Joining Clare FM’s John Cooke on today’s edition of Morning Focus was Miltown Malbay GP Dr. Billy O’Connell, a member of the West Clare Taking Care Group on mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Sean Kearns, President of the Students Union at NUI Galway and Joe O’Connor, a Lecturer in Health and Leisure at IT Tralee and the Strength and Conditioning Coach with the Clare Hurlers. They joined the show to discuss the “Nek Nomination” craze. The Minister for Children has added her voice to the public condemnation of the ‘Neknomination’ craze. Frances Fitzgerald has described as ‘heartbreaking’ the death of a teenage boy in Carlow, who’s reported to have become the first victim of the online drinking game.The body of 19-year-old Jonny Byrne was pulled from the River Barrow yesterday, after his ‘nomination’ saw him drink a pint of alcohol and jump into the water. His brother has since taken to Facebook to beg for the game to end claiming Jonny felt he had to "beat the competition" and impress with his video.
Gordon Jeyes is the CEO Designate of the newly launched Child and Family Support Agency, the first of its kind in Ireland. He joined John to talk about its role. The State agency, with over 4,000 staff and a budget of more than 600 million euro, will co-ordinate the range of services being provided. It will have responsibility for supporting and promoting the development, welfare and protection of children and the effective functioning of families. It is also being tasked with ensuring every child in the State attends school or receives some form of education.
Gearoid Howard of Crimmins Howard Solicitors in Shannon and Volunteer Solicitor with the Free Legal Advice Clinic run by Clare citizens’ Information Centre was also in studio and today focused on what employees should do if involved in work related incidents that cause injury.
Dermot Goode of HealthInsuranceSavings.ie was also a guest of the show. Health insurance customers are being reminded there are ways to avoid the worst of premium price hikes. It comes amid reports that Laya Healthcare is set to follow VHI in raising its prices, with some customers facing a possible 10 per cent jump. Around half a million subscribers around the country are awaiting an official announcement from the company. Dermot Goode from HealthInsuranceSavings.ie says people need to be aware of their options.
Today John also met Hailey O’Sullivan, the 2013 Rose of Tralee who hails from Texas and our own Marie Donnellan, the current Clare Rose from Newmarket on Fergus. Hailey O’Sullivan was in County Clare at the weekend, to support a number of Clare Tourism Projects including Promote Ennis, the Old Friary on Abbey Street and the Brian Boru Festivities in Killaloe. She was guided around the county by Rose of Clare Marie Donnellan who was launching this year’s Clare Rose competition.
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