim is to engage with the business community and raise awareness amongst retailers, on ways to prevent losses from criminal activity, as well as advising the general public on safe shopping and parking. Gavin was joined live in studio by Sergeant Joe Downey, crime prevention officer.
Next on the show we had Dr Máire Finn from the Ennis Family Medical Centre in her usual slot. This week she discussed snoring.
Following this, talk turned to degrees. The region's main institute of technology is teaming up with a number of engineering companies, including one in Shannon, to offer a ground-breaking new programme in Engineering. For the first time in Ireland, completion of an apprenticeship will lead to the award of a Bachelor of Engineering degree. LIT’s new apprenticeship in Industrial Electrical Engineering is a two year programme which will lead to qualified electricians being awarded with a BEng. Molex from Shannon is among the companies taking part in this initiative. Professor Vincent Cunnane from LIT joined Gavin on the line.
Next Gavin spoke about the new Android Pay. We’ve had contactless payments on debit cards for a while now and while some people love this technology, others are quite concerned about its safety. I feel that we may have the same problem with the latest innovation, android pay. If you have a relatively new android smart phone you’ll be able to make payments up to €30 without even unlocking your phone at many stores across the country. To explain more Gavin was joined by Adrian Weckler, Technology Editor at Independent News and Media. *Well, our reporter Michael Glynn (owner of an Android phone) downloaded the app yesterday and set off down town to try it out and to gauge some opinions on payments by mobile phone. Michael Joined Gavin live in studio.
Gavin’s next guest had a tatoo – not all that unusual nowadays, you might say. It says in simple black ink 'To live is to change' and that's pretty much Mary Kenny's motto. The feminist firebrand is one of Ireland's favourite columnists and her simple motto is part of the inspiration for her new book 'A Day at a Time: Thoughts and Reflections Through the Seasons'. In it Mary draws on a breath and variety of experiences and encounters and she joined Gavin on the line to tell him more.
A century of art connected with this county will be celebrated in a new exhibition to open at glór from Friday next (Dec. 9). Curated by Catherin Marshall, a former head of collections at IMMA (the Irish Museum of Modern Art), the show is entitled 'From Edge to Edge' and will be opened officially by Ennis-born artist and President of the Royal Hibernian Academy Mick O'Dea. Artists featured in the exhibition include Seán Keating, Australian Sidney Nolan, whose ancestors come from the Mullaghmore area, Aideen Barry, Tom Molloy, Deirdre O'Mahony, Brian Bourke, and the late Barrie Cooke and Jean Regan. The show runs until January 20. Gavin spoke with Catherine Marshall, exhibition curator and former Head of Collections with IMMA.
Now, if, like many people, you're getting stuck into your Christmas shopping today (Thurs. Dec. 8), you'll also have the chance to avail of confession. That's if you're going to Skycourt Shopping Centre in Shannon. For the second year in a row, the Diocese of Killaloe is running 'Mercy on the Mall' with Bishop Fintan Monaghan and up to 20 clerics hearing confessions from 1pm. Fr Brendan Quinlivan, Communications Officer for the Diocese of Killaloe joined Gavin on the line.
To finish the show we had some live music from Padraig Rynne, ahead of the Music Generation Clare Fundraiser. Music Generation Clare has announced details of its annual fundraiser concert in association with glór on Saturday 10 December 2016. The concert will feature a fantastic line up of musicians including Dónal Lunny, Pádraig Rynne and Tara Breen, as well as young musicians participating in Music Generation Clare programmes.
