Morning Focus began with a change in commercial rates in Clare. It's claimed that the continuing rise of commercial rates is putting huge pressure on businesses in the county town and Kilrush. Business owners in Ennis will see a rise of 2.72% on last year's figure, while in Kilrush, the increase will amount to 4.09%. However the Council insists this will represent an increase of been 20 and 30 euro per year for businesses paying rates of 4,000 euro in these towns. Gavin was joined on the line by Jean McCabe, President of Ennis Chamber, and Jack Kelly, Member of the Executive in Kilrush Chamber.
Talk then turned to the recent earthquake that shook New Zealand. Hundreds of aftershocks have rocked New Zealand after this weekend’s magnitude 7.8 earthquake in the country. Two people lost their lives, hundreds fled their homes, and one coastal community, Kaikoura, has been devastated. Ordinarily based in Christchurch, Mary O’Callaghan was in Wellington when the quake struck on Sunday night local time.
Gavin then spoke about the sometimes controversial topic of ADHD. There have been some allegations made in the Irish Independent that some parents are paying for their children to receive an ADHD label from a doctor so that they can have access to special services. Gavin was joined on the line by David Coleman who’s a child psychologist and had something to say himself in the paper.
We then had our financial segment with Tommy Corbett, this week he was giving advice on children’s educational funds.
With concerns increasing about access to emergency healthcare in remote areas, my next guest is hoping to extend an initiative to this region which he believes has the potential to save countless lives. Based at Cork Airport, Irish Community Air Ambulance will provide a vital lifesaving service to the greater Munster area, offering fast access to advanced clinical interventions at the roadside by highly trained pre-hospital emergency care physicians. The Irish Community Air Ambulance service will mirror successful models across the United Kingdom and other countries where challenging terrain warrants an air ambulance. It's hoped that more than €1million can be raised to launch the service from late Spring 2017. Irish Community Air Ambulance will complement the existing emergency services and the current Athlone based Emergency Aeromedical Service operated by the National Ambulance Service in partnership with the Irish Air Corps. Gavin was joined on the line by John Kearney, co-founder of Irish Community Air Ambulance.
We then turned to the topic of mental health. Your mental health is one of the most important things you have and you should be taking care of it. That can be easier said than done some days especially if you’re in a rural area and feel a bit isolated. Well if that is the case you could do with making your way down to the Kilrush Golf Club tomorrow (Wednesday 16th) at 7.30pm for a talk on coping with social isolation. Gavin was joined by Peter Gohery from Embrace and Seamus Sherlock from the ICSA who will be speaking at the event.
Next up we had our weekly segment with Frankie Coote, Clare County Dog Warden.
Pharmacists are warning that antibiotic resistance is one of the most significant threats to patient safety in Ireland. The Irish Pharmacy Union wants people to respect antibiotics as life-saving medicine to be used sparingly and appropriately and only when absolutely necessary. Gavin was joined on the line by Darragh Connolly, President of the IPU.
Coming up to the end of the show Gavin had an interview with Neil Delamare who will be playing a show in Glór here in Ennis In January.
And to finish up the show we had an interview with the legendary Mícheál O’Suilleabháin who joined Gavin live in studio to discuss his illustrious career in the face of his retirement.
