On today's Morning Focus with Gavin Grace
Following a raid on the mart in Gort, a local County Councillor is demanding that a Superintendent be re-instated at Gort Garda Station to tackle rural crime. The mart at Ballybawn had its CCTV cameras and computer systems destroyed in a raid, windows and doors broken, phone line cut and main office vandalised. Councillor Michael Fahy told a recent meeting of the Loughrea Municipal District it was time to return a Garda Superintendent to Gort.
Dumping incidents at a County Council-run recycling facility close to the Ocean Cove Hotel. There's also an issue with dumping on the Cliff Road in Kilkee. Manuel De Lucia sent a photo into Morning Focus of the littering he came across in Kilkee with his wife. He said there were tourists around and it was not a good look for Kilkee.
A Mail on Sunday expose by Fionnuala O'Leary uncovered the truth behind 'Chuggers' tactics'. Fionnuala went undercover and learnt the ways of chugging, or charity mugging. She was told to flirt with men in order for them to giver her money for the charity that she did not name in the report. She said that many of the charities hire an outside person to teach people how to 'chug' and it is usually inappropriate.
From next week shops will start to round off the amount you pay at the till as part of a new Central Bank scheme. The rounding won't affect the price of items – and will happen to your total bill at the checkout. The scheme is voluntary – but the Central Bank say they're hopeful most stores will sign up in the next few years. Clare FMs Edel Bane asked people who were shopping in Ennis and the local shopkeepers in Ennis what they think of the new proposal to round the total bill of your shopping to the closest 5cent. Here is what they had to say. Ronnie O'Toole of the Central Bank talked about this with Gavin.
John Lowe, The Money Doctor, spoke to Gavin about €100 water grant deadline extended to October 22 (Thursday), Motor insurance hikes – the real reason and the Consumer spending that continues to rise.
Head boxing coach Billy Walsh's departure from the Irish team has been confirmed. Walsh says he was hopeful in recent weeks that a final proposal arising out of an approach in late September by the Irish Amateur Boxing Association would lead to a successful conclusion but unfortunately it didn't. The Wexford man has confirmed a new role with USA boxing. Kevin Byrne of The Irish Sun spoke on Morning Focus about the loss Billy Walsh is to Irish Boxing.
Parents could be effectively banned from slapping their children under proposals being brought to Cabinet. The Irish Times reports the Minister for Children, Dr James Reilly, is seeking to remove the defence of "reasonable chastisement", which applies to parents and child carers in common law. No new laws or offences are being created, instead the Minister wants to effectively ban slapping by removing any reference to it. It is understood Minister Reilly may seek Cabinet approval for the measures as early as this week. The Children's Rights Alliance welcomes the news, saying it's an important step in changing our attitudes and behaviour. CRA also says it's not enough to ban slapping – parents need to be educated and supported in better ways to discipline their children. Tanya Ward is the CEO of Children's Rights Alliance and discussed the new proposal with Gavin.
The annual Killaloe Pink Ribbon Walk is back. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and The Killaloe Pink Ribbon Walk has done it again, raising a whopping €52,120 for Action Breast Cancer, a Programme from the Irish Cancer Society. June 28 marked the sixth Annual Killaloe Pink Ribbon Walk at the Lakeside Hotel Killaloe where, over 1000 people proudly wore pink in hope to combat breast cancer. Since 2009, the Irish Pink Ribbon Walks in Killaloe, Boyne Valley, Kinsale and Kenmare have raised over €1,2500,000 for Action Breast Cancer, a programme of the Irish Cancer Society. Action Breast Cancer is Ireland’s leading provider of support and information, offering practical help to breast cancer patients and their families all over the country, including many services in Limerick, Clare and Tipperary. Nicola Wood who is involved in the Killaloe Pink Ribbon committee discussed their great success and their hope for the future.
“Motivate a New You” with John Whyte of Motivation Weight Management and Shane O Donohoe of The West County Gym spoke about getting fit and eating well in a healthy way.
The Stunning will play The Falls Hotel, Ennistymon on October 25th. The Stunning joined Gavin on air and even sang a few songs.
Ennis is home to one of a number of 'Nappy Libraries', designed to help parents who'd like to consider an environmentally-friendly option to disposable nappies. The libraries offer demons on using cloth nappies and allow parents to borrow cloth nappy kits at inexpensive prices. Patricia Neary is originally from Galway. She met Fintan Ward from Cratloe while travelling New Zealand and moved to Clare 5-and-a-half years ago. The couple have 2 girls. Roisín is 3 years old and Rachel is 17 months. They live in Sixmilebridge. Dee Burke, originally from Edenderry, Co Offaly, met Florian (from Broadford) in Cork and moved to Clare almost 5yrs ago, while expecting Ruth. Ruth is just gone 4, Joshua is 19 months and the family lives in O'Callaghans Mills. The two women talked about the great advantages of having a 'Nappy Library' in the community is.
