Morning Focus – Tuesday 15/10/19

Photo (c) An Garda Siochana

Today on Morning Focus, we heard from Chief Supt Séan Colleran as Garda figures have revealed that overall, crime in Clare is declining.

While this is positive news, there are certain areas where an increase has been recorded. Drug offences are one of those, with a 30% jump in the number of detections of people caught with drugs to sell or supply; while simple possession charges are up 9% too.

The figures were revealed at yesterday’s meeting of Clare’s Joint Policing Committee in Ballyvaughan, after which Chief Superintendent Colleran spoke to Clare FM’s James Mulhall.

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If you missed it you can listen back below:

Next, Eddie Punch, General Secretary of ICSA joined Gavin on the line following chaotic scenes yesterday (Mon, Oct 14) outside the Department of Agriculture, which led to the first meeting of the Beef Market Taskforce being postponed. The talks were due to take place following an agreement between the sides over the dispute which led to blockades outside dozens of meat factories. A delegation from the Meat Industry Ireland group who were arriving for the meeting were prevented from entering the building by the protesters. A number of protesters involved in a physical altercation with those attempting to enter insisted that injunctions be lifted against a small number of farmers, applied in respect of the previous factory-gate protests.

Next on the show, Mary O’Donoghue of West Clare Family Resource Centre and Ellen O’Malley-Dunlop, Chairperson of National Women’s Council of Ireland joined us on-air ahead of a gathering in Kilrush to look at how children and their families and communities can be empowered to end poverty.  The event, which takes place at 3 pm this afternoon in Kilrush Library (Tue, Oct 15), is being organised by the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) and the West Clare Family Resource Centre to mark United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and the International Day of Rural Women.

Listen back below:

Next, Tommy Corbett of Carey Corbett Financial Services joined Gavin in studio to discuss Commercial Insurance.

To hear what Mr Corbett had to say, listen back below:

Next on Morning Focus, James Lafferty, Treasurer Red Cross Clare, joined Gavin in studio as he’s involved in a memorial 5km walk/run which will remember long-serving local volunteer ambulance driver, the late John Kerin.

John formally opened the Clare Red Cross’s new HQ at the Tracklands Business Park last year, just weeks before his he passed away in November 2018. The memorial run takes place on October 28th from Lees Road. Registration takes place from 9-10:45 am and there is a fee of €10 for an adult and €20 for a family. All proceeds will go to the Irish Red Cross Clare Community Services.

Also, James mentioned a new youth programme for 14-18 year-olds will be getting underway in Ennis soon and is looking for participants. There’ll be a range of activities on offer from First Aid to mental health awareness and support. Contact [email protected] if you’re interested.

You can listen back below:

We all know and appreciate the vital, life-saving work done by the RNLI and the importance of that organisation in a coastal county like this one. Pauline Dunleavy, Retiring Lifeboat Station Manager, Kilrush RNLI, joined Gavin on-air as she has spent a quarter of a century with the RNLI and over the last five years was one of only two female Operations Managers with the organisation. Pauline Dunleavy is retiring from her position on November 1st and has made a major contribution, in many ways, over the years. She was crew for 10 years, a Lifeboat Helm for another 10 and has seen all kinds of call-outs in her time with the RNLI.

If you missed the interview you can listen back below:

To finish today’s show Frankie Coote, Clare County Dog Warden joined Gavin in studio for this week’s Animal Welfare Update.