On The Afternoon Show Gavin Grace spoke with Brid O’Brien of the INOU – Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed. A report’s going before the government today that could see changes for the dole payments of thousands of people around the country. At the moment those out of work can claim means-tested job-seekers benefit for up to 12 months, before a different payment system kicks in, with lower rates. But yesterday’s Irish Times claims the document proposes cutting the term of the first payment to 9 months, in an attempt to encourage people to get back to work. The cabinet’s to have a special pre-budget meeting today, with one week to go until Michael Noonan unveils his plans for 2013.
Dr. Marian Faughnan is a Chief Specialist in Nutrition with Safe Food. She spoke to Máire Moynahan about a new report carried out by University College Cork, which says the obesity problem in Ireland is costing over a billion euro a year. Over a third of the costs come from direct healthcare needs – and the remainder is down to a loss of productivity and absenteeism, with over two thirds of Irish adults either overweight or obese.
Daithi de Buitleir is a 22 year old student from Kilkenny. Daithi has founded the only Irish speaking GAA club outside of the Gaeltacht areas and is an ambassador for the promotion of Irish as a spoken, everyday language. Daithi has been recognised for his social entrepreneurship in setting up the club and also for his work in the Raising and Giving Ireland project, which aims ensure that the student body are nurtured in a way that helps them realise their potential. The GAA club is open to all who are interested in speaking and playing through Irish and all Clare natives who find themselves in Dublin for work or college can join – you can contact Gaeil Oga CLG by email on [email protected]
Dr. Jack Lambert is a HIV Clinician and he joined the show to discuss how almost one person in Ireland is diagnosed with HIV every day on average; a new campaign encouraging people to get tested now has revealed. The #gettestednow campaign urges the Irish public to get tested for HIV this World Aids Day. Recent statistics show that a high number of those diagnosed with HIV caught the virus late, which means that these people first learnt about their HIV diagnosis when they had already developed AIDS. The campaign urges all people who could have been infected with HIV to get tested. The campaign also highlights that age is not a protective factor, with persons aged 50 or over accounting for 10% of new diagnoses of HIV in 2011.
Also in studio this afternoon was four students from Colaiste Mhuire in Ennis, Elana Bradley, Ciara Moynihan, Orla O’Neill and Muireann O’Shea. Maire Moyanhan spoke to them about their annual school production. This year’s show is Mamma Mia, the hit broadway musical which will be performed by the students of fourth year and transition year. The show starts today and runs until Saturday with nightly shows at 8pm
If you’d like to contact the show please email [email protected]
