On Tuesday’s Morning Focus we look at the fresh figures suggesting a growing need to overhaul the Housing Assistance Payment system in Clare.
Nearly a fifth of HAP tenants here are receiving discretionary top-ups, suggesting they’ve been unable to rent a home within the current limits.
Under the Housing Assistance Payment, local authorities pay rents directly to landlords, in order to secure homes for tenants who would otherwise struggle to get one.
In turn, the occupiers of the home make an income-contingent payment to Councils.
New figures released by the Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy show these discretionary payments are being made in respect of 473 tenancies in Clare, or 36% of all cases. Threshold, who support tenants in the rental sector, says this is more evidence that the HAP system needs to be reformed. Karina Timothy who is the Manager for Threshold’s Western Region joined us on the show to explain whats been happening.
It’s that time of year when many of us will be digging out our passports before heading off on holidays. If you’re well organised, you’ll ensure it’s up to date and that the renewal date will meet the requirements of governments of a number of the long-haul destinations. Renewing your passport – particularly if you’re under time pressure – is something that does need your attention, but there are now more options to help you renew them, Fiona Penollar who is the Head of the Passport Office joined us live on the show to talk us through them.
Now is the time when tidy town groups across the country are working dawn to dusk in anticipation of the annual visit by judging committee members. It takes a special kind of dedication to make sure residential estates and public areas are looking their best and to gain recognition from the judges of this prestigious initiative.
Over in Shannon, the local committee are having a busy summer – cleaning, litter-picking and planting; but they also decided to put pen to paper to highlight concerns about a lack of support from the local authority.
Morning Focus producer Fiona McGarry has been in Shannon to find out more.
Clare County Council produced a statement in response to the committee:
“Clare County Council values the efforts which the residents active in public improvement works have made down through the years and are a proud supporter of the Shannon Tidy towns committee, having allocated €7,100 towards the refurbishment of bus shelters in the town in 2019 and supporting the replanting of flower beds in 2018 to the value of €900 amongst a long history of financial support. Project such as these enhance and generate pride in the local area. The Shannon Municipal district team meet members of the Shannon Tidy towns group on a regular basis throughout each year to discuss matters arising. The Shannon Municipal District was allocated €191,000 for the maintenance of green spaces in the district for 2019. This funding is spent on grass cutting and tree surgery. These services are no longer delivered in-house and are tendered on the open market using best practice public procurement. It is accepted that issues have arisen on the 2019 grass cutting contract in relation to the timing of cuts, quality of cuts and missed areas. A certain amount of these issues can be attributed to a lack of familiarisation of contractor’s staff with the area. Where this is not the case we continue to work with the contractor to correct these and we welcome reports by the public where a deficiency of cut arises. These will be investigated and resolved.
Shannon Municipal District has two outdoor work crews. Their duties cross the full gamut of works required in the public realm from road maintenance and improvement, drainage maintenance, sign replacement, footpath repair etc. They can be seen every day working at locations across the district which includes Shannon town, Newmarket on Fergus, Sixmilebridge, Bunratty, Cratloe, Meelick, Ardnacrusha and Althlunkard. In recent years, Shannon town has benefitted from investment in public infrastructure in Shannon town at locations such as the new pedestrian crossing at St. Aidans School, the enhancement of the “Slí na Mara” roadway, the new path and traffic calming at Bothar Na Rinne, the refurbishment of the Shannon Embankment walks and the soon to be completed Shannon Town Park. Through these and other projects, Clare County Council has demonstrated a commitment to the improvement of the public realm in Shannon and will continue to work with the tidy towns committee and other public groupings to enhance the Shannon Municipal District.”
We have our weekly financial advice with Tommy Corbett of Carey Corbett Financial Services in Roslevan, Ennis. This weeks discussion is on Life assurance.
A Quin man with incurable cancer is fighting for an explanation from the HSE as to why his medical card has been revoked twice since his diagnosis.
John Wall is entitled to a medical card without a means test as his stage four prostate cancer is terminal. Despite that, the card was first cancelled after six months and later, when he appealed that decision, cancelled again after two months.
In the past, anyone given a terminal diagnosis was entitled to apply for a medical card to be granted within 24 hours. It was not means-tested but it was reviewable after six months.
After campaigning by patient groups who argued it created distress to have to prove they were still terminal, that review was extended to 18 months.
John has been posting about this experience on social media and says the response he received proves he isn’t the only person affected. He joined us on the show to explain what has been going on.
If you’re a regular reader of the Sunday Independent, you’ll probably be familiar with this particular guest that appeared on Morning Focus. She’s a Kilkenny native who, since 2012, has been treating readers to a slice of rural life in her weekly column.
She writes about topics from the seasons and nature, to animal welfare, rural tradition and rural isolation and she’s just produced a lovely book of some of her pieces and Fiona O’Connell joined us live in the studio.
To end the show we have our weekly animal welfare update with Frankie Coote, Dog Warden for County Clare.
