Morning Focus opened with a look at the new government formation. Fianna Fáil has decided to hold round-table talks with Independent TDs next week – just hours before the Dáil meets to attempt to elect a Taoiseach. The move may affect plans by the Acting Taoiseach Enda Kenny to initiate contact with Micheal Martin as early as tomorrow. Independent TDs are due back in Government Buildings this morning to talk to Fine Gael about political and constitutional reform, health, youth services, childcare and the elderly. It's understood that Enda Kenny will only contact Fianna Fáil and other opposition parties once he's agreed a programme of priorities with the Independents to see what support would be forthcoming. Timmy Dooley (FF) joined Gavin.
Next we looked at the link between the housing crisis and suicide.The strain of losing their homes is driving growing numbers of people into a “suicidal crisis”, according to Console, a leading suicide support charity. Console said it receives around 3,400 calls a month, including a “wave of callers” who can not see a way out of the housing crisis. We spoke to Paul Kelly, CEO Console and Elaine Clifford, the
co-ordinator at Clare MABS.
Morning Focus also discussed the new threat to the ash sector. There are fresh concerns about the future of the ash-growing sector in Ireland, as killer beetles and deadly fungus threaten to wipe out the species.The emerald borer beetle and the ash dieback disease are set to kill millions of ash trees across Europe. Experts at tree Keele University in England have described the situation as a 'double whammy' for the species. John Torpey joined Gavin to explore this topic.
After we looked at the question of Labour party leadership. Joan Burton has said she will make a decision on her leadership of the Labour Party after the government is formed. It comes after several current and former Labour TDs called for a new leader – as the party met this afternoon for its first analysis following its poor election performance.Labour lost 26 seats in the election and now has seven TDs.Some have publicly called for her to go, with others saying the party shouldn't rush into a decision.
Former Labour Party TD for Clare, Michael McNamara, has characterised any leadership contest as a 'battle to decide who steers the lifeboat'. Michael McNamara (Ex-Labour Party TD for Clare) spoke to us about this.
Morning Focus also investigated flood damage to farmland. PJ Baldwin from South Galway got in touch with Morning Focus to highlight ongoing issues for farmers in the wake of the winter's severe floods. He says that where water has receded on farmland, the ground is still in a very bad condition, with no growth. While he's been able to avail of the Department of Agriculture compensation scheme, that only covers the loss of fodder bales and doesn't address the knock-on implications of flooding for farmland. Martin McMahon, ICMSA Chairman for Clare and Paudie Ryan, a farmer from Bellisle, Clonlara also joined Gavin.
Paudie and his elderly father Pat were forced to evacuate more than 100 cows onto neighbouring farms after the water rose waist-high last December. His cows are still housed, a situation which he says is adding hugely to the cost of milk production. Paudi says it could be 3-4 weeks before the land is fit to take livestock again. He believes that the flooding crisis was caused by the neglect of the rivers for years and says flooding has only been an issue in his area since 2009. He built a flood barrier around his father's home in 2009, but says that barriers aren't the long-term solution to flooding.
We then took a look at the Rock'n Waves festival, Lahinch. This is a just-for-fun surf and climbing competition, taking place over the weekend (April 2 & 3), with the winner being the person with the highest combined score. There'll be a BBQ afterward, spot prizes and a showing of some local and international surf and climbing videos. Then drinks across the road at the Surf Bar. Registration for the comp opens at 9 and it's €20 to enter. People are welcome to drop along for a look. The surfing takes place on Lahinch beach and the climbing comp will be at the climbing wall in Ben's Lahinch Adventures building on the prom. Ben Bennett from Ben's Surf Clinic & Lahinch Adventures – organiser of the festival – talked to us about it.
Why you shouldn't pick up baby rabbits? Now that the evenings are longer, lots of us will be able to enjoy getting out to walk and enjoy nature. You might even be lucky enough to spot some of the baby animals making their first appearances into the world around now. If you do though, the advice in most cases. Is to let nature take its course. An animal rescue centre in the east of the county has made an appeal to people to avoid picking up baby rabbits (kittens) in particular. While it may look to you and I as if they've been abandoned, the stong likelihood is that their parents are off foragin for food, and they're generally perfectly happy. In fact, taking baby rabbits home can have a devastating mpact on their health. Bev Truss
from The Hogsprickle (hedgehog welfare centre) spoke to us about the dangers.
Jarlath Tivnan of Fregoli Theatre joined Gavin in studio to talk about 'Pleasure Ground', their latest show, which comes to glor, Ennis, on April 7.
Next on Morning Focus we looked at life on kidney dialysis. Aine Mae Mahony from Lahinch (living in Liscannor) is awaiting a double kidney transplant. In the meantime, she travels to Galway three times a week for life-saving dialysis treatment. Aine lost her sight ten years ago, in her mid-20s, after developing glaucoma. Aine's making a special appeal on Organ Donor Awareness Week (March 30 – April 6) for people to consider carrying donor cards.
After we talked about Ike's Irish Lover and the Clare connection. A new book about the love affair during World War II between an Irish woman and US President Dwight Eisenhower has an interesting Clare twist. While Kay Summersby hailed from Baltimore in Cork, one of Eisenhower's right hand men had his roots in the Banner County. Sergeant Mickey McKeogh's father came from this county and later wrote his won book about his experiences working with the 34th President of the United States. 'Ike's Irish Lover, The Echo of a Sigh' sheds new light on a story that's alraedy the subject of a major TV movie. Kieron Wood joined us to discuss it. He was religious affairs correspondent for RTE in the late 1980s and the station’s first legal affairs correspondent. He’s a qualified barrister and his book, 'Ike’s Irish Lover, The Echo of a Sigh', is available directly from him at irishbarrister.com. Just click on ‘Eisenhower book’. It’s also available electronically as an ebook.
