Lucan News 27.11.17 by Newsgroup

27th November 2017

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27th November 2017

COOKING THE BOOKS

Sinn Féin Housing Spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has called on the Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy to “come clean on the real number of vacant Councils houses returned to use”. The call was made after a PQ reply from the Minister claims that 8,512 Council voids were returned to stock between 2014 and 2017 while a 2016 report by the National Oversight and Audit Commission

indicated that there was a total of 4,202 council voids in the system in 2014. Deputy Ó Broin said: “The issue of long term vacant Council houses has been a cause of concern for some years. At a time of acute housing need, there has been significant pressure on Councils to ensure that Council properties that become vacant are relet as quickly as possible. “A number of years

ago, it was revealed that there were a large number of long-term vacant houses that Council not be let out because they did not have the money to refurbish them. These units had essentially fallen out of Council stock. “Additional money has been provided by the Department of Housing since 2014 to bring these units back into active use. Each year, the total

number of ‘returned long term voids’ has been included in the Department’s new social housing figures. “However, a major discrepancy has now emerged in the Governments figures. A 2016 report from the National Oversight and Audit Commission states that there were 4,202 vacant Council houses in 2014. Just over half of these units were vacant for more than one year. “Yet, in a recent Parliamentary Question Reply, Minister Murphy has claimed that 8,512 long term vacant Council houses have been brought back into use since 2014. “This is not just a question of numbers. The Government is including these figures in their annual social housing output figures. However, it appears that either the Councils underreported the real level of long term vacancy when reporting to NOAC for the 2016 report or that the Department of Housing are not only including Council units that have

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NEW BILL TO INCREASE PENALTY FOR THOSE CONVICTED OF SEXUAL OFFENCES Published by: Newsgroup, Unit 3 Floor 2 St. Dominics Shopping Centre, St. Dominics Road, Tallaght, Dublin, D24 HK49. Titles: Tallaght News, Clondalkin News, Lucan News and Rathcoole & Saggart News Printed by: Meath Chronicle Distributed by: Local Post Co. Contact Details: Email: info@newsgroup.ie Website www.newsgroup.ie www.facebook.com/newsgroup.ie Twitter @NewsgroupIRL www.linkedIn.com/company/newsgroup Registered in Ireland: 497158 Tax and VAT Registration: IE 3354179CH Advertising: Anthony Russell Sales Director anthony@newsgroup.ie Design & Editorial: John Russell john@newsgroup.ie Administration: Sarah Brooks Office Manager admin@newsgroup.ie

Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Mid West John Curran has said that a new Bill introduced by his party in Dáil Éireann last week will provide for heightened legislation to deal with the perpetrators who abuse children. The ‘Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2017’ seeks to provide for increased penalties for those found guilty of the sexual exploitation of children in Ireland. Commenting on the bill Deputy Curran said, “Sexual offences carried out against children are among the most heinous crimes conceivable and

have lifelong consequences for victims and their loved ones. “There are a number of essential amendments required to update legislation in order to more appropriately reflect the nature of these offence(s). This Bill is a legitimate response to growing public concern regarding the degree of penalty imposed on those convicted of child abuse or child sex offences. “Existing legislation provides for a maximum prison sentence of 7 years for a person who engages in a sexual act with someone between the ages of 15 and

17. The Bill that Fianna Fáil has introduced seeks to extend this to a period of 15 years. “Currently, a life sentence can only be imposed if the victim is 15 years of age or younger but I believe that this should be extended up to the age of 17. “It is the responsibility of the Oireachtas to determine maximum sentences for these crimes. There must be a change to law to bring about an end to what the

“No matter what the explanation is, this looks suspiciously like a case of cooking the books to make the figures look better. I have raised the matter directly with the Minister for Housing and strongly

feel that he needs to come clean on the real number of vacant Councils houses returned to use. “The Government appears to have a problem with housing figures. To date, they have been called out on figures for new builds, affordable housing and homelessness. Now, it appears that they have a problem with vacant Council units too.”

He concluded, “The perpetrators of these crimes especially those in a position of authority should be as deterred from wrongdoing as possible, increasing sentences is one means of doing so. “I am confident that this Bill will receive the support from other parties and members of the Oireachtas.”

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SOUTH DUBLIN TOWNS RECOGNISED AT ENTERPRISING TOWNS AWARDS

The initiative and efforts shown by a range of local businesses, community groups and enterprise support agencies in both Rathcoole and Tallaght were recognised at the recent national awards ceremony. Rathcoole won the Most Enterprising Town in Dublin for the 3,001 – 7,000 population category with Rathcoole Community Council taking home a crystal trophy and €3,000 in funding for the village with Dick Butler from Rathcoole Community Centre accepting the prize on behalf of the village with Cllr. Emer Higgins, Paul Campbell from Family

Separation Services in Rathcoole and Joanne Kelly from Bank of Ireland all representing the village at the event as well.

The Union of Students in Ireland has hailed a massive effort across Ireland that has seen over 18,000 students added to the register of electors ahead of a number of referendums and a possible general election taking place in 2018.

Kerrigan said: “With a decision on Higher Education funding on the horizon, a referendum on the 8th amendment and the possibility of a general election in 2018, students understand more than ever, how important it is to have their voices heard” On the registration itself,

Meanwhile, Tallaght was awarded 1st runner-up in the 7,000 plus population category for the Dublin Region with the Social & Local Alliance receiving €2,000 in funding. John Kearns from Social & Local Alliance and Partas in Tallaght Village accepted the prize on behalf of Tallaght. Both the Rathcoole and Tallaght applications were supported and co-ordinated by Local Enterprise Office

(LEO) South Dublin and Colm Ward, Head of Enterprise, with Local Enterprise Office South Dublin, said: “These awards recognise the fabulous spirit and initiative in both Rathcoole and Tallaght. The judges were genuinely impressed with the stories and initiatives that they heard from local businesses and community representatives when they visited both places. For both entrants from South Dublin to achieve this recognition is both rewarding for their hard work to date and very inspiring for the future of local enterprises in the County.”

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Kerrigan continued: “We have seen long queues across the country of students registering to vote. The work carried out by Students’ Unions and societies has been incredible. Students have shown that they are engaged with and understand the issues, and these figures demonstrate the determination of our members to effect change.” Speaking on behalf of IT Tallaght Students’ Union, President Jason Kavanagh said: “We are extremely proud to have registered so many students here in IT Tallaght. Now more than ever, students are aware, engaged and want to be heard and involved in decisions being made in this country. Registering hundreds locally & thousands of students nationwide just emphasises my point that students have a voice and should be listened to”

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LATEST EU REPORT HIGHLIGHTS IRELAND’S EMBARRASSING TRACK RECORD ON INVESTMENT IN CARE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

The latest EU Social Justice Index ranks Ireland lowest in the EU for investment in pre-primary education and underlines the need for substantially increased investment in early years education, Early Childhood Ireland (ECI) says. Figures from the EU Social Justice Index 2017, released today, indicate that Ireland ranks lowest among 28 EU countries for investment in pre-primary education. Ireland currently invests about 0.1% of GDP, considerably lower than the EU average of 0.8%. Commenting on the report, Frances Byrne, Director of Policy with ECI, said, ‘The figures outlined in this report further underline the urgent need to radically increase investment in early childhood education. The data tallies with that released in the OECD Education at a Glance report in September, which ranked Ireland lowest among 22 EU Member States for investment in early years. This is not sustainable.’ ‘The early years sector

educates and cares for our youngest citizens. It is imperative that we commit to them by increasing funding so as to fully support a quality and affordable system,’ Ms. Byrne continued. The release of these figures comes just one month after the announcement of Budget 2018, which saw a very low level of increased investment in childcare. While the government provided for a 7% increase in capitation levels for early years providers, this falls far short of the 15% identified by Early Childhood Ireland as key to supporting the sector. Ms. Byrne added, ‘This latest report offers an opportunity to place Ireland’s provision for young children next to our EU counterparts. It is shameful to see that once again, we fall far behind. The Nordic countries, which are frequently identified as leaders in early years excellence, invest between 1.3% and 1.9% of GDP in this area.’ ‘Early years providers

are closely involved with children and their families at the most crucial stage of their lives,’ she concluded.

‘It is vital that they are fully supported in the delivery of a quality, sustainable, and affordable service.’

‘Otherwise, they, as well as hard-pressed parents, are left to subsidise the costs of providing care

and education. This requires urgent action by government.’

IRISH CONSUMERS WILL NO LONGER BE DISADVANTAGED WHEN SHOPPING ONLINE Ending unjustified geo blocking means cheaper products and services such as hotels and car rental

Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes has said that Irish consumers will no longer be discriminated against when buying products from another EU Member State online. The Dublin MEP was speaking after agreement was reached this week between the European Parliament, Council and Commission that will end the practice of geoblocking. “For far too long European citizens have been disadvantaged when buying goods or services from an online store based in another EU Member State. New rules agreed today mean that consumers will no longer be deprived of purchasing goods or services

based on their nationality, residence or IP address.” “The new agreement means that there will no longer be barriers to access websites of companies. In addition, a consumer cannot be redirected to another country specific website without consent. This means Irish consumers can now purchase directly from a store based in another Member State such as Germany rather than being redirected to the Irish or UK store where the same product may be more expensive.” “Consumers can also benefit from better deals for hotel bookings or car rentals on websites based in another Member State, which may

have previously re-directed them to their local version.” “The new rules makes perfect sense. We have a European Single Market - consumers should not be disadvantaged when purchasing from another

Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes

Member State. The new agreement is an important first step in fighting geoblocking. We now need to look at ending the practice in other sectors such as audio-visual,” concluded MEP Hayes.

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WE NEED ROBUST DATA ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CSO domestic violence survey could be on the horizon

Brian Hayes MEP said that the CSO have an important

role to play in improving the collection of data

on domestic violence in Ireland. “We need robust data on all forms of genderbased violence, including domestic violence and sexual violence. If we are to devote proper resources to tackling gender-based violence, we need proper statistics on the extent of the situation in Ireland. In May of this year, the CSO concluded that it could not stand over Garda statistics on domestic violence following detailed analysis. “The only way we will have robust data on domestic violence is through CSO reporting of the statistics along with crucial Garda information. “During a recent vote in the European Parliament on the EU statistical programme up to 2020, the issue of statistics on domestic violence came up. It was disappointing that there were objections raised by the CSO to the inclusion of a mandatory survey on gender-based violence. “It is concerning that; on the one hand, the CSO is critical of Garda statistics

on domestic violence yet, at the same time, it raises objections to EU initiatives aimed at improving the collection of domestic violence statistics. “The CSO has said in a recent letter from its Director General that it is considering the introduction of a Crime and Victimisation survey in the 4th quarter of 2018 on gender-based violence. While consideration of a survey is all well and good, we need a firm commitment that this data collection will begin, sooner rather than later. Skirting around the issue for another year will get us nowhere. “Many other EU countries have strong systems of data collection on domestic violence, such as Spain, where various studies and reports have been published by the Spanish statistical office specifically on the problem of violence against women. A proactive approach needs to be taken by the CSO; they have to look at best practice in the EU and make a determined effort to improve our statistical discrepancies.”

WHO BETTER TO SHAPE OUR YOUTH SERVICE THAN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE? Councillor Emer Higgins has welcomed Youth Facility Survey by South Dublin County Council and encouraged young people to engage in the survey. “Who better to shape our youth service than our young people? South Dublin County Council is asking our young people to let us know where you go to hang out and what you would like to see from the Council in the future,” explained Cllr Higgins. “I want to encourage every one of you to take the minute and have your say on spaces for Teenager in the Council area. You can participate in the survey anonymously online, “ said Cllr Emer Higgins. “We all want to make South Dublin a better place and we need your help to shape that vision. So have a look at the South Dublin Council Website and share your ideas, suggestions and views,” concluded local Councillor Emer Higgins.

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‘WINTER READY’ INFORMATION MUST BE WIDELY DISTRIBUTED

“We wish to wish all of our customers a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year”

Local public offices must be used to get safety messages out

Public offices across the South County Dublin Area should be used to distribute safety information from a new ‘Winter Ready’ campaign, according to Dublin South West TD and Independent Minister, Katherine Zappone. Minister Zappone says the impact of Hurricane Ophelia and Storm Brian has shown the importance of getting information out to local communities before extreme weather hits. The new campaign also provides advice from a range of experts on home, road and work safety during the winter months.

Minister Katherine Zappone added: “Information and awareness are key to keep people in our communities in Dublin South West safe during the winter months. Experts from emergency services, local authorities and government departments have used their combined knowledge to make information available as part of the ‘Be Winter Ready’ campaign. The special website www. winterready.ie , booklets and social media are being used to get the message out. Information is available under various sections including safety in

Dublin South West TD and Independent Minister, Katherine Zappone

the home, road safety as well as advice for business, farmers and others. People are reminded to check on older people in their communities, on how to keep homes safe and warm and how to drive when temperatures plummet plus much more. Every public office, library and other Government office in the South Dublin County Council area should be used to distribute the booklets and advertise the website. What is of particular note is that the information will be updated before any extreme weather event. The twitter account @emergencyIE will issue any necessary alerts and should be followed over the coming months. Winter is a time when many people are particularly vulnerable. However this information combined with the strong community spirit in our local areas will help ensure that this winter will be a safe and comfortable season for us all.”

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WORKERS NEED CERTAINTY AND SECURE HOURS

Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, attending the launch of the Mandate Trade Union’s ‘Secure HoursBetter Future’ charter, described the Government’s current proposals for secure hours as not fit for purpose. The Sinn Féin TD said that these workers will still be forced to live on poverty wages and into a position where they cannot plan for the future of their families.

Speaking ahead of the Dáil debate on the issue, Deputy Crowe said:“It is simply outrageous that certain employers continue to keep the bulk of their staff on part-time flexible contracts. This is pushing these people into poverty and into a position where they cannot plan for the future of their families. “It creates undue hardship as parents try to juggle with

child care arrangements and families cannot be sure of what they will earn from one end of the month to the other. “Last year Sinn Féin introduced a Bill in the Dáil that would allow a worker to get a contract that was reflective of their actual week, instead of the current situation were those on ifand-when contracts are

unable to plan their lives more than the current one week in advance situation. “It should be on its way to Committee for amendments but it is being held up via the money message mechanism - the latest stalling tactic of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil when it comes to successful opposition Bills. “Workers need protection now and I will continue to work to achieve that for

them. “I have signed Mandate Trade Union’s ‘Secure Hours - Better Future’ charter. This charter calls for the banning of zero hour practices including

exploitative if-and-when contracts. It also facilitates and provides workers with secure hour contracts that reflect the reality of their average weekly hours that they have worked.”

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We have a family pass to give away. (Family pass gives entry 4 people) To enter just email your name, phone number and address to info@newsgroup.ie, or alternatively go to facebook.com/newsgroup. ie, and like and share our competition post! Pictured (L-R) at PayPal’s Opportunity Hack are Guy Thompson Fingal Chamber president & GM Castleknock Hotel; Alison Pryce, PayPal; Kristina Fernandes, PayPal; Cian Delaney, PayPal; Francesca Placido, PayPal; and Anthony Cooney, CEO, Fingal Chamber.

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TAOISEACH LAUNCHES FIFTH CYCLE AGAINST SUICIDE AMBASSADOR SCHOOL PROGRAMME.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar met with students and teachers at Government Buildings to launch the fifth Cycle Against Suicide Ambassador School Programme. Over 200 schools are now involved in the programme which recognises and rewards schools that demonstrate exceptional commitment to the promotion of positive mental health.

The Taoiseach said, “I am delighted to be involved in launching the Cycle Against Suicide Ambassador School Programme. The Programme has grown hugely in just five years and is a very important part of increasing awareness of mental health issues in our schools in a very practical but fun way. I would encourage all schools to get involved and to go up through all five gears in the Programme.” Ambassador School Co-ordinator Colleen Gallagher added, “The growth of the programme over the last five years is

the annual Student Leaders’ Congress at the 3 Arena on January 18th to share their experiences and showcase their initiatives. Pictured at the launch at Government Buildings was Taoiseach Leo Varadkar with Cycle Against

Suicide Ambassadors Ben O’Sullivan and Padraig Gleeson and from Coloiste Mhuire, Thurles and Aoibhe Conway and Kayleigh Harris from St Mary’s Holy Faith Killester, Dublin. (Picture Conor McCabe Photography)

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indicative of the emphasis schools are now placing on the area of wellbeing. These schools go the extra mile to support their students and the Ambassador Programme allows them to integrate

mental health into the school plan in a very tangible way.” The Programme, which is school-led, involves the completion of “Five Gears” over the course of a year, all of which are aimed

at raising awareness of the message that “It’s OK not to feel OK; and it’s absolutely OK to ask for help”. As part of the programme 7,000 students will attend

In response to an AA Car Insurance survey of over 6,000 motorists, 46.97% of those polled stated that they strongly support the widespread use of speed cameras as part of efforts to improve road safety. Meanwhile, a further 31.24% described themselves as somewhat supportive of the use of speed cameras. The survey also found that a majority of motorists believe speed cameras directly benefit road safety efforts. 74.68% of respondents agreed with the idea that speed cameras played a directly role in improving road safety, with 37.51% strongly agreeing with this message. “For those of us working in the area of road safety it’s certainly great to see that a strongly majority of motorists remain supportive of the use of speed cameras and efforts to reduce incidents on Irish roads,” Conor Faughnan, AA Director of Consumer Affairs stated. “While there remains a degree of scepticism that the primary point of speed cameras is to generate revenue for the government of private companies involved this simply isn’t true.”

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THE OBSTACLE OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY MUST BE OVERCOME WITH MULTIFACETED APPROACH

Fianna Fáil Seanad Spokesperson on Justice, Children and Youth Affairs,

Senator Lorraine CliffordLee has said a number of interventions must be made

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to prevent any further rise in childhood obesity in Ireland. Research carried out and launched by this week by the Food Safety Promotion Board, Safefood has indicated that one in four Irish children are overweight or obese at a lifetime cost to State of over €4 billion euro. Commenting on the information, Clifford-Lee said, “Childhood obesity remains one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century and one which varies considerably in accordance with socioeconomic status. “The lifetime cost of obesity to the State has been estimated at approximately €4.6 billion in direct and indirect costs and this is set to increase unless it is promptly addressed. It also has major negative consequences in terms of quality of life issues. “The ESRI, Growing up in

Ireland study which was published earlier this month also revealed that 20% of children living in the lowest income bracket are overweight while 7% have been classified as being obese. “It is evident from these recent studies that Ireland has a major challenge to overcome. The results of both should have implications for the way in which this State drives policy. The Senator added, “In an effort to prevent obesity as well as related diseases among children through behavioural change, Fianna Fáil continues to call for the introduction of a 20% tax on sugar sweetened drinks (SSDs). “We are also committed to expanding the School Meals Programme to reach children from disadvantaged backgrounds attending nonDEIS schools and put in place a national taskforce for monitoring progress on

this issue. “The long-term solution to childhood obesity must be multi-faceted and include the promotion of physical exercise and tougher restrictions on the advertising of high fat, high salt and high saturated fat foods which specifically

target children. The Senator concluded, “The need to address the gap between better off and less advantaged children has never been more apparent and it is crucial that we target resources at lower socioeconomic schools and communities.”

RATHFARNHAM SCULPTOR SHORTLISTED FOR SAVILLS PRIZE AT VUE 2017

A Dublin sculptor,Janet Mullarney is one of only four Irish artists to have made the shortlist for the €5,000 Savills Art Prize, which will be awarded to an artist who has exhibited in the last year and made a substantial contribution to the visual arts in Ireland.

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DÁIL TOLD THAT TALLAGHT HOSPITAL IS DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE

Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, raised the worrying and dangerous conditions in Tallaght Hospital with the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, in the Dáil. The Sinn Féin TD called for extra supports and resources to relieve the bed shortage and trolley crisis in hospital. Deputy Crowe said: “Tallaght Hospital is the busiest trauma hospital in the country and cannot cherry pick patients or those who come for treatment in the hospital. I, along with others, received some extremely concerning information from a Consultant in the Accident and Emergency Department, which stated that Tallaght Hospital was ‘unsafe and dangerous’ because a lack of on-site bed capacity and staffing shortages. “Recently Tallaght Hospital had a 35% surge in its admission rate and 71 patients were lying on trollies in the Emergency Department at 7am. “This meant that a cardiac arrest patient was kept in the waiting room while they awaited treatment and another cardiac patient was in the toilet of the Emergency Department (ED) extremely agitated having spent 32 hours languishing on a trolley in the ED. “The hospital was forced to cancel elective

MINISTERS SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD! ZAPPONE AND STANTON GIVE THEIR SUPPORT

Ministers for Children and Youth Affairs, Dr Katherine Zappone, and Minister of State David Stanton, gave Racism the Red Card to mark Wear Red Day. They joined schools, clubs and organisations across the country which marked the occasion by taking a stand against racism. Minister Zappone said ‘Racism, discrimination and hate are unacceptable in all their forms. I joined with Minister Stanton, to Show the Racism Red Card members across Ireland and all who fight for equality. I warmly welcome the awareness raising which is taking place with young people in classrooms, playgrounds and at sports grounds nationwide.”

surgery admissions and tried everything to deal with the crisis through off-site beds in St. Luke’s and Mount Carmel, but they were also full. “When I raised this directly with the Minister in the Dáil his reply didn’t give me any confidence that the Government has a plan to deal with this serious escalation in Tallaght Hospital. His comments will be cold comfort to the family of an 89 year old patient who was stuck on a trolley in the ED after 23 hours or the 71 year old patient languishing there for 52 hours. “The Minister didn’t identify any additional resources that will be made available to the hospital and that is completely unacceptable. The Minister must prioritise making Tallaght Hospital safe for patients and staff, and ensure that it provides the highest quality of healthcare. “If they were really serious about addressing the issues which created this latest healthcare crisis then they would prioritise tackling four main areas: recruitment and retention of staff, the reopening of closed beds, adequate step down beds and a structured roll out of primary and community. Each of these issues is interlinked and left unaddressed they will continue to contribute to the trolley crisis and directly on ED staff and vulnerable patients.”

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SANTA UP THE WALLS AT THIS YEAR’S PROJECTED CHRISTMAS LIGHTING CRAZE

This year’s must-have accessories are powerful outdoor LED and laser projector lights which are flying off the shelves according to Christmas lighting expert Gabriel Byrne.

And Irish families are also stocking up on illuminated reindeer which are moving from our gardens into our homes for the first time. Gabriel Byrne founded Fantasy Lights over 30 years ago, and has been responsible for providing Christmas lighting to thousands of families – and many of our most popular streets – throughout Ireland since then. “This year the trend is definitely towards illuminations on a grand scale, with the fronts of

houses set to form the backdrops to a series of animated Christmas scenes,” said Gabriel, whose showrooms in Walkinstown have become a destination for parents and grandparents to bring their children. “For example, our unit has a choice of 12 films, and apart from three Christmas scenes, it can also be used again for New Years, Valentine’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, Easter, and Halloween as well as weddings and birthdays. “The illuminated reindeer which have been such a feature of Irish gardens over the past few years are set to roam indoors as one of this year’s biggest-selling items is a selection of internal reindeer. “In lights, we are continuing

the drift away from ice or blue white creations to a warmer white as a more traditional look returns, combined with gold or copper-coloured fittings,” according to Mr Byrne. “We are also seeing a lot of red and gold lighting, combined with warm white strings of lights. “But one trending product this year will finally settle all arguments about Christmas lights – with colour-changing controllers enabling homeowners to choose the hue of their lights from an almost limitless choice.” This looks like being the busiest lighting season in years as Irish families prepare to switch on their biggest displays yet. “The Christmas enthusiasts are already out shopping

in full swing. They know the new pieces, such as the reindeer, and they are ensuring that they get them early,” said Gabriel. Fantasy Lights, whose 3,000 sq feet Christmas showroom in Walkinstown opens in early January every year, became the home of outdoor Christmas lighting when Ireland really started to put lights outside in the early nineties. The company have also been involved in festive street lighting in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and many provincial towns for over 25 years, and many of their creations are responsible for the festive atmosphere on the capital’s main thoroughfares every year. Gabriel maintains that much of what is sold as outdoor lighting is not suitable for the Irish climate. “You might notice that when you go to put your lights back up after one year’s use and 11 months’ storage that they are all brown and may not work. That is simply due to poor quality and the product not being suitable for our inclement weather. “I find it annoying that people are spending up to a hundred euro on fittings that are only designed to last a month.” Fantasy Lights are launching a large range of low voltage outdoor safety lighting on to the market this season, so that customers can cut down drastically on their electricity bills, and ensure

Mr Christmas Lighting, Gabriel Byrne of Fantasy Lights, at Ireland’s largest Christmas Lighting store in Walkinstown. (Picture: Conor McCabe Photography) that their lighting systems are safe. “People need to use proper outdoor transformers for exterior lights, with rubberised cables,” said Gabriel. “I would always suggest that outdoor Christmas lights users get a good quality outdoor twin socket installed in the off-season, that will handle all of their lighting needs in a safe and

protected manner. “You must ensure that any electrical fittings you are using comply with the strict electrical standards designed to protect us. “We use submarine connections on all of our joints, but I shudder sometimes when I see some of the chances people take with electricity when it comes close to the festive season.”

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“THIS IS MY LIFE”

Following her successful weight loss on Celebrity Operation Transformation and in preparation for her upcoming role as The Good Queen Mary in this years Sleeping Beauty at the Tivoli Theatre, Rhona Cullinan & Celena Slevin of MAPI – (Medical Aesthetic Practitioners Ireland Ltd) offered Mary Byrne a complete makeover. Starting with Dermal Fillers – used to give a natural fresh softening to hard deep lines on the face to give a more youthful appearance to the face. With her continuing weight loss this treatment was ideal for Mary to give her a new incentive to restart her life as a younger looking healthier happier woman and to continue on her new journey! After explaining the treatment thoroughly to Mary and giving her a full consultation to discuss the desired outcome she received Restylene dermal fillers to her nasolabial lines (Nose to Mouth), Marionette Lines (mouth to chin) and also a small amount to her lips to add volume and shape to her

very small upper lip. She highly recommends Dermal Fillers with MAPI especially as a gentle way to slow the aging process and to give a more youthful fresh appearance to the face. MAPI continued Mary’s makeover by calling on the expertise of one of Irelands leading hair stylists Sandra Berstock. With over 25 years as a top stylist and educator Sandra is renowned for her ability to read face shapes and to help her clients decide on the best way to restyle their hair so they can easily manage and maintain it themselves as well as taking years off their age. Brightening Mary’s hair to a warm blond and giving her the most amazing edgy hair cut it has totally transformed her with a completely new look. Finally – the day of the photoshoot with leading portrait photographer Jill O’Meara. Having photographed Mary several times Jill knows well how to capture Marys best side and show off her new amazing curves. Set up in Jill’s own studio Mary was comfortably shown how to

TAOISEACH’S COMMENTS COLD COMFORT TO HOMELESS

Since she shot to fame in the X Factor, Mary has lost 5 st. Mary has had a total re-style and make-over and now reveals her brand new look in this incredible photo. show off her best angles to emphasise her new shape – something she isn’t used to - curves! Clothes were supplied by Lady M Boutique in Enfield. With Skincare by Celena Slevin – Mary gets her final look camera ready. Hair for the shoot was styled by Sandra Berstock and Professional Makeup by

Mary’s Celebrity Makeup Artist Rhona Cullinan. Styled by Celena and captured so elegantly by Jill O ‘Meara, Mary now shows off her complete new younger slimmer self – working those curves! And as Mary would sing “This Is My Life” – But curvier, younger and sexier!

Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, has described Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s comments at the Fine Gael Annual Conference, regarding homelessness in Ireland being low by international standards, ‘as cold comfort’ to the all those families and individuals currently sleeping rough or reliant on homeless accommodation. Deputy Seán Crowe: “The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, either doesn’t care enough or hasn’t grasped the scale of Ireland’s current homelessness crisis. We are facing into the winter and the homeless numbers continue to rise unabated. “His Fine Gael Conference remarks downplaying Ireland’s homeless numbers will be of cold comfort to families and individuals sleeping rough in doorways, basement car parks, public green areas, or in cars tonight. It also insults the thousands of people who are couch hopping in a friend’s house or are crammed into in hotels and B&B’s or family hubs and hostel accommodation. “The main statistic that the Taoiseach and the Government should be focusing on is the more than 8,000 citizens, including over 3,000 children, who are currently without the prospect of a home. This is happening on his watch and as a result of the policies he and his Cabinet colleagues continue to justify and stand over. His remarks were a disgrace and totally insensitive to the thousands trapped in Ireland’s homeless crisis.”

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LOCAL FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRES RECEIVE OVER €82K ‘ONCE OFF’ FUNDING TO ALLOW FOR SMALL WORKS Eight Family Resource Centres are to receive over €82,000 in funding to allow for small works to go ahead before the end of the year, according to Independent Minister Katherine Zappone. Centres in Ballyboden, Killinarden, Kilnamanagh, Balally, Ballyfermot, Cherry Orchard and Quarryvale will benefit from the grants announced by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. The funding marks the start of a 12-month period which will see an extra €5m pumped into such centres across the country.

Minister Zappone added: “Family Resource Centres are the very hub of community life. I have seen their impact in Kilnamanagh, Ballyboden, Kilinarden and across South and West Dublin. As an Independent Minister with a background in community work I firmly believe that Government has a duty to support the work with children, families and older people on the ground in local areas. A whole range of services are provided through the centres, often they work with people from the

cradle to the grave. They are where people gather to socialise, can receive vital supports and information on how to improve their lives. Supporting Family Resource Centres was one of my top priorities in the recent Budget. Now we are beginning to see the start of the extra €5m secured being invested. These small grants will allow for improvements before the end of the year. In the New Year it will be followed by further funding and also investments to allow for the opening of eleven new centres.”

Independent Minister and Dublin South West TD Katherine Zappone meets some younger members at the St Kevin’s Family Resource Centre in Kilnamanagh

PROGRESS EXPECTED TO BE MADE ON ENDING PENSION INEQUALITY FOR WOMEN Fianna Fáil Chair of Government are seeing reduced unemployment or the Social Protection Committee, John Curran has said that he expects the Government to make progress on reversing the 2012 pension contribution changes that resulted in nearly 35,000 people, including 25,000 women receiving reduced pension payments.

Deputy Curran was commenting after a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection where Minister Regina Doherty suggested that she expects the Government to move on this matter, and outline a roadmap to ending this blatant discrimination. “I am pleased that, at last, Minister Doherty and the

sense on this matter, and have listened to the Social Protection Committee’s recommendations and Fianna Fáil. “I have been consistent on this: this discrimination has to end. It has caused hardship for thousands of people, and it’s a blight on our pension system. “My colleague, Spokesperson on Public Expenditure, Dara Calleary has written to the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe to outline Fianna Fáil support. “Fianna Fáil has stated that if additional funding becomes available through either day to day savings in the Department of Social Protection through further

from an increased surplus in the Social Insurance Fund that priority should be given to reversing the 2012 changes. “I, and my party, stand ready to support any regulatory or legislative changes needed to commence the correction of this discriminatory anomaly. “This situation cannot continue any longer without a clear, identifiable roadmap, outlined by the Government. “This is a complex issue, and may unearth other anomalies in the pension system. However, it is an example of discrimination, and one which a fair and equal republic cannot support or sustain,” concluded Curran.

Grace Hill, Co-ordinator

Tallaght Drug & Alcohol Task Force South Dublin County Partnership Block 3, County Hall, Belgard Square North Tallaght, Dublin 24.

Ph. 01 464 9303

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KICKSTARTING AN OFFLINE WORLD FOR TEENS – THE NOSO JOURNAL

Sisters and mums, Jannetje and Marie-Anne van Leeuwen passionately believe that today’s teens need a private, offline world to complement their social media lives and enable them to grow into their best selves. Over the past year they devoted hundreds of hours to develop the NOSO Journal (Not On SOcial media) which they explain as “the perfect gift for your

favourite teen to explore anything in an offline space”, and a place “where magic happens”. Jan says, “The NOSO Journal is an offline, private space to explore, create and think. Today’s teens are constantly plugged in but this connectivity comes at a price in terms of focus and personal development in a world where they are often under huge stress.

Being avid journalers ourselves, Marie-Anne and I are passionate about the super powers of journaling, with all its benefits for personal wellbeing and development. Simply putting a pen to paper increases brain activity. Most parents we know with teenagers are concerned about how public their lives are and they would love them to press the ‘pause’

button. Marie-Anne and I wanted a meaningful gift we could give our own children which would help them grow.” Jan believes that stationery sales in Ireland are mirroring UK trends. “Stationery sales in the UK have been relatively stagnant over the past five years,” she says, “except for the more specialist, crafted product which is enjoying growing

popularity. Stationery sales in Selfridges, grew by 20% in 2016. The luxury notebook company Moleskine and other boutique stationers in the UK report similar growth, and I’m convinced that trend is the same in Ireland. Based on our research the last year, it is clear to us that more and more ‘intentional parents’ as well as people in general are picking up on the analogue again as a way to gain focus, be creative and create space for reflection”. Marie-Anne says, “Jan and I have always been stationery nerds! Since we were children, we have fawned over different paper qualities and how various pens write! So, it was really important to us to develop a premium journal of the highest quality which looks and feels fantastic. The NOSO Journal has a beautiful bright yellow imitation leather cover – insisted on by Jan who is vegan – which can be personalised, 160 pages of premium quality paper from sustainable forests with a variety of dot grid styles and a matching cotton drawstring bag for safekeeping. Suitable for both left and right-handed people, the NOSO Journal

is produced in Europe to highest ethical standards. Inside the journal, we have included an introduction to journaling, described the benefits, and we have included prompts for inspiration and to get the creative process going. We want to boost (teen) confidence, enable teens to explore their creativity and experience the power of putting pen to paper.” 10% of future profits will go to a different teen mental health organisation each year and the 2018 nominated charity is Teenline.

Jannetje van Leeuwen

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We have 4 family passes (Family pass gives entry to 2 adults & 2 children) to giveaway to 4 of our lucky readers. To enter just email your name, phone number and address to info@newsgroup. ie, or alternatively go to facebook.com/ newsgroup.ie, and like and share our competition post! Closing date is Thursday December 6th. (T&C apply)

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Santa will be at The Chocolate Warehouse from Saturday 9th to 23rd December

Meet Santa in his House & receive a Gift, Post your letter, Make a Paper Crack, View the Mini Chocolate Factory. Saturdays 11am – 5pm & Sunday 12-pm – 5pm. Just call in we do not take bookings. (midweek visit call 01 4500080 for times.) Children €10 (includes gift & paper cracker) Adults free of charge.

CHRISTMAS SHOP OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Ideal Christmas gifts for family & friends. Corporate chocolates & hampers. Chocolate novelties and personalised gifts. Caffrey Snowballs, Cream Pies , Whippers and lots more! Well worth a visit!!

We are just off the Walkinstown Roundabout on the Greenhills Road in Mulcahy Keane Industrial Estate, Greenhills Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12

Ph: 4500080 www.chocolatewarehouse.ie

Asian fusion cuisine at its very best Make this Christmas party an experience to remember. Live Music @ Citywest December 15th & 16th Johnny Peters and the DMAC Band! Lunch Menu Early Bird Menu A La Carte Menu Japanese Menu Kids Menu Cocktail Menu Full Bar Facilities Corporate Dining Event Catering Our food promise to you: No MSG, No Preservatives, No Artificial Colouring. www.lemongrassfusion.ie

Lemongrass Fusion @ Citywest Hotel, Saggart, Co. Dublin.

T: (01) 458 8193 / (01) 458 8207 E: citywest@lemongrassfusion.ie Lemongrass Fusion, Abbey St., Naas, Co. Kildare. Tel: (045) 881004 / (045) 881005 E: naas@lemongrassfusion.ie

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LULLYMORE HERITAGE & DISCOVERY PARK IN RATHANGAN, CO. KILDARE HAVE OPENED THEIR TRADITIONAL ANNUAL “LULLYMORE CHRISTMAS” EVENT

Santa Claus arrived on the Lullymore Christmas Express train with his entourage of hardworking elves at 10am last Saturday. A magical experience for both young and old is guaranteed as the park was transformed into a Winter Wonderland of family fun with some very special guests to entertain you along the way! The Park will host Santa until his departure for the North Pole on the 23rd December (please see opening times below). Every Christmas visit will include a visit to Santa and gift from the Elves in their workshop. A festive train trip – the “Lullymore Christmas Express” will whisk you away on a magical trip through ancient woodlands, glassy lakes and a beautiful peatland landscape. There’s also spectacular Christmas Holograms to see in the Parks exhibitions and an illuminated walkway through woodland to the famous Lullymore Fairy Bower . Make sure to visit the Crib scene in the old style thatched cottage and

say hello to the donkeys, goats and miniature horses in the pet farm. They are not the only special animals to see as this year Santa has decided to let Rudolph and a few of his “Deer” friends stay in Lullymore until the 23rd December. The Funky Forest Indoor Centre becomes a Winter Wonderland and this is the place to have some fun with the elves and make sure to post your letter to Santa. All in all a truly memorable Christmas event for all the family.

Some helpful advice: NO BOOKING REQUIRED FOR FAMILY VISITS. €20.00 per Child / €10 Baby (includes gift under 2 years) / €7.50 per Adult. Early arrival advised at weekends – especially from 9th Dec. – 23rd Dec. OPENING TIMES: Weekends 10am – 6pm / Wednesday – Friday 2pm – 6pm LATE OPENINGS Dec. 6th & 7th / Dec. 13th & 14th / Dec. 20th & 21st 2pm – 8.30pm Maximum stay 1.5 to 2 hours. Last admission 1.5 hours before closing (4.30pm daily

Santa will be at Lullymore until 23rd December

or 7pm for Late Openings). PARK & EVENT – CLOSED MONDAYS & TUESDAYS. Peak times: Last 3 weekends of event (Some Queuing expected). Off Peak: Midweek & late evenings as above – no charge for adults Wednesday – Friday. Please arrive early especially at weekends and for more information on the event and on late openings or midweek times please call on 045 870238. Contact Lullymore @ 045 870238 during office hours for more information.

MYSTERIOUS PAW PRINTS SPOTTED AROUND DUBLIN CITY!

You may have noticed large rather mysterious paw prints dotted around the streets of Dublin with the hashtag #PawsForThought. Dogs Trust later revealed it was behind the paw prints by putting their stamp under some of the oversized paw prints. To remind people of their Christmas message that ‘A Dog is for life, not just for Christmas®’, the charity is urging people to “pause” and think about the lifelong commitment and responsibility that comes with owning a dog and then wait until after Christmas to consider taking on a new addition to the family. To help spread their message this Christmas, Dogs Trust want people to #PawsForThought by posting their Paws or Pause Pose on social media, with pictures of them or their furry friends pausing for thought!

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ACTION NEEDED ON KATHERINE TYNAN HOUSE

Local Councillor Charlie O’Connor has called for action regarding the condition of the historic Katherine Tynan House in Kingswood Heights and he raised the matter at the November meeting of the Tallaght Area Committee.

He said that he was responding to concerns of the local community regarding the site and asked the Council CEO to appreciate the importance of the House and a need to explore the possibility of restoring the area. He reminded the meeting that Katherine Tynan was born on 23rd January 1861 and was an Irish writer known mainly for her novels and poetry. She was married in 1898 to the English writer and barrister Henry Albert Hinkson and usually wrote under the name Katherine Tynan Hinkson. He added that the Katherine Tynan home is Whitehall, in Kingswood Heights, which is one of the few surviving historic houses in Tallaght, which stands on a 90 acre farm which was bought in 1994 by the Irish Rugby Football Union for possible development then as a sports stadium. He said that the site was the subject in 1995 of a planning application to demolish the house – which is not listed for preservation, and this was opposed by Kingswood Heights Residents Association and the Tynan Society and the application was subsequently withdrawn. Charlie O’Connor added that “since then Whitehall has

continued to deteriorated and the Tynan Society recently reported, following a visit, that the house is in a shocking condition, with slates missing, gaping holes in the roof, windows and doors boarded up, ceilings torn down, floors ripped up, the marble fireplace is gone and paneled doors missing”. In the response to Charlie O’Connor, the Council stated that “The Chief Executive acknowledges the concerns of the local community and the local historic importance of the building due to its connection with the poet Katherine Tynan. The existing house known as ‘Whitehall House’ is a ruinous and derelict site and has been prior to 2002, it remains surrounded by a perimeter security fences. The site is in private ownership and currently as far as the Council are aware there is no intention by the owners to develop the site.” According to Charlie O’Connor, it is a great shame that this is the situation regarding the home of such an important Irish historical figure as Katherine Tynan, who is also commemorated through the naming of the local road, from Fettercairn to Kingswood Heights. He said that he intends to continue to press for action in respect of the issue and is also stressing his concern directly to the Irish Rugby Football Union.

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€15,000 IN FUNDING FOR LOCAL TIDY TOWNS GROUPS TO MARK 60TH ANNIVERSARY

Local Tidy Towns groups in Lucan, Clondalkin, Brittas, Newcastle and Palmerstown are set to benefit from €15,000 in Government funding to mark the 60th anniversary of Tidy Towns competition, said local TD and Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald said: “I am delighted to see over €15,000 in funding being allocated to the local tidy towns groups in Lucan, Newcastle, Palmerstown, Brittas, Clondalkin, Griffeen and North Clondalkin. “I have no doubt that the money will be a huge boost to our local communities and will be put to great use. This funding is an acknowledgment of the amazing work that has been done by tidy town’s organisations up and down the county for the last 60 years. These local groups and volunteers have played an integral role in our local communities for decades now. “TidyTowns competition inspires a huge amount of voluntary effort in towns and villages across the country. Locally the enhancements brought about by our local tidy towns committees give the whole community a lift.

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“This competition really shows us the importance of participation. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all those who give up their free time to make our communities better places to live. Our local Tidy Towns volunteers in Lucan, Clondalkin, Palmerstown, Newcastle, Saggart, Brittas, and Rathcoole are a credit to our community. “Everyone who rolls up their sleeves and helps out in their community voluntarily deserves admiration. All groups have delivered visible improvements in our area. Your hard work has made our communities a more

IS IT THE SCRIPT OR THE PINT?

Playwright /Actor David Gilna Pictured at Rehearsal In McDaids Grafton St. I am not sure if the Garda is trying to get his hands on the script or the pint… (Pic Patrick O’Leary)

December Entertainment at The Kingswood Lodge

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vibrant and better place. “The competition continues to grow from strength to strength, with interest at an all-time high across the country. The community in Brittas returned to the competition this year for the first time since the late 1980s, which highlights the continued relevance, growth and development of this competition. Concluding, Fitzgerald commented “I know this funding for our local Tidy Towns organisations here will not just celebrate the last 60 years, but also help us look towards the future.”

NEW YEARS EVE THE RUNAWAYS

FIND THE JOKER every Sunday at 8pm

MUSIC BINGO every Friday from 9pm

THE KINGSWOOD LODGE, KINGSWOOD HEIGHTS, TALLAGHT, DUBLIN 24 TEL: 01 4514567

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TRAFFIC MAYHEM IN DUBLIN IS NOT JUST A SEASONAL PHENOMENON

operators and cyclists too. This traffic situation is not only frustrating it is highly dangerous for so many. “As more and more take to our roads over the next few weeks, particularly in the lead up to Christmas it’s important for this Government to recognise that this is not just a seasonal problem; this is an issue faced all year round by city commuters.

He said, “The status yellow weather warning las week made driving conditions for motorist’s extremely difficult and greatly hindered their ability to get to work in a reasonable timeframe. Impassable

“However, in information received by Fianna Fáil this week, Garda Traffic Corps numbers have taken a hit since the beginning of this year – at a time when the only solution in the short term is for the Traffic Corps to be consistently visible especially during peak

times. “More Gardaí including new graduates must be deployed to the traffic corps to enforce the rules of the road and assist motorists to use the road safely. He added, “The long promised traffic management measures for the M50 have still not been delivered. I am concerned too that the potential knock-on effects of the Luas Cross City which is set to begin its service in the coming weeks, could hinder motorists and further add to gridlock. “We must be conscious that this is not just a problem for private motorists - the city’s traffic also affects public transport users and

Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Mid-West, John Curran says sports clubs in Clondalkin and Lucan are struggling

to plan for the year ahead on account of the Sports Minister, Shane Ross’s delays in announcing the

successful clubs in this year’s round of the Sports Capital Grants. Commenting on a recent

reply to a Parliamentary Question from the Minister, Deputy Curran said “The Minister is not in a position to give me a date for when he will allocate funding to our local sports clubs and groups that were successful in this year’s round of Sports Capital Funding.

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson for Dublin, John Lahart TD has said measures such as Operation Open City are required in the capital all year round to alleviate the traffic mayhem which has gripped the city as of late. The Deputy was commenting following reports of serious traffic gridlock across the city this week and which has hindered road users including bus users and cyclists.

underpasses and flash flooding left the N3, which is a major national road, closed to vehicles for some time. “In order for traffic to run more smoothly, we need daily intervention from the Garda Traffic Corps in the city centre, along the Quays and on the M50 where congestion appears to be most problematic.

“Any measure put in place by the Department of Transport or indeed local authorities in Dublin city and county must not just be applied for a period but in fact be place 365 days a year,” concluded the Deputy.

ROSS MAKES LOCAL SPORTS CLUBS WAIT FOR ESSENTIAL FUNDING

The 2017 round of the Sports Capital Programme closed for applications on the 24th February 2017, yet 9 months later the Minister cannot tell us who were successful in securing this essential funding.

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This money is extremely important for sports clubs and communities across the country with many depending on this funding to buy new equipment and upgrade and improve facilities. Delaying the announcement of the allocations is unnecessary by the Minister and makes it very difficult for clubs to plan for next year. “It is simply not acceptable that clubs across the country are being left high and dry. This scheme is a vital resource for communities the length and breadth of the country, who need essential funding to provide for their communities. Minister Ross needs to address this issue without delay and announce the next round of applications”, concluded Deputy Curran.

KIP MCGRATHS 10 EDUCATIONAL CHRISTMAS TOYS We all know that Christmas is the time of giving and some toys give more than others. The gifts mentioned below have educational and problem solving benefits that encourage your child’s learning whilst having fun with their new toys. PUZZLES A child’s problem solving skills are put to the test when it comes to puzzles. You will see improvements in their fine motor development, hand and eye coordination and self esteem with every successful completion. BOOKS Stimulate your child’s imagination and increase their knowledge with books. It is well documented children who are read to everyday experience benefits to their vocabulary, focus, memory, concentration and literacy. CARD GAMES (EG SNAP) Card games help children develop fine motor skills, increased social interaction and challenge children with increasingly complex strategies and levels of difficulty. BOARD GAMES (EG SNAKES AND LADDERS) Socially and mathematically board games are a winner. With number and shape recognition, grouping, and counting, letter recognition and reading as well as teaching patience, managing frustration and fair play. WOODEN BLOCKS We’ve all had them and with good reason. Timeless and indestructible (almost) wooden blocks encourage creativity and imagination , promote hand eye coordination and will grow with your child. SCIENCE KITS Learning by experiment is essential for children and Science kits provide hands-on entertainment. Science kits can explain, in ways that kids will understand, a lot of the technology, gadgets and machinery that exists in modern life. CONSTRUCTION SET (EG LEGO) Aside from being ridiculously fun, Lego and more generally construction toys have additional development benefits for your child from problem solving to teaching kids to think three dimensionally and boosting motor development. Painting set From stress relief to fun and self esteem, children who learn to paint are learning to think with an open mind . The benefits extend to self expression and critical thinking and making their own decisions about what to paint and what colours to use. LACING BEADS There are many benefits to lacing beads including Fine Motor Skills , Visual Perceptual Skills and Cognitive Skills. Magnetic letters and numbers From the sensory stimulation, to sorting , word construction and teaching the alphabet (not to mention amuing kids while you are cooking in the kitchen) Magnetic letters are a great stocking filler that will entertain and educate. Happy shopping! Sarah Davis BSc, MSc, PGCE Secondary, MSc Educational Leadership, PGDip Speech & Language Difficulties

Sarah Davies, Centre Director with student

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SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL HAS WON THE BEST PRACTICE IN CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AWARD AT THIS YEAR’S CHAMBERS IRELAND EXCELLENCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AWARDS The Best Practise in Citizen Engagement Award was won in recognition of the participatory budgeting initiative - €300K Have Your Say! Participatory budgeting is a local democratic process which facilitates citizens in a local community to directly decide how to spend a portion of a public budget in their area. For 2017, South Dublin County Council in our Annual Budget allocated an additional €300,000 for one electoral area and the Lucan Area was chosen by lot at a public meeting. This is the first time that this process has been embarked upon by a local authority in Ireland. Through a combination of locally facilitated workshops and an online consultation portal, residents were invited to submit their ideas and spending priorities for this budget. Residents were then able to vote for their priorities through a digital/paper ballot, up to the value of €300,000. The Annual Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Award ceremony took place on Thursday 23 November in association with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government to celebrate the very best in Local Government in

Ireland. Paul Gogarty, Mayor of South Dublin County Council, said “I am delighted at the news that South Dublin County Council has won the Chambers Ireland award for citizen engagement as a result of our innovative “Have Your Say” participatory budgeting initiative. This is something that the elected representatives have been pushing for several years and with the assistance of staff in the Council a pilot project was rolled out earlier this year and proved a tremendous success.

the heart of public service so it is very encouraging to get national recognition for our efforts in this

regard. Particular recognition must go to our elected councillors who identified and resourced this

GOOD NEWS FOR SELF-EMPLOYED “From December 1st selfemployed people will be entitled to long-term sick pay, giving the safety net of State income support to this cohort for the first time,“ said Cllr Higgins.

Lessons have been learned from the pilot scheme and for next year South Dublin is planning a similar process in another electoral area. The area randomly chosen for 2018 is the Clondalkin Electoral Area of Clondalkin and Newcastle. I believe this is a template that can be successfully introduced in other counties and it is also something myself and my colleagues look forward to expanding in the years to come in our own county. Getting our citizens involved can only be beneficial for our democracy”. Daniel McLoughlin, Chief Executive of South Dublin County Council, said “Citizen engagement is at

initiative and are determined to expand its implementation into the future”.

Cllr Pamela Kearns and Cllr Deirdre O’ Donovan pictured with staff from South Dublin County Council accepting their award

“Everyone, from small-business owners, farmers, freelancers, tradespeople and professionals will benefit from this move, which will protect them in case of serious illnesses,“ explained Cllr Emer Higgins. “Successful applicants for the pension will also receive a free travel pass and may also qualify for other social welfare benefits,“ explained Cllr Higgins further on. “Self-employed workers already receive benefits such as maternity and paternity leave and the State pension, but this is another step which protects selfemployed workers,“concluded Councillor Emer Higgins.

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ENTERPRISE IRELAND INVESTS A RECORD LEVEL IN FEMALE-LED COMPANIES IN THE AGENCY’S HISTORY

Enterprise Ireland today announced that the agency’s investment in female-led companies has reached a record level and is currently the highest level in the agency’s history.

More than €5.5 million was approved for investment in female-led companies in 2016 and this level of investment will be higher again in 2017. The announcement was made by Julie Sinnamon, CEO Enterprise Ireland speaking in New York at ‘Her Place at the Table’, an Enterprise Ireland female leadership and entrepreneurship event, attended by An Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald T.D. and 80 female corporate leaders and entrepreneurs. The event took place during the Enterprise Ireland / IDA Ireland trade and investment mission to the USA last week. Led by An Tánaiste and Minister

for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald T.D, the mission is focused on boosting the profile of Enterprise Ireland clients and the ‘Irish Advantage’ they bring to US buyers, particularly across banking, construction and life sciences sectors. Addressing the event, An Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald T.D. said; “Ireland has made significant progress to empower women in entrepreneurship. Establishing the Enterprise Ireland Female Entrepreneurship Unit was central to this, achieving more gender balance in Irish entrepreneurship. I am proud to see this achievement and to see that Enterprise Ireland’s investment in female-led companies at €5.5 million in 2016, is at a record high. This strategic investment to support women to realise their full business potential

is not only the right thing to do, but is also critical to Ireland’s economic prosperity.” Delivering the keynote speech at the event, Julie Sinnamon, Enterprise Ireland CEO said; “Enterprise Ireland approved investment of circa €5.5m in female led companies in 2016, the highest level in the history of the agency. We funded 63 female-led start-ups last year, and in 2017, we are pushing to increase our investment in female-led start-ups even further. Enterprise Ireland is deeply committed to female entrepreneurship and this is embedded in the agency’s 2020 strategy. We continue to work to reach the levels of female entrepreneurship achieved in the US, where women now make up 40 percent of new entrepreneurs — the highest percentage since 1996”. The event also included

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Julie Sinnamon, CEO Enterprise Ireland, Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald T.D and Caitriona Perry, RTE Washington Correspondent addressed the Enterprise Ireland female leadership and entrepreneurship event in New York.

a panel discussion with Cork-born Samantha Barry, an executive producer for social and emerging media for CNN; Aoife Ni Mhuiri, founder and CEO of the

Kerry based connected health technology company Salaso Health and Maureen Mitchell, an Irish-American and Senior Advisor with Boston Consulting Group

and former President at GE Asset Management. The panel discussion was moderated by Caitriona Perry, RTÉ Washington Correspondent.

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The Legal Column

QUESTION- My husband died over six months ago now and I have been named jointly as the Executor in his Will along with one of my stepsons. My husband had previously been widowed and has three adult children by his first marriage. We have no children together. In any event, my husband left me the bulk of his estate and his adult children have been given the sum of €10,000.00 each. However, my eldest son has now indicated that he is not happy with this bequest and feels that he should have been left more. I was very taken aback at this. All three sons were well educated by their father and all have good jobs and houses. He is the one who is also named as Executor. It has brought the administration of the estate to a standstill as I would do anything to avoid a confrontation. Have you any advice? ANSWER - Firstly, we are sorry to hear of the recent passing of your husband. It has obviously added greatly to the sense of loss to be confronted with what could potentially be an unpleasant family dispute. It has to be said at the outset that challenging a Will is not as easy as people often think. Firstly, you are the spouse

and even in the absence of any Will you would be entitled to a minimum of two thirds of your husband’s entire estate. However, your husband chose to make the Will leaving you the bulk of his estate with some smaller financial bequests to his adult children by his first marriage. On the face of it, this seems perfectly reasonable. If any of his children are planning to mount an action against the estate on the grounds that they have not been properly provided for then, a detailed history of their relationship with their father would have to be taken. If as you say, they all received a good education and were given a good start in life then, their case to claim anything more substantial in their father’s estate is greatly weakened. Contrary to what many people believe, parents do not have to include their adult children in their Will. This is of course assuming that they have behaved as responsible parents throughout their children’s younger years and given them as good a start in life as they could afford. You will need to move ahead with the administration of the estate for your own sake. It may be that your stepson has already taken legal advice and realises that his chances of succeeding in a challenge to the Will are minimal. On that basis, you should consult with a solicitor and start the administration of the estate. If your stepson has not said anything further to you, he will then have to be frank with you about his intentions and as such you will have forced him to nail his colours to the mast. If he intends to challenge the Will then, he must immediately resign as Executor and attend with a different firm of solicitors to seek legal advice in relation to a challenge to the Will. Your job will be to defend the estate and ensure that the estate is administered

Romaine Scally is the principal in the firm of ROMAINE SCALLY AND COMPANY SOLICITORS, Main Street , Tallaght, Dublin 24.

TEL 01 4599 506

FAX 01 4599 510

according to the contents of your late husband’s Will. Hopefully, it will not come to this but it is probably up to you now to take the next step and force your stepson to come clean about his intentions. We wish you the best of luck. QUESTION – I am in the middle of a Legal Separation from my husband. It has been in progress now for two years and I am due to prepare a Statement of Means shortly which will ultimately determine what maintenance I am entitled to. Early last year, my grandmother passed away and I inherited €40,000.00. I used this money to pay back my sister who I had owed money to. She has since used this money to buy her own home. Should I mention this money on my Affidavit of Means or is it no longer relevant given that the money is no longer mine? ANSWER An Affidavit of Means is a document which merely sets out a snapshot of your assets and income at a certain point in time. An Affidavit of Means does not deal with historical issues such as the inheritance you have had. This inheritance is not relevant to the Affidavit of Means. However, in the course of the Family Law Proceedings, you will undoubtedly be asked to provide Discovery of documents for a period of one or two years prior to the marriage breakdown. If your inheritance comes within this timeframe, then you will be obliged to disclose it as part of the Discovery process. You should disclose the inheritance to your solicitor and ask his or her advice. He or she will tell you as to whether or not Discovery will subsequently require you to disclose this. Generally speaking however, inheritances are not shared between spouses but, if there is any question that

email: legal@scally.ie

money has been deliberately given away to conceal it from the “family finances”, then certain inferences might be made from that. Full disclosure therefore to your solicitor is of paramount importance to avoid a problem at a later date. We wish you the best of luck. QUESTION – My aunt died recently and in her Will she left her house to three particular people. However, she also left specific financial bequests to various people including myself. However. The solicitor has now advised that there is no money in the Bank to pay the specific financial bequests and that we will only get a portion of the money left in the Will as all the financial bequests will have to be reduced accordingly. I thought that we would be covered for the difference in the proceeds of sale of the house? Can you please advise? ANSWER – If there is a specific bequest in a Will whereby a house is left to three people and there is also another gift of money to different people as in this case then, there is no obligation on the people who have the specific bequest of the house to pay off the people who were given money if there is no money there. Essentially therefore, a specific bequest of a house takes place irrespective as to what happens to other gifts in the Will. Just because there is no money present to pay people a gift of money does not mean that a different bequest whereby a house is left to three different people is altered to make up the difference. A specific bequest such as a house given to three people always takes precedence and is not affected by the failure of other gifts in the Will. This is how the law applies in this country. We hope that this has been helpful.

In contentious business a Solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement

NOVENAS NOVENAS NOVENAS NOVENAS NOVENAS NOVENAS

MIRACLE PRAYER Dear Heart of Jesus in the past I have asked for many favours. This time I ask you for a very special one. Take it, dear Heart of Jesus, and place it within your own broken heart where your Father sees it. Then in His merciful eyes it will become your favour and not mine. Amen. Say this prayer for three days. Promise publication and favour will be granted no matter how impossible. Never known to fail. E.F. MIRACLE PRAYER Dear Heart of Jesus in the past I have asked for many favours. This time I ask you for a very special one. Take it, dear Heart of Jesus, and place it within your own broken heart where your Father sees it. Then in His merciful eyes it will become your favour and not mine. Amen. Say this prayer for three days. Promise publication and favour will be granted no matter how

impossible. Never known to fail. E.B.

MIRACLE PRAYER Dear Heart of Jesus in the past I have asked for many favours. This time I ask you for a very special one. Take it, dear Heart of Jesus, and place it within your own broken heart where your Father sees it. Then in His merciful eyes it will become your favour and not mine. Amen. Say this prayer for three days. Promise publication and favour will be granted no matter how impossible. Never known to fail. J.M. Novena TO ST. JUDE Most holy apostle, St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the Church honors and invokes you universally as the patron of hope. Please intercede on my behalf. Make use of that particular privilege given to you to bring hope, comfort, and help where they are needed most.

Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven as I work with my challenges, particularly (here make your request). I praise God with you and all the saints forever. I promise, blessed St. Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor, to always honor you as my special and powerful patron and to gratefully encourage devotion to you. Amen. A.J.L.

impossible. Never known to fail. A.J.L.

As our regular readers will know we have asked for your generosity in supporting very worthy charities over the years. Going forward, we are delighted to support Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice. LauraLynn, Ireland’s Children’s Hospice provides palliative care to children with life-limiting conditions and their families, from the point of diagnosis to end of life, and throughout bereavement.Our holistic approach ensures we support the whole family through a unique care plan that may include: symptom management; planned short hospice stays (respite); unplanned hospice stays (emergency care); end of life care; music & play therapy; psychological & bereavement support; Social Work and Chaplaincy. All care is provided free

to families. Care can be availed of in the hospice, at hospital, in the community, or in the family home, depending on the child and family’s preference.

It costs €5.2million to keep LauraLynn’s Children’s Hospice open, €3.5million of which must be generated each year through fundraised income.

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Since opening in 2011, LauraLynn has cared for more than 325 children and their families and provided more than 265,000 hours of short stay care provided to children in LauraLynn Hospice. For further information please visit lauralynn.ie. If you would like a Novena published please send a postal order or cheque made out to Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice, along with your Novena to: NEWSGROUP, Unit 3 Floor 2 St Dominics Shopping

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REMARKS ON DUBLIN HOUSING CRISIS IGNORE THE PRESSURE OF ACUTE PRIVATE RENT ON YOUNG PEOPLE

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson for Dublin, John Lahart TD has said that rocketing rental prices in Dublin are forcing many people to return back to the family home and even leave employment in the city as they are being priced out of the market. Deputy Lahart was commenting after the latest quarterly rental report by Daft.ie indicated a 12.3% increase in the average cost of rent for a one bed apartment. According to the data, the average price of rent for a one bedroom apartment in the city centre is currently €1,819. He explained, “The remarks made today by Eileen Gleeson of the Dublin Region Homeless Executive are a concern, suggesting as they do, a very serious misunderstanding of the nature of this crisis. There are currently 3,000+

children who are living in homelessness through no fault of their own. The comments will also have hurt and infuriated the hundreds of thousands of hard-working young people treading close to the edge of homelessness in Dublin should rent continue to become so expensive. “The rental crisis is affecting all ages, all demographics and all incomes. Whether it’s a single person renting on their own, a student sharing a house, or a young family renting while saving for a mortgage, people are simply being priced out of private rental accommodation. “As a consequence, many are being forced back to live with their parents while others have had no choice but to leave employment or a position to take up a job elsewhere where rent is

more affordable. “The current housing crisis is not a complex situation. It’s a simple explanation to be frank; we have a lack of social, affordable and private housing across the Capital. Supply is the only solution to cater to the underlying housing demand. “With prices rocketing for rental accommodation, many are being forced home to live with their parents. We already have one of the highest levels of young adults in Europe living at home with their parents. He concluded, “More streamlined planning including a less bureaucratic procurement process at local authority level and broader access to affordable credit need to remain at the core of allowing the market to respond to the housing crisis.”

RATHCOOLE WINS BANK OF IRELAND’S NATIONAL ENTERPRISING TOWN AWARD

Rathcoole village has won a prestigous Bank of Ireland Enterprise Town Award. Cllr. Emer Higgins was part of the award submission team and attended the national award ceremony held in Tullamore, County Offaly. “A huge congratulations to everyone in Rathcoole who makes it such a great place to live and work; and to Bank of Ireland for giving us the opportunity to shine! It’s such an honour for our village to win a Regional Enterprise Town Award. I was delighted to be part of the committee that hosted the judges and put together our award presentation. We are so lucky to have a local Bank Manager, Joanne Kelly, who is both an advocate for our community as well as for businesses. With her support, under the leadership of our Local Enterprise Office Manager Colm Ward; Dick Butler from the Community Council, Paul Campbell of Family Separations, Kelly and Megan from Happyfeet and I, gave a winning pitch on behalf of Rathcoole,” said Cllr. Emer Higgins. “The aim of the Bank of Ireland Enterprise Town Awards are to promote enterprise across the country by bringing business

Pictured: Colm Ward (Local Enterprise Office), Joanne Reilly (Bank of Ireland Manager, Rathcoole), Dick Butler (Rathcoole Community Council), Cllr. Emer Higgins, Paul Campbell (Family Seperations) at the Bank of Ireland Enterprise Town Awards in Tullamore and community groups together to showcase to a panel of judges the spirit of enterprise in their local area; and that’s a really positive concept. At the Awards Ceremony in Tullamore, where I was proud to represent our village and our County, we heard some really inspiring stories from right around the country. It was such a lovely night celebrating everything positive in society,” said Cllr. Emer Higgins. “During judging Louis Fitzgerald, Redmond

Auctioneers, Fergal Britton from Subway and Ann Hackett from the Rathcoole Historical Society helped us showcase our local businesses and bring to life our community spirit. Winning this Regional award is such an honour for our village and something Rathcoole can be really proud of. Oh and the award comes with a €3,000 cheque for the community centre but I think Dick has that already spent,” joked Cllr. Emer Higgins who represents Rathcoole in South Dublin County Council.

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CARIBBEAN SUN WITH LIAM NEESON, TOMMY TIERNAN AND A MOJITO IS STUFF OF DREAMS FOR IRISH WOMEN, SAYS CASSIDY TRAVEL SURVEY

The perfect trip for the female Irish holidaymaker is a stay in the Caribbean, with a Range Rover as rental car, actor Liam Neeson as poolside companion, a mojito or daiquiri as the tipple of choice, Tommy Tiernan or Ellen de Generes on hand for comedic company and no sign of Donald Trump or Katie Hopkins on the flight home!

destinations. Cruises ranked surprisingly highly for both sexes, but while Hawaii appealed to girls, lads were more drawn to the lights of Las Vegas. Guys gave veteran Billy Connolly the nod for comedic company, and preferred to linger over a cool beer rather than try cocktails.

Male holidaymakers concurred on the choice of destination, with the Caribbean edging out Thailand and US

Lamborghini and Aston Martin emerged as the dream rentals among males, and actress Scarlett Johansson was the beach babe to impress with them, ahead of Eva Mendes, with home celebs Vogue Williams and Amy Hubermann trailing in their wake. Among female respondents, Neeson outgunned Bradley Cooper and Channing Tatum as the beach beau of

The year ahead promises to be a busy one for Lucan Sarsfield GAA Club as they prepare to take advantage of winning one of the top prizes in a national competition for sports clubs. Organised by fruit importers Fyffes in partnership with Irish sports technology specialist Metrifit, the club fended off competition from over 200 other entrants and their success saw them win a year-long use of Metrifit’s performance monitoring software. Said to be the latest innovation in sports

technology, the Metrifit system helps athletes and team players reach peak performance using information gleaned by monitoring elements such as health, nutrition, sleep, stress, illness, injury and activity levels. Founded in 1886, Lucan Sarsfields GAA Club is one of oldest GAA clubs in Dublin. In recent times, the club has experienced growth alongside the community it serves and has enjoyed a significant increase in membership numbers since its new clubhouse was built in 2001.

That’s according to an online survey by travel agent Cassidy Travel, who asked over 3,000 men and women what their dream holiday might look like.

choice, with our own Conor McGregor, Brian O’Driscoll and Daithi O Se failing to impact.

Asked who they would least like to be seated beside on the flight home, Donald Trump, by far the most common choice among women, was edged out by Jedward among male respondents of the Cassidy Travel survey. For both sexes, media personality Katie Hopkins was close to the top of the “unwanted companion” list. Bono was less popular among women than men, the opposite being the case for Eamon Dunphy. “The destinations chosen in the survey are reflected in the bookings we see in our

The perfect trip for the female Irish holidaymaker is a stay in the Caribbean stores, with cruises, the Caribbean and even Vegas competing with traditional sun resorts,” says John Spollen of Cassidy Travel. “The dream holiday is becoming more achievable

for more people!” Irish-owned Cassidy Travel is the country’s largest travel agent, with nine Travelshops in Dublin. It will cater for close on 100,000

Irish holidaymakers this year across its sun holiday, city break, cruise, sports and Classic Resorts longhaul divisions. For 2018, it has launched dedicated USA and Canada programmes.

LUCAN CLUB PREPARES FOR BUSY YEAR AHEAD

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MICHELIN URGES MOTORISTS TO GET A GRIP THIS WINTER

Now is the time to prepare your car for the Winter conditions that lie ahead, tyre manufacturer Michelin advises.

In winter, as temperatures head into single figures, the advice is that motorists would fit tyres designed specifically for winter conditions with compounds that remain flexible to improve grip and braking. In this respect, the launch recently of their CrossClimate+ fitments – built to offer improved traction on snow-covered or wet and cold roads as well as year-round performance – has put the French tyre manufacturer on the front foot. Designed to counter the changeable weather that constantly afflicts Irish roads, Michelin says the new range offers the benefits of a summer tyre for dry and wet braking, energy efficiency and total mileage, while also boasting the braking performance and traction of a winter

tyre on cold and snowcovered roads – with little difference in performance as the tyre tread wears down. Following a series of extensive independent tests, Michelin’s CrossClimate+ range – currently available in 15 to 18-inch sizes – has recently

been named as the ‘best allseason tyre’ by UK motoring magazine Auto Express. According to the publication, the launch of the CrossClimate in 2015 “shook up the world of allseason tyres”, and now the CrossClimate+ builds on this with improved performance and durability.

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FINAL CHANCE TO NOMINATE DUBLIN HEROES FOR PEOPLE OF THE YEAR AWARD

Actor Aoibhín Garrihy and former winner Milo McCarthy (14) have joined forces urging the public to nominate their Dublin heroes for a People of the Year Award before nominations close. The final date for submitting nominations is Friday, December 1st – the last chance for the public to nominate Ireland’s heroes for this year’s Awards. Now in its 43rd year, the awards, which are organised by Rehab Group, will be broadcasted on RTÉ One on Saturday, March 3rd from The Mansion House. At the final call in Dublin’s Herbert Park Hotel, Aoibhín and Milo urged the public to nominate their Dublin heroes – family, friends and colleagues – and those ordinary people who have done extraordinary things. Aoibhín described the awards as one of the highlights of her social calendar and urged the public to nominate somebody who deserves

APT 21 Lansdowne Valley, Drimnagh Dublin 12 €150,000

recognition. Aoibhín added: “I’ve been a huge fan of the show for many years. It’s a great night out, myself and John (husband) always attend the awards and look forward to it every year. We wouldn’t miss it, you meet such incredibly brave people who have done amazing things. It’s such a fantastic national celebration which recognises some truly amazing people across Ireland, from all communities and backgrounds. We all know people who deserve recognition, so I hope people get nominating their heroes.” Milo McCarthy (14) revealed he was stunned when Games of Thrones star Liam Cunningham presented him with the Young Person of the Year Award in 2016. The little hero received the award after he raised nearly €18,000 for Syrian refugees by busking on the streets of Cork City and his hometown of Midleton

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Actor Aoibhín Garrihy and former winner Milo McCarthy (14) joined forces urging the public to nominate their hero for a People of the Year Award before nominations close on December 1st. Go to www.peopleoftheyear.ie to nominate. (Pic. Robbie Reynolds)

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APT 38 Liberty Corner, Dublin 1 €259,000

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He added: “It was a total surprise, I had no idea Liam was presenting the award to me. He was very nice and congratulated me when we spoke after the show. I still get spotted in Cork as the guy who busked to raise money for refugees. It’s such a great experience, so I’d urge everybody to nominate their heroes. There is so much negativity in the world, so it’s good to shine a light on all that is good.” You can nominate online at www.peopleoftheyear. com or by emailing peopleoftheyear@rehab.ie The closing date for entries is midnight Friday, December 1st. All the winners are nominated by the Irish public and finalised by a panel of adjudicators. As well as a number of general awards, people can nominate their Young Person of the Year, Sportsperson of the Year, International Person of the Year and the Community Group of the Year.

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