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20th. MARCH ‘17 Tel: 01 451 3822 / 01 451 9000

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CONCERNS ON PPP PROPOSAL

Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has called on the Department of Housing to urgently provide clarity on the public private partnership proposals (PPP) for social housing construction projects across Dublin and the neighbouring counties of Louth, Wicklow, and Kildare. This is the first time that the Design, Build, and Operate model has been proposed for social housing development.

Deputy Ó Broin said: “The Sinn Féin team across Dublin have been looking at the proposals

for the social housing PPPs and have a number of concerns.

“It is due to these concerns that our councillors in Dublin City and on South Dublin county council have taken a decision to postpone taking a decision on the current proposals until more information is provided by the Department of Housing.

“We do not want to delay the delivery of the much needed social housing. However, the right decision was made to seek a deferral as the concerns raised are significant and merit

further consideration.

“The Department is proposing that private developers design, build and maintain the social houses for a period of 25 years. During that time the State will pay down the developers’ costs. At the end of the 25 years, the units will be owned by the local authority.

“I suspect the Department of Housing is not the origin of this proposal. For whatever reason, it appears that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister Pascal Donoghue are

promoting this model in order to reduce the upfront cost of social housing new build.

“Whatever the origin of proposal, it is not reasonable to expect councillors to take a decision on the proposal blind to the potential costs.

“The following question needs to be answered by the Department before councillors can vote on proposals to potentially spend billions of euro of taxpayers money.

“What will the public sector benchmark figure be for the purposes of determining whether the tenders for these projects represent value for money? Under the current PPP proposals, the developer will be responsible for the maintaining the units for 25 years. This is factored in to the public sector benchmark figures. Will the elected members be told what this benchmark figure is prior to voting to approve these schemes?

“Until Sinn Féin elected representatives in the areas concerned have answers to these questions, we will hold off on making on decision on these projects. I will be raising the matter again with officials in Minister Coveney’s department this week.”

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PARENTS LOSE FAITH AS OUTPATIENT WAITING LISTS FOR CHILDREN WORSEN

Fianna Fáil TD John Curran has raised the unacceptable and shocking delays for outpatient waiting times for children in three Dublin hospitals with the Minister for Health, Simon Harris TD during Oral Questions in Dáil Éireann.

Figures from the NTPF indicate that at the end of January 2017, 3,289 children were waiting for over 18 months for an outpatient appointment in

three children’s hospitals in Dublin.

Speaking on the matter, Deputy Curran said, “It is clearly unacceptable that 3,300 children who were put on a waiting list in July 2015 remain waiting for an appointment today. In the same month the Minister Harris’ predecessor had indicated that no one would be waiting for more than 18 months.

“In January 2016, there were only 117 children waiting

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Minister to set out to us in a clear manner how those goals will be achieved. He must ensure that a viable plan to reduce outpatient waiting times for children across three Dublin hospitals is devised and implemented as a matter of urgency.

Unless a concrete strategy is put in place we risk seeing a further rise in the number of children in need of appointment but left on waiting lists,” concluded Deputy Curran.

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more than 18 months for that outpatient appointment.

Yet 12 months later that figure rapidly rocketed to almost 3,300. Although more people are accessing services, the result is that in one 12-month period, more than 3,000 children have been waiting 18 months for an appointment.

“This has a devastating impact on a young person and is a cause of huge stress and anxiety for their family.

“The challenge is for the

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HELP TO BUY SCHEME IN NEED OF RESOURCES TO SUPPORT HOUSE-HUNTERS NATIONWIDE Less than one quarter of applications have been approved

Fianna Fáil Senator and Seanad Group Leader, Catherine Ardagh has expressed concern regarding the effectiveness of the Government’s Help-to-Buy scheme for first time buyers nationwide.

The latest figures released to Fianna Fáil reveal that out of 3,449 applications nationally, only 1,218 have

been successful to date.

The Help-to-Buy scheme introduced by the Minister for Finance in Budget 2017 was initially designed to help first time buyers meet tougher deposit requirements under Central Bank mortgage lending rules. Applications from first-time home buyers for financial support under

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the government’s measure opened earlier this year.

Speaking on the issue during Seanad Order of Business, Senator Ardagh said, “A large number of applicants are finding it very difficult to get their claim numbers and they have had to follow up with the Revenue Commissioners office countless times.

“To date, no grants have been have been given and from an administration perspective, the resources that are required to deal with the number of people applying, have simply not been allocated.

“An online application service would have alleviated this pressure and the foresight to have established a telephone helpline for queries regarding the scheme would provide peace of mind to

many first time buyers who are very nervous about the purchasing process.

“When there are so many people looking to buy in the market, builders and property developers can pick and choose who buys the houses. There is a fear among first-time buyers that they could potentially lose their dream home if they do not have a claim number on time.

“It is of course to be welcomed that so many are engaging with the scheme but the Minister must put first-time buyers at ease by allocating more resources to the Revenue Commissioners to process applications as soon as possible so that all those eligible will no longer be delayed for availing of the scheme,” concluded Senator Ardagh.

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461 CHILDREN IN DUBLIN WEST WAITING MORE THAN SIX MONTHS FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSESSMENT

461 children in HSE Dublin West are waiting more than 6 months for a first assessment for Occupational Therapy Treatment and 215 of these children are waiting over a year, according to Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Mid-West John Curran.

Speaking on the matter John Curran said: “The figures were supplied to me through a Parliamentary Question I asked the Health Minister. I was alarmed at the figure for Dublin West.

Occupational Therapists diagnose and treat children with developmental delays, Down Syndrome or who have been in accidents. I was informed by the HSE that the number of children waiting a first time assessment; it is likely that the majority of those assessed will require treatment.

The numbers waiting in this age category are very young children, 105 of these are under the age of 5. We all know and understand that the earlier the intervention the better the outcomes, especially at such a young age.

Something within the system is not working properly for the children in the Dublin West region compared to the national figures.

It is frustrating for parents to wait for such long periods and the effects on children could be long-term. There is never the same potential for a child if they are not helped at this young age. You can’t go back.”

If a three-year-old has developmental delays, having to wait a year or two for treatment is a significant proportion of their lives. Early intervention is essential for these young children and their families.

I am calling on the Minister for Health to seriously look into the waiting lists in the HSE’s Dublin West area; too many children have their lives effectively on hold because of under-resourced and under-staffed services,” concluded Deputy Curran.

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NEW AMBITIOUS TARGETS FOR LITERACY AND NUMERACY

The Minister for Education & Skills, Mr. Richard Bruton, TD, has published new, updated ambitious targets for numeracy and literacy in our schools, as part of the drive to achieve the best education service in Europe within a decade.

The Report shows that all of the targets set for reading and maths at primary level in the 2011 Literacy and Numeracy Strategy were reached and significant progress has been made towards achievement of the targets at postprimary. These results are confirmed by recent strong results in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Maths and Science Study (TIMSS).

While recent trends are encouraging, it is clear that there is still room for improvement, in particular in Maths, and the updated targets set a particular focus on numeracy. For this reason, the new targets set by Minister Bruton are particularly ambitious in the numeracy area. The Action Plan for Education, which has the overall aim of making

Ireland the best education and training service in Europe within a decade, outlines a series of ambitious actions to further improve our performance in maths, including: introducing coding and computer science throughout the school curriculum; a comprehensive National Policy Statement on STEM Education in schools; and ambitious new measures to upskill maths teachers.

Minister Bruton has set out that tackling educational disadvantage will be a key priority during his Ministry.

For this reason, Minister Bruton has for the first time set specific targets for literacy and numeracy within disadvantaged schools as part of this strategy. Such targets were not included in the original strategy published in 2011.

For example, we have set a target to increase the number of pupils in DEIS Band 1 urban primary schools performing at the highest levels in Maths at sixth class by 2020, by 42%.

This is underpinned by the publication of the DEIS Plan 2017 by the Minister, which will see €15m extra

being invested to tackle educational disadvantage each year.

There will also be an increased emphasis on higher-achieving students and on embedding achievements in literacy, in particular literacy for and through the Irish language, and also on enhancing the digital literacy skills of our learners.

Priority actions included in the plan include: · Prioritising the development of maths curricula at primary and post-primary, including the redevelopment of the primary maths curriculum, encompassing the introduction of computational and creative thinking skills and coding. · The Professional Development Service for Teachers refining its literacy and numeracy supports for teachers. · Reviewing the time allocation for maths at primary to ensure that the allocation reflects learners’ requirements. · Implementation of new curricula in Irish at both primary and post-primary,

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which aim to improve Irish as Language 1 in Irish medium schools and Irish as Language 2 in English medium schools. · Supporting ECCE practitioners and teachers in Early Start centres with comprehensive implementation of the Aistear curriculum framework, in particular development of early literacy and numeracy skills. · Support for the transitions between educational settings, e.g. the move from early years settings to primary schools, by developing reporting templates-for use by ECCE practitioners, schools and parents-based on research and trialling. · Carrying out research on creative and innovative ways to support parents in their role as educators.

Minister Bruton said:“Being able to read, write and do so effectively are key skills which every young person leaving school should have if they are to achieve their full potential.”

“While we are performing very well in reading, there is room for improvement in maths. The Action Plan

for Education, which has the overall aim of making Ireland the best education service in Europe within a decade, outlines a series of ambitious actions to further improve our performance so as to significantly reduce the gap with the top European performers in maths and science in particular. We will be developing a new maths curriculum at primary, including computational thinking, creative thinking skills and coding, and reviewing the structure and time allocation of the primary maths curriculum, as a whole. We will adopt a STEM Education Policy Statement, and ambitious new measures to upskill maths teachers. The Digital Strategy for Schools and the investment of €210m over its lifetime will also be a major factor in implementing change.”

“Every child has to have the opportunity to fulfil their potential, regardless of their circumstances.

Education has a unique capacity to break down the cycles of disadvantage. Our recently published DEIS Plan aims to increase the outcomes for students in

more disadvantaged schools.

I want, for example, to see an increase of 42% in the number of pupils in disadvantaged urban primary schools performing at the highest levels in maths at sixth class by 2020.”

“The Report shows the significant progress that has been made since 2011.

Everyone should be very proud of what has been achieved to date. A huge part of this success is due to the commitment of ECCE practitioners, teachers and school leaders, parents and school managers, staff in support services of various types, teacher educators, a range of other bodies, agencies and organisations, and especially the young people who have worked so hard to enhance their literacy and numeracy skills.”

“I believe the new and updated targets set, and the actions identified within this Report will enable us to focus on achieving the best results for our learners – and ultimately ensuring that every child has the opportunity to achieve their potential in life.”

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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BILL WILL ADDRESS GAPS

Sinn Féin TD, Seán Crowe, has welcomed the introduction of the Domestic Violence Bill 2017 into the Oireachtas and said he was hopeful that the new legislation would address concerns and gaps in the current law.

Deputy Seán Crowe said: “Sinn Féin has long called for improvements to the legal frameworks in place to support victims of domestic violence, particularly in relation to cohabitants and parents in crisis situations.

“We had tabled our own legislation on this matter previously and will aim to incorporate some of the more progressive and proactive ideas we had in our legislation into this Domestic Violence Bill.

“Domestic violence is one of the most heinous crimes that can be committed. It is a crime that is often is repeated night after night for years and sometimes into decades. We often express shock and outrage about one off incidents that inflict violence on a victim – and rightly so. But why for so long have we as a society turned a blind eye to domestic violence?

“Domestic violence impacts on children but we have no

real idea of the amount of people who are now adults who have been robbed of their childhood because of this crime.

“Domestic violence also happens against men and I have had to try and get supports for many of them who found themselves in that awful position.”

Crowe continued: “Sinn Féin intend to introduce a number of proactive amendments including a provision to allow for a Garda of senior rank to apply for out-of-hours barring orders from an on-call judge. This will address the current difficulty as many of these crisis situations occur when the courts are closed.

“We would also like to see that indirect forms of harassment including the posting online of harmful materials that may be in breach of a victims’ privacy are also included as possible grounds for a safety, barring or protection orders. It is our view that stalking should also be included as grounds for applications for safety orders.

“There are many positive developments in this current legislation including the fact that it allows for a court, when making a safety

order or barring order, to prohibit a perpetrator of domestic violence from communicating with the victim through electronic means.

This type of intimidation has become quite common and its inclusion is welcome.

“Finally, but most importantly this legislation must be underpinned with additional resources for front line services.

“We know from recent figures that 9,448 individual women and 3,028 individual children received support and/or accommodation from a domestic violence service in 2014. Additionally 48,888 women sought helpline support and 1,658 individual women and 2,309 individual children stayed in refuges in 2014.

“Yet last year approximately 5,000 requests for refuge were refused due to the lack of accommodation and resources.

“We clearly need to see additional funding for refuges, helplines and of course training.

“These figures and all the individuals they represent should be, and needs to be, a spur to legislators to get this Bill through without any delay.”

Welcome for UN call to abolish civil legal aid fees for victims of domestic violence

An expert United Nations body on women’s rights has published a comprehensive blueprint for government action to advance gender equality in Ireland, including an important change to state legal aid for those experiencing domestic violence.

The Committee’s call follows a formal UN examination of Irish state officials in Geneva in midFebruary on how Ireland is meeting obligations under an international bill of rights for women.

FLAC had attended this event as part of a civil society delegation, voicing concerns to the Committee about the availability of legal aid for people experiencing domestic abuse.

In its recommendations to the Government, the UN Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women highlights barriers to women, especially those on low incomes, in accessing legal aid. These include long waiting

lists, restrictive financial eligibility criteria and the requirement to pay financial contributions where safety, protection or barring orders are sought.

The UN Committee recommends that Ireland end the requirement for victims of domestic violence to make financial contributions for civil legal aid when seeking court protection under domestic violence legislation.

Currently, women who experience domestic violence must pay a minimum fee of €130 when seeking a safety, protection or barring order.

Welcoming the Committee’s recommendations, FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres) Chief Executive Eilis Barry said, “We are happy in particular with the Committee’s call to end the requirement for victims of domestic violence to pay financial contributions when seeking access to

legal protections, as FLAC had specifically highlighted this issue in its submission.”

She noted the call for the Irish state to increase funding for civil legal aid services and review the financial eligibility criteria. This applies to funding for the Legal Aid Board, the state body responsible for civil legal aid in Ireland.

“However, the Legal Aid Board can give immediate effect to the UN Committee’s recommendation by introducing an automatic waiver of financial contributions in cases of domestic violence,” said Ms Barry.

“The 2017 campaign theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Be Bold For Change’. In this spirit, we are calling on the Legal Aid Board to be bold and take prompt, decisive action to ensure that access to protection is available to all, not just those who can afford it,” concluded Ms Barry.

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Minister for Children Katherine Zappone recently visited the offices of the Children’s Hospital Group and the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board to learn about the stateof the-art new children’s hospital which will open on the campus shared with St James’s Hospital in 2021 and the new Paediatric Outpatients and Urgent Care Centres which will open at Tallaght and Connolly Hospitals on a phased basis from 2018.

Pictured from left to right are: Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, Phelim Devine, Design Director and Deputy Project Director, NPHDB, Eilísh Hardiman, Chief Executive, Children’s Hospital Group, Minister for Children Katherine Zappone, Mary Harvey, Dublin City Council, Joe Donohoe, Fatima Groups United, Ingrid McElroy, Community Benefit Programme Manager, NPHDB.

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IRISH HOUSEHOLDS THROW AWAY ONE THIRD OF FOOD EVERY WEEK New campaign urges Irish people to reduce food waste and make use of brown bin

Irish households must become more active in preventing food waste and managing their food waste appropriately, according to a new campaign run by the three Regional Waste Management Offices. The

campaign, which will run across radio, online and in cinemas, asks householders in Ireland to consider how they can reduce their food waste and to make use of the brown bin which has been phased in across the

country on a progressive basis since 2013.

Commenting on the campaign launch, Hugh Coughlan, eastern-midlands regional waste co-ordinator, said: “Irish people are throwing away one third

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of food purchased every week. In fact, the average family wastes €50 every month on unused food. By making some small changes to food waste habits such as writing shopping lists, meal planning, and using leftovers, householders can save money.”

In addition, the more people are using their brown bins for food waste, the less waste is going to landfill which is better for public health and the environment.

If you do not have a brown bin, you could be entitled to one – the easiest way to find out is to ask your waste collection company” Mr. Coughlan added.

The brown bin is ideal for items such as fruit/ vegetable peelings, plate leftovers, tea bags/coffee grounds and inedible bread. Some operators also accept light garden waste.

Once collected, brown bin material is delivered from homes once a fortnight to a dedicated composting plant where it is specially treated and turned into high quality compost. Ensuring only the right materials go in your brown bin prevents contamination and results in high quality compost for use across Ireland.

Speaking at a Forum on Food Waste organised by the EPA, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Dennis Naughten said, “Food waste is a major national and global problem and we have an environmental and moral obligation to tackle

this epidemic now.

“According to the World Health Organisation each year an estimated one third of all food produced – 1.3 billion tonnes worth approximately $1 trillion – ends up rotting in the bins of consumers and retailers, or spoiling due to poor transportation and harvesting practices. This waste continues as one billion people go undernourished and another one billion go hungry,” he added. The Minister announced a series of measures he is taking to

boost Ireland’s response to the problem of wasted food, including setting up an Action Group on Wasted Food in the Supply Chain.

The Group brings together the major national retailers to agree actions to reduce food waste.

For more information on Food Waste Reduction, composting and how best to use your Brown Bin see www. emwr.ie, www.brownbin.ie or local authority websites.

There is also a facebook page Back to Basics.

The more people are using their brown bins for food waste, the less waste is going to landfill

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CLARITY ON ENDING ROAMING CHARGES WELCOMED

Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, has welcomed the European Commission statement that roaming charges will be scrapped on 15 June 2017 and then replaced by new ‘roam like

at home’ rules.

The Sinn Féin TD said he had raised his own concerns about loopholes in the legislation with the head of the European Parliament information office in

Dublin at a meeting of the Oireachtas European Union Affairs Committee and got positive assurances that the legislation would not allow phone operators an opt out clause.

Deputy Seán Crowe said: “I welcome the European Commission’s statement on roaming charges, which states that from 15 June 2017 the current data roaming charges outside

Ireland and in the European Union will no longer apply, and customers will instead be charged the same rates as the pay at home.

“This reduction is a positive development and the rumours in the media of some Irish providers somehow trying to opt out of the regulation is believed to have led to the Commission’s clarifying statement.

“In its own statement the Commission said it is aware of reports in the Irish media concerning mobile roaming charges to Irish consumers after 15 June and that there is no loophole by which part of the domestic data allowance could be regarded as gift or side benefit and would therefore not count when traveling abroad. They also say that the new EU rules also cover voice and SMS services.

“However, operators will be able to choose to offer contracts without any roaming, or offer specially designed ‘alternative roaming tariffs’ that fall outside the default regime, but this must be explicitly chosen by customers and will not impact on existing customers.

“The news that roaming charges will be scrapped will come as a relief and give greater certainty to many consumers who wait in terror for their next mobile phone bill following a holiday in Europe.

“I had raised the issue recently at a meeting of the European Affairs Committee with the head of the European Parliament’s office in Dublin, and particularly the rumours and concerns that some mobile operators were looking to get around the new legislation. He assured me that this wouldn’t be the case.

“The National Regulatory Authorities will now have an increased role in ensuring that the rules of the roaming and implementing regulations are not being circumvented by the phone operators.”

“ROAMING CHARGES WILL BE SCRAPPED ON 15 JUNE 2017 AND THEN REPLACED BY NEW ‘ROAM LIKE AT HOME’ RULES”

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HIGH BUSINESS COSTS HURT JOB CREATION Government influenced costs must be reduced

With the recent release of the CSO inflation figures for February, ISME, the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association calls on the Government to prioritise business cost competitiveness.

The Association warns that further increases in business costs will have consequences

for jobs. ISME calls on the Government to reduce state-influenced costs.

There was 0.5% change in the annual CPI inflation figure for February 2016.

Consumer Prices in February, as measured by the CPI, increased by 0.6% in the month. The most notable changes in the year were

increases in Transport (+3.6%), Restaurants & Hotels (+2.1%), Miscellaneous Goods & Services (+2.1%) and Health (+1.7%).

ISME CEO Neil McDonnell said, “Increases in rents, banking fees and rates are undermining business competitiveness.”

“The recent decision by

make-up company Coty to move their business out of Ireland because they were less competitive than a UK operation must alarm Government. The loss of 200 jobs because of uncompetitiveness will be a massive blow for the local community.”

To date the Association

called on Government to: Reduce exorbitant insurance, bank interest and legal fees.

Ensure that all stateimposed business costs are benchmarked internationally.

Ensure that SMEs are not hampered by labour, tax or regulatory increases.

Reduce public sector costs.

Outsource more state sector services to SMEs. “We need a reduction in Government-influenced costs burdening businesses across the country. Failure to do so will see more businesses lay off staff, or recruit them elsewhere” concluded McDonnell.

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WORRYING RISE IN TREND OF ILLEGAL ANABOLIC STEROID USE Number of anabolic steroids seized in Ireland increased by 186% last year

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson for National Drugs Strategy, Jack Chambers TD has warned that the Minister must pay heed to the worrying increase in the trend of anabolic steroids use, particularly among young males.

In Ireland it is illegal to procure anabolic steroids without a prescription or from anywhere other than a pharmacy. According to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), anabolic steroids were one of the most popular illegal drugs seized in Ireland last year after their number increased significantly from 38,049 units to 109,006.

Commenting on the issue Deputy Chambers said, “Although this problem has grown recently, it’s not new.

With the rise of social media, people feel under ever more pressure to conform to a contrived, idealised picture of how men and women should look.

“This has led to an increase in those who are prepared to inject anabolic steroids to help them sculpt perfect bodies. Steroid use is often mistaken as a fit & healthy habit, in reality it’s anything but.

“Those that are sourcing these products are either unaware of or ignoring the significant dangers posed by abusing these substances.

The wide range of side effects can manifest in physical, psychological and behavioural problems. The misuse of anabolic steroids has been linked to a range of significant side effects including blood clots, headaches, depression, irritability and stomach pain.

“Merchants Quay Ireland, which runs one of the largest needle-exchange operations in the capital, reported a rise in the number of users of performance and image enhancing drugs (PIEDs) presenting at Irish drug

treatment services over the past two years,” he added.

“Those that are hooked on steroids may not present like other chaotic drug addicts but it is in addiction in the very same sense. It is difficult to reach this group as they often don’t see themselves as IV drug users but are in fact exposed to the same risk of blood-borne disease.

“It is deeply worrying that people are still sourcing prescription drugs from illegal sources. Just last week, a joint operation

between An Garda Síochana, Revenue and the HPRA saw the seizure of over 60,000 vials labelled as anabolic steroids in Donegal.

“While a HSE policy on prevention and education for steroid use does exist, prevention and harm reduction measures lag far behind those for alcohol and other illicit drugs.

The government needs to address this rapidly growing problem and include steroid use in health interventions,” concluded the Deputy.

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SOUTH DUBLIN TEENAGE ENTREPRENEURS COMPETE FOR CROKE PARK Excitement is building for student entrepreneurs from South Dublin, who won the coveted honour of representing the county at the Student Enterprise Awards National Final in Croke Park on May 4th.

Selection was made at the recent County Final when the Institute of Technology campus in Tallaght buzzed with commercial endeavour as 14 schools from South Dublin competed at the regional finals. 56 businesses representing nearly 160 student entrepreneurs across the 3 categories showcased their enterprising acumen in the areas of Health & fitness, sport, technology, beauty, crafts and textiles.

A total of 28 awards worth more than €4500 were presented across the 3 categories to the winning projects while 1st place winners in each category will represent South Dublin in Croke Park.

is fortunate to have a number of steadfast Sponsors and Champions on board notably Institute of Technology Tallaght who have supported the initiative for the past 6 years.

Praising the teachers and local schools involved in the programme, Des English, Senior Enterprise Development Officer with the Local Enterprise Office South Dublin, said: “The

Student Enterprise Awards encourages and enables students to take on the world of business and develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Local Enterprise Office South Dublin works with schools to help foster an enterprising culture in the classroom and nurture the next generation of entrepreneurs.”

The three main

categories for the Student Enterprise Awards programme includes senior, intermediate and junior levels, with awards made for first and second place alongside awards for best innovation, display and social media. Additional special merit awards, many sponsored by our generous champions were made at the discretion of the judges.

SENIOR WINNER: Colm Ward (Head of Enterprise), Sarah Robinson, Caoimhe Currie, Aoife Dardis, Katie Grogan, Lena Shaw (Judge), Paul Murtagh (Judge)

Judges were busy before and at the event interviewing students and awarding marks based on innovation, quality, marketing, sales, business report, finance and overall learning.

Local Enterprise South Dublin

INTERMEDIATE WINNER: Colm Ward (Head of Enterprise), Cian Byrne, Paul McArdle, Amanda Mills (Judge)

JUNIOR WINNER: Regan Gallagher, Ed Kellet (Teacher), Ilyas Bouabaz

Local Councillor Charlie O’Connor has raised the issue of the cost to the Council of dealing with matters relating to the 2016 Halloween Bonfire Season.

He raised this matter at the March meeting of the Council and sought details from Management.

The Council responded to Charlie O’Connor with the following report:“Council crews working over the weekend immediately before 31st October removed a total of 41 tonnes of material which had been stockpiled for bonfires. During the two week period prior to Halloween the crews removed a total of

192 tonnes of waste, a large portion of which was stockpiled bonfire material.

There were 306 Halloween bonfires, 130 on the South Side of the Naas Road and 176 on the North Side.

The total cost of the cleanup was €121,950 including payroll and waste disposal costs. It is not possible to provide a cost breakdown by electoral area.

Post Halloween, priority is given to the restoration of damage sustained to pitches and areas of high amenity through provision of top soil and grass seed. This work will be done in March / April.”

According to Charlie O’Connor these are

important issues for communities throughout Tallaght and he says that he intends to now raise with Council Management, their plans to deal with these matters during the Halloween Bonfire Season of 2017.

He added that there is

a clear demand from many community associations in Tallaght that a more effective campaign be waged to prevent illegal Bonfires which then lead to serious damage to our Open Spaces and then a drain on Council resources.

HALLOWEEN BONFIRE CLEANUP COST €121,950

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SPECIAL DEBATE IN DÁIL REGARDING LUCAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin MidWest John Curran secured a special debate with Minister Richard Bruton in the Dáil regarding the delays at progressing extension works at Lucan Community College.

John Curran called for the Minister for Education to urgently on extension and refurbishment at Lucan Community College.

Delivery and completion of the extension work at Lucan

Community College is stuck and making no progress past the very early stage of Architectural Planning Process.

In April 2016, the then Minister indicated it was her intention, and the Department’s intention, that at that stage this would go to construction by the end of 2016. That obviously did not happen.

In light of the extended period over which this has gone on, it has been

torturous for everybody involved. Very little has moved on since April 2016.

I am asking the Minister and the Department to take a proactive role to ensure this project is moved along swiftly. The parents and teachers of this school are due an opening date which should be set out,” said Deputy Curran.

I will continue to follow up on this matter,” concluded Deputy Curran.

BUSHY PARK MARKET IS BACK FOR THE 2017 SEASON! Bushy Park Market (formally known as the Terenure Village Market) is delighted to announce that it will officially re-open on Saturday, 25th March 2017 at Bushy Park, Templeogue Road, Terenure, Dublin 6W (opposite the entrance to Terenure College). Back by popular demand the Bushy Park Market will run every Saturday from 11am-4pm until Saturday, 28th October 2017, operating 30+ stalls that will consist of hot food, artisan produce and craft.

Bushy Park Market is

delighted to bring this popular community project back to the wonderful parkland that is Bushy Park.

The launch day promises to provide a fun family day out, with free face painting and a visit from Wooly Ward’s Mobile Farm, where children can pet and interact with a variety of farm animals.

The 30+ stall capacity market will be made up of hot food ranging from Mr. Crepe sweet & savoury crepes, Lough Owel Organic burgers, Syrian Food- kebabs & falafel and The Sausage Hut. Artisan produce ranging from The Vintage Flair- serving coffee, tea & sweet treats, The Little Milk Company- organic cheese, Petite Gourmandasis- breads & pastries, organic chutneys

& jams, Delish Donuts, Cakes, Passion Nuts and organic Fruit & Vegetables.

Craft stalls will include Pottery Corner, Happy Tail dog treats, Marion Knits, Button & Buttercups, Canvas Craft- pictures & framing, photography, Wicket Skate and Antique Jewellery to name but a few.

Bushy Park Market promises to be a wonderful addition to the South County Dublin and beyond, providing a weekly market that caters to all.

Bushy Park Market is a sub group of Terenure 2030, a project set-up to promote Terenure as a destination.

Please visit www. terenure2030.com for more information.

Back by popular demand the Bushy Park Market

THE STROKE SUPPORT GROUP is for people who have had a stroke, their family and carers. It provides information about Stroke.

There are different speakers and topics every month.

There is also time for tea & coffee and a chat with others.

VENUE: County Library Tallaght Dublin 24.

THE GROUP IS ON THE THIRD TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH:

21ST MARCH 2017 Memory and driving after stroke 18TH APRIL 2017 Setting goals after a stroke Time: 11am – 12.30pm WHO SHOULD ATTEND? The group is FREE and meets once a month. Unfortunately NO transport can be provided. If you require further information please contact: Miriam Mullaney Physiotherapist HSE at 087 6596901 or Nicola Cogan/ Suzanne Greene, Stroke Nurses Tallaght Hospital at 01-4143219.

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CANCER TRIED TO GET US. YOU HELPED STOP IT.

SUPPORT DAFFODIL DAY

MARCH 24th

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PEOPLE CARING FOR PEOPLE AT TALLAGHT HOSPITAL Tallaght Hospital opened its doors in 1998, as an amalgamation of the Adelaide, Meath and National Children’s Hospitals. The new development was one of the largest capital investments in healthcare ever undertaken in the history of the state. Today Tallaght Hospital is one of Ireland’s largest acute teaching hospitals, providing child-health, adult, psychiatric and age-related healthcare on one site. The hospital has 495 adult beds and 67 paediatric beds with 2,600 people on staff.

AT THE ONCOLOGY DAYWARD, the Tallaght Hospital values of “People Caring for People” are put into practice every day.

The staff pride themselves on their patient-focused work that is both multidisciplinary and modern in its use

of advanced medical technology.

Treating between 30 and 40 patients every day for areas such as chemotherapy, infusions, immunotherapies or blood transfusions, the dayward is staffed by a diverse group of nurses

who come from a variety of different backgrounds and work in a variety of different areas.

A wide range of cancers are treated, including lung, breast, prostate and pancreatic. The unit is one of the few in Ireland

that offers the Cold Cap Machine to all the patients undergoing chemotherapy to help prevent hair loss.

The friendly and supportive staff ensure that patients receive the best possible treatment.

NOW MEET SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO DO THE CARING

CALISTA O’DONNELL, Clinical Nurse Specialist Qualifications: BSc Nursing, BA Masters in Politics, Graduate Diploma Cancer Nursing “Staff who visit the Hospital on clinical placement from other institutions and services often remark on what a friendly place it is to work. People might expect oncology to be a very sad and difficult job but more often than that, it’s really positive. My advice is to always ask oncology staff if you have any questions or are unsure about treatments.

Often the amount of information can be overwhelming.”

DAFFODIL CENTRE Located in the main atrium of Tallaght Hospital, this ser vice is provided in partnership with the Irish Cancer Society. A specialist nurse and trained volu nteers provide information to patients, the ir families and members of the general public.

The Centre is open Monday (10am-4pm) and Tuesday to Friday (9am-5pm).

You can drop-in at any time during opening hours – you don’t need an appointment or a referral.

Pictures by Tallaght Hospital Medical Photographer Mr. Tommy Walsh

LAURA MCGOVERN, RGN Oncology Qualifications: BSc General Nursing, Post Graduate Diploma in Cancer Care and Haematology.

“Having worked in other hospitals around the world, I find Tallaght Hospital to be the friendliest place to work, due to the incredible staff and patients. I always had an interest in Oncology having had family members go through cancer treatment. My advice to patients and families is not to listen to the stories, as everyone’s cancer journey is very individual.”

Pictured: Laura with patient Miriam Masterson

SYLVIA MACKEN, Clinical Facilitator in Oncology and Haematology Qualifications: Bachelor of Nursing Studies, Diploma in Prostate Disease Management, Higher Diploma in Oncology Nursing, Professional Certificate in Pain Management “When I am supervising post graduate students, or supporting staff in further education, I feel I am giving something back to an area that I have learnt a lot from. Cancer Nursing is a very difficult but very rewarding specialty. It is rewarding to see nurses that I have supported and facilitated supporting other nurses in turn. The Nursing community in Cancer Care is a very close knit community and I feel very privileged to be a part of it.”

Pictured: Sylvia with her nursing colleauge Una Murtagh

Health care assistants Marian Rock and Gillian Gurhy explaining how the Cold Cap Machine works to a patient

Phyllis Murphy a member of the Patient Food Services team with Nurse Emer Duignan

HEATHER SLOANE, Clinical Nurse Manager II / Clinical Nurse Specialist Qualifications: Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing and Diploma in Nursing Studies, Degree in Nurse Management, Postgraduate Diploma in Cancer Nursing “I have worked in a few hospitals in Ireland and the UK and Tallaght is by far my favourite. I love oncology because I feel that our lovely team can offer this special group of patients support, care, empathy and even a bit of craic at times of need. My advice to families and friends is to try and be as supportive of patients as possible at this difficult time.”

Pictured: Heather with patient Finbarr Power

EMER DUIGNAN, Oncology Liaison Clinical Nurse Specialist Qualifications: Degree in Nursing (BSc.Cur.), Post-graduate diploma in Cancer Care Nursing, Certificate in Nurse Prescribing (RCSI) “Oncology nursing offers great job satisfaction, due to the rapport we build up with our patients. There is a huge emphasis on multidisciplinary care meaning that as a team we work together to make patients experience easier. My advice to patients and their relations would be not to use ‘Google’ and to avail of services such as ARC House and the Irish Cancer Society, they are there to help.”

Pictured: Emer with patient Finbarr Power

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MAX BURNS LAUNCHES BRAND NEW SERVICE Your FREE Local Newspaper

by Lynda O’Donoghue Donnelly

Computer and mobile phone repair shop Max Burns is taking customer service to a different level with its new initiative which launches this week.

The Belgard Road business will now offer customers a ‘Pick-up, Repair and Return’ service designed to save time, money and make the Max Burns experience a pleasant one for clients.

Owner Dave McGoldrick has been running the business in Tallaght for 14 years and explained that clients have busy lives and Max Burns aims to fit in with their packed schedule.

He said: “At the moment we have a walk-in counter at our shop on the Belgard Road but this new service will allow people who are working, or simply cannot get to us, to have their item picked up when they are onthe-go.

“Currently we are very busy

at lunchtimes so we are trying to address that and make it more convenient for customers to get their items fixed.”

Max Burns is a local run business and moved to a very prominent position on the Belgard Road in 2010.

There are seven full time employees at the store, many of whom live locally, with expert technicians on-site to ensure a speedy, professional service.

Most of the repairs that the company deal with are cracked or smashed mobile phone screens.

Dave said: “People don’t want to be without their phones, so we try to do a same day express service to make it as convenient as possible, depending on the make we can sometimes have it repaired within the hour if we have the item in stock.

“If people are using their phone for business then they need it on them all the time,

we often have people who will wait in their car until the phone is ready – which is why the fact that we have plenty of free parking is so important to people.”

Max Burns is a local run business and moved to a very prominent position on the Belgard Road in 2010

Max Burns also sells computer and phone accessories such as ink, paper, charger cords and extra memory products.

Carrying out repairs on-site allows the team to adhere to much stricter turnaround times, something which customers always mention when using the service.

Dave said: “People don’t go for the cheapest option for their phone, they want to know that it is done right and that they can have it back quickly – that’s why they come to us.”

The ‘Pick-up, Repair and Return’ service launches in Tallaght and the surrounding areas this week, the courier services costs €9.95 and can be booked online at www. maxburns.ie.

Max Burns now offer customers a ‘Pick-up, Repair and Return’ service they also sell computer and phone accessories such as ink, paper, charger cords and extra memory products.

Expert technicians are on-site to ensure a speedy, professional service.

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80% OF PARENTS PUTTING CHILDREN’S FUTURES AT RISK Research of the Irish life insurance market carried out in 2014, estimated that as many as half a million families with dependent children in Ireland do not have life insurance. The research highlighted that just 22% of parents have purchased life cover in addition to their mortgage protection, which The AA warns could put your family’s financial security at risk.

Any claim on a mortgage protection policy is payable directly to the bank, so the family of the claimant would not receive any financial support.

“We take out life insurance so that if the worst happens our family don’t have to worry about future expenses, such as education costs. From what we can see, a lot of parents don’t know that their current level of cover, won’t take care of this,” Arwen Foley, AA Life Insurance Spokesperson stated. “While mortgage protection secures the roof over your family’s head, it certainly wouldn’t replace an income.”

According to a recent survey undertaken by AA

Life Insurance, almost 2 in 5 policy holders identified their children as the main reason for taking out cover.

29.15% of those with a policy said they purchased cover to assist their family in replacing their income in the event of their

premature death. A further 7% purchased cover to help provide for their children’s future education costs.

“Life events, such as getting married, buying a house or starting a family, have often prompted people to take out life insurance or mortgage

protection.

While it’s important to get mortgage protection in place first, as soon as you start having children you need to plan for their future. Purchasing life cover is an easy and affordable way to do this” Arwen added.

NEW OPENING TIMES FOR TYMON PARK

Cllr Lawlor is delighted that the council have installed electric time switches on all gates in Tymon Park. The Park will be open from 7.30 am each morning from this week,It will be of great benefit to the community who have been campaigning with me on this issue for a number of years. Before this gates had to be opened manually and would not be all opened till after 9.30 in the mornings.

COST OF INSURANCE KEY MOTORIST ISSUE FOR 2017 94.46% of over 7,000 respondents to an AA Motor Insurance survey viewed the issue of rising premiums as highly important for the year ahead, with a further 4.48% viewing the cost of motor insurance as ‘somewhat important.’ According to the latest Consumer Price Index from the CSO the cost of insurance has increased by 6.4% year on year, following on from an 8.9% year on year increase in December 2016.

Irish roads in 2016, while there have been three more deaths on our roads as of March 2 than there had been at this point last year. Following the increase in deaths, 92.78% of those surveyed described road safety as a “very important” issue for 2017. Meanwhile, a further 5.59% viewed the issue as ‘somewhat important’ with just 0.11% viewing road safety as ‘not at all important.’

“We have been lobbying on this all through last year and we did see some commitment from Government.” said Conor Faughnan, AA Director of Consumer Affairs. “The Working Group & OIreachtas Committee reports are both good documents but they must be implemented.

They basically make the same points that the AA made in its document of November 2015. We know the diagnosis; we need to get on with the treatment.”

“While we have come a long way in this space, prior to 2016 many of those in government viewed road safety as a battle won and started to focus on other areas of concern. However, if we are to avoid 2016 becoming a new trend instead of a single year outlier then we have to start taking this issue more seriously,” Faughnan added.

“While our roads are still among the safest in Europe we cannot fall into the trap of clapping ourselves on the back and thinking that this problem has been solved.”

Away from insurance, following a setback in terms of road deaths in 2016, road safety and the condition of Irish roads were also viewed as key issues which Irish motorists want tackled in the year ahead.

According to Garda statistics there were 188 deaths on

In relation to the quality of Irish roads, 78.86% of those surveyed described road repairs as a ‘very important’ issue for the year ahead, with a further 18.06% describing repairs as ‘somewhat important.’

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SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL TO REDEVELOP RATHFARNHAM CASTLE STABLES Fáilte Ireland’s Tourism Strategy for Dublin aims to provide additional visitor attractions beyond the city centre to appeal to a more diverse range of tourists and encouraging longer stays.

South Dublin County Council’s own Tourism Strategy seeks to position the county as “Dublin’s Great outdoors” and in so doing is committed to developing a diverse range of clustered visitor attractions.

Among those underway and in planning are the Clondalkin Round Tower (due to open this summer), walking trails and facilities at Hell Fire Club, and the creation of a significant attraction on the footprint of the Rathfarnham Castle Stables. These will link to a growing cycling and walking network to be expanded in the coming years at Dodder Greenway, Grand Canal Walkway and the Liffey Blueway.

The precise nature and planned uses of the

“WORKS WILL IMPROVE PUBLIC ACCESS AND FACILITIES AT THE CASTLE”

with the stables, protecting and stabilising their historic fabric as well as bringing the buildings and yards back into public use.

redeveloped stables site have yet to be determined but work is set to begin on vegetation clearance and survey works at the stable buildings in the coming days. South Dublin County Council are the owners of the stable buildings which are protected under the National Monument status of Rathfarnham Castle.

Survey works on Rathfarnham Castle will commence with the removal of weeds and undergrowth now damaging the historic walls. This work will facilitate survey analysis and stabilisation works before conservation works commence.

Works to the Castle by the Office of Public Works in 2015 unearthed a treasure trove of artefacts from the early 1600’s including leadcrystal goblets, Chinese teasets, rare coins and armour.

These works improved public access and facilities at the Castle as well as creating an elegant entrance courtyard off Rathfarnham Road.

South Dublin County Council is committed to extending this refurbishment work

The works will be under the direction of respected conservation architect Gráinne Shaffrey who will produce a Conservation Plan for the Council-owned lands in consultation with Office of Public Works, Statutory bodies as well as local groups and traders in the coming months. This Plan will address issues of archaeology, conservation and environmental impact to allow the sustainable growth of public access to new and vibrant uses for this historical setting.

Pictured Frank Nevin,Director of Economic,Enterprise & Tourism Development, Cllr.

Paula Donovan, Cllr.Deirdre O’Donovan, Deputy Mayor Cllr.Martina Genockey, Cllr.

Enda Fanning, Cllr.Sarah Holland Right: Rathfarnham Castle

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FAMILIES IN CLONDALKIN CAN AVAIL OF FREE ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES

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Local Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Mid-West John Curran is calling on Clondalkin families to check if they are eligible for The Warmth & Wellbeing Scheme after receiving information from Minster Denis Naughten TD that only 18 households have benefitted to date.

Speaking on the scheme Deputy Curran said: “Some families in Clondalkin are able to avail of free energy efficiency upgrades in their homes as part of the Warmth & Wellbeing Scheme. The scheme has been extended this year to include the Clondalkin area and to include families with young children.

So far only 18 families in Clondalkin have benefitted from this free scheme compared to 144 households

in Dublin 12 and 182 in Dublin 24, according to information I received through a Parliamentary Question to the Minister.

The Warmth & Wellbeing scheme began providing free energy upgrades to people over the age of 55 who are in energy poverty and living with respiratory conditions in Dublin 12 and 24 in 2016; it has now been expanded to include families with young children and three additional areas of Dublin will also be included, Dublin 8, 10 and 22.

Some €10 million was allocated in Budget 2017 to expand the scheme and I am hoping that the families in Clondalkin who are eligible benefit.

As a means-tested scheme, it is available free of charge to households in receipt of

the Fuel Allowance or OneParent Family payment.

Currently the scheme is open to people over the age of 55 and families of children up to 12 who have been diagnosed of a chronic respiratory condition.

People who are eligible must contact their healthcare professional, as the scheme is carried out by the HSE in conjunction with the Sustainable Energy Authority.

Damp homes and air quality are universally regarded as key contributing factors to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Asthma. I am calling on families in Clondalkin who think they are eligible to contact their health professional and avail of this free upgrade scheme”.

Concluded Deputy Curran.

BOOTH ROAD CELTIC FOOTBALL CLUB WIN €500 IN TEXACO AND SPAR BAUBLE COLOURING COMPETITION

Members from Booth Road Celtic Football Club Schoolboy section collecting the €500 winning cheque from Meighread Murphy of Texaco 9th Lock Road Clondalkin Texaco and Spar, Clondalkin recently ran a “Bauble Colouring Competition” as part of their Christmas promotions.

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Local schools and clubs were invited to colour in pre made baubles which they then decorated the store with.

Each child that entered the competition received a tube of sweets from the garage.

“We were absolutely delighted with the response that our competition received, we had a huge number of entries.” Said Meighread Murphy, manager of Texaco Clondalkin.

“We were delighted to be

able to run a competition that involved the local schools and clubs in our community and to be able to use our marketing resources to give much needed funding to these groups”.

As the entries were of such a high standard the manager found it difficult to choose a winner and enlisted the help of an independent adjudicator – our local postman, who helped to pick the winning bauble.

Lakeisha Connolly, from Booth Road Celtic Football Club, entry was picked as the winner and the club received a cheque for €500

from Texaco and Spar in Clondalkin.

A Booth Road Celtic Football Club representative commented “It is fantastic to see local businesses like Texaco 9th Lock Road getting involved in hosting competitions like this one as this really shows their support and commitment in the local community and they should be applauded for their contribution.”

Meighread Murphy, Manager of Texaco and Spar Clondalkin added “We will definitely run more competitions like this in the near future and look forward to seeing more great entries from the children of Clondalkin.”

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The Legal Column

In this edition of the paper, Romaine Scally, Principal in the Firm of Romaine Scally and Co, Solicitors, we deal with the question of Accidents. As always please send your queries to Romaine Scally, Solicitors, Main Street, Tallaght Village, Dublin 24. Telephone 4599506, Email – legal@scally.ie.

Q. My mother is 77 years of age and was walking home from the shops recently when she tripped on a broken footpath near her home. She fell forwards and thankfully, was found by a neighbour who immediately called an ambulance.

It seems as if she has fractured her shoulder. This has set her back a lot.

It seems as if the Council were carrying out works in this area quite recently and the ground around the area where the works were carried out does not appear to have been properly restored. Would my mother have a claim?

A. Firstly, let me say how sorry I am to hear about your mother. This was indeed a nasty fall with serious repercussions for your unfortunate mother. I hope she goes on to make a good recovery.

Secondly, from what you have said, it appears as if your mother would have a claim for personal injuries against the local authority. All local authorities are protected against claims for damages and personal injuries in circumstances where the area where the accident occurred has simply fallen into a state of neglect. However, they are not protected in cases where the accident occurred in circumstances where works had been carried out by the local authority or an agent on their behalf and that the work was either not properly completed or not adequately restored to its original condition. In those circumstances, it seems to us that your mother has a perfectly good claim and perhaps you on her behalf should attend with a Solicitor and give instructions. We would also urge you to take photographs of the area where your mother had her accident to show them to the Solicitor when you first attend. It is also important to make a formal complaint to the Council as soon as possible and we would urge you to do this but, ensure that you have your photographs taken before the complaint is made. We wish you the best of luck.

Q. As I was driving my son home from school recently, we stopped at the local shop to pick up a few groceries.

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

email: legal@scally.ie

Unfortunately, my son opened the passenger door without looking and he knocked a cyclist off his bike. The cyclist seemed to be alright and picked himself up and moved on. We did offer to bring him to hospital but he said that he was fine. Now, some six weeks later, I have received a Solicitor’s letter. Can somebody sue in these circumstances?

We were not moving at the time.

Q. I was walking out of our local shop recently with the morning paper when my leg became tangled in the wrapping from around the newspapers which is always left outside the shop but, on this occasion it seems to have been left there to blow in the wind. I fell forwards and injured my left knee. It has been quite painful. I am wondering if I could bring a claim.

A. Unfortunately, as the owner of the vehicle, you are responsible for all actions of occupants.

Your son inadvertently opened the door onto the path of a passing cyclist and, in those circumstances, your insurance cover will be held accountable for the injuries. The fact that the driver did not give any appearance of being injured at the time is no guarantee that a claim will not arise.

Many people are very shocked in the immediate aftermath of an accident and the natural instinct is to pick yourself up and go home as soon as possible. He may have only noticed injuries when he got home and although he certainly is entitled to claim, it looks at least as if the injuries would not be too serious. It is essential that you notify your insurance company of the accident immediately and indeed you should really have done this at the time when it happened. However, we would urge you to contact your insurance company and give them an account of the accident and send in the Solicitor’s letter you received without sending any response.

A. What you describe would certainly be classed as negligence on the part of the shop owner. It is very important for retailers to ensure that their premises are safe for customers to move in and out of. These retail shops encourage people to come in and it is not acceptable to maintain a tripping hazard on the premises or indeed on the forecourt of the shop.

What you describe therefore does amount to negligence on the part of the shop owner and, you would have an actionable right for damages for compensation. Our advice is to immediately go to see a doctor to have the injuries documented and then to attend with a Solicitor who will formally write to the shop owner on your behalf putting them on notice of your claim. Most shop owners in these circumstances have insurance to cover these situations so, it is very important that you notify the shop owner as to what happened to ensure that he has the opportunity to formally notify his Insurance Company of the incident. This will pave the way for a trouble-free claim.

We wish you the best of luck in this regard.

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

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‘STOP TARGETING KIDS’ CAMPAIGN USES FAKE BRANDS TO EXPOSE MARKETING TACTICS BY JUNK FOOD AND DRINK BRANDS

TO SIGN THE PETITION LOG ONTO: www.irishheart.ie /stk/petition

Irish Heart seeks 30,000 supporters for petition to regulate digital marketing to children A groundbreaking campaign enlisting public support to force action restricting relentless junk food marketing directed at children, particularly on social media, has been launched by Irish Heart.

The Stop Targeting Kids campaign is seeking to sign up 30,000 supporters to back its call for Government intervention to protect children’s health through strict controls, particularly on digital marketing, which remains unregulated in spite of clear evidence of

its powerful influence over children’s food choices.

The new campaign is based around the use of fake sweet, crisps and cola brands to expose the unscrupulous tactics used by junk food and drinks companies to influence children and the inappropriate proximity their brands have to young people, mostly without the knowledge of parents. https://youtu. be/872Z4zb9mnM Irish Heart’s Head of Advocacy Chris Macey said: “The purpose of

our campaign is to show parents how multinational junk brands can follow their children wherever they go – in school, at home and even in their bedrooms through their smart phones. It’s almost like your child has their own individual marketer following them around.

They get onto children’s newsfeeds and interact like real friends. But all these marketers really want to do is encourage children to consume as much junk as possible, regardless of

RAISE THE DOUGH CAMPAIGN

The ISPCC along with Catherine Buggy of Boutique Bake will launch the Raise the Dough campaign, its baking fundraiser for 2017, in DIT on Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin. The charity is encouraging everyone to get their bake on this Easter and get families, schools and communities involved. The campaign, which will run from 27th March to 7th April, aims to raise money for Childline by asking people to organise a bake sale or even a bake off competition. Pictured is Catherine Buggy of Boutique Bake(inthe centre) with Jess Morris and Oisin Murphy, 2nd year students in baking and partry arts managment, DIT Cathal Brogha Street in Dublin. (Photography: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)

The Stop Targeting Kids campaign is to show parents how multinational junk brands can follow their children wherever they go – in school, at home and even in their bedrooms through their smart phones the impact on their health.

These often hidden tactics are almost impossible for parents to see which is a key impetus for this campaign.

“There’s conclusive proof of a causal link between junk food marketing to children and childhood obesity.

That’s why it was partially regulated on broadcast media four years ago. But there’s no regulation of digital marketing that’s more personalised, targeted and therefore potentially far more damaging. That’s not good enough. We now have children as young as eight with high blood pressure and young people showing early signs of heart disease mainly seen in middle-age.

“We believe the Government is failing in its duty of care to protect children from the damage that junk brand advertising is having on their health and we are seeking the public’s support to force stronger action by signing our petition (www. irishheart.ie/stk ).”

The Stop Targeting Kids petition is the latest step in the charity’s fight to protect children from obesity following their research published last summer ‘Who’s Feeding the Kids Online’. In that report, Irish Heart exposed how junk food companies were targeting children in a much more individualised way online than they ever could through television advertising, using hi tech analytics to target children directly.

Using analytics, multinational companies can identify those who are most reactive to food and drink marketing and extract huge amounts of personal information about individual children: who they are,

where they live, where they go, what they do, what they like, what their hobbies are and what their friends tag them with.

Armed with this information junk food marketers use the 3Es - powerful engagement, emotional and entertainment based tactics to connect with children online. This is based around a strong emphasis on fun and humour, on special days, links to entertainment, festivals, sports and other events. They also regularly feature sports stars and celebrities popular with children.

To illustrate and expose the marketing tactics used on children online, which are often hard for adults to encounter, Irish Heart has created fake junk brands Chew Chew, O’Spud and Colarade.

We use happy, colourful, fun-loving characters - a technique common among real junk brands. But behind this facade lurks a cold, humourless and more sinister brand personality, one more in tune to the inappropriate proximity of junk food and drink brands marketing unhealthy products to children. The campaign also features a fake brand manager for the fake products in a series of short videos parodying specific marketing strategies used in real life junk food brands.

Irish Heart dietitian Janis Morrissey said: “One in four children in Ireland is overweight or obese.

It is a daily struggle and a minefield for parents trying to navigate an environment with widespread availability and constant marketing of cheap and convenient foods.

The effect of real marketing characters parodied by Chew Chew is to associate positive

emotions and excitement with junk brands that see them added to children’s news feeds encouraging unhealthy eating habits.

“This marketing is clever because characters like Chew Chew can interact with children just like they’re real friends. The brands become part of children’s social lives and they even get children to act as marketers for them by tagging their friends in to ads, and posting messages and pictures of themselves.

It is really worrying to think that 7 to 16 year olds are spending about 3 hours a day online, vulnerable to slick marketing that’s pushing foods and drinks that are causing obesity.

“Multinationals say treats are for eating in moderation and we are calling for that same moderation to apply to their marketing tactics so they stop targeting kids.

We owe it to children to step in because it is not okay for multinational companies to seek them out and follow their lives in order to push high sugar, high fat or high salt foods. I strongly urge parents who share our concern to sign our petition on www.irishheart.ie/stk.”

Join Irish Heart’s Stop Targeting Kids petition and support their call for: A comprehensive statutory system of regulation for online unhealthy food and drinks marketing directed at children.

Loopholes should be closed in existing TV regulations, particularly increasing the timing of the advert ban up to the 9pm watershed. The need for this is highlighted by the fact that despite the current ban up to 6pm, children still see an average of over 1,000 advertisements for unhealthy food and drinks on television alone each year.

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VOLUNTEERS CALL FOR MORE FUNDING FOR RURAL YOUTH WORK

Foróige recently held its annual National Volunteer Conference in Sligo the European capital of volunteering for 2017.

Hundreds of volunteers, including ten volunteers from Tallaght, travelled from all over Ireland to attend the conference involving keynote speaker John Davis, Professor of Childhood Inclusion at University of Edinburgh; to participate in workshops and exchange ideas on best practice in youth work.

Foróige also launched the results of a survey of 500 Foróige volunteers it conducted this year. The findings included: Over 95% of Foróige volunteers feel they benefit from volunteering The biggest benefit volunteers gain from volunteering is ‘A greater sense of belonging’

The biggest challenge facing volunteers working with young people was found to be ‘Too few volunteers’ according to over 31% of respondents 89% of volunteers feel youth work needs greater resources When asked what aspect of youth work do you think needs greater resources?

The largest proportion said ‘more funding for rural youth work’ The volunteers answered that the greatest benefit of youth work to young people is the ‘Opportunity to express themselves in a safe environment’ Sean Campbell, CEO of Foróige said “the work of youth work volunteers is crucial to the well-being of young people, what this survey shows is that it is also of enormous benefit to the adult volunteers.

“Volunteers feed back to us all the time that helping

young people, getting involved in their local community and meeting other volunteers is one of the most positive forces for good in their lives. That amazing feeling you get from giving of your time and energy to something so important really can’t be replicated in any other way.

“Volunteering can reduce stress, help you find friends, teach new skills and even advance your career.

Giving to others can also protect your mental health by keeping you mentally stimulated and providing a sense of purpose. We all need connection to others; it’s fantastic that our volunteers gain so much whilst giving to the young people of their communities.

“Without volunteers Foróige simply could not do the work that it does in reaching 50,000 young people each year through clubs, projects

Pictured are the ten volunteers who represented Tallaght at Foróige National Volunteer Conference FRONT ROW: Davy Doyle, Breda Prunty (RYO), Carmel Connelly SECOND ROW: Vanessa Mulhall, Annette Wolley, Deborah Mcauley, Julie Collins THIRD ROW: Karl Brown, Andy Leeson

Lorraine Barron Slimming World Rathcoole Main Street (Courthouse) Rathcoole Co Dublin Times: Monday Evening 5.30pm & 7.30pm Tuesday Mornings 9.30am Mobile: 087 9380943

and programs like Youth Citizenship, Leadership and Big Brother Big Sister. They have touched so many young lives and empowered young people to develop; express themselves; and achieve

things they may never have thought possible.

“We have an amazing army of 6000 volunteers in Foróige, but as the survey shows we need more, especially males.

If you would like to make a difference to a young person’s life visit http:// www.foroige.ie/volunteerenquiry and get in touch with us,” Mr Campbell concluded.

COOK PERFECT BBQ BY SMARTPHONE THANKS TO THE ORCHARD You can now cook the perfect barbecue via your smartphone thanks to an innovative offer from leading retail store The Orchard.

The Weber World Store at Celbridge based `The Orchard, will be giving the iGrill 3 Bluetooth thermometer – a device that takes the guesswork out of grilling – free to anyone buying the Weber Genesis II barbecue from the 18th March to the 17th April.

“The iGrill 3 is a Bluetooth thermometer with food sensors that connect to your Weber Genesis II and it notifies you via a phone app when your food is perfectly cooked and ready to serve,” said The Orchard general manager Ray McLoughlin.

“The iGrill 3 is the saviour for any novice cook or indeed anyone who wants

COOK THE PERFECT BARBECUE BY PHONE, The Orchard, Celbridge is offering the smart phone linked cooking device, the iGrill 3 (price €119), free to customers buying the Weber Genesis II barbecue from 18th March to the 17th April.

See www.theorchard.ie.

to serve up a delicious barbecue without being tied to the grill, it retails at €119 but customers at The Orchard who invest in the latest Weber Genesis II gas BBQwith prices starting from €799, will get the smart phone linked iGrill 3free.”

The offer is available at The Orchard, Ireland’s first Weber World Store.

The Orchard, Home-GardenCafe is hosting a two-hour demonstration in barbecue skills by the Weber Grill Squad on Saturday 25th March from 12pm – 2pm.

“Not only will we be showing how to use the iGrill 3, during the demonstration,

Weber chefs will teach you how to expand your barbecue skills from handy tips on lighting and cooking to amazing recipe ideas,” said Ray. The Weber Grill Squad will be at The Orchard on Saturdays from April 22, May 6, May 19 and June 3 with live BBQ demonstrations.

April will see a stunning new 2,200 sqft (206 sq m) Flamant interiors store opening at The Orchard in partnership with the acclaimed Belgian interiors brand.

The Orchard, Home-GardenCafé is located in Celbridge, just 10 minutes from Liffey Valley, exit 5, N4 To find out more see www. theorchard.ie

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DEAFENING SILENCE ON ERRORS TALLAGHT STUDENT BRINGS COLOUR TO ART COMPETITION IN DEIS SELECTION

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson for Dublin, John Lahart has called on Minister Richard Bruton to make a statement to clarify concerns that have been raised regarding the selection process for DEIS schools, particularly in the Dublin region.

The Department of Education and Skills has recently confirmed that there are significant errors with its DEIS selection process.

“There are serious concerns regarding the DEIS selection process and numerous schools across Dublin have raised serious concerns about the selection process but the Minister seems unfazed. Now officials in his Department have admitted that serious errors were made,” explained Deputy Lahart.

“It’s astonishing that no details have been released regarding the criteria used for the new DEIS selection

process. This is completely at odds with past precedent considering the selection process for the initial DEIS scheme was detailed in full.

It suggests that the Minister rushed to announce the scheme without actually completing the groundwork first.

“This is a serious situation as schools simply cannot understand the logic being used for the selection process.

The Minister needs to make a detailed statement to explain why these errors arose and what action is being taken to address them. He also needs to set out in detail the methodology being used for the selection process.

“The ERSI report on DEIS indicates that a significant proportion of disadvantaged students in Dublin attend non-DEIS schools. Ensuring that every child, regardless of their circumstances in life or postal address,

gets a quality, progressive education should be an absolute priority for society.

“I am very worried that schools in parts of the city will be excluded from this scheme as the result of mistakes that were made in the Department. While other schools in the Capital should be getting disadvantaged support, they aren’t because of a flawed and unexplained process which was rushed out for political advantage.

“Many schools in the city simply do not have confidence in the current system and an independent review mechanism for DEIS appeals must be put in place. The confirmation that serious errors were made in determining whether schools were entitled to access the DEIS scheme shows us that an appeals mechanism is urgently needed. Minister Bruton needs to make this happen,” concluded Deputy Lahart.

EDUCATE TOGETHER STARTS RECRUITMENT OF PRINCIPAL FOR BRAND NEW SECOND-LEVEL SCHOOL IN FIRHOUSE Educate Together is delighted to announce that it is now recruiting a Principal for its brand new second-level school opening in September 2018 in Firhouse, Dublin 24.

Educate Together will open three new secondary schools in 2018, in Firhouse, Dublin South City and Limerick, bringing the total number of second-level schools in the Educate Together network to thirteen.

Said Jennifer Buttner, Regional Development Officer for Educate Together: “This is wonderful news for second-level education

in Firhouse and we look forward to working with the new Principal when appointed and to watch as this new school becomes a reality.”

Educate Together secondlevel schools are guided by the principles of the Educate Together Charter.

The schools take a learnercentred approach, where the needs of the student are considered first in all decisions. The schools are democratically run with students, parents and teachers fully involved in decision-making and planning. Each school will be co-educational with an

active approach taken to ensuring all students reach their full potential.

Said Carly Bailey, parent on the school’s Interim Board of Management, “We are delighted with this next step in the development of our school.

We look forward to the Principal joining our school community and the further momentum this will bring to the school’s development”.

The exact location for the new school in Firhouse has not been announced, but the Department of Education and Skills is working closely with local authorities in identifying a suitable site.

PLAN SHOWS GOVERNMENT IN DENIAL OVER CLIMATE CHANGE

Responding to the publication of the Government’s long-awaited draft National Mitigation Plan to cut climate-changing emissions, Friends of the Earth Director, Oisin Coghlan said: “This plan shows Enda Kenny’s Government is in denial over climate change. They don’t deny the science but they deny what it means.

“They deny the urgency to act. They puzzle over the exact cost of any given action and give no thought at all to cost of inaction.

Or to the impacts climate change is already having in Ireland and around the world.

“How can I tell Enda and his ministers are in denial?

“Because this ‘action plan’ contains no new actions, no new measures to actually reduce pollution.

“The first consultation on this plan was in 2012. And five years later they launch another consultation on options because they don’t want to take any decisions.

“Contrast the lack of concrete commitments in this plan to the National Recovery Plan in 2010 or the Action Plan for Jobs, or the plan for agricultural expansion.

“At the UN climate summit in Paris in December 2015 Enda Kenny told the assembled world leaders that ‘Ireland is determined to play its part’ “The plan exposes Enda’s pledge in Paris as empty platitudes. The plan shows a determination to dither and delay not a determination to act.

“Maybe it’s a generational thing. Enda Kenny just doesn’t get climate change. We can only hope his successor as Taoiseach does”.

Texaco Children’s Art Competition adjudicator Aoife Ruane pictured during judging of entries in this year’s competition, the results of which will be announced mid-April.

In her hand is an entry by 9-year old Elizabete Krivenoka, a pupil at St. Kevin’s Girls National School, Kilnamanagh, entitled ‘The Rooster in Red Boots’.

Prizes will be presented at a ceremony that takes place in Dublin in May.

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Entertainment Guide

With

by Lynda O’Donoghue Donnelly email: lynda@newsgroup.ie

Covering ● Tallaght ● Clondalkin ● Lucan ● Rathcoole ● Saggart ● Newcastle TOP FIVE FILMS – DANCE The ability to dance is often looked upon as an exceptional talent and with the popularity of so many reality TV dance shows this reputation continues to grow.

Millions of young children across the world dream of becoming dancers – working with pop stars, actors and troupes on every continent.

Shows like Dance Moms, Strictly Come Dancing and So You Think You Can Dance are enjoying lots of air time and getting young people excited about moving to the beat.

To celebrate the joy of dancing we have selected our Top Five Films – Dance to keep you grooving all night long…

1. Save the Last Dance – Julia Stiles stars in this well acted, funny and touching film about a dance student who has to move to a new city after the death of her

mother. She meets a new crowd and is accepted into the group but their dance styles are very different; can she get past her demons to realise her dream?

2. Magic Mike – If we are honest the storyline is not exceptional but the dancing is absolutely outstanding.

Channing Tatum is one of the greatest dancing actors around and he totally nails this role as a stripper trying to earn a living. The routines are mesmerising and the music is great.

3. Black Swan – This is the story of a New York ballerina who is obsessed with dance.

She has always been a star but when a new young dancer arrives on the scene things change dramatically.

The ballerina must get in touch with her dark side if she is to capture the lead in Swan Lake.

4. Flashdance – One of the most iconic dance movies of

a generation, Flashdance is the story of a girl who works as a welder by day and a passionate dance by night.

She dreams of a career in ballet and works hard to achieve her goals. Most well known for the brilliant song Flashdance… What A Feeling and Jennifer Beals fantastic dance audition under water!

5. Dirty Dancing – No list would be complete without the addition of the the Patrick Swayze flick. The music, the dancing and the storyline are all first rate and this is one movie that will have the whole family dancing in the aisles. Johnny Castle is a bad boy dance instructor who falls for the prim and proper Frances Houseman. A movie like no other!

These are some of the best dance movies of our time, guaranteed to have you shaking your hips, stomping your feet and moving to the beat in no time at all.

4. Shape Of You – Another of the pre-release tracks which spent two weeks at number one. An upbeat song that makes you want to dance.

4/5 5. Perfect – Sheeran plays to his strengths with another huge ballad about love. Be prepared to hear this song at every wedding you go to for the rest of the year. 5/5 6. Galway Girl – This song has been the subject of much chatter for its overtly stereotypical view of Ireland, despite that it has already hit number one. And it is pretty catchy! 3/5 7. Happier – A slow, thoughtful sad love song.

Incredibly radio-friendly with a lovely, haunting melody. 4/5 8. New Man – A change of

pace as Sheeran kicks up his rap game. This one almost sounds like satire! 2/5 9. Hearts Don’t Break Around Here – A folk track that is both memorable and lyrical. 3/5 10. What Do I Know? – A nice upbeat song in which Sheeran is almost unrecognisable. 3/5 11. How Would You Feel (Paean) – Another contender for wedding song of the year. A ballad with a heart of gold. 4/5

upbeat. Very schmaltzy and ultimately forgettable. 1/5 14. Bibia Be Ye Ye – A tropical sounding album filler. 1/5

12. Supermarket Flowers – A standout track from an already excellent album.

This song is an ode to his close-knit family. Lyrically thoughtful & melodic. 5/5

16. Save Myself – A good end to a great album. 4/5

13. Barcelona – This track feels like it should be in a Disney movie. Very

Dublin designer Louise Tracey launched her debut fashion collection along with a brand new website in front of a packed crowd on Saturday.

The collection includes dresses evolved from oversized shirts made in two different materials, a skirt, fitted waistcoat and two patterned tees with Kimono sleeves.

made using ethically sourced materials and is a strictly limited line – something which the designer hopes will shine a light on the amount of work it takes to make sustainable clothing.

Louise said: “The items don’t zoom out of a machine fully made, it’s a tactile and, even with the use of machines, a time consuming process which includes cutting the fabric, stitching together the different pieces as well as pressing and hand finishing where necessary. It’s definitely a

The focus of the collection is sustainability with items that are well-made, limited and durable.

DIVIDE REVIEW Chart-topper Ed Sheeran returned to the airwaves with a new album this month – making the top spot in the Irish charts his own with Divide.

Here we take a trackby-track look at the new album…

1. Eraser – The opening track is a slow burner which relies heavily on Sheeran’s rapping. A catchy chorus & interesting guitar riff. 2/5 2. Castle On The Hill – One of the pre-release singles and a standout track. It is nostalgia wrapped up in

great lyrics & a melody that will have you nodding your head. 5/5 3. Dive – A slow ballad which is sure to be a huge hit with fans of the singersongwriter. People all over the world are bound to fall in love to this song. 4/5

The new album, Divide, is available now and Sheeran will play the 3Arena in Dublin on April 12 and April 13.

ASSEMBLE FASHION LAUNCH

The ‘Adelphi’ Collection from fashion label Assemble comprises six items of ladies clothing and has been described as a mash-up between “androgyny and menswear”.

A scene from Magic Mike

15. Nancy Mulligan – Another Irish folk song. A swing & a miss. 2/5

Louise, who is a graduate of the Grafton Academy, said: “While creating Assemble I’ve limited each item to a maximum of 5 per size, per style. There isn’t a seemingly endless supply of clothes because that isn’t sustainable. By limiting the amount of items/stock that we’ll have in each collection I hope to bring a bit more awareness to the work that goes into the making of clothes.”

The ‘Adelphi’ Collection is

Designer Louise Tracey

labour of love, but still a labour nonetheless.”

Living in Dublin all her life, Louise takes inspiration from the streets of her home town and will name each collection after old cinemas in the capital.

Plans for the second collection from the Dublin designer are already under way and a new line is expected later this year.

For more information about Assemble, or or browse the ‘Adelphi’ Collection visit www.assemble.ie.

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BIG BARGAINS IN CASSIDY TRAVEL ‘BIG GREEN’ HOLIDAY SALE

For those yet to finalise their holidays plans, Cassidy Travel is running a Big Green Sale this month with reductions on last minute holidays, cruises, city breaks, summer sun holidays as well as school mid-term, and even Christmas and New Year getaways. The sale takes place across all of Cassidy Travel’s 9 Travelshops around Dublin, including the Square in Tallaght.

7 nights in Tenerife (pictured) in May, for example, staying at the Laguna Park II, is on offer for just €319 per person, a saving of €390, or over 50%. Also in May, a week in Rhodes in Greece at the 3-star Cosmos Maris is reduced by over 30% to just €389 pps.

Later in the year, 7 nights in September in the 4-star IFA Caterina in Gran Canaria with flights is from €589 pps, saving a whopping €459.

The value extends to Croatia, Crete, Majorca, Ibiza, Bulgaria and Portugal, with €260 off a week in the 3-star Terrace Club on the Algarve with flights

departing 28 May, from just €379pps.

“These are big savings on a family holiday” says John Spollen of Cassidy Travel.

“Bargain hunters will find some of the best prices of the year during our sale this month and they cover just about every type of holiday or break.”

Football breaks include Arsenal vs West Ham in April from €299pps, including ticket and accommodation, while there’s a Med cruise in May from €979pps. The sale also features up to 30% in

savings on Disneyland Paris this summer, as well as 2 free nights during the Christmas season, St Patricks Day and Summer 2018. 4 nights are on offer from €592 for 2 adults and 2 children under 7.

Further afield, a luxury 14 nights in the Radisson Aquatica Resort in Barbados is on offer from €1877pps incl. flights from Dublin departing 8 September.

Established in 1985, Irishowned Cassidy Travel is the country’s largest travel

agent, with Travelshops in Tallaght, Liffey Street, the Ilac Centre, Liffey Valley, Dundrum, Talbot Street, Blanchardstown, Donaghmede and Swords and an online at cassidytravel. ie. Across its sun holiday, city break, cruise, sports and Classic Resorts longhaul divisions, it will cater for close on 100,000 Irish holidaymakers this year.

Visit the Cassidy Travelshop in the Square or call 01 4629100. All prices subject to change.

7 nights in Tenerife in May, staying at the Laguna Park II, is on offer for just €319 per person

FREE INTER RAIL TICKET FOR 18 YEAR OLDS A STEP CLOSER

Fine Gael Senator and Government spokesman on EU affairs, Neale Richmond, has welcomed the vote in the European Parliament confirming its priorities for the 2018 EU Budget. Included in this set of priorities is an Inter Rail ticket for every European citizen upon their 18th birthday.

“This vote is just the first document that Parliament produces in the annual budget procedure. It sets out the line that Parliament expects the Commission to take when drawing up its budget proposals and any proposal included in this is certainly a promising beginning.

“In December I met with the architect of the proposed scheme, Manfred Weber, leader of Fine Gael’s EPP group in the European Parliament and our Dublin MEP Brian Hayes and was heartened to learn that a pilot scheme will take place this year aimed at school travel.

“Our MEPs have stressed that it should be socially inclusive

and not be financed at the expense of other successful EU programmes.

This scheme has the potential to become as successful as the Erasmus is for education and having a fully costed plan outlined by the Commission as Parliament now expects is one step closer to realising it.

“As a student, I was very fortunate to travel across Europe on an inter railing ticket and it was that experience that plays such a large part in my belief in the greatness of the European project and the importance that we fight for the survival and continuing strengthening of the EU. “The Commission will put forward its draft budget for 2018 at the end of May, which will then be subject to negotiations between Parliament and Council but I am confident a scheme such as the free inter rail ticket on your 18th birthday which promotes and encourages consciousness of our Europe is needed now more than ever.”

NOVENAS NOVENAS NOVENAS NOVENAS 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.

Thank you so much for favours received through the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

(C)

matter how impossible.

Never known to fail.

M.T.McD.

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

NOVENA TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. You who solve all problems, who lights all roads so that I can obtain my goal. You who give me the divine gift to forgive and to forget all evil against me and that in all instances of my life, you are with me. I want in this short prayer to thank you for all things and to confirm that I never want to be separated from you even and in spite of all

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. M.V.

material illusion. I wish to be with you in eternal glory. Thank you for your mercy toward me and mine. (mention favors) This prayer must be said for 3 consecutive days and published immediately After 3 days the favor requested will be granted even though it may appear difficult. This prayer must be publised immediately and after 3 days the favour will be granted. M.M. UNFAILING PRAYER TO ST. ANTHONY “Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints” O Holy St. Anthony gentlest of Saints, your love for God and charity for His creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me (request).

O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms. The gratitude

of my heart will ever be yours. Amen. M.M.

our request. (Say three times.) M.M.

PRAYER TO ST ANNE TO OBTAIN SOME SPECIAL FAVOUR Glorious St Anne, filled with compassion for those who invoke thee, and with love for those who suffer, heavily laden with the weight of my troubles, I cast myself at thy feet, and humbly beg of thee to take the present affair which I recommend to thee under thy special protection.

Vouchsafe to commend it to thy Daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and lay it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue.

Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted. Above all obtain for me the grace of one day beholding my God face to face, and with thee and Mary and all the saints praising and blessing Him for all eternity. Good St Anne, Mother of her who is our life, our sweetness and our hope, pray to her for us, and obtain

As our regular readers will know we have asked for your generosity in supporting very worthy charities over the last few years. We would like to thank all readers who have supported our chosen charities to date and while we will still be supporting Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice going forward, we are delighted to support The Irish Pilgrimage Trust.

We are appealing to you our loyal newspaper readers to show your generosity in helping us to support an equally worthy charity, The Irish Pilgrimage Trust.

The Trust has over 1100 people travelling at Easter time and it is divided into small groups of approx 10 young people and 12 volunteer carers who stay in one of the many Hotels in Lourdes.

In June we bring a group of 110 people to Hosanna House in Lourdes for what is a unique experience

both Carer and Guest.

We have two facilities in Kilcuan, Co. Galway and Cois Cuain, Co. Wexford each offering different opportunities.

Both facilities provide Friendship weeks during the Summer.

Application forms are available from our Office at 091 796622.

For more information on the Irish Pilgrimage Trust please contact us at 091 796622 or Email info@ irishpilgrimagetrust. com or visit our web page on http://www. irishpilgrimagetrust.com for more information..

If you would like a Novena published please send a postal order or cheque made payable to The Irish Pilgrimage Trust and send it, along with your Novena to: Newsgroup, Unit 3, Floor 2, St. Dominic’s Shopping Centre, St Dominic’s Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24 If you require any further information call us on 087 6535443.

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