Clare Fm - Podcasts

The Taoiseach has vowed to the raise the matter of Shannon-based refugees being moved to North Clare with the Integration Minister. Ukrainians living in Phoenix House in Shannon Town Centre were issued with a letter from International Protection Accommodation Services on Monday stating they'll be relocated to Lisdoonvarna on June 24th. The decision has been met with anger and upset from many of those living in Phoenix House who've found work and enrolled their children in schools in the industrial town. Responding to Meelick Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe in the Dáil, Taoiseach Simon Harris claims the move is part of an effort to reduce the State emergency accommodation bill.

A Clare family carer insists nothing short of scrapping the carer's allowance means test will show the Government values the work they do. Minister Heather Humphreys has confirmed the weekly income disregard for carer's allowance will be increased to €450 for a single person and €900 for a couple. In addition, the carer's benefit income limit has gone up by €100 to €450 per week. Shannon resident Marion Costello, who looks after her mother who has Alzheimer's Disease, says in the context of the cost of living crisis, having a means test for carer's allowance is totally unjust.

Tributes are being paid to the Clare woman who provided a light in the darkest moments to countless women and young families across the county. Mary Fitzgerald, who was one of the original founders of Clare Haven over 30 years ago, will be laid to rest this lunchtime after a funeral mass at Kilnamona Church. Before establishing the county's first dedicated 24/7 refuge service for victims of domestic abuse in 1993, Mary took vulnerable women and their children into her own home. For her efforts, she was named the Christine Buckley volunteer of the year in 2018 and was inducted into the Clare Association of Dublin Hall of Fame two years later. Today, Mary's workshops to establish abusive patterns early in relationships, still remain part of the SPHE programme taught in secondary schools. Director of Clare Haven Services Dr Siobhán O'Connor says Mary's legacy will be everlasting.

It will likely be tomorrow before an official announcement is made, but Clare TD Michael McNamara remains on course to secure a move to Brussels. The Scariff deputy is currently lying third in the running in the Ireland South Constituency having amassed over 62,500 votes on the eleventh count. Aontú's Patrick Murphy, who is also the CEO of the Ireland South-West Fisheries Board, has just been eliminated and 17,000 of his votes are currently being distributed. As it stands, Cratloe's Eddie Punch, who is the former General Secretary of the ICSA, and Labour's Niamh Hourigan, are next in line to be excluded. Clare FM's Jamie O'Hara who's at the Nemo Rangers count centre has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan that Deputy McNamara should benefit significantly from the transfers to come.

A West Clare river has been deemed to be in "bad condition" due to agricultural run-off and wastewater treatment. The Environmental Protection Agency's new report on water quality in rivers and lakes across the country last year has found that increased nutrient pollution means water quality here isn't improving. The Annagh River in West Clare is one of four river water bodies reported as in bad condition along with the River Laune in Kerry, Ahavarraga Stream in Limerick and the Nenagh River in Tipperary. Scientific Officer in the EPA's Water Management Programme Hugh Feeley has been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons that while farmers must do their bit to prevent run-off, more action is needed from central government.

The Clare-based Chair of Sadaka fears the war in Gaza will continue for months to come unless there's a change of government in Israel. It comes as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have submitted a reponse to a UN-backed ceasefire proposal to mediators in Qater and Egypt. A UN report published today meanwhile has found that both Israel and Hamas have committed war crimes in the first few months of the conflict. Kilmaley native and Chair of Sadaka-the Ireland Palestine Alliance Éamonn Meehan insists unless Netanyahu is ousted, the bloodshed will continue unabated.

The Clare branch of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service has launched an urgent appeal as it faces serious pressure to increase blood supply. Nationally , the IBTS currently has just 2.6 days worth of minimum blood stocks available and is aiming to increase this to 5 days for neo-natal use and 7 for general use. As part of its efforts to boost supply, a donation clinic will be taking place at the West County Hotel in Ennis this evening from 4.50 until 10 past 8. IBTS Recruitment Executive Alex O'Connor says it's a constant challenge to keep stocks replenished.

On this week’s Sport in Focus, we are talking about watersports on the River Fergus. Scoil Criost Rí has been leading the way by developing kayak and paddle boarding facilities at the school, which has the river running just behind it Clare FM's Derrick Lynch visited the school to find out more.

On Wednesday’s Morning Focus, Alan Morrissey was joined by Tommy Corbett from Carey Corbett Financial Solutions. This week, Tommy provided Alan and our Morning Focus listeners with advice on critical illness, serious illness and specified illness cover.

A coalition of concerned stakeholders within the tourism industry have written to the Taoiseach, to express their concerns over rural tourism. The Irish Self-Catering Federation are among the industry chiefs who are calling upon Simon Harris to “stop unintended and serious harm being inflicted on Ireland’s rural tourism economy”. One of the issues concerning the coalition of concerned stakeholders is in relation to the Registration of Short-Term Letting Bill. To explore this further, Alan Morrissey spoke with Máire NÍ Mhurchú, the CEO of the Irish Self-Catering Federation and Fred Hannaford of Deerpark Holiday Cottages in Killaloe. Picture (c): ‘Pat Crotty, Vintners Federation of Ireland, and Maire ni Mhurchu, (CEO) of the Irish Self Catering Federation, Brendan Kenny, (Chief Executive), Ireland Association for Adventure Tourism, and Adrian Cummins, Restaurant Association Ireland as they hand in a letter on behalf of a coalition of tourism industry chiefs - including the Irish Self-Catering Federation,

A very important event will be held in Ennistymon early next month. The Conor Flanagan Memorial Walk/Run will take place on the 7th of July. Funds raised as a result of the walk/run will go towards the purchase of a vital piece of equipment. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined by Conor’s sister, Anne Marie Flanagan. To donate, visit https://www.idonate.ie/crowdfunder/ConorFlanaganMemorial Picture (c): Conor Flanagan via www.idonate.ie

A Clare firefighter fears irreparable damage will be done to the service unless the Government urgently resolves a pay dispute. It's after SIPTU and the LGMA held a meeting at the Workplace Relations Commission last night after part-time firefighters were offered a maximum increase of €750 to their annual €8,000 retainer. Between January and April, Clare's firefighters responded to 400 emergency calls, with 60% of the force made up of retained personnel. Killaloe Fire Station Shop Steward Edward Moloney says the matter needs to be resolved once and for all.

Clare's Michael McNamara looks on course to secure a European Parliament seat. The Scariff Independent TD is currently lying in third place in the Ireland South Constituency after receiving 56,339 first preference votes - with Fianna Fáil's Cynthia Ní Mhurchú behind him at 55,209. Former GAA president, Fine Gael's Seán Kelly, became the first European candidate in Ireland to get across the line last night as he exceeded the quota of 114,761 by over 8,000 votes. Reporter Jamie O'Hara, who's in the count centre at Nemo in Cork, has been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons that while the transfers seem unpredictable, the top five is unlikely to change.

An ESRI analysis has found a lack of pathways for refugees hoping to access affordable housing along with overburdened frontline support workers in local authorities and homeless charities to be among the greatest barriers. In Clare at present, there are over 1,100 households availing of HAP, while last month the local authority was supporting 118 people here in emergency accommodation. But the a MidWest Migrant Rights Centre claims a lack of communication between IPAS and county councils is creating serious difficulties for refugees hoping to access housing. Doras CEO John Lannon says the situation is having a serious impact on the well-being of new arrivals and their families.

A former resident of a Clare direct provision centre has accused the Government of uprooting immigrants from their new communities due to policy failures. It follows a new report from the ESRI which shows that almost 6,000 refugees who have been granted status to remain are still living in direct provision centres due to the housing shortage. There are currently 907 International Protection Applicants living in Clare in centres across Ennis, Inch, Meelick, Tulla, Scariff and Lisdoonvarna. While, last month , figures released to Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara showed the state has now spent over €1.5bn housing International Protection Applicants since 2021. A former resident of the Knockalisheen Direct Provision Centre in Meelick, believes many Asylum seekers are living in sub standard conditions as the current government approach rewards providers hoping to make a "quick buck". Spokesperson for the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland, Bulelani Mfaco says taxpayer's money would be better invested

A new survey of Clare's coastline has led to a renewed push for stronger conservation legislation for Ireland's inshore waters. The Fair Seas campaign and the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group have published a report after monitoring the marine life along the coastlines of Clare, Cork and Kerry over a five-month period. The low number of harbour porpoise sightings was the most concerning finding as none were observed in the Loop Head to Kenmare Area of Interest or the Blasket Islands Special Area of Conservation. With just 9% of Ireland's waters officially designated as marine protected areas, Clare-based Irish Whale and Dolphin Group Science Officer and Fair Seas Partner Rebecca Dudley insists stronger legislation is needed to protect marine life.

Based in Ennis and run by Anna Petertil, BodyWow EMS Training aims to revolutionise the traditional way of training by combining EMS (Electric Muscle Stimulation) technology with fitness expertise. EMS is a 20-minute full-body workout, that aims to make you look and feel great. To find out more about this different approach to exercise – and to discover what is involved in Electric Muscle Stimulation, Alan Morrisey visited BodyWow EMS Training in Ennis. Picture (c): BodyWow EMS Training via Facebook

It is time to bring you another weird and wonderful tale, which means it is time for another edition of Seanchaí Corner. Seanchaí Corner sees the renowned author, storyteller, lecturer, and broadcaster Eddie Lenihan regaling us with a memorable story from his extensive collection of old Irish tales and fables. In our latest installment of Seanchaí Corner, Eddie Lenihan brings us a strange tale of the man with no shadow.

We’re into the summer and can hopefully expect more good weather. Now is an important time to discuss skin health. To give some some key advice on staying safe in the sun, Alan Morrissey was joined by Dr. Maeve O'Doherty who is an Ophthalmologist at the Eyes, Lids & Face Clinic in Ennis. Picture (c): Eyes, Lids and Face Clinic via eyeslidsandface.ie

Grow Mental Health’s 'Go Yellow' event will take place later this month To shed some light on Grow Mental Health, as well as outlining the reason behind Go Yellow, Alan Morrissey was joined by Celia Brett, Integrated Professional Counsellor and Psychotherapist Specialising in Addiction and Midwest Area Coordinator with Grow Mental Health. Picture (c): Grow Mental Health via Facebook