Morning Focus Wednesday June 19

On Wednesday’s Morning Focus John Cooke spoke with Professor Declan Lyons, Consultant Physician at Limerick University Hospital and Professor of Medical Science, University of Limerick

Concerns have been raised about cutbacks to elderly care services for Clare and Limerick patients by three hospital doctors.
The consultant physicians have issued a statement to say that Management at Mid Western Regional Hospital has "abruptly stopped the longstanding process whereby vulnerable older patients are automatically admitted under Specialists in Elderly Medicine at the hospital.
They say the changes have taken place this week against the advice of the relevant medical specialists and that Limerick Regional is now the only hospital moving from a system of higher specialist input to lower for older patients.
The consultants say the changes  will adversely impact on a large and complex group of patients but the HSE has yet to comment on the situation.

The Irish Human Rights Commission is calling for an independent, statutory inquiry into the Magdalene Laundries
It says the State failed in its obligation to protect the human rights of women in the laundries – and any redress scheme should provide for the individual needs of the survivors
It comes ahead of the Government’s publication of its compensation scheme for survivors later this month
Professor Siobhan Mullally of the IHRC says an independent inquiry is needed – similar to the Murphy and Ryan reports into child sex abuse in the Catholic Church
Author of the report Sinead Lucey, Senior Enquiry Legal Officer at the Irish Human Rights Commission, discussed the findings.

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The Justice For Magdalene’s group is calling for an immediate redress scheme to be set up – after a report said the state failed to protect the human rights of the women in the Laundries
The Irish Human Rights Council says an independent statutory inquiry must be established – and says the State ‘can be in no doubt it acted wrongfully’
Its report recommends the State must provide counselling services to help the Magdalene survivors deal with the psychological impact of their ordeals and it also calls for immediate financial compensation
Claire McGettrick, PRO of Justice for Magdalenes, joined John on the line.
 
Yesterday the US First Family have spent their final day in Ireland visiting Glendalough in Co Wicklow
Michelle Obama and her two daughters – Malia and Sasha – took a tour of the monastic site and scenic lakes
The three concluded their visit to Ireland at a private lunch with Bono in Dalkey in South Dublin
Caroline O’Doherty of The Irish Examiner was in Dalkey for the Obama’s visit- she spoke with John.

The Kennedy Homestead is a new visitor attraction and exhibition centre, currently in the final stages of construction, which is situated beside the original farm house at Dunganstown where President John F Kennedy’s great grandfather, also named Patrick Kennedy was born and lived before he emigrated to the United States from the Quayside of New Ross in 1948
It was also the location for President John F Kennedy’s iconic visit to have tea with his Irish relatives during his state visit to Ireland in 1963
The Kennedy Homestead will be open to the public this Sunday
Patrick Grennan – 4th cousin of JKF – is also the Curator of the Kennedy Homestead, he spoke with John ahead of the official opening.

Lahinch based artist Michael Hanrahan was 12 years old when President Kennedy came to Ireland in 1963
50 years later he asked the Kennedy Foundation to send him archival images from the visit – he has painted a series of paintings depicting important scenes from the visit
One of them ‘President Kennedy speaking in Leinster House’ was included in Whytes Art auction on 27th May
Aer Lingus are flying him with the second painting ‘JFK in Cork 1963’ and this will go on public display at the Kennedy Foundation in Boston
The 3rd painting ‘President Kennedy in New Ross’ Michael will presented to Caroline Kennedy in New Ross this Saturday at a public ceremony in conjunction with New Ross Town Council
Michael joined John in studio and brought the painting with him.

Every year at the end of August Obair Family Centre, Newmarket on Fergus, hold a village carnival in the centre of the village – all these events are free its Obair’s way of thanking the community and volunteers who help and work to make Newmarket on Fergus a vibrant community
To help fund our village carnival they are hosting an event in Deirdre O’Brien Vaughan’s fabulous garden on the longest day of the year 21st of June- this Friday
The event is supper and song evening, workshops with Sean Keane and his band
Food on the night will consist of fabulous homemade  pizza’s cooked on the purpose built Cob Oven by Celt from East Clare, there will also be a buffet of summer feasts and desserts all organic, seasonal and local produce .
A wine and beer bar will be on sight and the ambience rustic- monies raised will go towards the running cost of the community Village Carnival in August
Siobhan O Driscoll, Community Development and Youth Officer at Obair Family Centre, encouraged people to support this fundraiser
She spoke with John saying it’s a lovely way to spend Midsummer’s Eve.
For more information see www.obair.org or call Deirdre on 085 8507940.

Mary Immaculate Secondary School Lisdoonvarna took part in the Sentinus Northern Ireland Young Scientist competition which was held in the Odyssey Arena in Belfast on MOnday
The school had eleven projects entered in the event as John Sims, Science and Geography teacher at Mary Immaculate Secondary School explained.

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