Householders, whose homes were built before 1980, are being advised to check for lead pipes, Morning Focus heard today. Lead poses a serious health risk if it dissolves in drinking supply, Irish Water has warned. The utility says that while lead has been removed from public mains, it's believed to be present in hundreds of thousands of Irish homes. Of the homes affected, about 40-thousand are thought to have shared backyard (common service pipes) which Irish Water will be targeting the replacement of over the next 5 years. Irish Water is launching an 8-week period of public consultation on its draft ‘Lead in Drinking Water Mitigation Plan’ which runs until the September 21. Within the Plan there is a proposal for the treatment of lead pipes with orthophosphate as an interim measure. Gavin got more advice and information from Mark McCaulay, Water Supply Strategy Lead with Irish Water.
Changes have been mooted to time spent on religion in primary schools. Plans to reduce the time given to religious education in primary schools has been slammed as an attack on the rights of denominational schools.
The Iona Institute says the draft proposal by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is an example of the State's lack of appreciation of the role of denominational education in Irish society, or of the importance many parents place on denominational education.
The proposal from the NCCA is a response to the overcrowding of the primary school curriculum. The council wants more time to be spent teaching maths and Irish and English as well as a proposed new course called Education about Religion, Beliefs and Ethics (ERB and Ethics).
Gavin was joined on the line by Dr Tom Finegan of the Iona Institute
This weekend sees the opening of one of the county's best-loved festivals. The Rose of Clare gets under way this weekend (and runs until August 5), with 16 contestants hailing from within and outside of Clare this year.
The event caters for a broad audience with many social and sporting events while the highlight of the festival is the selection of the ‘Rose of Clare’.
The Rose is selected through on-stage interviews and through the interaction of the judges sociallly through the week.
The announcement of the winning Rose will take place on the final night of the festival.
Gavin spoke with Helen Kelly of the Rose of Clare Committee
While most of us will be looking forward to the August Bank Holiday weekend, there's another festival approaching and that's the ancient pagan festival of Lughnasa. In Celtic times, it was one of the four fire festivals of the year and in more recent times, it's marked the start of the harvest season. In Clare, the feast will be marked in a special way at Craggaunowen. Next Sunday and Monday (11am – 5pm), re-enactors dressed in costumes spanning historic periods from the Iron Age to the 1916 Easter Rising will bring history to life in an event staged by the Claíomh Living History Group. Gavin was joined in studio by John Ruddle, CEO of Shannon Heritage.
Gavin was joined in studio by PJ Murrihy who performed a tribute to the legendary Robbie McMahon, singer of 'The Fleadh Down in Ennis', which celebrated the Fleadh of 1956.
Concertina player, Chris Droney from Bellharbour also joined in the discussion.
