Meath Partnership Older Persons Survey Volunteers will be taking to the roads over the next 3 weeks. They will be calling to random houses throughout the county and asking people over 55 to complete a survey. The survey, which is being carried out in collaboration with Active Retirement Ireland, seeks to establish the level of satisfaction with services and facilities available to older people in Meath. It will also look at other issues that impact on the lives of over 55’s in the county. ‘It is hoped that this study will play a major role in the introduction of the ‘Age Friendly County’ Initiative to County Meath’ says Meath Partnership’s Kay O Connor. ‘It’s important that with the ageing population nationwide, provisions are put in place to cater for the specific needs of people as they age’. Meath Partnership has given a commitment to act on the results of the survey. ‘The findings of the survey will go a long way in informing us on funding priorities in the future.’
‘Over the last few months our team of researchers has been working with an advisory panel of older people from all over the county. The panels’ advice and direction has helped to ensure that the survey questions are relevant, sensitive and that the survey itself is carried out in the most appropriate way possible.’ Meath Partnership hopes to gather responses from over 500 older people across the county. Kay is urging everyone approached to take part. ‘We have also recruited over 70 older volunteers. They will spend the next 3 weeks going around to houses in County Meath to complete the questionnaire with people aged 55 and over. The volunteers will be knocking on people’s doors during daylight hours over the 3 week period. The questionnaires can be completed on the doorstep or can be left with the person to be collected at a later time. The volunteers have been told not to enter the person’s house unless they are invited to do so as it is not necessary to go inside.’ The surveyors can be easily identified by photographic ID and branded high visibility jackets.
If you have any queries you can contact Meath Partnership on 046 9280 790 or contact your local Gardai.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Water supply shutdown
Meath County Council wishes to advise consumers in the Cabinhill, Hallstown and Scalestown areas of Ratoath of a water supply shutdown on Tuesday morning the 25th of October between 10:00am and 13.:00pm
This is due to essential maintenance works.
Meath County Council regrets any inconvenience caused.
This is due to essential maintenance works.
Meath County Council regrets any inconvenience caused.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Temporary Closure of Roads
MEATH COUNTY COUNCIL
Temporary Closure of Roads
Roads Act 1993
(Roads Regulations 1994)
Meath County Council hereby gives notice of its intention to temporarily close the following roads:
• The L-5017 (through Lagore Little, Brownstown, Ballymore, Bradystown, Elgarstown, Curkeen, Commons, Wilkinstown and Powderlough) from its junction with R125 at Lagore Little to its junction with the L-5046-0 at Powderlough;
This closure is necessary to facilitate Eirgrid’s East West Interconnector Project.
Duration:
The intended road closure is from Monday 28th November 2011 to Friday 23rd December 2011.
Alternative Routes:
The diversion routes are as follows:
Traffic normally travelling south on L5017: Travel west along the R125 (Ratoath - Dunshaughlin road) as far as Dunshaughlin, turn left at the traffic lights onto the R147 and continue south through Dunshaughlin. Continue along the R147 to the south end of the closed road just before Rathbeggan.
Traffic normally travelling north on L5017: Travel north-west along the R147 (old N3) to Dunshaughlin. Continue through Dunshaughlin and turn right at the traffic lights onto the R125 towards Ratoath. Continue along the R125 to the north end of the closed road at the cross roads at Lagore Little.
Diversion signs will be in place.
Local Access:
Access for residents and property holders will be facilitated throughout the closure period.
Submissions relating to these proposed temporary road closures should be made in writing to the Area Administrator, Meath County Council, Dunshaughlin Civic Offices, Drumree Road, Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath on or before 13.00 hrs on Tuesday 1st November 2011.
Temporary Closure of Roads
Roads Act 1993
(Roads Regulations 1994)
Meath County Council hereby gives notice of its intention to temporarily close the following roads:
• The L-5017 (through Lagore Little, Brownstown, Ballymore, Bradystown, Elgarstown, Curkeen, Commons, Wilkinstown and Powderlough) from its junction with R125 at Lagore Little to its junction with the L-5046-0 at Powderlough;
This closure is necessary to facilitate Eirgrid’s East West Interconnector Project.
Duration:
The intended road closure is from Monday 28th November 2011 to Friday 23rd December 2011.
Alternative Routes:
The diversion routes are as follows:
Traffic normally travelling south on L5017: Travel west along the R125 (Ratoath - Dunshaughlin road) as far as Dunshaughlin, turn left at the traffic lights onto the R147 and continue south through Dunshaughlin. Continue along the R147 to the south end of the closed road just before Rathbeggan.
Traffic normally travelling north on L5017: Travel north-west along the R147 (old N3) to Dunshaughlin. Continue through Dunshaughlin and turn right at the traffic lights onto the R125 towards Ratoath. Continue along the R125 to the north end of the closed road at the cross roads at Lagore Little.
Diversion signs will be in place.
Local Access:
Access for residents and property holders will be facilitated throughout the closure period.
Submissions relating to these proposed temporary road closures should be made in writing to the Area Administrator, Meath County Council, Dunshaughlin Civic Offices, Drumree Road, Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath on or before 13.00 hrs on Tuesday 1st November 2011.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
SOSAD Save our Sons and Daughters 2011 fashion show
SOSAD Save our Sons and Daughters 2011 fashion show
This is a night you will not want to miss!
26th of October @ 8pm, Westcourt Hotel in Drogheda featuring a host of our favourite Irish celebrity models including:
SOSAD patron and rugby star Shane Horgan, RTE Masterchef's star Nick Munier,
Gerald Kean, Lisa Murphy, Dragon's Den star Niall O'Farrell and the suitably suited Louis Copeland
Award winning designer Synan O'Mahony will showcase his 2011 A/W collection as will Umit Kutluk
Entertainment will include the incredible singer songwriter Darragh McGann, Kidkast, and 12 year old Sophia Rocca.
Join us for the after party in Earth Nightclub with Jerry Fish with his brand new band
Fantastic prizes to be won.... including, Best Bag, Best Shoes and lots more...
The winner of the €2,000 SOSAD/RSVP Shopping Spree will be unveiled by top Irish Stylist Amanda Kevlin.
Free copy of RSVP magazine November edition for everyone in the audience.
Tickets priced €25 from the Westcourt hotel or by calling SOSAD on 041-9848754
This is a night you will not want to miss!
26th of October @ 8pm, Westcourt Hotel in Drogheda featuring a host of our favourite Irish celebrity models including:
SOSAD patron and rugby star Shane Horgan, RTE Masterchef's star Nick Munier,
Gerald Kean, Lisa Murphy, Dragon's Den star Niall O'Farrell and the suitably suited Louis Copeland
Award winning designer Synan O'Mahony will showcase his 2011 A/W collection as will Umit Kutluk
Entertainment will include the incredible singer songwriter Darragh McGann, Kidkast, and 12 year old Sophia Rocca.
Join us for the after party in Earth Nightclub with Jerry Fish with his brand new band
Fantastic prizes to be won.... including, Best Bag, Best Shoes and lots more...
The winner of the €2,000 SOSAD/RSVP Shopping Spree will be unveiled by top Irish Stylist Amanda Kevlin.
Free copy of RSVP magazine November edition for everyone in the audience.
Tickets priced €25 from the Westcourt hotel or by calling SOSAD on 041-9848754
Monday, October 17, 2011
Doherty hits out at pharmacies for pushing up cost of prescription medicines
Fine Gael TD for Meath East, Regina Doherty, has strongly criticised pharmacies for pushing up the cost of essential medicines, following reports that mark ups of up to 350% are being imposed.
“I am appalled at these figures, which show that consumers are being severely ripped off when it comes to buying essential medication. This isn’t an example of a luxury item that people can do without; we’re talking about prescription drugs that are vital for healthcare reasons.
“According to the Irish Independent, pharmacies around the country are passing on huge mark-ups to their customers of between 73% and 354% on the wholesale drug price. As one example, the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor has a wholesale price of €36.06, but customers are being charged a whopping €65.77.
“These kind of massive mark-ups cannot be justified. Pharmacies are clearly trying to squeeze as much as they possibly can out of private patients, while also earning a generous profit from dispensing medication under the Drug Payment Scheme. Every time pharmacies provide public patients with medication under the DPS, they earn a 20% mark-up on the wholesale price, plus a €5 dispensing fee from the Health Service Executive.
“The Programme for Government contains a commitment on the greater use of generic drugs to reduce the cost burden on individuals. This commitment must be pursued, to ensure people have a greater choice when it comes to purchasing prescription medication.
“I am also calling on pharmacists to enter the real world here. Many families who do not qualify for community run drug schemes are still struggling to make ends meet, and should not be forced to pay over the odds for essential prescription medication. It is entirely inappropriate that massive mark-ups are being enforced on these people, so pharmacies can inflate their own profits.”
Burglaries during day time
Message from Garda Sergeant Dean Kerins
Hi All,
Just a short note to let you know that there have been a number of
burglaries throughout the county during day time. There appear to be a
group of thieves breaking into houses during school pick up and
collection times. Please take extra caution during these hours when
doing school runs and ensure your house is properly secured. Please
inform any of your friends that are not on the mailing list or your
local school. If you have any friends that wish to be connected on the
mailing list please pass my e mail onto them.
During the course of a number of these burglaries a dirty silver
subaru impreza was seeing leaving the scene with a number of people on
board. It is using false registration number plates. Please can you
report any sighting of a car like this to your local garda station
immediately.
Regards,
Sergeant Dean Kerins
Crime Prevention Officer
It is up to us to nurture peace for the future
Local Fine Gael TD Regina Doherty has today spoken of the need to treat the Commemorations of the foundations of the Irish State and the Northern Ireland Peace Process over the next decade, delicately and with a conscious sense of inclusiveness. The statement from the Deputy follows a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement (Thursday 12th October) where members met with representatives from communities in the North of the Country.
Theses Representatives included Dr Ian Adamson, High Sheriff of Belfast, Mr Sean Murray, Mr Jackie McDonald, Mr George Newell and Professor Wesley Hutchinson.
Deputy Regina Doherty TD, a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement says that “we need to develop a shared approach to the commemoration events over the next decade and truly cultivate a national strategy.”
“We must be mindful that we do not organise ceremonies and mark those occasions in history in such a way that will result in the alienation of people in Northern Ireland or indeed those in the south. It is up to us as members of this committee to work with our counterparts in the North to develop a shared approach to honour events in our history like the 1916 Rising, The Civil War (1922-1923), The Battle of the Somme and the anniversary of the First World War (1914-1918). We must develop a joint approach to these events so we can ensure that no area of society feels disenfranchised.”
Deputy Doherty believes “We have the opportunity as Public representatives to lead this national approach, to work with those influential people in all our communities, in order to influence and educate young people of our shared history. We must, with these events, show young people that it is not a case of north versus south, as they may believe, but that we have both have troubled histories and no history is greater than the other.”
Deputy Doherty goes further to state “Since the signing of the Good Friday agreement on 10th April 1998 there has been great progress with peace. This process, however, is an on-going one which needs to be nurtured. This nurturing will happen as a result of embracing every member of society, taking into account individual communities’ histories and being sensitive to those. The fear I have is that if we do not adopt this approach, we will leave seeds for future conflicts as a result of people & communities feeling excluded.”
“It is up to all of us to celebrate the next 10 years without being divisive.”
Theses Representatives included Dr Ian Adamson, High Sheriff of Belfast, Mr Sean Murray, Mr Jackie McDonald, Mr George Newell and Professor Wesley Hutchinson.
Deputy Regina Doherty TD, a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement says that “we need to develop a shared approach to the commemoration events over the next decade and truly cultivate a national strategy.”
“We must be mindful that we do not organise ceremonies and mark those occasions in history in such a way that will result in the alienation of people in Northern Ireland or indeed those in the south. It is up to us as members of this committee to work with our counterparts in the North to develop a shared approach to honour events in our history like the 1916 Rising, The Civil War (1922-1923), The Battle of the Somme and the anniversary of the First World War (1914-1918). We must develop a joint approach to these events so we can ensure that no area of society feels disenfranchised.”
Deputy Doherty believes “We have the opportunity as Public representatives to lead this national approach, to work with those influential people in all our communities, in order to influence and educate young people of our shared history. We must, with these events, show young people that it is not a case of north versus south, as they may believe, but that we have both have troubled histories and no history is greater than the other.”
Deputy Doherty goes further to state “Since the signing of the Good Friday agreement on 10th April 1998 there has been great progress with peace. This process, however, is an on-going one which needs to be nurtured. This nurturing will happen as a result of embracing every member of society, taking into account individual communities’ histories and being sensitive to those. The fear I have is that if we do not adopt this approach, we will leave seeds for future conflicts as a result of people & communities feeling excluded.”
“It is up to all of us to celebrate the next 10 years without being divisive.”
International marketing blitz to boost tourism trade
Fine Gael TD for Meath East, Regina Doherty, has said that a new €9 million international tourism marketing initiative will reach a worldwide audience of 20 million people, and should help to significantly boost visitor numbers to Meath.
“This initiative, announced by the Minister for Tourism, Leo Varadkar, will see a veritable blitz of media outlets across the globe, from Europe to Asia and the US, promoting Ireland as a world class winter tourism destination. Joint campaigns between Tourism Ireland and a list of private operators will reach an audience of 20 million potential overseas visitors.
“It’s hugely welcome that companies such as Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Irish Ferries and a number of international tour companies have come on board to co-fund the campaigns. Tourism Ireland’s funding is being sourced from the air travel tax.
“The marketing campaigns will be launched on a number of fronts. Promotions will be run by both Ryanair and Aer Lingus highlighting attractive routes between here and mainland Europe. Ads will run in major national and regional newspapers and on radio stations in the UK, Spain, Germany, France, Italy and the Nordic region.
“The campaigns will also tap into the online nature of the travel business, with prominent exposure for Irish destinations on leading travel websites such as Expedia and Hotels.com. The lucrative US, Asian and Australia markets will also be targeted in a bid to drive business over the winter period. A campaign will run in five gateway cities in America, while the Government’s new Visa Waiver Scheme will be promoted in emerging markets.
“I am delighted that this campaign has been launched and I think it offers real potential to attract extra visitors to Meath over the coming months. Irish tourism is already showing encouraging signs of recovery, with overseas visitors up almost 12% in the first seven months of the year. Minister Varadkar’s initiative will allow us to capitalise on this growth, with the potential for a huge boost in tourists numbers.”
“This initiative, announced by the Minister for Tourism, Leo Varadkar, will see a veritable blitz of media outlets across the globe, from Europe to Asia and the US, promoting Ireland as a world class winter tourism destination. Joint campaigns between Tourism Ireland and a list of private operators will reach an audience of 20 million potential overseas visitors.
“It’s hugely welcome that companies such as Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Irish Ferries and a number of international tour companies have come on board to co-fund the campaigns. Tourism Ireland’s funding is being sourced from the air travel tax.
“The marketing campaigns will be launched on a number of fronts. Promotions will be run by both Ryanair and Aer Lingus highlighting attractive routes between here and mainland Europe. Ads will run in major national and regional newspapers and on radio stations in the UK, Spain, Germany, France, Italy and the Nordic region.
“The campaigns will also tap into the online nature of the travel business, with prominent exposure for Irish destinations on leading travel websites such as Expedia and Hotels.com. The lucrative US, Asian and Australia markets will also be targeted in a bid to drive business over the winter period. A campaign will run in five gateway cities in America, while the Government’s new Visa Waiver Scheme will be promoted in emerging markets.
“I am delighted that this campaign has been launched and I think it offers real potential to attract extra visitors to Meath over the coming months. Irish tourism is already showing encouraging signs of recovery, with overseas visitors up almost 12% in the first seven months of the year. Minister Varadkar’s initiative will allow us to capitalise on this growth, with the potential for a huge boost in tourists numbers.”
Friday, October 14, 2011
Meath Accessible Transport Project
This morning I attended the Meath Accessible Transport Project Limited i.e. Flexi-bus ‘Celebration Morning’ in Navan Shopping Centre. The Directors and members of Flexi-bus invited me to the celebration morning to meet some of their valued passengers and to highlight the importance of this vital rural transport scheme.
This Service which is based in Navan operates 22 permanent services and 27 dial-a-ride services to nearly every corner of Meath. This vital facility helps connect community groups with limited access to funding, aid the transportation of people with disabilities and even transports people to their hospital appointments.
The Flexi-Bus service relies heavily on the Rural Transport Programme, run by the Department of Transport, for much of its income and without it they would be unable to offer such services to their passengers. This service picks up where the Bus Éireann is lacking.
This is a Hugely important service to residents in Meath. There are 34 similar companies in the rest of Ireland. There are concerns by the members of this voluntary service that with the review of the Rural Transport Programme by Minister Leo Varadkar and his Department may come cuts to their funding. In fact, it was reported this morning that all voluntary agencies may receive a cut of up to 25% on their state funding.
There are hundreds of people in Meath who avail of this service and would, for want of a better phrase, be left ‘out in the cold’, should this service be discontinued or scaled back due to lack of funding. I will be making representations to the Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar on behalf of this voluntary service so that they may continue to operate this brilliant service.
This Service which is based in Navan operates 22 permanent services and 27 dial-a-ride services to nearly every corner of Meath. This vital facility helps connect community groups with limited access to funding, aid the transportation of people with disabilities and even transports people to their hospital appointments.
The Flexi-Bus service relies heavily on the Rural Transport Programme, run by the Department of Transport, for much of its income and without it they would be unable to offer such services to their passengers. This service picks up where the Bus Éireann is lacking.
This is a Hugely important service to residents in Meath. There are 34 similar companies in the rest of Ireland. There are concerns by the members of this voluntary service that with the review of the Rural Transport Programme by Minister Leo Varadkar and his Department may come cuts to their funding. In fact, it was reported this morning that all voluntary agencies may receive a cut of up to 25% on their state funding.
There are hundreds of people in Meath who avail of this service and would, for want of a better phrase, be left ‘out in the cold’, should this service be discontinued or scaled back due to lack of funding. I will be making representations to the Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar on behalf of this voluntary service so that they may continue to operate this brilliant service.
It is up to us to nurture peace for the future
Fine Gael TD Regina Doherty has today spoken of the need to treat the Commemorations of the foundation of the Irish State and the Northern Ireland peace process over the next decade delicately and with a conscious sense of inclusiveness. This statement from the Deputy follows a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement (Thursday 12th October) where members met with representatives from communities in the North of the country.
These representatives included Dr. Ian Adamson, High Sheriff of Belfast, Mr. Sean Murray, Mr. Jackie McDonald, Mr. George Newell and Professor Wesley Hutchinson.
Deputy Regina Doherty TD, a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement says that “there is a huge onus on the organisers of these commemoration ceremonies to treat the events as an opportunity to be all inclusive to all corners of society.”
“We must be mindful that we do not organise ceremonies and mark these occasions in history in such a way that will result in the alienation of people in Northern Ireland or indeed those in the south. It is up to us as members of this committee to work with our counterparts in the North to develop a shared approach to commemorations of events in our history like 1916 Rising, The Civil War (1922-1923), the Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement etc. We must develop a joint approach to these events so we can ensure that no area of society feels disenfranchised.”
Deputy Doherty believes “We have the opportunity as Public Representatives to lead this all inclusive approach, to work with those influential people in all our communities, in order to influence and educate young people of our shared history. We must, with these events, show young people that it is not a case of north versus south, as they may believe, but that we have both had troubled histories and no history is greater than the other.”
Deputy Doherty goes further to state “Since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on 10th April 1998 there has been great progress with peace process. This process, however, is an on-going one which needs to be nurtured. This nurturing will happen as a result of inclusivity by reaching out to every member of society, taking into account individual communities’ histories and being sensitive to those. The fear that I have if we do not adopt this approach is that we will leave seeds for future conflicts as a result of people feeling excluded.”
“It is up to us to celebrate the next 10years without being divisive.”
These representatives included Dr. Ian Adamson, High Sheriff of Belfast, Mr. Sean Murray, Mr. Jackie McDonald, Mr. George Newell and Professor Wesley Hutchinson.
Deputy Regina Doherty TD, a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement says that “there is a huge onus on the organisers of these commemoration ceremonies to treat the events as an opportunity to be all inclusive to all corners of society.”
“We must be mindful that we do not organise ceremonies and mark these occasions in history in such a way that will result in the alienation of people in Northern Ireland or indeed those in the south. It is up to us as members of this committee to work with our counterparts in the North to develop a shared approach to commemorations of events in our history like 1916 Rising, The Civil War (1922-1923), the Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement etc. We must develop a joint approach to these events so we can ensure that no area of society feels disenfranchised.”
Deputy Doherty believes “We have the opportunity as Public Representatives to lead this all inclusive approach, to work with those influential people in all our communities, in order to influence and educate young people of our shared history. We must, with these events, show young people that it is not a case of north versus south, as they may believe, but that we have both had troubled histories and no history is greater than the other.”
Deputy Doherty goes further to state “Since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on 10th April 1998 there has been great progress with peace process. This process, however, is an on-going one which needs to be nurtured. This nurturing will happen as a result of inclusivity by reaching out to every member of society, taking into account individual communities’ histories and being sensitive to those. The fear that I have if we do not adopt this approach is that we will leave seeds for future conflicts as a result of people feeling excluded.”
“It is up to us to celebrate the next 10years without being divisive.”
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