On Tuesday’s Morning Focus John Cooke spoke with Michael Vaughan, the Lahinch hotelier that will today become President of The Irish Hotels Federation
It hoped Clare hotels which are operated by Nama and financial institutions can be taken back into local control similar to the situation in Donegal.
Last week a hotelier in the North hit the headlines after he managed to buy his premises from a receiver at a significantly reduced price at auction.
Incoming president of the Irish Hotels Federation Michael Vaughan believes the decline in the sector is finally starting to bottom out and new figures show a 7 percent hike in occupancy rates in 2011.
The Lahinch Hotelier feels recovery now depends on government freeing up credit so hotels which were in financial difficulty can be returned into Irish ownership
Garrett Greene from Ennis was elected to the Fianna Fail National Executive at the party’s Ard Fheis over the weekend
Garrett is a former Ennis West Candidate in the County Council Elections of 2009
He joined John in studio and said he was honoured and pleased to be elected on first count – there were over 2,000 voting delegates at the Ard Fheis
He will now form the governing authority for the party on an administrative and strategic level
Contact Ennis Chamber on 065 6842988.
There is still time to have your say on clare.modus.ie online poll
Will you pay the household charge?
• Yes – 33%
• No – 57%
• Don’t know – 10%
Ennis Chamber are continuing with its series of Training Programmes for Business in Social Media with Facebook and LinkedIn Training for Business
Intermediate Level Facebook Training for Business entitled Putting Facebook to Work for Your Business will take place from 9.30am-1pm next Wednesday Enhance and Grow your Business will take place from 1.30pm-5pm on Wednesday
Both courses take place at the Temple Gate Hotel, O’Connell Square, Ennis
These training courses are subsidised by ASICT Skillnet
Bernie Browne of Market IT in Kinvara, Co. Galway explained how social media can be advantageous to businesses.
Brendain MecFhionnghaile of An Clar as Gaeilge joined John with the latest results from Feile na hInse
Almost 70 schools from all over County Clare and from Limerick and Galway are participating in the nine-days of events catering for over 2,000 young people and all organized through the medium of Irish
It is the Region’s largest Irish Language festival, and forms an extension to Seachtain na Gaeilge in Clare, is now in its 29th year.
Gearoid Howard of Crimmins Howard Solicitors, Shannon is a volunteer solicitor with the Free Legal Advice Clinic at the Clare Citizens Information Centre
He joined John in studio for our weekly legal advice slot where he looked at the topic of unfair selection for redundancy
This will deal with procedures to assist people who have been selected for redundancy but feel they have been singled out by the employer unfairly to lose their job.
The National Tree Day events in the county are taking place on Wednesday
The events include the launch of Buds of the Banner – ‘A Guide to Growing Native Trees and Shrubs in County Clare’
The aim of ‘Buds of the Banner’ is to inspire the people of Clare to plant native trees and shrubs because they make a beautiful addition to gardens, public green spaces, urban and rural landscapes, and because of their enormous benefits for wildlife and the environment
John was joined by Betty Devaney, administrative officer with Clare County Council and consultant ecologist Dr. Janice Fuller who also recommended what trees/shrubs to plant following the severe winters of 2009 and 2010 during which many of our trees and hedgerows were damaged by frost and cold weather.
Clare ISPCA Warden Frankie Coote spoke about a number of recent incidents of dogs being poisoned
He fears people are doing this on purpose and explained the legalities of it
He has also received a number of complaints about loose dogs near the playground in Cratloe Woods
Contact Frankie on 087 6225253.
Margaret Keane from Kilfenora joined them in studio to let people know about the fundraising calendar for the Clare ISPCA that is now ready to be launched – (7th of April at the Templegate Hotel – €5 a calendar)
All the dogs pictured were rescued from the Clare pound,
If you have a story, comment or query for the Morning Focus team email Focus@clare.fm
