Trevor Quinn travelled to Ballina and Claremorris last week to see Fianna Fáil leader Michéal Martin receive a warm Mayo welcome (15-02-2011)
THE words ‘load of ould fellas’ scribbled on a damp Dublin reporte’rs notebook in rain-swept Claremorris on Wednesday afternoon summed up the rebuilding process that confronts Fianna Fáil leader Michael Martin as he seeks to reinvigorate his ailing party’s fortunes during this difficult election campaign.
The journalist in question may have been a little crude and perhaps unfair in her observations, but the fact remains that a great deal of trust has been lost with even the most loyal of Fianna Fáil supporters. New blood and renewed energy in the guise of young candidates like Lisa Chambers may be a necessity to provide some fresh impetus.
Mr Martin appeared in jovial and confident mood in Ballina following his successful and impressive performance on the TV3 debate with Labour leader Eamon Gilmore the previous evening. One buoyed supporter said humorously “It’s great to have a leader that looks so good on camera,” almost inadvertently referring to his predecessor’s lack of affection for the camera."
The Fianna Fáil leader was in Mayo to launch his party’s tourism strategy where he outlined his party’s vision to increase national visitor numbers to eight million by 2015. Mr Martin confirmed the objectives had the potential to create 15,000 additional jobs in the tourism sector and he said Ballina was a “beautiful part of the country” and an ideal place to launch such an initiative.
Deputy Martin criticised the superficial nature of the policies endorsed by the other main parties insisting Fianna Fáil would tackle the economic issues in an honest and transparent fashion. He used Eamon Gilmore’s banging of the table and “Frankfurt way or the Labour way” quote as an example of irresponsible and dishonest communication stating: “I’ve never believed any of that. I thought it was just done for the campaign”.
Speaking about Deputy Dara Calleary Deputy Martin said: “He is a person who adds value to the political debate in this country. He is a rising star in this party. He has ability, enthusiasm and he is a great representative here for Fianna Fail in Ballina.”
24-year-old Ballyheane candidate Lisa Chambers was described by Mr Martin as being “young, bright and dynamic” and he said he was delighted that such a talented candidate was putting herself forward in the constituency. He received warm applause from supporters as he departed the Manor Hotel on route to Claremorris via Mid West Radio.
Arriving in Claremorris Mr Martin carefully navigated his way through a scrum of photographers and addressed the local branch of the Fianna Fail Cumann in a positive and endearing manner. “I know you’re fighting up against the wind,” he told them, “but you know, there’s many an All-Ireland we won in Cork fighting against the wind,” he added to laughter.
Next he brazenly took on the wintry conditions briskly walking around the town and visiting supermarkets such as Supervalu and Tesco. Here he coyly approached shoppers deep in Kenny country offering a firm handshake, steely eyes and a reassuring smile. Most people were glad to engage with the new leader.
One woman who did just that was 37 year old Sharon Reilly from Brickens in Claremorris. She spoke with Mr Martin about her three and a half year old son Ben who suffers from cleft lip and palate. The rare condition requires ongoing medical attention which Ben receives at Temple Street Children’s Hospital.
In recent weeks details have emerged of cost-cutting measures at the hospital, where some children already wait up to three years for an appointment and the hospital is to close its doors to all patients except for those admitted through the emergency department for a period of four weeks in 2011.
The €11 million savings will see MRI scans, medical admissions, elective operating lists and outpatient clinics shut or cancelled. Mr Martin listened attentively to Ms Reilly’s concerns and anxiety over the closure and said, “I will look in to it for you and do my best”.
As the Fianna Fail leader and his entourage departed out of the supermarket Ms Reilly said that as a father she felt Mr Martin had empathised with her but she said she had “no confidence or trust” in Fianna Fail.
The new Fianna Fáil leader performed admirably but he has a lot of work to do if he is to successfully convince young people and their families that his party can inspire the younger generation.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Senator says Tanaiste must address ‘one in six’ early school leavers
Galway Advertiser, May 27, 2010.
By Trevor Quinn
Tanaiste and Minister for Education Mary Coughlan must urgently address the “one size fits all” philosophy that is prominent in Irish schools, says Galway West Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames.
A recently released report entitled ‘Staying in Education:A New Way Forward’ took more than 18 months to collate and revealed why early school leavers feel they have little option as such is the lack of support or understanding they receive.
A total of 41 early school leavers from ‘at risk’ groups were interviewed, and a 25 member expert group of practitioners and researchers studied the findings and gave their recommendations.
Senator Healy-Eames says, “My motivation for seeking this study stemmed from the number of children I met in the early years at second-level, particularly boys with poor literacy and in low streamed classes. The second level system was completely wrong for them. They hadn’t a hope of passing written exams. They had lost pace with school, had little or no motivation, struggled to keep up and as a result couldn’t wait to get out.”
Senator Healy-Eames believes there should be an immediate review of the second level school curriculum to make it more relevant to the needs of young people who are at risk of leaving school early stating: “One in six of our children is dropping out of school prior to completion of the Leaving Cert. Too often these ‘forgotten’ young people are unemployed, can’t read or write, get into trouble or into drugs, end up in prison and are social welfare statistics,” she says. “Even when there was a boom their life chances were extremely limited,” she adds.
Senator Healy-Eames says that the engagement and retention of boys who are abandoning school at a much higher rate than girls needs to be addressed, and she says that reform of the school system is a necessity to convince ‘at risk’ children to complete their studies.
“Any school system that relies on a ‘one size fits all’ model as the Irish system largely does, is fundamentally wrong. It doesn’t provide equality of opportunity,” she says adding; ”As policy makers, it is incumbent on us to find out where the system is falling down, attempt to right the wrongs and work towards contributing to better lives for all our children.
Tuam native named lead planner for 2012 Olympics
Galway Advertiser, July 29, 2010.
By Trevor Quinn
The pinnacle of his career is how Tuam native Neil Carney describes the recent announcement that he will play a major role in orchestrating the biggest sporting event on the planet — the 2012 London Olympics.
Mr Carney, who was operations director for the Galway stage of the Volvo Ocean Race in 2009 and logistical manager for the Asian Games, is relishing the prospect of being lead planner in the Olympic Park.
His responsibilities will include overseeing where the opening ceremony and all the major events take place.
“I’m looking forward to it and I suppose it is good to have got the job at the Olympic Games after doing a number of other major events over the past few years.”
Prior to this Carney also worked as a Special Olympics co-ordinator in Dublin and recently completed nine months in charge of operations at the Special Olympics All-Ireland Games.
“Everybody will be waiting to see the 100 metres final at the Olympic Games and I will be somewhere backstage for that. While I will not be running in the 100 metres it is my task to make sure the track is clean and clear for the athletes,” he says light-heartedly. “We are lucky to have the Olympic Games being held so near to us and it is doubtful if they will ever be this close again,” he says.
Once the Olympic Games are over, Mr Carney will turn his attentions to the Paralympics which begin less than two weeks after the Olympics. “Once the Olympic Games are over I will be in charge of the Paralympics which are for physically challenged people and they are the next biggest event to the Olympic Games. There will not be much time to relax once the Olympics are over as there is only 10 days of a gap until the Paralympics start,” he adds.
Mr Carney will also have the expertise of a 30-strong team working with him and he could have upwards of a few thousand people regularly reporting to him on differential operational requirements developments.
Mr Carney will also be in charge of management teams, will be responsible for directing operation plans, and will be expected to keep up regular communication with construction companies as he prepares to leave his mark on the global showpiece.
Galway overrun by illegal cigarettes, says McNelis
Galway Advertiser, August 05, 2010.
By Trevor Quinn
Labour Councillor for Galway City Council Niall McNelis believes that the scale of the illegal cigarette trade in Galway city is out of control and Customs and Excise must take action to eradicate the worsening problem both in the city and county.
He says: “From reports I hear locally, Customs in Galway city and county are taking far too relaxed an approach to those selling illegal tobacco in markets and door to door. Cigarette smuggling is not some sort of victimless minor crime. Last year the Exchequer lost €556 million in unpaid excise levies. That is money that will have to be made up elsewhere through cutbacks in health services and schools. There is ample evidence that smuggling is run by vicious crime gangs and paramilitaries.”
According to Councillor McNelis, in 2009 the fines imposed for both the smuggling and selling of illegal cigarettes totalled just over €80,000. A total of 140 people were fined for cigarette smuggling, which amounted to €67,130 in fines imposed — an average fine of just €479.50. In a single recent case in Northern Ireland, a fine of over €800,000 was imposed.
“Only a quango designed by this Government, the Office of Tobacco Control, could hail their year as a success for tobacco control when the illicit cigarette trade is completely out of control. The total revenue received for cigarettes between January 1st and March 31st 2010 was €100.7 million representing a loss of €200 million from 2009, yet smoking levels remain unchanged. At this rate the Government will be haemorrhaging revenue from the legal trade by the millions by the end of 2010, at a time when this country needs every penny it can get,” he says.
Cllr McNelis continues: “Other countries, such as Spain, France and New Zealand, have shown that where there has been better enforcement and stiff penalties, smuggling rates have dramatically declined. Spain had a smuggling rate of 16 per cent in the 1990s. Between 1993 and 2000 resources to combat smuggling increased from €4 million to almost €40 million, while the real price of tobacco went up by 30 per cent. The result was a drop in the smuggling rate to just two per cent.”
Counterfeit cigarettes contain more tar, cadmium and lead than legally manufactured cigarettes and consequently pose a much greater health risk than that posed by legally manufactured cigarettes. Cllr McNelis says recent reports indicate that the percentage of cigarettes seized which are counterfeit has increased from 50 per cent last year to almost 80 per cent this year.
Tobacco is the single largest cause of avoidable death in the European Union, accounting for over half a million deaths annually. Here in Ireland, more than 6,000 people die from smoking-related disease every year with 95 per cent of lung cancers being caused by smoking.
Cllr McNelis says the Government has introduced commendable legislation such as the smoking ban to promote and aid the cessation of smoking, and there are many organisations and charities in Ireland who do wonderful work in this regard; however he says the introduction of some legislative measures have undoubtedly led to an increase in the illicit cigarette trade.
“The point of sale display ban introduced last year may have had worthy motives but in practical effect it has massively worsened the illegal trade. Since the introduction of the Point of Sale Display Ban, there have been over a quarter of a billion cigarettes seized in Ireland, recovering €95 million of lost tax revenue as unscrupulous retailers hide their illegal cigarettes under counters away from public view.”
Adrenalin Town
Galway Advertiser, June 03, 2010.
Located deep in New Zealand’s southern Alps, on the shores of crystal clear Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown has earned the right to be mentioned fleetingly as the planet’s number one adventure capital.
If you are an adrenalin junkie this exhilarating town on the beautiful South Island of New Zealand will be your mecca. Half a million tourists visit Q-town as it is affectionately known, with one thing in mind, hardcore extreme sports.
Queenstown is home to the bungy jump. It was here in 1988 that AJ Hackett started the first commercial bungy at Kawarau Bridge, and every year tens of thousands of converge on the bridges, highwires and ledges in wild anticipation of the ultimate challenge. While Kawarau was initially a steep 43 metre jump, when the Nevis Bungy opened in 1999 it was the highest bungy in the southern hemisphere standing at a death defying 134 metres.
The Nevis really has to be seen to be believed, and the jump will test your mental and physical boundaries in terrifying fashion. Most will agree however that the sense of accomplishment and dose of adrenaline fuelled satisfaction is immeasurable.
For those of the more nervous disposition there is a wide range of other high octane challenges that can be sampled. Tandem skydivers can combine the massive thrill of freefalling at 15,000ft and reaching a terminal velocity of 200km an hour, with the incredible parachuting views of lakes, glaciers and rugged mountain peaks. Action activities like the canyon swing, jetboating, white water rafting and paragliding give visitors an immense choice of exciting activities to indulge in.
Winter sports like skiing and snowboarding are popular in the surrounding snow capped peaks of Queenstown. The ski runs usually open at the beginning of June and the season lasts until well in to October. There are a number of nearby resorts that cater for the most vertically challenged beginners to the most ardent of experienced skiiers.
Unfortunately for me I was most definitely the latter, but everyone is put into groups with people of a similar level so the craic and the banter is fantastic. We travelled 65 minutes by bus to Cardrona ski fields which is renowned among skiers and snowboarders for its dry natural snow, and wide open slopes.
The price ranges from operator to operator but a day skiing in Cardrona including bus, rental and lessons cost about the equivalent of 70 euro per person, while two and three day packages can cost as much as 150 euro. It’s not cheap but you have to forget about price to a certain extent and live for the moment when in Queenstown.
If you are interested in some sightseeing, a trip to Milford Sound is a visual treat. English author and poet Rudyard Kipling once described it as the eighth wonder of the world, and it was recently voted the number one travel destination in the world by users of Tripadvisor. Milford Sound is a spectacular place located in the World Heritage Fiordland National Park and is rich in dense rainforests, waterfalls and spellbinding lakes. Mountainous cliffs peer out over lush rainforests.
The Maori once claimed that the extremely steep cliffs were created by a ‘titanic mason’. Cascading waterfalls plunge from sheer rock faces that rise vertically over 1,200 metres from the sea. Milford is the only fiord which is accessible by road, and although it is four hours from Queenstown by bus the stunning alpine drive makes the journey a breathtaking experience. When we arrived we took a memorable cruise on Milford Sound and enjoyed our lunch in the midst of the stunning scenery.
The nightlife in Queenstown has gained legendary status and while tourists and backpackers traditionally rise early to partake in the heart-pumping thrills that the region has to offer, visitors are in no hurry to bed once they have sampled the atmospheric nightspots. After dark the bars and late night restaurants come alive; Queenstown is synonomous for its party culture, and at bars like the World Bar and Altitude you are pretty much guaranteed a good night’s entertainment every night of the week. There is music to suit all tastes and lots of promotions and themed nights to entertain revellers.
The World Bar is covered in funky decor and the atmosphere is absolutely electric. There are live bands, loads of dance floors and hoards of happy go lucky people dancing on the specially positioned tables. Most people seems to be celebrating their successful bungy or first ever skydive every night. The World Bar is famous for serving cocktails in teapots and you could be forgiven for assumming that the lively revellers are no more intoxicated than your granny after an afternoon brew but this would be a a big miscalculation!
After the late night shenanigans, where better to go in Q-town than Fergburger, who modestly claim they serve up the best burger in the southern hemisphere. Fergburger has gained a formidable reputation for delicious fast food. The establishment has over 100 fan pages on networking site facebook, they make everything made from natural ingredients and their burgers are big enough to stuff the mighty Jonah Lomu.
With the rugby world cup looming next year, Queenstown has plenty to offer, and it should be top of every Irish visitors itinerary when visiting New Zealand.
Paradise in Phi Phi
By Trevor Quinn
Galway Advertiser May 20th 2010
The beautiful laid back confines of Ko Phi Phi in southern Thailand are a perfect escape for anybody seeking a hedonistic paradise. The islands of Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh retain their traditional escapism; there are no cars or busy roads, so take a short tranquil walk or a local longtail boat from one perfect beach to the next.
Phi Phi Don is the largest and only populated island. The local people give visitors an exceptionally warm welcome, accommodation is cheap and plentiful, and the nightlife is incredible with revellers partying from dusk till dawn at exhilarating beach parties and lively bars.
Phi Phi Leh is an uninhabitated island that has become immensely popular in the last decade. Ever since the film ‘The Beach’ was filmed at Maya Baya on the island, a steady flow of tourists has descended on this exotic Utopia. The incredibly clear sea is home to a huge variety of tropical fish, with one of the world’s most abundant coral reef systems, and the locations and sights are both plentiful and astounding.
Getting to Koh Phi Phi is easy as ferry services make return trips twice daily from Phuket and Krabi. There is a huge range of PADI courses for beginners and experienced divers; other water based activities such as snorkelling, waterskiing, cruising, and fishing are also well catered for.
The tsunami in 2004 resulted in massive loss of life and caused irreparable damage, but the local people were resilient and determined to rebuild, and the response has exceeded all expectations almost six years on.
Charter boats and tours to Phang Nga Bay, James Bond Island, Koh Yao Noi, and Maya Bay run daily and all are well worth exploring. Long tail taxi boats can also be hired for as little as €30-€40 per day, and are ideal for groups who wish to explore uninterrupted, with more freedom, and without time constraints.
We were eager to avoid the hoards of people on the chartered boats and decided to get a long tail taxi boat after we met some likeminded Dubs and Canadians in a bar on the island. Our intentions of congregating early the following morning were a little ambitious as we partied away into the small hours, but we eventually made it out by about 11am and what a day it turned out to be.
We hired snorkelling gear and set off in great anticipation, the sun was glistening, spectacular limestone cliff faces jut out of the crystal clear emerald lagoon and seem to stretch into eternity. I nudged one of my accomplices who was feeling the effects of the previous night and we both agreed that this was the best hangover cure known to man.
We eventually settled on a snorkelling site and the schools of illuminating tropical fish that we encountered were truly awe-inspiring. A friend of mine decided to throw some breadcrumbs next to one of the Dublin girls, and seconds later much to our bemusement, she was surrounded by what seemed like hundreds of Nemo lookalikes.
Next we sailed onto Maya Bay which has gained a cult following since the film ‘The Beach’ was filmed there in 1999. Maya Bay is a stunningly beautiful place which is surrounded by steep 100 metre limestone cliffs. By being almost separated from the sea, the emerald waters are similar to that of a giant swimming pool, giving it an exotic secludedness and the turquoise waters sit effortlessly in front of 200 metres of powdery white sand. We were the only people on the island when we docked and at the time it felt like our own little private paradise.
We later stopped momentarily at Monkey Island which as the name implies is home to a herd of Macaque monkeys. The monkeys come down regularly to the beach from the surrounding cliffs, and surprisingly they are not daunted by humans, and can be fed fruit by passing tourists. As the tide was out we threw some apples over the rocks that separated us from them and watched as they chased and harried each other excitedly.
As the most glowing of sunsets was being created we sailed off to get a nice calm vantage point. A huge cruise liner sailed up adjacent to us momentarily. “Only one thing is missing,” a Canadian accomplice commented as he directed our driver over to the side of the much bigger vessel. One of the driver’s comrades took some drink orders and disappeared up a ladder onto the ship, re-emerging moments later with a collection of ice cold beers.
Loughrea teenager says stammering recovery programme changed his life
Galway Advertiser, May 27, 2010.
Simon Madden is a 14-year-old recovering stammerer who comes from Loughrea. While Simon is now a contented teenager, he admits stammering previously had a negative effect on his everyday life.
His confidence suffered and he admits he found it difficult meeting people or speaking on the telephone. “This time last year I wouldn’t have been able to have this conversation with you because I would have been stammering and blocking and I probably would have hung up the phone by now,” he says.
Approximately one in every 100 people is challenged by stammering and it affects their everyday lives in such ways as answering the telephone, ordering food in a restaurant, or checking in to a hotel. The McGuire Programme is a recovery programme run by recovered or recovering stammerers and the programme teaches individuals to overcome their fear of speaking by concentration, breathing exercises, assertiveness and non-avoidance techniques.
The McGuire Programme has thousands of members worldwide. Pop star Gareth Gates has benefited greatly from it. He completed the course after his first X Factor audition and then went on to win the show. Gates has now passed his coaching qualifications and is a course instructor. In recent years he visited Galway and he was the main instructor and speaker for a weekend course.
Simon joined the McGuire Programme over 12 months ago and his progression and development in dealing with his stammer in such a short time has been remarkable. He says the determination within the group to help each other makes the programme so beneficial.
Initially there is an intensive course to help individuals and Simon says the support after this course is fantastic.“You’re on a phone list so that anyone on the McGuire Programme can ring you,” he says. “I ring four to five coaches every evening just to practice my techniques.”
In the past year Simon has been assigned a primary coach to assist him, he regularly attends local support meetings, and he believes he is lucky to have benefited from the McGuire Programme so young. He says, “ I’m very lucky I joined the programme at the age I am. There are older people who have stammered for 40 or 50 years.”
Some individuals, he says that are now on the programme have lived their lives in jobs they disliked. “They wouldn’t go for interviews because of their stammers and they lacked the confidence,” he adds. “I won’t have that fear because when I leave school I’ll have been on the programme for three years.”
Simon says the McGuire Programme has changed his quality of life and he is very optimistic about the future. The McGuire Programme Galway Support Group will present an Open Information Evening at 8pm on Tuesday June 1 in the Harbour Hotel, New Dock St, where recovering and recovered stammerers will talk about the McGuire Programme and share their own personal experiences. Anybody with an interest in the subject is welcome to attend.
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