On Wednesdays Morning Focus John began by speaking to Catherine Pender and Noreen Keane as around 15,300 people with an acute or life-long medical condition, who lost their discretionary medical card, or GP visit card, after an eligibility review between 1 July 2011 and 31 May 2014, are to have them returned. Both women had seen their young sons loose their medical cards and have been fighting to have them restored. They are welcoming this move.
Up next John was joined in studio by Claire McGrath, Water safety officer for Clare County Council. If your planning a beach day this week, it’s looking like today’s the day to do it. Temperatures have been creeping up since Friday — with today set to be the best day of the week. This means many people across the Banner County will be heading to Clare’s bathing spots. People are being urged to think safety first!! Claire has a background in water safety as she was a lifeguard in Lahinch – one of the first females to do so! Lifeguards will be on full time at the bathing areas from the 28th of June.
As well as swimming many people will be bringing out the BBQ during this mini-heat wave. John spoke to Dr. Garry Kearney, Director of Food Science at Safefood about safety tips while using the BBQ. A barbeque is a great way to spend the evening with family, friends and neighbours. But just because you are cooking outdoors, don’t let your good cooking habits go up in smoke when you light the barbecue – you want them to go home with memories of a good time, not a tummy bug to remember you by!
It was a tough start to the year for many coastal businesses in Clare follwing some severe storms. John spoke to some of these to see if the good weather had turned things around for them. John McCarthy, Owner of Lahinch Surf School told John that things were hard but he says things have really turned around! He had one of the biggest school tours visit from Dublin saying they had heard in the news the hard time that Lahinch had been through and they decided to support the well know Clare town by visiting on their tour!! Meanwhile John Redmond of The Strand Hotel Kilkee says things are ok in Kilkee, while the weather is lovely and there is a bit of a buzz about things aren’t hectic. He has noticed a lot more foreign tourists around which he is putting down to the Wild Atlantic Way. The road is still damaged outside his business so this is having an impact.
Members of the public in County Clare are being invited to play their part in the formulation of a 6-year social and economic development plan for Ennis and surrounding areas. The new Ennis and Environs Local Area Plan 2015-2021 will guide the development of the Clare county capital and its environs in terms of economic development, recreational and community requirements, as well as residential, retail, transport and infrastructural needs. A draft of the plan is due to be completed by the end of 2014. John spoke to Gordon Daly, Senior Planner with Clare County Council, about how the public can get involved in this plan.
John was joined in studio by Trevor Morrissey, Food Technical Manager with East Clare Community Co-op, East Clare Community Co-op will proudly launch the LEADER and SEAI funded "Sustenance"- The Food Training and Enterprise Centre on Saturday June 21st from 12-4pm. Imelda Byrne of ICA Bootcamp fame will formally launch the project at 2pm which has already attracted a number of users-both for training and for individual micro enterprises. There is a strong possibility of FETAC accredited Hospitality courses running from the facility shortly and anyone interested should come along on Saturday and express their interest. Furthermore the Co-op are launching their own "Cothú Cookery School and will have the Summer-September programme available with discounts for unwaged, for early bird and multiple bookings.
Paul Wolfe of the Clare Citizens’ Information Service was in studio to answer listeners' social welfare, employment and consumer law queries.
Contact Clare Citizens' Information Service on 076 1075260.
If you have a story, comment or query for Morning Focus email [email protected] or write to us – Morning Focus, Clare FM, Francis Street, Ennis, Co. Clare.
