First up this morning we asked is Enda Kenny's position growing more tenuous? The finance minister has given his backing to Enda Kenny to choose his own date for stepping down as Taoiseach. Michael Noonan says Kenny is a leader Ireland can't afford to lose just yet, with Brexit looming. Kenny says he's determined to see out his mandate as Taoiseach, despite calls from backbencher Brendan Griffin for a new leader this summer. Clare TD, Pat Breen, FG, came into studio and outlined his position on the issue.
Next, Clare Gardaí are reporting a general drop in crime levels throughout the county. Chief Superintendent John Kerin has told the county's Joint Policing Committee that there has been a drop in seven of the eleven crime categories in the first half of this year, when compared with the same time in 2015. Burglaries in thefts are both down, as well as serious assaults, although there has been a spike in the number of minor assaults. Gavin spoke with John who cautiously welcomed the drop.
Yesterday the Union of Students in Ireland slammed the loan scheme option proposed by Cassells Report. The Union say that the scheme, which would see students receive government backed loans, is “socially regressive”. They claim the option would lump students with huge debts that would deter them from applying for college. Instead, they urged the government to go down the publicly -funded route. Annie Hoey, President of USI, was on the line and she defended their position.
Then we turned to something a little different – stand-up paddle boarding the Shannon. A three man team arrived in Clare this morning in a most unusual manner. Spike Reid, Shilpika Guatam and Pascal Dubois are stand-up paddle boarding the entire length of the Shannon – from source to sea – making it the river's first ever SUP descent. The expedition is a practice run for the team’s paddle board trip thousands of kilometres down the River Ganges in September, which is expected to take three months. They put ashore on the Clare edge of Lough Dearg to take a call and Spike Reid, International Mountain Leader, Photographer & Writer, spoke to Gavin.
After the news we had our regular The Money Doctor slot. John Lowe, Independent Financial Advisor, was on the line to discuss Tesco Ireland's new partnership with Schoolbooks.ie, ethical ways to invest and, of course, to answer our listeners' questions. For more see http://independentfinancialadvice.ie/blog/
Next we had an issue that effects 12 to 15% of the population, roughly half a million people across the country, migraine. It's three times more common in women than men. Tomorrow evening (13th) the Migraine Association of Ireland will host a seminar on Women & Migraine at 7pm in The Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis, Co. Clare. The event will feature Dr Peter Boers, Consultant Neurologist from Limerick University Hospital who will speak on managing migraine in women. Dr. Boers, Consultant Neurologist at L.U.H. spoke to Gavin.
In 1944, nine year old Tomi Reichental and his family were uprooted from their home in rural Slovakia and sent to Belsen concentration camp in Germany. He lost 35 family members to the genocidal Nazi regime and for 55 years he never spoke of his experiences. Since breaking his silence, however, he has spoken out about the Holocaust to ensure that the atrocities committed are never forgotten. A new edition of his best-selling memoir, “I Was a Boy in Belsen”, was published earlier this summer (May 9th). Tomi was on the line and he told Gavin that he never forgot Belsen.
Finally today, Frankie Coote, Clare County Dog Warden, was in studio and he had news of some disturbing occurrences of animal cruelty in Ennis.
