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Pictured is CEO of Fingal Dublin Chamber, Tony Lambert after the announcement that he is stepping down from his role as CEO of the Chamber
The Chief Executive of Fingal Dublin Chamber, Tony Lambert is stepping down from his post after serving for 17 years as its Chief Executive. He is expected to step down at the end of next month. Lambert spoke to the County Leader about his decision. He said, “I decided to step down after 17 years as Chief Executive of Fingal Dublin Chamber to pursue a number of interests, including personal travel and some business consultancy opportunities. This would not have been possible due to the exciting and most enjoyable heavy work load that the chief executive role demands,” he said. He continued, “I’ve enjoyed with great passion my period as chief executive and given the strong position of the Chamber, both financially and in membership terms it appears to me to be a good time to hand over leadership to a new chief executive, who can continue to lead our innovative and smart business chamber into the future,” he said. Continued on page 5
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16th May 2017 • Volume 24, Issue 17 • Leader House, North Street, Swords, Co. Dublin. K67 P5W4. • Tel: 01 8•400•200 • info@northcountyleader.ie • www.northcountyleader.ie
Child Vaccination Against Measles Urged Local Doctor and Fine Gael Senator Dr James Reilly has urged parents to ensure local children are vaccinated before any summer travel, as a number of countries have reported measles outbreaks. Reilly said: “Measles is a very contagious disease and can affect anyone at any age. Vaccination with MMR vaccine is the only way to protect against measles. The first MMR dose is given by GPs at 12 months of age, and the second dose is given to Junior Infants at school by HSE vaccination teams across the North County,” he said, “Despite the availability of free and effective vaccines, a small number of people make the personal choice not to vaccinate themselves or their children in the belief that vaccines are unsafe or no longer necessary.” “I am calling on all parents in North County Dublin not to delay getting the MMR for their child when it is due and I would urge any parent who has doubts or questions about vaccination to engage with your family doctor, or alternatively to visit the National Immunisation office website.”
“These sources of information are clear and accurate and will answer any queries you may have about the benefits or risks of vaccination. Older children and young adults who have not completed- or are not sure they have completedtheir two dose MMR vaccination schedule should be vaccinated as soon as possible,” he warned. Reilly continued: “In Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain and Sweden - the number of cases of measles reported in January-February 2017 was more than double that of the first two months of 2016. This is a clear and present danger for Irish holidaymakers who are not vaccinated. “It is also important that older children going to language colleges or other summer camps are up to date with their MMR vaccine.” “We know what can happen from our own fairly recent experience. The scare surrounding the MMR vaccine in the 1990s resulted in a large reduction in uptake rates for this vaccine. In January 2000, a large outbreak of measles occurred in Dublin and resulted in more than 100 children being hospitalised, 13 children
Pictured is Senator Dr James Reilly (FG) in his surgery in Lusk, as he urges parents not to delay getting the MMR vaccine for their child when it is due, before any summer travel
required intensive care treatment, and there were three measles-related deaths.” “People need to be aware that a personal decision not to vaccinate has a wider public impact. Such a decision may put their own life and that of their child at risk, and it may also put at risk other vulnerable individuals that they come into contact with – people with a reduced immunity, such as sick and elderly vulnerable patients, pregnant women or small babies who have not yet completed all their vaccinations.” “We must always remember that we all have a public health commitment to our communities to protect each other and each other’s children by vaccinating ourselves and our own family members,” concluded Dr Reilly. In a related story, which further emphasises the
importance of vaccination, four children are battling serious illness after being hospitalised with chickenpox recently. Dr Karina Butler who works in Our Lady’s Hospital Crumlin and Temple Street was speaking at a recent Oireachtas health committee and raised the point that there is a safe and licensed vaccine and asked why we are not using it. She said, “While chickenpox is a relatively mild illness for some, it is also the leading infectious cause of stroke in children. Most seriously, it is a common cause of life threatening bacterial infection including (GAS) Group A Streptococcus. Dr Butler and a number of other doctors who appeared before the committee, to highlight the need to increase the uptake of vaccines to prevent disease.”
‘Egg’ception For Balbriggan The recent decision taken by the Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht to issue a licence to remove herring gull eggs and nests from Balbriggan, has been met with a mixed reception in the town.
By Patrick Finnegan What is puzzling most residents is that Balbriggan has been singled out for the granting of this licence, whereas neighbouring coastal villages and towns like Skerries, Rush, Donabate, Malahide, Portmarnock and Howth are not included. The call comes after locals complained that the gull population had exploded since a nearby dump closed and the gulls were attacking children for food, forcing schoolchildren indoors to eat their lunches. Reports also claim that the gulls are regular visitors to beers gardens in the town, causing concern to customers through alleged aggressive behaviour in the search for food, as well as copious droppings being left behind. The County Leader contacted the Department of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht in an effort to find out why Balbriggan was singled out for special attention, and how long this project would last.
The Department’s reply said, “The EU Birds Directive, which is aimed at the protection of wild birds allows Member States to make derogations from its protective measures in respect of certain wild bird species in certain circumstances – for example, where they are causing damage to crops, livestock and fauna or represent a threat to public health or safety or to air safety.” The statement continued, “In February, Minister Humphreys met with all five local TDs on the issue of seagulls in the Balbriggan area. They all wanted action to be taken to address the problems the residents of Balbriggan are encountering with seagulls. At the meeting, the Minister acknowledged the impact of seagulls on the residents of Balbriggan particularly in relation to public safety and indicated that she was considering amending the Wild Birds Declaration to allow the taking of seagull nests and eggs in the Balbriggan area.” “The Declaration which has now been signed by the Minister includes methods to control seagull species for public safety reasons, which may involve the removal of eggs and nests only; the culling of seagulls is not permitted.” “The control of seagulls under the Declaration is confined to the Balbriggan area. These changes are being introduced
on a one-year pilot basis only and will be subject to a comprehensive review next year.” “The Department has no role in undertaking the activities permitting under the Declaration. The Department understands that local community groups are prepared to organise suitable personnel to undertake the work of removing nests and eggs,” the statement concluded. The last part of the statement provoked the further question of which community group is going to undertake such a potentially dangerous task of removing eggs from a herring gull, with a wing span of 1.4 metres and larger than a farmyard rooster. Continued on page 12