As we know by now, Britain's decision to leave the EU will have considerable fall-out for Ireland.
It even likely that efforts to increase our minimum wage will meet with resistance in the face of the economic threat posed by Brexit. This week, the Small Firms Association has warned against any increase, noting that the drop in sterling has already left Irish goods 19 percent more expensive in the UK. It comes as the Low Pay Commission gets set to present a report that's expected to recommend an increase in the minimum wage from €9.15 to around €10 per hour.
Gavin was joined to discuss the issue by Rita McInerney, CEO Ennis Chamber of Commerce, and by Julie Dickerson, President Shannon Chamber of Commerce.
It's been claimed this week that some funeral directors are becoming more like 'wedding planners', as ceremonies become more personalised.
The Irish Association of Funeral Directors says people are now more involved in planning their own funerals. Changing attitudes in the Church and altered family dynamics are also said to be contributing to a move away from more traditional funeral practices.
Ennis funeral director, Cyril Cusack told Gavin that there's been a big move towards conducting funerals as celebrations of life. It's also more popular to go straight from home to the church for Funeral Masses (i.e. without a removal ceremony). Cyril believes that priests are now more sympathetic and accommodating of requests from families. He says requests for Humanist, and other kinds of services, are becoming more common.
Promises made by government to tens of thousands of carers across Ireland have not beek kept, a new report reveals.
A review of the National Carers' Strategy has found that not only have key objectives not been met – the situation, in some cases (for example, around respite) has actually gotten worse. The review was conducted by Family Carers Ireland.
To discuss the issue, Gavin was joined by Catherine Cox, Head of Communications Family Carers Ireland
Gavin was then joined in studio by Howard Marshall, the author of a new book on Garrett Barry, the blind piper of Inagh. Born in 1847, in the midst the Famine, Garrett Barry lost his sight through disease. Although blind, he went on to become one of the torch bearers of the Irish piping tradition, travelling through west Clare and gathering the oral tradition that still remained.
He came to know intimately the land and its people, claiming that his music was ‘not for the feet but for the soul’.
In his new book, “Out of Darkness”, author Howard Marshall weaves the history, people and places of west Clare together to provide the first written account of Garrett Barry – the blind Piper of Inagh.
Gavin then spoke to educationalist Breda Coughlan about a seminar on visual learning due to be held in Ennis.
Clare FM's Cian Kearns paid a visist to Mountshannon to learn about a pair of White-tailed Sea Eagles who've made the area their home. Five years ago, the eagle's chose a small island on Lough Dearg as their nesting site; just offshore from the East Clare town.
Led by the community, and funded by Clare County Council, a White-tailed Sea Eagle Viewing and Information Point has been set up to offer information, telescope viewing and displays about the birds.
Clare County Dog Warden Frankie Coote joined Gavin to talk about concerns that dogs are being deliberately poisoned in Clare.
