Retail Ireland’s report ‘Tackling the Black Market and Retail Crime’ says that black market and retail crime costs the Exchequer €861 million annually
They say the recession has led to increase in retail crime and that a zero tolerance approach is needed
RI Director Stephen Lynam spoke with John Cooke on Tuesday’s Morning Focus
He said almost 25% of the Irish cigarette market is sourced from the black market In 2011, 109 million illegal cigarettes, with a value of €45.9 million, were seized
This has infuriated the Irish Cancer Society – as Kathleen O’Meara – Head of Advocacy at the Irish Cancer Society joined the discussion saying the figures being used in this Retail Ireland report is far lower than that of 25 percent – (14 %)
She says the figure is coming from a group called IBNAC which is the tobacco industries’ own group, which is a member of IBEC and a member of Retail Ireland
So the ICS say that that figure is being deliberately used by the tobacco industry as part of their pre-budget and part of their lobbying ask of the government to keep prices down.
Almost two thirds of the Clare community have so far paid the Household Charge, which is one of the higher compliance rates when compared to other local authority areas
All those who have not yet paid the Household Charge will be contacted over the coming weeks, Clare County Council has confirmed.
The Local Authority has already commenced issuing payment reminders to householders outlining the benefits of paying the charge and the penalties associated with non-payment.
The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), the agency responsible for the collection of the charge nationally, this week provided Clare County Council with a database of compliant residential property owners in Clare
Up to Friday 17 August 2012, 64% of householders in Clare had paid the charge, which was introduced by the Government in the 2012 budget
The Union of Students’ in Ireland’s Rent Book was launched yesterday and is an invaluable resource to students setting out on the hunt for accommodation
It provides easily digested information on their rights and obligations as tenants and also includes top tips on all aspects of renting
With the cost of going to college rising every year, USI produces the Rent Book to help students manage their accommodation budget effectively
Denise McCarty, Vice President for Welfare with the Union of Students’ Ireland, had some advice for students and their parents
See www.usi.ie or facebook.com/usi.ie
A Newmarket on Fergus man has won two medals for Ireland at the 7th European Transplant & Dialysis Games in Croatia
29 year old Eoghan O’Neill a native of Newmarket-on-Fergus and now living in Ashbrook, Limerick, secured a Gold medal at European Games yesterday in the Swimming 400m freestyle event and a Bronze in the Swimming relay race with his team mates
Eoghan is a kidney transplant recipient and it’s his first time to represent Ireland at the European Games. Already he’s secured two medals but the games continue for him in Croatia as he competes in Golf today and track and field events later in the week
John has been speaking to Eoghan in Croatia and though the phone line wasn’t great, got a chance to congratulate the Newmarket on Fergus man on his medal haul so far, and to ask him how he felt about his success in the swimming pool
Sli Nios Fearr is a newly formed political movement
Martin Critten of Kildysart is their spokesperson
He says that with 437,000 on the register, 86,000 in bridging schemes and there’s an unfathomable amount of people previously self employed, who are struggling possibly with no access to of assistance from anywhere
The group is establishing a scholarships charity and have announced "give someone a future week" a whole week dedicated to fundraising in support of the unemployed this October
Check out www.givesomeoneafuture.com or sli nios fearr
The Maeve Binchy Short Story Competition was launched at the Merriman Summer School by Garry Hynes on Sunday
Doireann Ni Bhrian of the Merriman Summer School Committee had details of the competition and reflected on another successful year of Merriman
Check out www.merriman.ie or www.ennisbookclubfestival.com
Frankie Coote, Clare ISPCA Warden, joined John in studio
Contact the Clare Dog Shelter on 065 68 203 93
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