 This is the tour of Princess Sara, the best girl ever. Lots of love from Mum and your big sister, Chloe. Have a great day, Greg. Good morning to you. Good morning, Lee. Have a great day yourself. Did you have a nice weekend? I did. I was busy enough now, but I was good, good, you know? You had the tractor out? No tractors now. I don't know what I was at. If you asked me now, oh, yeah, I was... Yeah, I had a good weekend. Good. That's good to see you. See you tomorrow. Aye. Please go on. Tuesday morning. All right, it is nine o'clock. Time for a news update. Hiya, Donald Kavanaugh. Thank you, Greg. Good morning. The parish priest increasingly says people in the village and the surrounding areas are still numb one month after 10 people lost their lives in an explosion at the local shop and petrol station. A series of month's mind masses takes place in the coming days to remember those who lost their lives in the tragedy. Father John Jo Duffy says people in the area are still struggling. It seems nowhere near like a month since we were there. And I just... There's just a... There's something... I can't really put a word on it, but there is a numbness still there. There is just shock. And there is the question, did this really happen us? And we're all too aware that it has happened and the pain is there. And it's just difficult. It's very difficult. A Donegal councillor says electric vehicle charging points are a basic necessity. Councillor Albert Doherty is calling for additional charging points to be put in place, particularly on the initial and peninsula. His call comes as a survey published this morning where the Northern and Western Regional Assembly found 79% of people are unlikely to buy electric cars within the next 12 months with range anxiety, a major feature in that. Councillor Doherty says as electric vehicles says potentially rise, it's vital that the infrastructure improves as well. It's a basic necessity that vital infrastructure is put in place, first of all, to serve those who have been able to purchase vehicles, but also to be able to provide a significant improved service from what is there. With the council, I'm told that they have been in talks with a company. I believe we should have actions now to match the words that have promised new charging spots to be located in the peninsula. A fire broke out at a planned accommodation centre for Ukrainian refugees in County Kildare last night. It happened at a shed on the grounds of a former equestrian centre in Kil, just after eight o'clock, Garthi's Sayer protest was held by a group of people outside the premises earlier in the day, but it passed off without incident. No injuries have been reported. The scene is being preserved for examination as Garthi investigations continue. Bundoran lifeboat is looking for new volunteers to take up roles as inshore lifeboat crew in the waters around Donegal Bay. Potential candidates will undertake training for over a year before being placed on call to attend alerts. The analysis, it can't keep people safe without the support of volunteers, who it says truly make a difference every day, Bundoran or the life spokesperson Shane Smith says previous maritime experience isn't necessary. We're looking for new people to join the existing complement of crew. We're always looking to bring new people on, to train them up and to make sure that they're able to do some saving lives at sea. It is a really great thing for people to do. A yellow well of warning has been put in place for the rest of this week with Matt Aaron saying further spells of rain and showers may cause localized flooding due to waterlogged soils and high river levels. The warning comes into place at four this morning and remains in force until 11 on Friday night. And Matt Aaron tell us today it'll be mostly cloudy with spells of rain as the warning says heavy at times with localized flooding possible. It'll become windier this afternoon and evening with strong gusty southerly winds. Top temperatures today 11 to 13 degrees Celsius. Rain clearing later with showers following and winds easing and that's Island Radio News. We're back with news again at 10 o'clock. After organizing a date with a handsome gentleman on her dating app, Sadie is out for a makeover to look something like her profile pic. And while she looked great, we wish she'd unplugged her hair straightener before leaving. Thankfully, Sadie also matched with a phone watch Black Friday deal offering an alarm that responds to break-ins and smoke in just 15 seconds for 39 euro. So romance will be the only thing on fire in her life. Life is unpredictable. Don't be alarmed, be phone watched. Offer ends November 30th. Visit phonewatch.ie, monitoring fees apply. The Ninetal Noon Show with Letter Kenny Credit Union now offering mortgages with life cover provided at no additional cost. Letter Kenny Credit Union 9102127. And now it's time for the talk of the Northwest, The Ninetan Noon Show with Greg Hughes on Island Radio. Hello, good morning. It's four minutes past nine. It's the start of another week on The Ninetal Noon Show. It's Monday, the 7th of November 2022. How are you keeping? I hope your weekend went well for you. And hopefully now you're with us for the next three hours here in the show. We want you involved in the program. We've plenty lined up for you, but we also want your views, your news. Good or bad, by the way. Positive or something you might need a bit of help with. 086625,000. That's the familiar WhatsApp and text number. 086625,000. If you're watching or listening on your smart speaker, for instance, that side of Ireland, 00353866025,000. And the telephone number is there for you, 20749125,000. 0749125,000. And of course, emails come into us. Comments at highlandradio.com. And you're very welcome if you're watching the program. Feel free to comment there as well. If you want to go on to our social media on YouTube, Highland Radio Ireland. Like and subscribe if you don't mind. It's useful. And also you can access us on our Facebook pages. And I heard the well-considered and important words from Father John Joe Duffy during the news there, because it is unbelievably one month on from the Chrysler tragedy. That's the front page of the Donegal News this morning. Today marks one month since the explosion at the Apple Green Service Station in Chrysler that claimed the lives of 10 people. Eight others were injured and one young man remains in hospital in Dublin. Speaking to the Donegal News local GP, Dr. Paul Stewart said initially, the tragedy seemed unreal. Then we had the wakes, then the funerals. But with all that, we had lots of support, he said. And we'll be speaking to Father John Joe Duffy a little later on in the program. The Dairy News this morning, anti-social behavior is being blamed for the closure of the Chantalo Library. The library will no longer open late on Tuesday evenings in a requested statement to the Dairy News, the librarian and I spokesperson said, in response to an increase in anti-social behavior occurring during the library's late night opening hours on Tuesdays, we've temporarily changed the opening hours pattern. The library will close at 5.30 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. on a Tuesday, but will remain open for longer on Wednesdays. Are you one of those people who are suffering with lung COVID? Perhaps you don't feel you have a voice. I could understand how you might feel like that. Many people who got COVID still continue to feel the effect, after effects of it. And as I say, how often do you hear their voices? Let us know if it's your experience and how you're feeling and what kind of support you feel you're getting. You know the numbers there. But the Irish Independent talks of the true scale of lung COVID in Ireland. It's been laid bare as a new study reveals today that almost nine in 10 people living with the condition can suffer symptoms for up to a year or more after infection. And I would say there's many of you out there just not feeling like you used to, but perhaps are going on diagnosed. Well, this study involved 988 people who responded to an online questionnaire that looked at their quality of life and well-being and helped provide a snapshot of the toll that lung COVID is taking. It found that more than two in three respondents who were infected with COVID reported continued fatigue post-exertional malaise. I presume that means feeling tired after exercise. Palpitations, chest pain, stomach upsets, nausea, memory issues, muscle pain, or joint pain. The study was carried out by APC Microbome Ireland based at University College Cork in conjunction with Cork University Hospital and Lung COVID Advocacy Ireland. It's been published in the HRB Open Research. On to the Irish Times now and there's quite a few jobs it seems maybe going in the tech sector. Honestly, over a car is to be briefed this week on the risk of Irish jobs being threatened by a tech reset. The great thing is I suppose that when techs go in good and you're seen as a popular destination well then you've got lots of jobs but when they start cutting back it does leave you exposed to big job losses, doesn't it? Well, it comes after last week's job losses were signaled at the Dublin offices of Twitter, the social networking site and payments firm Stripe co-founded by Irish brothers John and Patrick Collision. IDA Ireland as well as potentially Enterprise Ireland but to brief Mr Varadkar perhaps as early as today on the potential impact of changes in the tech sector and how it might affect Irish foreign direct investment a spokesperson for the IDA said it will meet with the Tarnished to discuss latest developments within the tech sector. There's also talk of Metta, the parent company of Facebook letting people go and I think it employs something right. What is it, 6,000 or 7,000 people in Ireland? So again, we are very exposed if they decide to make those cuts here in this country. Onto the Irish Daily Mail now and you might remember right at the very, very start of our response to the refugee crisis caused by the invasion of Ukraine when hotels started and B&B started to be taken over. I think the first interview I did when a hotel in Latter-Canary was being given over to house refugees was to ask, well, what about the impact? You might remember what about the impact on the local news agents, the local pubs, the local restaurants? I was kind of shot down Frida Weaver at the time but logically if people haven't got anywhere to stay well then it's gonna have a large, it's gonna have an impact, isn't it? Because you're not getting as many tourists into the area, you're not getting as many tourist euros and they're not being spent in the wider economy. Well, Ireland's tourism tans, this is the Irish Daily Mail I think I mentioned, say they can't cope with another influx of Ukrainian refugees due to a chronic shortage of housing and risks to tourism as hotel beds are full. Hoteliers, community groups and local councils to Mayo, Kerry, Clare and elsewhere are now pleading with the government to formulate a plan to accommodate refugees while trying to protect tourism vital to the economy of many tans, particularly along the wild Atlantic way. The number of hotels and guest houses that house refugees has doubled since the start of last month as the government struggles to cope with thousands of people arriving from Ukraine, not to mention, look at, it's not just that. They also tariffed out refugees in the likes of student accommodation and there was only one place they could look to satisfy that need and that was hotels. So far, we're told around 55,000 refugees have, let's go to page six, have arrived here with 6,000 securing their own accommodation. The flow of refugees is not expected to slow due to Russia's ongoing attacks in Ukraine, which left 4.5 million people without power last week. And the situation in Kiev has got pretty desperate because they're suffering electricity and water outages and the mayor of Kiev, he has warned them to look at the possibility of evacuating the city if this persists as three or four million people in Kiev, not all are gonna go to friends and relations sort of outside of the capital. They're gonna look for refuge elsewhere, aren't they? So I would say there's probably another wave coming into the Irish Daily Star now and supporters of the priest at the center of the gaze going to hell controversy can listen to more of his sermons in the privacy of his own home. It has also emerged that Father Sean Shee held a prayer service in truly town square in County Kerry on Saturday and said he'll continue to celebrate mass at his home to people who wish to listen to his sermons. Father Shee who spent over 40 years in the United States has been prevented from saying church mass again after the Bishop of Kerry rebuked his controversial comments as on Christian. At least 30 parishioners walked out of the mass after Father Shee he condemned transgenderism, same sex couples and supplying condoms to teenagers in his sermon. Father Shee he told parishioners at St. Mary's Church in the stole that gay couples were sinful and criticized free contraception being provided by the HSE as promoting promiscuity. Now all of his comments, there's nothing he said really truly that is outside the teachings of the church. He's just orated it at the mass but he's continuing to do it privately whilst the church in Ireland has they've taken his platform away from him. Are you a big fan of Ikea? This is in the Irish sun, if you're Irish, if you shop in Ireland, you've been ripped off really or gouged or whatever way, maybe there's justifiable extra costs but anyway Ikea's fanatical Irish customers are paying almost 70% more for the exact same products as German counterparts. Hard-pressed shoppers who on pandemic reopening day in 2021 made Ikea's Ballymon branch see the highest performing of the group's 378 stores across 30 countries, they're being squeezed on a range of items from microwaves to sofas and candlestick holders. Economist Rory L. Farrell said companies will make money where they can and if they see people in Ireland are willing to pay more for certain products they'll charge more but it's hard to see anything that would justify a 70% difference. So the price discrepancy or the price, extra price here is because we're the mugs that are prepared to pay it seemingly. Okay now let's go to the Irish mirror finally and nearly four and a half thousand publicly owned homes were vacant at the end of last year, it was revealed yesterday and you all know them. I know many people I was contacted by someone at the weekend and actually reminds me to get back to them who are very much looking for accommodation, a council house, they know if a council house in their area it's been lying vacant for a year, it doesn't make sense but we see it in towns and villages right across the county. Well four and a half thousand publicly owned homes across the country are vacant. Figures from the National Oversight and Audit Commission show 4,488 council properties from a total housing stock of 104, 141,000 were empty. That vacancy rate was 3.2% unchanged from the previous year, it's also revealed the average time taken to re-let council homes has been falling since 2018 and averaged almost eight months last year. The report showed vacancies in Longford and Galway exceeded 7%. Above average vacancy rates were also found in Cork County 5.3%, Cavanaugh 4.7% in Cork City at 4.4% and I will find a Donegal figure for you there. It's not contained within the article but we'll see if we can track one down. But as I say we all know what's happening, it doesn't make any sense, does it? And certainly those houses as part of housing for all should be acquired, not acquired, should be turned around and providing accommodation for people, shouldn't they? Right, let us take a first break as we get our first guest ready to chat to you. The newspapers are courtesy of Kelly Centra, Mountaintop, Letter Kenny. The Ninetal Noon Show is brought to you by Letter Kenny Credit Union with monster loans available up to 60,000 euro for all occasions. Visit LetterKennieCU.ie. This December the 23rd, you could own a brand new car worth 30,000 euro. What the hell are you doing? Island Radio is giving away a brand new Nissan Juke SUV worth 30,000 euro. Someone and a coobie you will get a call from Greg Hughes on the Ninetal Noon Show on December the 23rd. You just want a car? Yes, steady on, that could be you. If you've got the lucky ticket, simply go to islandradio.com, click on the car link, answer an easy question and buy a ticket for 10 euro, 6 for 50 euro or 10 for 80 euro. Island Radio's great car giveaway. Surprise, surprise! Get your ticket now. There's always a buzz in Dublin, but there's something extra special about Dublin at wintertime. Experience a whole lot of live entertainment this November. From buskers and bands to theater and musicals, enjoy comedy gigs, concerts and even music trails. It's time to make some noise. It's time to make some plans. Make your plans today at visitdublin.com. Winter in Dublin, it's magic. Brought to you by Folchia Ireland. Armacolor jewellers in Letterkenny are synonymous with fine jewellery, quality watches and giftware. With stores at Main Street Letterkenny and the Letterkenny Shopping Centre or online at armacolor.com, you can choose from their quality product range and a relaxed atmosphere. And their sales staff will be happy to help you make the right choice whatever the occasion. Armacolor jewellers, making moments magical for generations. Keep out the cold, cold, cold this winter and ring Fleming for their full range of garage doors, agri doors, insulated doors, milking parlour doors. Fleming, 91-48-234. The private security authority is the government body, responsible for regulating the private security industry. Every day, licensed security services protect billions of euros worth of goods and ensure the safety and security of thousands of people and businesses. When choosing a security service for your home or business, choose one licensed by the private security authority. If you choose an unlicensed security provider, you could face prosecution. Visit PSA-gov.ie for more information and a list of licensed security services. OK, we're joined on the program now by independent deputy Thomas Pringle. Thomas, thanks for joining us. Good morning to you. Morning, guys. How's it going? Good, good, good. Now, we're talking about the issue of the pandemic recognition payment. And I think those who were never entitled to it would presume probably that it's all done and dusted, it's all been sorted because we've been talking about this for ages. Sadly, that's not the case. Just a brief outline. This was a one-off payment, wasn't it, to recognise people's efforts during the pandemic? Yeah, it was supposed to be recognised. Frontline workers during the pandemic, it was a payment of 1,000 euro, was to be made from the state in recognition of the work that they put in, which I think was well-deserved and that as well. You know, because people didn't work above and beyond and it wasn't only HSE staff or health staff, it was people working in the nursing home sector and stuff like that as well and that should be recognised, right? Yeah, right, so who hasn't received it yet as far as we're aware? As far as we're aware, according to the PQ replies, I would be getting a number of reps in relation to people who worked in private nursing homes and people, there is a number of staff who are in what are called Section 38 organisations, which are basically organisations that are funded by the government, by the Department of Health, but aren't HSE employees. And then also as well, there is a number of other staff as well, then who would be non-Section 38 agreement staff, which would be people working in private nursing homes, people working in long-term, what they call Section 39, residential care facilities, which are basically non-HSE staff as well. And then home health workers and stuff like that, who wouldn't be, what they're saying, that maybe aren't HSE drag employees, but would be working in the private sector as well. But it seems that over the weekend, there are some HSE workers as well that haven't received a payment on that, certainly as news to me. And in terms of what has actually happened within the Department of Health as well, they're saying that all HSE staff have been paid. Now, it's possible that there is agency workers working for and HSE establishments that wouldn't be directly employed by the HSE, which is a problem in itself, I believe. But I think that maybe they are some of the workers that aren't getting, haven't got a payment yet either. Yeah, so I mean, it's clear from your outlining how complex an issue it is. But who's taking, well, there must be another reason, but anyway, you can counteract that assessment of it. But somebody who's taking control of this, is it being organized nationally, locally, regionally? I mean, if someone listening to this hasn't received the payment, is it clear who they might contact to find out what the story is? Well, it seems like, yeah, actually that, I was just talking back for over questions that have been asked previously in relation to this and that they haven't actually got to the bottom of that yet. But it seems that the Department of Health has set the parameters as to who is actually who is entitled to a payment and who should get a payment and that the HSE then are ministering it on behalf of the Department of Health. So the HSE are the people who are in the know, they seem to have kicked a touch in relation to it and saying that they have to get a private sector help to actually help them pay this. Except some, But they did that, that's gone back six weeks, two months ago that they paid extra. It seems that they haven't even started work yet. And apparently under contract arrangements and stuff like that, they have to give a certain length of time after the contracts awarded it before they can start work, which it should be now anyway. It seems to me that they're basically want to tie it over onto a new year, a new financial year and that it won't put the deficit too high this year. So therefore in the next financial year, it won't look as bad. That seems to be what they're trying to do at this stage. I mean, I find it hard to believe that the HSE needs outside help to actually do this. I mean, there are people who are working in nail services. Indeed, from an email I got over the weekend, there's actually people working in the County Hospital who seem to be included in this. And I'm just assuming that there are probably agencies that are working in the HSE. Surely the HSE would know who those people are. Let's put it out there. I know some of them will be working, some of them may not. Have you not received this payment and what's your status within the organization? How are you employed? Obviously, in full confidentiality, but just to help give us a better understanding. It'd be interesting to see to how much it's going to cost to pay this external company, which hasn't done anything yet to actually do this as well. And I think you stated it there yourself. What are they doing that the HSE themselves can't do? Yeah, I mean, the HSE, well, the government, maybe not the HSE, but the government paid all the private sector employers the payments as well during the COVID and stuff like that. Surely that information is there as a matter of collating it. And surely it should have been done since the beginning of the year. Like, why did we have to wait until September, October to actually say, oh, hello on a minute here, we need an outside consultant to be able to tell us how we can do this and identify these people. Like, I mean, it makes a mockery of the whole payment. Like, and people who work in the private sector and work for non-HSE roles did a huge amount as well to make sure that people got through the crisis and they used to be recognized. And the good and the payment is gone at that stage, I would imagine. Yeah, exactly. Especially in an industry where there's quite a high level of low morale as is, so anything you can have that might lift your spirits, especially at this time, because the people we're talking of are facing all the same financial pressures everybody else is. They're looking at how they're going to fuel their homes for the winter. They're looking how they're going to organize and pay for Christmas. Do you know what I mean? In a thousand euro would be maybe the difference between them being able to do that and not? You know, it'd be huge for those people because, I mean, sadly as well, most of these people are in the lowest paying jobs as well to probably working for minimum wage, I think, stand at the moment because it's not a sector that we recognize significantly in terms of the work that they do, which it should be. I think the whole COVID situation that we've got to show the importance of the work that these people do and that we need a society to reprioritize where we see the importance of work as, actually as well, I think it's very important. All right, okay. Listen, thanks for your time this morning. I appreciate it. We'll see. Actually, by the way, it's completely separate. We'll be speaking about Twitter later on. Just curious, as someone with a blue tick on Twitter, are you going to be paying Elon Musk eight-year-old to keep it? I actually didn't know. I wasn't sure how to. Blue tick is actually big, but I've just heard a bit about it over again. I think it's putting a lot of politicians in an awkward place because this is the person that's going in there, sacking staff, almost a social media dictatorship, and then politicians, if you want to be hurt, you're going to have to give him eight-year-old a month. Yeah, that's a bit of a problem, all right. I see something on Twitter about this new mastodon site as well now, which people are seem to be changing over to. So, maybe I'm going to have to look at that and see, and then Twitter is a useful tool, but I don't know if this is useful in a tool like Elon Musk, do you do it as well? I've been described as the same myself. All right, then, listen, thanks very much for your time. I'll pay you, then. All right, thank you. That is... Oh, no, I meant useless. That's the words I've been attributed to my useless tool. All right, 086, 6025,000. What's happened, what's happened, text? 086, 6025,000. I'll call us 07491, 25,000. Today we'll be discussing the Twitter takeover a little later on in the program. Father John Joe Duffy on a much more serious note will be joining us one month on from the awful tragedy that we all still feel so greatly. And if that's something that you've been affected by, if you have any questions or anything that you need to highlight, get in contact with us. I do know there is still a little bit of concern out there with some people who've been directly affected by this crisis, this awful tragedy that probably still need help, but haven't got it. But that's something I'll work at off air. But if there's something that you want to say to us, 086, 6025,000. What's absent texts? So call us an 07491, 25,000. The 9 till noon show with Letter Kenny Credit Union. Do you need to switch your Ulster Bank loan or overdraft? We are now offering competitive low-rate switcher loans and MyCU current account with overdraft. Tune in this Tuesday to the Community Garda information slot on air after 10 a.m. on the 9 till noon show in association with Sheridan Security Systems. Call today and get your zero-wire alarm system from 299 Euro, Sheridan Security, 9-1-26025. In this week's RTE guide, cover star Catherine Fulvio on slowing down and learning to be less critical. Dermot Kennedy, on his self-belief, led him to sell-out stadiums. Plus, we unwrap the best seasonal cookery tips in our free Christmas recipe collection, Everything and More, or T.E. guide on sale now. Paul agreed to bring his elderly neighbor shopping without realizing she's such a devout, middle-isle shopper. He now has to make space for his neighbor, a TV, and a gazebo. Thankfully, Paul's new Citroen C5 Aircross SUV offers best-in-class boot space, three flat-folding individual rear seats, and all-with-advanced comfort technology. Comfy neighbors guaranteed. The new Citroen C5 Aircross SUV, as generous as you are. Visit the Citroen Open Weekend this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at Heile Motors' Mountaintop Letter Kenny. Buying or moving home can be a strange mixture of excitement and stress. So the last thing you need is worrying about conveyancing. Time to call McElhinney and associates. They'll move that property transaction along swiftly, make sure everything's in order, and prevent any nasty surprises. Residential, commercial, leasing, or voluntary transfer, call today on 074-917-5989 or find us online. We'll do the paperwork, you do the wallpaper. McElhinney and associates solicitors turn order. How can we help? Do you need a little extra help staying in your home? At Bluebird Care, we offer a wide variety of Q-Mark-approved, personalized home care services across Donegal. And our fully trained and committed staff will always meet your care needs with kindness, compassion, and dignity. To get your personal home care assessment plan, visit bluebirdcare.ie or call our care team today on 074-91-295-62 and bring care home. Now, whether you're on Twitter or not, the fact remains that it is a hugely influential platform and it's now under the stewardship of the world's richest man. Elon Musk played 44 billion euro for the platform. We tried to get out of the deal, but it was threatened with legal action and then proceeded to make the purchase and he's promised great changes. He says comedy's back on Twitter. It's legal again now, although he's banning people for what some might deem to be economy. He's talked about it being free speech, but that will come at a cost, eight euro or eight dollars. I presume it'll be around about eight or nine euro here when it comes to passing. There's an awful lot happening in the world of tech at the moment, so no better person to speak to than Adrian Weckler, who is technology editor at the Irish and Sunday Independent. Good morning, Adrian. Thanks for your time today. Good morning. It's kind of a strange one this Twitter for anyone who's interested in it because you can see it unfold before your very eyes. Elon Musk's never off the platform and he seems to be making decisions and making changes on the hoof. You know, one tweet at midnight, another eight minutes past midnight and another policy is put in. It's almost as if he's made up this next part of his strategy at four minutes past 12. So what's your assessment of what's going on with Twitter? I mean, that's quite a correct assessment. I think you've just made his, he's living the dream of the old Facebook adage of move fast and break things. He is making things up on the hoof. Now his defenders will say that's one of the reasons he gets things done and he innovates quickly and doesn't take ages to make decisions. And one of the criticisms you could make about Twitter in the last few years is that, especially when it comes to new products and features, it's really, really slow at rolling things out. Certainly commercially that has affected the company. It's nowhere near the size of, you know, what were once rivals, like, you know, Twitter or even things like Snapchat, even local companies, we regard as localist stripe are bigger than Twitter. So he has the defenders, but I mean, the pace at which he kind of makes sort of policy on the hoof is kind of incredible. If you take the job cuts as an example, he's getting rid of half of the staff possibly up to half of the Irish staff as well, over 500 people in Dublin. But he just kind of, they just sort of waved a wand to make them go like panos in the Avengers. And now they're having to hire some of them back because the cuts were too deep. Like they cut, for example, the infrastructure team, cloud storage and servers. They're doing that a couple of days before the US midterm elections. You know, they've cut curation teams, they're responsible for creating the legitimate information guides alongside kind of topics with high risk of misinformation, human rights team, transparency teams and the trust and safety team. People who we think of as being responsible for making Twitter a slightly more civilized and slightly less toxic place. So yeah, on the hoof is a good way of describing it. But he's kind of, like even just down to the, I mean, how could you really criticize the richest man in the world in terms of business decisions, but presumably they can all make mistakes. But what he's trying to create seems impossible to me. In other words, you know, a free speech space, right? But also one that conforms to even just, you know, guidelines in any given country. How do you square that circle? Talking of free speech, but as I say charging eight Euro for it, he's admitted himself that unless you pay your $8 per month, your views will be suppressed. So in other words, I can pay eight dollars, right? And waffle to my heart's content and people will see it. But arguably, you know, we could have a very senior politician in this country who won't pay the eight Euro. And then their opinions would actually be suppressed. They would be put down, pushed down in amongst the spam and the bots and the trolls. And then if I'm a new user, right? And I don't want to pay, how do I experience what I have to pay eight dollars for? Because I would be in and amongst the spam and the bots. I just, from a business perspective, I don't see how he moves forward from this. I think in a week or two, he's going to go back to having to verify with your ID who you are. He has to. I think you're probably right. If you take the eight Euro per month, propose charge for Twitter Blue. By the way, Twitter Blue isn't available yet in Ireland. I'm presuming it will be. It's the US, Australia, the UK, New Zealand, one or two other countries. But to take your point, if, say, for example, I'm verified, I have a blue check mark. There are over 400,000 people who are. But the whole purpose of that was not some sort of golden circle. The idea was that in the very big moments in the world, which is what defines Twitter, that's often where you go to see exactly what has happened at the cutting edge from the horse's mouth, from people in the news and making the news, or who are right beside it, reporting the news. Now, if you want to, like, I'm not going to pay a Euro for a blue check mark. I'm just not going to pay out of principle. Fine, so that means I'll be relegated to say less prominent replies, or it'll be harder maybe for somebody to see what I'm reporting on the Twitter job losses on Facebook. You will be actively suppressed, he said that. It's not that you will pull off the, you will actually be pushed to the bottom. But I can pay eight Euro, right? And I can call myself Adrian Weckler, and I can put in technology editor at the Irish and Sunday Independent, and purport to be you. And then you can say, well, parody counts are banned, right? But because I don't have to verify who I am with any ID and you don't, right? There is actually really, if you think about it, there's no way for to determine who added the two of us is the parody. Well, that argument was made, and he has responded to that just in the last few hours. He has gone on Twitter, I'm talking about Elon Musk to say that anyone who impersonates anyone else will have their- But there's no way to determine that, Adrian, because you're unverified, okay? And your ID is off file, you're wiped, right? I'm Adrian Weckler, I'm paying eight Euro a month for the blue check, right? There is no way to determine whether it's you parody me or me parodying you, because there's no evidence on file to determine who's actually the Adrian Weckler. Well, presumably there is, and there will be a process of that. The problem here is that they're cutting so much staff and they're cutting so many teams that for me to try to persuade them that I mean that you're not me could take weeks or months- Well, it would cost you eight Euro per month. Well, firstly, without paying the eight Euro per month, you wouldn't have a leg to stand on, and therein is the rub. Yeah, well, see, now here's the thing though, if your scenario plays out, or if any version of your scenario plays out, then Twitter becomes a place that ordinary users will use less, because if you think about it, Twitter isn't actually that big. It's probably about 1.5 million people in Ireland that occasionally use it, and probably a couple of hundred thousand people that use it all the time. Now, take that couple of hundred thousand people. If they see you check marked as me, and if that's replicated hundreds or thousands of times, they're just gonna stop using it. They're gonna use it less. Now, that's fine, and like, you know, first world problem and all the rest of it, but from Elon Musk's point of view, that's terrible because the whole reason that people use Twitter is for that idea of being close to what's happening in the moment. If you have less confidence that the person that you're following or whose tweet you see is actually authentic, then why would you be on Twitter and not Facebook or Instagram or Reddit? There's no real reason. I mean, from a perfectly naked self-interested point of view, from the old traditional media point of view, it's actually not that bad because if Elon Musk weakens Twitter as an authentic news source, it actually strengthens us quite a bit. So if he wants to go ahead and do that, go ahead. But I think you're right. I think you'll have to, you know, reverse that or moderate it. Unless he wants to give up on advertisers altogether. Yes, no, to be fair, and it's not something I've said about Elon Musk in the last two weeks, but to be fair, most many of the big advertisers that are currently boycotting Twitter are current manufacturers. And, you know, Elon Musk obviously is the CEO of Tesla. So there might be an additional dimension to them boycotting Twitter to Audi or in general motors, for example, pausing their advertising on Twitter. But look, that's Elon's problem. Like this is a, you know, he got to put on his big boy britches. This is a grown-ups world now and he's playing in the big leagues and there's no point whining and complaining and playing the victim and saying that advertisers are pausing. When you're the one who bought it, you broke it, you bought it. And that's, and the problem is he paid way too much for it. And now the chickens are coming home to roost in terms of how to make money out of it. Yeah, and in fairness, 25% of those Twitter job losses were already on the card seemingly. And we are seeing other firms like Stripe, Meta, Facebook's parent company, talking about a major round of job cuts in the coming days. I mean, obviously, you know, great sympathy for anyone losing their jobs. What is the potential impact here on Ireland in the first instance, these people's livelihoods, but also us in this space of, you know, well, you know, we're this great place for you to locate, TikTok and Twitter and Facebook, you know, to locate your staff here, it's a really good spot. What could be the impacts of all of this, I wonder? Well, I don't think that anyone believes that Ireland or Dublin's place in the tech ecosystem in a wider sense is under threat because the conditions that, you know, largely have brought them here are still largely here. And as you say, it's an industry-wide thing with the layoffs. So Dublin or Ireland isn't any worse than anywhere else, but two observations. Number one, it is a wave and it's not just the tech multinationals, it's in big indigenous Irish tech firms as well. Like three of six Irish, three of Ireland's six unicorn firms, a unicorn tech firm is a private firm that's worth over a billion euro. Three of them, half of them, have announced job losses in the last few months. So it's not just multinationals, but the wider issue. And this is point number two, money for social welfare in hospitals and schools, corporate tax receipts. So last week, the Irish government announced a bumper, additional six billion euro in corporate tax receipts, you know, ahead of what they were expecting, but it almost all came from multinational profits, particularly the tech giants of the 16 billion that we've taken so far this year in corporation tax. About half of it have come from a dozen multinational firms. Now, if those companies are in trouble and if they're making less money, you know, we can sort of, you know, sympathize with the workers or, you know, some people will say, oh, well, they were getting too big for the bridges or whatever the response is at the end of the day, that's billions of euro less for roads, schools, hospitals, social welfare, pensions, you know. So that is the worry. Yeah, all right. Interesting times ahead for anyone with an interest in tech and Adrian Wecklers, the technology editor at the Irish and Sunday Independent. So he'll keep you right across it. Thanks for your time, Adrian. Thanks a minute. All right, take care of yourself. 4, 8, 6, 60, 25,000, of course, on the wider scale of things. This isn't the most important, but for some it's interesting. Topics with high risk of misinformation. In whose opinion is misinformation versus important information deciphered? Well, they have the birdwatch team apparently and it's a group of, it's a hive mind that comes up with decisions. So him not paying the eight euro makes him like us and that's bad. He is no more privileged than anyone else's opinion and is no more important. Well, if you're interested in someone with technology news, right, would you prefer to get it from someone like me who's not a technology expert or someone like Adrian, who is? Now you can view his stuff and determine for yourself if it suits you, but how would you determine who's the expert? I suppose that's part of the verification process. Well, we have the same upset now, Facebook, a sack and stuff. I doubt it, Mr. Pringle can well pay eight euro to put his lefty views out there, won't he? Put it on his expenses, right? OK, 08, 6, 60, 25,000, your WhatsApps and your WhatsApps and texts to that number. The county's number one talk show, The Ninetal Noon Show on Highland Radio. 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Now, our next guest is Councillor Michael McBride. Good morning to you, Councillor. Thanks for taking the call. Good morning, Greg. You're very welcome. Right, now you're calling for a review of the flow of traffic in Lettercanny just as we come into Christmas, I suppose. Hopefully loads and loads of people will be shopping locally in their own towns and villages or heading into Lettercanny. What is the problem at the moment do you think needs addressing? Well, it's both Greg's traffic congestion and Lettercanny has been an ongoing issue, you know. And it's definitely the number one issue that's been raised by business people and members of the public to myself as a county councillor. And I believe that other county councillors are dealing with a high volume of complaints as well. As both a number of months ago, when we had some new traffic lights and pedestrian crossings were added to round town, some on the railway road, while the ones out on the new T-Bled air road and the junction up to the new Joe Bonner road. And a long tail back started to develop, you know, there was a tail back in there from the Piers Road right back round to the Business Park. At the time, I raised them concerns with Donegal Training Council, and I asked them to have the traffic lights recalibrated. But it didn't sort out the problem. So on Friday last, we had a meeting with the PII, the Chamber of Commerce, and represented from the contractors on the four-lane foxes to discuss the traffic flow. And Donegal County Council has let us know that at that meeting, that there is a number of issues that they've identified. And they're going to start, you know, go and do some work at them. And hopefully it'll help the traffic flow now on the run on to Christmas. Yeah. Because there is also to, there's a public relations element to this, which I think it's important that the powers that be get. In other words, if Letterkenny has a reputation of being difficult to get into and to get out of, people will stop going there. Now, if things are improved and it's not as bad as it may have been, well, it's very important to get that message out there as well so that people go, all right, so things are improved, I'll go into Letterkenny and I'll spend my money. So there's a engineering element to this, but I'd also strongly argue to say public relations element to this. And it's not always down to the businesses, I think to advertise and say, come into us. I think there's an overarching responsibility from the likes of the council to say we've improved things in terms of traffic or, you know, an actual campaign to say come into Letterkenny and shop, spend some of those commercial rates to benefit the commercial community in that town, and other towns as well, but there is a real PR thing that I don't think is done in an overarching way that should be done for businesses. Totally agree with you, Greg. That was discussed at length at our meeting last Friday. The county councillors were very strong on it, you know, to get the message out that Letterkenny has opened for businesses, a lot of these businesses, do maybe between 30% and 40% of their annual turnover and maybe about a six-week period there. So it's just imperative that we get this right. And if we do get it out in the public domain that Letterkenny has opened for business and I think it's important that we support all our local traders at this time of year. All the solutions to the traffic issues at the moment can things be tweaked to make the flow of traffic at particularly at the peak times better? Well, Greg, I'm not going to get ahead of myself. I've raised the question, you know, on behalf of the people who are making representations to me, I've had taxi drivers come to me, I've had business people, come to me, the people that are driving instructors. So it seems to be affecting a lot of people, you know, and we see the tailbacks around the town or sales like whenever we're working on it. So the council has identified, you know, a few issues there in the road section that they're going to deal with. And hopefully it will help out, but I'm not going to get ahead of myself. We'll wait and see when the tweak it, they see what way it will work. And if it doesn't, we'll have to get back out of it again and figure out what way we're going to keep the traffic for the one, you know, the two lanes and two lanes out on the four lane will be open on the run up to Christmas. So it's a big problem, but we have to make sure that we get this one right. Yeah, and you've already pointed it out here. This is people's life, the hoods here that need to be protected as well, especially in difficult trading times. Absolutely, you know, as they say, so many traders depend on the Christmas period, you know, for the, you know, for a big chunk of the turnover for the year, that's also important for all the staff that work on them, you know, that the businesses are sustainable. We as a county council depend on them, people for rates, you know, so if we can deliver all the projects around the county. So the whole thing's all at their length, and I think it's extremely important that we support all the business people that we've got on the town of Lederkenne over the next number of months in particular. Yeah, I call it says the only problem area in their view in Lederkenne is the ATU. The traffic lights there are constantly read, especially when the students are crossing the road. Like what I don't understand, and I'm sure you'd have to also come up with a solution for those with mobility issues, like that would have been a perfect candidate would it not for a bridge over the road? You know, an important artery into the town, yet having lights constantly stopping traffic there and instantly backing it up to the roundabout and beyond. Like why don't we have footbridges, I wonder, in Donegal? I brought this up in the past, Michelle, Greg, I see them in other towns. I think there's a new bypass around to them that's got a bridge across up very close to the roundabout. It looks like a really good job. I think Danny maybe does that quite well, but you know, putting bridges across, I don't see any reason why we can't do it. I've brought that up with me before, Michelle, about putting bridges across even across the port road, you know, where the children are going to cross there, but the TAA are putting on, you know, crossings or flights on them. Like choking the town when you can literally have one set of traffic, the pedestrian traffic, walking over the top of the relatively free-moving vehicular traffic. Yeah, I think it's at a 100% rate. And you know, as we move on or keep developing the town, there's things that we'll probably need to look at, but it's not going to happen between Christmas and we'll have to try and get it as good as we can possibly have it for the Christmas shopping season. Thanks very much for your time. I appreciate it. Take care of yourself. That is Councillor Michael McBride there. If you view on that, 086025,000. The caller says, I'm volunteering with the tidy towns. Could the idiots, as they describe them, stop putting graffiti on the wall around the town? That comes in from John. I don't know what type of graffiti it is, or which town, I presume, is it Letter of Kenny? Normally if there's no word in front of the word town, it means it's Letter of Kenny. Right, Greg, I was wondering, could you put it out there and inquire us to the situation regarding the motorized transport grant, which was discontinued in 2013 with a promise of a new system from the then government and nothing to this day quite laughable if it wasn't so serious for some? Can Michael McBride find out when the road from Illustrant to Mountaintop is going to get a lick of tar was in and shown last month, and roads there are far better quality? Why? You don't hear that too often, do you? Okay. Traffic is horrendous. Smart lights at McGinley's and Neil T. Blaney Road and L-Y-I-T going red when no traffic is waiting to enter the road. Why is this? Maybe someone's pushing the button on the way past. I don't know. People begin to realize what was going on and how dishonest the governments had been. All of a sudden, the 1,000 euro appeared and everyone at a party forgot all about having been held under effective house arrest under fraudulent claims of emergency. Forget the 1,000 euro and start talking about what actually went on. Some people still plugging away at that one. And there's still people, so-called intelligent people that say COVID doesn't exist and blame the vaccines for all the problems. Uplifting performance by our rugby team on Saturday, beating world champion South Africa in the Aviva, hopefully. They haven't peaked a year too soon ahead of next year's World Cup in France. Great to have the RFU acknowledge the role of Donegal MasterChef Morris McGeehan in Fintan in helping their preparation to reach high performance levels wonder what he's cooking for them. I don't know, but I'll have a plate of whatever he's making. That priest is writing what he says about homosexuality. It says that in the Bible. Another caller says, and I think we're going to be speaking about this a little later on, I would like your experiences. They say we need a big coal of deer. They're causing too many accidents. Two-car collision. Our drug, Glenty's Road Saturday night, as a deer jumped out, caused two cars to collide. Also, they're very bad for the spread of TB in cattle. That's a lot of cases of TB in the county, they say. And as I say, it's something we're going to be talking about later on the program. Is there something that needs to be done with Donegal's deer population? 086625,000, we really appreciate your input on that subject as well. Would anyone be able to tell me where in letter Kenny to drop in the Christmas shoe boxes? Thank you, right? So there's Margaret wants to know, where would you be able to drop in Christmas shoe boxes? And a quick mention here. There's a couple of things going on here at Highland already at the moment, but we are looking to bring someone home for Christmas, someone home from Britain or Europe for Christmas. And we want you to nominate them. Someone in your family or a friend or a loved one that you haven't seen for ages, can't get home for Christmas. Of course, things are a little tight at the moment, but we want to fly them home, get them from whichever airport they land into, up to Donegal, so you can spend time with them. If you would like to nominate someone to bring them home for Christmas, all you have to do is send your details and theirs and the reason why to homeforchristmasathighlandradio.com. Now, maybe you're listening to us abroad and you wanted to come home for Christmas, but because of the finances that you can't at the moment or a reason like that, maybe you and your family, we can take you home. So give us your name and why we should take you home and email it again to homeforchristmasathighlandradio.com and then we'll try and work some Highland Radio Christmas magic. There are terms and conditions for more. Visit our website, highlandradio.com and find competition terms and conditions, but there's no reason why not to enter that. Right, so that's homeforchristmasathighlandradio.com. That's the email address. Okay, you're tuned to the 9 till noon show here in Highland Radio. Coming up in the next couple of hours, we have lots to keep you informed and entertained. Keep us busy on those phone lines and the text machine. Your comments are really important to the flow of the show, but we're going to take a break now and then we'll be back with the, we'll take a break now with the news and obituary notices and then we'll be back with much more thereafter. The 9 till noon show with letter Kenny Credit Union. Do you need to switch your Ulster Bank loan or overdraft? We are now offering competitive low-rate switcher loans and myCU current account with overdraft. Watch the show live now on YouTube, Facebook and at highlandradio.com. In 2018, Toyota cut through the confusion, completely ceasing production of diesel passenger cars, lowering harmful emissions and providing certainty for Irish drivers everywhere. And Kelly's Toyota, proud to be part of that hybrid electric journey. Visit Kelly's Toyota, letter Kenny or Mount Charles today to see what makes Toyota Ireland's best-selling car brand in 2021 and 2022. You'll never take a wrong turn with Toyota, built for a better world. Best-selling claim based on most recent monthly figures. Prime McCormick Sports and Lager, Main Street, Larry Kenny. Women's clothing from your favorite sports brands, Nike, Under Armour and Adidas. Nike performance, quarter zips, tees and vests with matching Nike Pro shorts and tights. Nike Yoga Range just arrived. Tees, bra tops and tights, offering new support during your workout. New jackets, hoodies and tights. Join our Christmas Club by opening an account today at Brian McCormick Sports, Main Street, Larry Kenny. If you're tired and struggling to put a spring in your step, discover the power of Revive Active at your local Brennan's Pharmacy. Revive Active is an award-winning super supplement containing 26 active ingredients, including vitamin C, D and zinc, which support your immune system all in one handy daily sashay. Made for busy, stressful lives, it's a convenient way to put back what life takes out. Enrich your life with Revive Active. In store or online, click and collect from Brennan'sPharmacy.com. We're here for you. Massive stock clearance promotion now on at Hagerty's Home Interiors Bonkrana. See the best selection of sofas, beds and sliding robes, all at unbeatable prices with free delivery included. Our best sale items include four-foot-six bed set, mattress base and headboard was 4.99, now 379 euro for the lot. Get an extra 100 euro off any recliner suite, electric or manual. See the best selection and the best priced sliding robes in Ireland with lots more offers throughout the store. Hagerty's Home Interiors Bonkrana. Grid furniture, always better prices. Live on air, online and on the Highland Radio app, this is Highland Radio News. Good morning, it's 10 o'clock, Donald Kavanaugh at the News Desk. The parish priest of Creeclas as last month's tragedy is still very raw for locals. Today marks exactly one month since 10 people lost their lives in an explosion at the village shop and petrol station. Gather investigations into the cause of the blast are continuing, the scene is still preserved and the main road through the village remains closed. Father John Jo Duffy says there is still a sense of numbness in Creeclas and its environs. I suppose the reality of what we're trying to do as a community is to try and cope with the terrible loss that we are experiencing in this community, the terrible tragedy, the darkest and the saddest tragedy that this community has ever faced and it is very raw. The Cahirlich of the Latter-Kinney-Milford-Inmiscible District is calling for the local improvement scheme model to be reviewed. Councillor Donald Mandy Kelly says the scheme in its current form is a disaster because of the lack of money made available for people seeking funding. He believes the LIS model should be abolished and a grant-based approach taken in its stead. That's a disaster. A dozen more. What's in front of us, the amount of funding is common for LIS. That's not feasible. I, Michelle, from... And David was called, like every other councillor, regarding LIS, you know, and everyone that rings me regarding a lien, they're welcome to get their LIS application through and get their lien done. They're all ringing because their liens are not in good shape, but the funding we're getting at the minute to address these issues is not adequate. Tech companies are branding job losses in the industry as a correction because of the fact that they over-hired, Metta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, reportedly is set to cut thousands of jobs this week, some of them in Ireland. It comes as Twitter announced it'll be cutting half its workforce in the past number of days. Fonishly, Jov Radker is expected to discuss the Irish situation in a meeting with the IDA later this week. The editor of Silicon Republic, Elaine Burke, says Metta is a prime example of a company that had forecast. Continued growth. The amount of scale and investment being pumped into tech over the last number of years, even through a global pandemic and even through the economic crises that were currently involved in. And if you look at Metta's figures in particular, that growth, those 87,300 employees, that's 28% growth year on year, just this year. So that's a huge number of people to be taking on. And a lot of the CEOs are coming out with statements when they're announcing these job losses, saying that this is a correction. A Donegal councillor says electric vehicle charging points are a basic necessity. Councillor Albert Doherty is calling for additional charge points to be put in place, particularly in the initial own peninsula. He says as the potential for increased electric vehicle sales is there, it's vital that the infrastructure improve. It's a basic necessity that vital infrastructure is put in place, first of all, to serve those who have been able to purchase vehicles, but also to be able to provide a significant improved service from what is there. With the council, I'm told that they have been in talks with a company. I believe we should have actions now to match the words that have promised new charging spots to be located in the peninsula. The call comes as a survey published this morning by the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, found 79% of people are unlikely to buy electric cars within the next 12 months, largely because of the lack of charging points. The Assembly's chief economist is John Daly. There should be two publicly available EV charge points in every town and village in the Northwest, and that is the level that residents feel is needed in order to reduce the challenges in terms of range anxiety, but also to encourage the uptake of EVs. Bondor and Lifeboat is looking for new volunteers to take up roles as insure Lifeboat crew in the waters around Donegal Bay. Potential candidates will undertake training for over a year before being placed on call to attend alerts. The Ornal Eye says it can't keep people safe without the support of volunteers. Bondor and Ornal Eye spokesperson Shane Smith says previous maritime experience isn't necessary. The training does start from scratch. I myself am a volunteer. I have no maritime background and a major percentage of the crews right across the Lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland do not have any kind of maritime background. Obviously it helps, but it's absolutely not a prerequisite. You won't carry a pager until you're well into a year or two down the road and that you're able to go on shouts. It's quite the buildup of training before you're able to get on the boat in the first place. More on ornaleye.org or on the Bondor and Ornal Eye's own social media pages. A yellow weather warning has been put in place for the rest of this week with Metair and saying further spells of rain and showers will cause localized flooding due to waterlogged soil and high river levels. That warning in place until 11 on Friday night and indeed today will be mostly cloudy with spells of rain heavy at times with localized flooding possible. It'll become windier this afternoon and evening strong gusty southerly winds in highest temperatures today of 11 to 13 degrees Celsius, rain clearing later with showers following and winds easing. That's Highland Radio News. We're back with news headlines again at 11 o'clock. The abitur notices for this Monday morning, the 7th of November. The death has taken place of Maureen Melly, named McCrory, formerly of Orchard Street, Strabam, reposing at Quigley's funeral home tomorrow morning from nine with removal at half past nine to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Strabam, for Requio Mass at 10 o'clock, followed by interment in Strabam Cemetery. Donations in Lua Flores, please, to Belmont Manor Residence Comfort Fund, care of Quigley funeral directors. Requio Mass can be viewed live on mcmedia.tv. The death has taken place of Brian Kearns, the 11 Donovan Park, Clarey. Brian's remains are reposing at his late home. Finowell from there tomorrow morning at quarter past 11 for Requio Mass at 12 noon in St. Columbus Church, Dunney Loop, with interment afterwards in the adjoining church yard. The death has taken place of Patricia Doherty, Oregon, New Road, Cardona. Her remains are reposing at her home. Finowell from there tomorrow morning at half past 10 to the Church of the Sacred Heart, Cardona, for 11 o'clock, Requio Mass, interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. House Private, please, before the funeral tomorrow with family time from 10 o'clock tonight. Family Fares Only, please, donations in Lueff Desard to Cardona Community Hospital, care of Annie Family Member. The death has taken place of Danny Dan Benes, 32, Willowbrook Glencar, Letter Kenny. Danny's remains will repose at Eternal Light Chapel of Rest, Mountaintop, Letter Kenny, from half past five to seven o'clock this evening with removal to the Church of the Irish Martyrs, Letter Kenny, to repose overnight. Requio Mass there tomorrow morning at 11 with private cremation to take place later. The Requio Mass can be viewed online via the Church of the Irish Martyrs YouTube page. Family Fares Only, please, donations in Lueff Desard to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, care of Annie Family Member. The house is private, please. The death has taken place of Hugh Doherty, Clark, 22, Ashbrook, Letter Kenny, and formerly of Desert Tegney, Bunkrana. Hugh's remains will repose at Eternal Light Chapel of Rest, Mountaintop, Letter Kenny, from half past three until half past four this afternoon followed by removal to the Star of the Sea Church, Desert Tegney, arriving at approximately quarter to six to repose overnight. Requio Mass there tomorrow morning at 11 with interment afterwards in the adjoining graveyard. The death has taken place of Liam Collins, formerly of Ardo Donnell, and Rosemount, Letter Kenny, reposing at his daughter Donna's Residence, 45, Glendale Manor, Glen Carr, Letter Kenny. Fino will from there this morning to St. Union's Cathedral for 11 o'clock Requio Mass, which can be viewed online at churchservices.tv, interment afterwards in Lech Cemetery. Family time please before the funeral. Family far as only please, donations in Louis Desart, to ICU, Letter Kenny University Hospital, care of Pascal Blake, funeral director. The death has taken place of Eddie Kelly, Glen Tuscart, Glen God Marlon. His remains are reposing at his home. Fino will from there tomorrow morning at quarter past 10 for 11 o'clock Requio Mass in St. Mary's Church, Lag Marlon, followed by burial in the adjoining graveyard. Family time please from 11 p.m. and before the funeral tomorrow. And the death has taken place of Seamus Gallon, late of Albert Terrace, Lifford. His remains are reposing at his niece Fiona Robs, home at 42 Clonley Park, Lifford, with removal from there this morning at 20 past 10 for Requio Mass in St. Patrick's Church, Murluck, at 11 interment afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. The Requio Mass can be viewed at clonleaparish.com. For more details, including Annie Family Health guidelines for wakes and funerals, please go to highlandradio.com. And we're into the second hour of the nine till noon show, a very good morning to you and you're very welcome back. Right, some of your comments here before we get the bingo numbers. There should be a walkover bridge between the Clannery Hotel and Bonnegie Business Park, people putting their lives in their hands every day, crossing the four lanes out there daily. Again, a perfect example of where it would make sense to have a pedestrian bridge. Hi, Greg Letterkenny, it's a disaster to drive around. Stop doing, stop doing my shopping in Letterkenny, give me dairy any day. They say, well, that's the kind of attitudes that you have to actively try and change. And by the way, you're perfectly entitled to shop where if you want, I don't, I'm not having to go in any way, shape or form, but that's what I'm trying to say. It has to be a coordinated effort to change people's minds. If you haven't been there for a while, maybe you want to go back and see what it's like. Deals in Letterkenny is taking in boxes for the Hope Shoe Box Appeal. The Hope Shoe Box Appeal, new drop-off center, is in where Elvries was on the Pierce Road in Letterkenny. And we have a number here for someone called Manj, who you can call as well. Re the conversation on the car grant, convert your car grant as they've called it. A caller says he's an amputee who lost an arm. He's been advised that he does not qualify for the grant and is deemed not disabled. If he had lost a leg, the situation would be different. Any help out there for someone like that? There's bound to be an organization that might be able to assist in that person's situation. Hi, Greg, the old owners of Twitter censored the Hunter Biden scandal and did so only one month before the US 2022 presidential election, and which Joe Biden would not have been elected president otherwise. Now, I read about this Joe Hunter Biden and his laptop and all extensively on Twitter, if that's what you're referencing, but anyway. The New York Post first broke the Hunter Biden story and then it was censored by all the major media as being Russian disinformation when they knew there was serious substance to the scandal. As a result, we now have the war in Ukraine which would have never happened under Donald Trump. That's what is referred to as the law of the unintended consequences. Twitter is not really an authentic media source given its history in influencing US presidential elections. Okay, that's fine, I get what you're saying, but the proposed changes don't do that either. Elon Musk needs no money. What is the man on about? He's well capable. He spent his own money. Why is he and other people so bothered? There wasn't a word when Dorsey owned it. It was not a billionaire. Well, the reason people are taking an interest in it is because there are a large, loyal group of people that use Twitter, whichever way they choose to use it and it's been fine for 16 years, some would say, others would say it needed change and now all of a sudden, there's huge changes. You can no longer use it effectively for free. You have to pay, you have to subscribe the equivalent to a TV channel just so that your point of view will be seen. So of course people are going to have a view and opinion on it and it's all sort of unfolding in front of your eyes. Many people have been having their say in social media but what do you think is the general rule of thumb when tipping beauticians and hairdressers? That's a question we're putting out to you there. What is the general rule of thumb when tipping beauticians and hairdressers? It's off the back of a call we had. Spawn beauty therapists and hairdressers are one of the least paid and looked down on professions that there is, even though it's the first place you call on for family occasions or a major event in your life, people wanted us to open during COVID. It was deemed a positive activity of mental health. So yes, we should tip all Spawn beauty therapists and hairdressers. I would have thought, now I'm not too correction on this, I would have thought that the pandemic would have made it very clear how important the likes of hairdressers, beauty therapists and what have you are. As that sort of appreciation subsided, well this listener who works in the industry says that they're least paid and the most locked down on profession that there is. What do you think? 08, 6, 60, 25,000. Good luck if you're playing the bingo today. Here are the numbers. It's time for NCBI Bingo on Highland Radio. It's Monday, the 7th of November. You're playing on the green sheet. The reference number is S1. It's game number 45. The numbers are 55, 7, 31, 1, 54, 12, 57, 85, 11, and finally, 51. Phone your claim to 9104833 before 8 tonight. Leave in your name, contact number and the name of the shop where you purchased your book and we'll call you back the next working day. Get all your NCBI Bingo information at HighlandRadio.com. The 9th till noon show with Letter Kenny Credit Union, now offering myCU current account and debit mastercard, bringing full banking features delivered with the same local trustworthy service of your credit union. Last Christmas, millions in cash prizes were won by people playing the National Lottery's Christmas scratch cards. This year, you could scratch and win up to 100,000 euro instantly. Play the National Lottery's range of Christmas scratch cards. The National Lottery, it could be you. Gift responsibly. If you're a business owner wondering what to get your staff from Christmas, Kelly Centra and Edder Kenny have great hampers to suit all budgets. Luxury hampers are a speciality with delivery available. Also vouchers for Kelly's award-winning diner or Circle K fuel at the forecourt. Get Christmas sorted for your staff now at Kelly Centra Mount and Top Letter Kenny for 9-1 double two zero two six. From the smallest shrub to the largest tree in an awkward place, Donnelly Tree Services provide a complete range of tree surgery services, whether you need to remove a dangerous tree or some nuisance branches. Donnelly Tree Services have the experience and expertise to carry out tree surgery to the highest of professional standards. Call 0-8-3-005-9939. Donnelly Tree Services, Donegall. No job is too small, no tree is too tall. Donegall County Council advise that a public information day on the preferred option for the burn foot flood relief scheme will take place on the 9th of November in Angrenan Hotel from 4pm until 8pm. This will be the first opportunity for the public to view the option that is preferred for taking forward to the statutory planning process. Attendees will also be able to discuss the option in person with the project team and provide feedback. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Give the gift of discovery this Christmas with an overnight escape or a meal they're sure to remember in that place they love or the one they'd love to try. Buy a voucher for one of Ireland's amazing hotels or restaurants today and support Irish businesses while getting a head start on your Christmas shopping brought to you by Fall to Ireland. Candles, lanterns, Christmas trays, decorations and all types of lights, everything you need for Christmas. Experience the magic of Christmas at Cuny's. Our biggest and best Christmas shop has outstanding value on lights and trees. There really is something for everyone at Cuny's Letter Cuny Retail Park. Hello, Farmer Tinney here. Tinney's toys are now open seven days a week. New stock are raving weekly. Our Christmas Club is now open. Check out our entire range online at tinneystoys.com where we offer free shipping on orders over 75 euro. By now, pay later with Klarna, no extra charges. Tinney's toys, Ireland's largest farm toy super store. Dying bike. OK, so local group into the West are to launch a campaign in the hopes of reopening the Northwest Rail corridor. The Northwest Rail corridor combines two former rail segments into a new corridor reconnecting most of the largest tans in the West of our part of the world to the Ireland's rail network. Steve Bradley's chair of Into the West, the rail campaign for Derry, Donogha Ultron and Fermana. Good morning to you, Steve. Good morning. Thanks for joining us. Right, OK, so we kind of come in and out of this conversation quite a bit on this show as it relates to a rail connection for this part of the world. So maybe just to set out where we are at the moment. Like, are we as advanced as we've ever been in terms of this actually possibly becoming a reality? Well, where we are currently, as your listeners will know, is there are five counties on the island that don't have access to rail, and they're all in our area and along the border. In the Northwest, the three largest counties that don't have access to rail are Donogha, Turrone and Fermana. So if you look at the map of rail provision on the island, there's a massive hole in the Northwest corner. And into the West, we try and do something about that. In terms of progress towards that task, infrastructure takes quite a bit of time to get anything done on. There is something called an all-island rail review strategy, which is ongoing in the studio report realistically early next year now. And that's looking at some of these issues. And what we've done is we've launched a campaign about one specific part of the future network, what we hope will be the future network, called the Northwest rail corridor, but we're asking to get reopened. And we're kind of getting our punch in early before that all-island rail review strategy comes out, so that if the strategy then says, yes, there's a case to look at this line, then we'll have built up ahead of public steam and we'll have pushed it to the front of the queue, if you like. Or God forbid, if the report turns around and says that they don't think this line should be reopened, we'll say, well, sorry, the public don't agree with you. Let's think again about this. Yeah, I mean, if public consultation means anything, well, then they have to. They can't ignore the Northwest because there was an awful lot of interest and many submissions that went into this strategy were sent into as part of it from the Northwest. Yeah, the highest number of submissions to the public consultation came from our area and the highest number in its own right came from Ana Oma, which is actually the smallest council area in Northern Ireland, yet it had the highest across the whole island. And then second highest was Derry Stravan and then I think it was Donegal after that. So there's clearly popular support and a strong voice in the Northwest for the return of real to our region. And we're sort of galvanizing that in our campaign to try and apply pressure on the politicians and on the civil servants, North and South to basically say, yep, we have this need clearly. We have the support to let's do something about it. I think the outgoing Northern secretary in his last couple of days of office made a positive decision in that regard to do not. Well, it wasn't the decision. We have a caretaker, we had caretaker ministers until about a week and a half unfortunately they're no longer in place. There's nobody steering the ship on infrastructure in the North. What the caretaker minister, Jonathan, did do almost as he was walking out of the door, he kind of shouted over his shoulder, oh, maybe do a feasibility study or see if you can find the money for feasibility study on a few things. And one of them was the idea of reopening part of the Northwest real corridor. That's not insecure. So obviously we're grateful, but absolutely not. I mean, we're grateful that it was considered, but we would say that if it was sincere, it should have been done when he was in office at any point, not shouted over the shoulder when you're going out the door. But it is a positive sign. It shows that he is listening. We met with him over the summer. We had a really productive meeting with him and it shows that he is listening. And we've noticed a real change in the politicians in the last five years, whereas beforehand they would have just dismissed Ray Lout of Hand and told us their voters don't use it. Now they're setting up, they're listening, they're taking it more seriously and they're starting to respond. And that's why our campaign again is really important in building momentum and keeping that going forward. Like it shouldn't be such a hard fight, should it? I mean, particularly given the fact that, the hot topic at the moment is climate. I would imagine, rail has less impact if there's less cars on the road, more people using rail. We're constantly struggling for better connectivity into the Northwest. It's relatively inexpensive when you think of some of the money that's been, that's swelling around and being spent here, there and everywhere. I mean, and it also would be a fantastic sort of legacy project for any minister whose green-minded, say for instance, to leave behind them. It should be an open door we're pushing here. Absolutely. I mean, there's a real chance here for our politician or a political party to be effectively, to go down in history as the heroes, that people who bring rail back to Donegal. You know, who wouldn't want that? Because a political party or a politician could trade off that for the next number of decades if they were the people, they were the person in the party who brought rail back to Donegal. And as you mentioned, that you made some really good points there. People sometimes think of rail as just being transport, again, it's made to be, it's about so much more than that. We talk about the seven additional benefits of rail. It's everything from climate change through the quality of life, social justice, you know, the economic development, regional balance. There's so many different reasons why rail is such a positive thing. And it's not just about going from A to B. So hopefully, those in politics will see this as an opportunity. The need is undeniable. The map speaks for itself. Lettercanny is a fast growing town. It's designated as a regional center. It can't fulfill that rule unless it has good infrastructure to enable it to be properly connected into the economic and tourism hubs on the island, whether it be in Dublin or in Belfast. And, you know, that's what our campaign's all about and we've got a meeting about it this evening in Lettercanny, sorry, tomorrow evening in Lettercanny as well. Yeah, at previous meetings, people have expressed frustration, I think. You know, say, for instance, people from Inner Shown saying that really, unless the likes of Inner Shown or even maybe West Onigala, if this is not linked to Sligo then, in a way, it doesn't really serve the people like it should. What do you say to them? Is it a case of trying to get Lettercanny over the line and see where it goes from there? Or do you appreciate that people would like to see this campaign to include the likes of Inner Shown, Burton Port, like the railway did in the past, Kili Beggs into Donningall Town on to Sligo? So, into the West, we have a series of re-openings across Midwest Ulster, which we're campaigning for. And we've prioritized within those in terms of which we think have the strongest business case in which would access the largest settlements because rail needs people to be viable, obviously, in terms of both the set of costs and the running cost. Lettercanny is the prime candidate in Donningall because it has by far the biggest population of 20,000 and that's predicted to grow by another 40 to 50% in the next 20 years. So it's the most obvious place to return rail to and the most obvious place to do that from is the fourth largest city on the island, which is 21 miles up the road from it. So that's why we're starting with this particular quarter, the Northwest Rail Quarter. But we also want to continue what's called the Western Rail Quarter and that's the idea of a line of rail from Limerick through Galway to Sligo and then up from there through Donningalls, through places like Donningall Town, Bundorm, Ballishanen, Balaba Fesh, Trinidad, up to Lettercanny to connect in with the Northwest Rail Quarter. So that's why we're definitely pushing forward. I guess the question of will we really return to everywhere that had it in the past? I think if we're being honest, probably not. You know, the car genies out of the bottle, things have changed from when rail was built in the 1800s. We try to work on a principle-based approach because obviously everybody would love rail to return to their village or town. We think you probably need a minimum of about 10,000 people to justify rail. But if you're a smaller place and you happen to be- But that's if it's looked at purely commercial. I mean, we subsidize flights all over the place. I mean, can you not also have, you know, twin track plans that would be, you know, there'd be a subvention that, you know, this is about providing links not always for profit. Oh, absolutely. I mean, 100%. We public transport is a public good and should be treated that way. But also government money is finite and you have to prioritize. And it's important to separate the set of costs of installing it versus the revenue costs of running it. And you need a certain base number of people to justify rail. There's no point putting in a railway station and a train pulls in and one person gets on it, you know, every two hours. It needs numbers to be justified. And all the way that is money which has been taken away from the schools, hospitals and everything else. So absolutely that, you know, public transport is a public good. It has to be seen that way. People will never, we will never get a public transport system which isn't subsidized just like we won't be, we won't stop subsidizing schools and hospitals. And that's important to accept and to understand. But as I said, you know, we think you need a principal based approach to where rail should return. We would suggest about 10,000 time population, but smaller places would still get real back if they were on route. So for example, Manneconningham, Newtonconningham, which would be on the route between Derry and Letterkenny would be prime contenders for rail, even though they only have a population of a couple of thousands. So that's what we would suggest. But it's really important. I was given castings before and I just can't remember them, Steve. What would be the estimated cost of the Derry to Letterkenny link? So we estimate, and this is very much an estimation, so please don't hang us on this. We would suggest that Derry Port of Diamond would probably be about 850 million. And Derry to Letterkenny, you need a bridge. And that's where a chunk of the cost is based on that. So you'd be talking somewhere between 200 and 300 million for that because the bridge itself would be a significant chunk. There is an opportunity within that in that there is a push for a third road bridge across the Riverfoil for Derry City. And if you were able to combine that as a joint road and rail bridge, there would be significant savings on that. But you know, big infrastructure costs big money. There's no way around that. You can't do this thing deeply. But once it's in, as we've seen with the railways, it'll be in for centuries. Yeah, well, we're in a space now where 200 or 300 million seems like loose change. Small beer. Yeah, okay. So for anyone who is interested, there are a couple of meetings taking place tonight in Derry. You tell us where the meetings are and at what times actually, Steve, rather than me trying to struggle to find the information here. Okay, so tonight we're in the Hollywood Trust on Bishop Street in Derry. All the meetings started at 7 p.m., so Derry tonight at 7 p.m., Hollywood Trust. Tomorrow we're in Letter Kenney in the Station House Hotel again from 7 p.m., Wednesday we're in Oma, Struelart Centre from 7 p.m., then the following week is Dungannon on the Monday. That's Monday the 14th in the Alley Theatre. And then finally, we're doing a Joint Straban-Lifford event on Thursday the 17th of November that will be in the Alley Theatre in Straban. And that's Joint Straban-Lifford because our proposal is that any station for that town should be joints across the border for both Straban and Lifford because they are effectively twin towns, if you like. So if anybody would like to see real return either to Letter Kenney or to East Donegal, to Lifford and to Tintaland, then please do come along to one of those meetings. Again, the particular ones for Donegal are Letter Kenney tomorrow night, Station House Hotel, 7 p.m., and then Thursday the 17th, Straban-Lifford at the Alley Theatre in Straban. All right, thanks very much for your time. That's Steve Bradley there, who is chair of Into the West, the rail campaign for Derry, Donegal, Tyrone and Fermanna. OK, we'll play that for our Gagga Martin McShay in Luxult. Have a great day from all your grandchildren. He's celebrating his 60th birthday. Have a great day. Right, let's take a break back with more after these. Adults Safeguarding Day takes place this month. An important step to prevent adult abuse is to respect and support everybody's right to decision-making, including if someone is frail or living with a disability or serious illness. It's also essential to respond to adult abuse if someone is at an immediate risk of harm, call 999 or 112. If worried about an ongoing concern, contact your safeguarding team at hse.ie forward slash safeguarding. From Safeguarding Ireland, supported by the HSE, safeguardingday.ie. Longcom has an exclusive beauty gift waiting for you at McGee's Chemist in Etter County. Simply purchase two Longcom products, one to be skincare, and get a free eight-piece gift, containing a full-size comfort mousse, absolute day and night travel-size creams, plus more of your favourite iconic Longcom products. Available until Saturday the 12th of November, or while stocks last. Season C's apply at McGee's Chemist, Main Street, Etter County. Donegal Creamery's Milk and Homeland Stores have teamed up to reward their loyal customers with 10 euro off. Just collect 30 tokens from Donegal Creamery's Milk and receive a 10 euro off voucher, which can be redeemed in one of 34 Homeland Stores or on homeland.ie when you spend 50 euro or more on fuel, feed, garden, agri-pet, paint and more. Limited time offer, so start collecting tokens from Donegal Creamery's Milk today. Already for next year? We are with our award-winning SEAT SUVs, the bold crossover Arona, the family favourite Ateca, and the spacious seven-seater Turaco. Already with great PCP finance offers and a service plan for just $9.99 a month. Available to order at DMG Motors, Claw Road, Donegal Town. Book a test drive today. Visit SEAT.ie to find your 231 SUV. Finance provided by Volkswagen Financial Services Ireland trading a SEAT financial services, subject to lending criteria, terms and conditions apply. Volkswagen Financial Services Ireland Limited trading a SEAT financial services is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Charlie McLeafordy Funeral Directors serving Letter Kenny in the surrounding areas for over 100 years. Charlie McLeafordy Funeral Directors and our family take care of your family and guide you through a difficult time. OK, there's a struggle at the moment for those involved with tidy towns and not least in and around Letter Kenny because of graffiti. John joins us to discuss this now to help highlight it. Good morning, John. Yes, Greg. How are you this morning? I'm fine, John. Right. So what are we seeing and how much of it's out there? Well, it's getting more prevalent around the town now, Greg. The Letter Kenny Tidy towns are coming from getting a gold medal there for keeping the town tidy. It's quite amazing for a large town in Donegal and Ireland. And now we have to look at this graffiti all over the town, different parts. Bala Makul, the Convent, different parts of the town there, you know, around the roundabout stuff again. I think it's time to represent a supposed to be a swastika, not a swastika, you know, to do with the Russian. All right, so is it primarily the Zed that we're talking about, is it? Yeah, the Zed we're talking about. There's people putting up different stuff around the town there on that front, you know. So it's just, I would love to meet that person and to do that to whoever they are and we chat them. Do you think they understand? We have people, sorry, Greg. We have people from the Ukraine involved and they want to give back. They're not here, you know, I mean, they're here to give, you know. I know they're in a bad situation. Our whole country's upside down at the middle between housing, everything else. But I mean, these people are down that square every Sunday. Where can we pick rubbish? Where can we get people? And now they have to carry on around the town. Zeds up everywhere, you know. And have you spoken to any Ukrainians who've, obviously, they've seen these Zeds. Have you had a conversation with them about what it means to them or how it makes them feel? Well, they're upset. I know one person in particular is from Donnegon. I'm not going to say where he's from, but he's just upset, you know. And he's nearly into here, really. You know, come on here. He's a smart man. He's an engineer. He says, I don't want to be here, you know. So it has to be here now at the minute or whatever. But I mean, maybe we maybe we should rethink that whole thing of, you know, when over that swastika thing came from us in the 1920s, but I suppose different parts of the world means peace. Japan, for instance, is a place we got there, attached to the extreme Nazi party. So it's not welcoming, really. Yeah, but it's the kind of thing it doesn't take, you know, it doesn't take dozens and dozens of people to do. It just takes one person with motivation and a spray can. I would love to meet the person or people. I would love to meet them and see what's going on. But we'll have to go out now and paint and get the things rightified for the tiny towns coming up in 2023. And I hope you want it again, that's the plan. But I mean, maybe to make the suss on that, can I carry on, you know, if possible? We'll do something, okay. Right, John, listen, graffiti and doing graffiti is not legal, so maybe the guards have a role to play. Who's to say? But thanks for your time this morning, John. I appreciate it. Thank you for highlighting. Take care of yourself. Thank you very much indeed. Now, one month ago, it all happened an explosion in Kreisler that devastated Kreisler and the county and beyond. James O'Flaherty, Jessica Gallagher, Martin McGill, Catherine O'Donnell, and her son James Monahan, Hugh Kelly, Martina Martin, Robert Garwe, and his daughter, Shona Flanagan Garwe, Leona Harper, all lost their lives. Unbelievable, isn't it? Really is unbelievable. We're injured. One of those very seriously injured. Our thoughts remain and have never ventured too far. Our thoughts for all of those directly affected by this and the families of the injured and those left trying to process what happened on that day. Father John Joe Duffy joins us on the programme now. Thanks for taking the time to speak to us this morning, Father John. Of course, you're always incredibly busy, but we do appreciate your time greatly. Oh, thank you, Greg. It's still a struggle in terms of coming to terms with everything even to think it's a month. I'm not sure if it feels longer or if it feels like it's yesterday because it's just still hard to put into a context in the mind's eye if that makes sense. In some ways it just feels like yesterday. I suppose the feeling I've had is that I just find it very difficult to get my head around what has happened and there are moments that you feel you were there and there are other moments you feel that you weren't there and yet as I said we're all to aware as are we all that we were there but there's shock, there's numbness, there's different emotions and the feeling of shock I suppose and numbness is beginning to wear off of that and it's just yeah, it's just so difficult there's just an unlealiness to it as well as it's been very real and yeah How is the How is the community coping if that's the right word Father, John, John, there's very few words that you can sort of use that don't feel wrong in a way but how is the community and it's not just creases of course as people affected by this far beyond creases as well but how are people moving forward if they can? Well, coping is the word and the only word that I can use as well you know it's a community that has a very strong heart and it is very much a community a community that is also determined and I suppose for the families and for the community in general and for those who arrived at the scene first and worked there and so on it's particularly it is particularly difficult and they're coping they have to have moments where they are coping and then there are those moments where it is much more difficult and there are tears and there are you know there's those moments of calm and reflection and the community is striving to cope and then that the post office has reopened and there's a temporary shop also being set up those are just some of the tangible things and then there are those who are attending the counseling services and that's very important and you know the under 13 is running on Sunday week give us a great boost in it thanks to Dennis Ferry I just parted the generosity and this community Dennis generously gives ice cream and treats to the under 13 team yesterday after math and to the children of the community and the way the community are coping is that people are ministering to one another people are there for one another people are just doing their best to be there for people and that's all we can do because words are more difficult to find and so on but it's just that togetherness walking together in that journey which no doubt will be a long journey and there'll be a lot of the pills to climb on that journey but we're very determined of the community to bring everyone on that journey and that's those living within the community and let's not forget those who have been affected from outside the community and families from outside the community who have been impacted upon directly and then those who responded just caring for one another and wanting to let each other know that they are each person wants to let others know that they are very much in their thoughts and well and prayers and there's just that lovely togetherness that extends beyond the boundaries of the creep the Paris if you want to call it the physical boundaries of the bigger community when I refer to the community it's all those who were involved in this it's a community but it's a cross section of many communities really that make up the community affected by this and also too Father John Joe by nature we're very unique as individuals not just you know unique in terms of our family groups but even uniqueness within those everybody deals with grief their own way and move forward their own way and I suppose everyone's sort of trying to find their own pathway individually as well as in the collective sense that you've just been so well outlining yeah come here things are affecting some people in the same ways but you cope differently and different people are affected in different ways at different times and any one person is affected in different ways at different times and that's the reality of what we're experiencing and for some you know you slept well for the first few weeks and now sleeping less and the trauma is really I think that the trauma is only beginning to hit many of us now to be quite honest even though we've been living through that trauma but the beginning to impact more and become just that more real and for some it might be after the month's mind for others it might be after getting through Christmas we just don't know everyone is different and with that in mind are you satisfied with the measures that are in place to support people obviously there is a rule book to some extent in terms of these types of tragedies as to what type of cancelling is given at what times are you happy from the people you're speaking to that all the supports that need to be there from the HSC for example are there currently Father John Joe well I have been talking to a few people and I'll be relating back those views to the HSC I've been talking to people over the weekend but it's very much a multifaceted approach that has taken place as well you know and that is very much needed there is a counseling with the HSC and now that can be accessed by telephoning or going through the GP the drop-in center was being used less and less the HSC told me and the more people were making those calls online so what they were saying was that they had counselors there and then you know maybe for hours and it's a much better streamlining and use of resource by making the appointment and then of course we are doing an Oven of Masses here at the church after the most of the month's minds will have taken place and there are some people coming to speak at those so there will be you know it will be healing through people speaking about their own experiences there will be prayer of course and then of course there will be some music and singing so just to try and continue with that healing and that multifaceted approach which is then taking place also in the clubs and the different organizations within the community so there needs to be a continuation of joint up thinking and a joint up approaches as we go forward between the professionals between ourselves here at the church and between the different organizations in the community obviously the main road through Chrysler remains closed and we all understand why is there a sense within the community that this is the right approach to take as much time as is required to make sure we have as many answers as there is possible the you know the roads that people are trying to navigate are very difficult so it will be welcomed when the road is opened of course whenever that is and it will also be a stark reminder as we drive past where the accident happened of what has happened to you know not that we need to be reminded by seeing it because it is in our thoughts continually but yes of course everyone were particularly the families everyone is looking for that answer everyone is asking the question how could that happen why and please God those who are investigating will be able to find those answers and give those answers first of all to those of the families that they believed and then if there is I don't know those answers will be none of us know none of us know what happened but if there is something we can learn from that to prevent something that has ever happened in our community or in any other community that will be good yeah and the message is coming in to Father and I know you won't want me to read them to you but just thanking you for all that you have done I was simply I was simply doing my job I understand that I had a team around me a team of people and the team that was that entire wider the wider parish community first of all and that wider community of all the people that were involved and you know and if I were to say anything I just have to say thank you to those people who rushed in in those moments while there was petrol tanks in the ground while there was live electricity and while that building was so very unstable and bits of it continuing to fall at great risk to their own lives to bring out the injured and then continue with the recovery and in those first minutes those first hours those first seconds indeed so those are the people that we really have to say a big thank you to and many of them will remain anonymous and there's others that we know and just to them we owe so much I'll read one to you it's from Donna Harper who's watching the show thank you Father for all you've done rest in peace to our beautiful girl Leona rest in peace to all the beautiful souls that were lost on this day no one will ever forget thank you to all that helped on the day forever in our hearts so as I say it would be remiss of me not to read that to you because it's such a powerful message another can you wish Father John Joe well from everyone in Srinola I think you this is not about you but I think it's important recognizing that something we can all learn from maybe outside of this tragedy in that you bird your soul to some extent talking of how this impacted on you personally encouraging people that needed to hear it maybe that there was help there to reach out and get that help in other words not infallible we can have really strong faith or really strong mental health but at any given time all of us at some point or other might need that assistance and that it's the right thing to it's the right thing to reach out and get that help Father and I think you know in terms of putting into the context of your own experiences I think that really pushed others that may not have sought help to seek help yeah I encourage people to draw on the help that is available and you know to talk about this because there are people who were there and it was really tough it was you know even you know talking about the the locals who first responded then there was others there was the there were fire services and they had to calculate in a way how to proceed while continuing to protect all life including the protect the lives of those who were the first responder who were the first to respond and all of those things there's people who are very heavy burdens and I encourage people to go to your own GP first of all you know and to talk to people and you know also they're the priests at arts they're ourselves in the diocese there's clergy from the other denominations and just please please reach out and you know speak to others but what you're going through because like there's people that have to be going through so much the bereaved of course and those who responded first and then the other they between the the civic authorities and you know and the different services that arrived there's so many and also to then you know there's the emotional side of it but then there's people's some people's family structures that have changed forever they're going to have to take on sort of responsibilities and I suppose we all have a role too as much as we can to assist in you know that level of support too where it's needed Father John Joe thanks for your time today and a collective thanks I'd like to say thank you to you Greg and to the team and to the others in the media that have done your best to encourage people as well you know to make use of the services and your sensitivity as well and I was just you know when I thank the media for responding to that call to give the family that space and time for the month's mind masses that privacy that they need as does the community okay Father John Joe thank you I appreciate your time this morning okay that's Father John Joe Duffy there right okay let's take a break the county's number one talk show the Ninetal Noon Show on Highland Radio the Ninetal Noon Show is brought to you by Letter Kenny Credit Union offering low-rate car loans with fast approval apply online at letterkennycu.ie or in office today are you a self-assessed income taxpayer use Ross revenues online 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insurance renewal then a friend told me about O'Malley Scanlan insurance in Balibu Fe and Dunlow they do all the hard work they contact all the major insurance underwriters and they get the very best possible quote for me they have saved me a small fortune over the years they do the same for you when your insurance comes up for renewal contact O'Malley Scanlan insurance at their Balibu Fe office on 9131020 or they're done low office on 95 Treble 206 O'Malley Scanlan is regulated by the central bank are you frequently asking others to speak slowly clearly and loudly is listening to the TV or radio becoming harder if your hearing is affecting your everyday life connect hearing are here to help clinics in Leicester, Kenney and Dunlow are open Monday to Friday where you can avail of our hearing test wax removal and repair services take that first step to better hearing call us today on 07491 13296 connect hearing connecting you to life all right you're very welcome back to the show now someone sent in the question we posted it on social media hi Greg I saw this over the weekend I don't have to say it's something that I really battle with how much do you normally tip your hairdresser the colour and cut can often cost me 150 euro which I feel is expensive enough should I be expected to tip on top of that this call us this hi Greg I always tip my hairdresser always did and always will she deserves it another I'm a barber and I do get one to two euros sometimes maybe a five or for Christmas from some customers I tip my hairdresser at least 10 euro she does my hair exactly as I like it and I appreciate her work my hairdresser is not overpriced another I paid 27 euro for a haircut after the first lockdown this price went up to 45 the excuse was COVID cleaning social distances prices never went back down I'm feeling really ripped off and that's just a sample of some of those coming in some of those comments coming in all right it is 11 o'clock let's get a news update and say good morning once again to Donald Kavanaugh thank you Greg good morning the CEO of the Celta hospital group says the appointment of a senior manager to oversee governance at letter K University hospital will help ensure that management and communication are as good as they can be both within the hospital and between the hospital and Celta a review involving the Celta executive and senior management at LUH began in the spring the parish priest of Chrysler says last month's tragedy is still very raw for the community today marks exactly one month since 10 people lost their lives in an explosion at the village shop and petrol station father John Jodofi says there is still a numbness in the area the clear look of the letter Kenny Milford is calling for the local improvement scheme to be reviewed councillor Donald Mandi Kelly says the scheme in its current form is a disaster because there simply isn't enough money available for the projects which are being put forward by people he believes the LIS model has been abolished and a grant-based approach taken instead tech companies are branding job losses in the industry a correction because of the fact that they overhired according to the editor of Silicon Republic Meta Instagram and Facebook's parent company is reportedly set to cut thousands of jobs this week some of them it's feared in Ireland a tonical councillor says electric vehicle charging points are a basic necessity councillor Albert Doherty says additional charge points need to be put in place particularly in Inichon his call comes after the northern and western regional assembly posted a survey this morning which found 79% of people are unlikely to buy an electric car within the next 12 months largely because of what the report calls range anxiety and Bundor and Lifeboat is looking for new volunteers to take up roles as insure lifeboat crew in the waters around Donegal Bay potential candidates will undertake training for over a year before being placed on call to attend alerts the local press officer Shane Smith says previous maritime experience is not necessary for their details on the Bundorn or Analyze, Facebook and social media pages or on rnli.org links on our own our own website as well that's the news for now back with news headlines again at 12 noon OK, thank you very much indeed Donal All right, Brendan Devaney joins us in studio now, Brendan how are you getting on good to have you with us The DL Debate is on this evening and you're wrapping up all the weekend GAA action, Leader Kenneth Gales Derry Noose and the Ulster Junior Football Championship are going to feature of course That's right, the Gales flying the flag and the first time on the Ulster and interesting I suppose I was speaking to Charlie Cannon last night I ran into a big man in the Gales club so there's something so dafford about going on the Ulster Greg, you know, you're so used to the the DL all teams and the pitches and where you're playing in that so it's a great I suppose adventure for the Gales so one of the first gaming Ulsters is mighty impressive they made hard work of it now but they're through now to play Stewardsdown of Tyrone so listen hopefully they can progress as a satanta as well after a huge layoff going on against the Old Rua of Tyrone and Old Rua who we're playing at a level above this championship, you know, this last number of years so they would have been probably favourites even though satanta were at a Donald Park which is kind of their home venue or that's where the hurlers play so after all the rain too was amazing, a lot of these games went ahead and even though the pitch was a bit heavy for a Donald Park it's probably the best place around and lucky for the hurlers that they have that there so they advance as well so they're playing Namayah of Derry in the next round so yeah, good to see it and of course Neve Connell in action in the seniors next week as well so we're going to chat Gary McDade, he was at a match there of letter Kenny Gilles and talk about Donegal GA and maybe the Donegal management and who's coming in and what's the word on the street, Greg, you know Yeah, what do you think of I mean what expectations are there for the likes of Neve Connell going into the Ulster Senior Club Championship, I mean how is that competition viewed really by a team that's won the county championship Yeah, it's huge, it's by far the best provincial, I mean the teams that all won it there I mean an amazing list of teams in there and Cross McLean who were I think third favourites, they were playing Ballet Bay who were I think second last outside of Kargan, the team that Neve Connell are away to there, the real rank outsideers so we're hoping Neve Connell can advance there but they were beaten by Ballet Bay so that was their first one in Ulster, that Ballet Bay side and fair played them, there's something, there's a bit of magic in there, that was a preliminary right, so all the quarter finals now this week, so one of the big hitters have gone already, Cross McLean so listen, that's the thing Yeah, it does indeed We chatted with him and I last week of course, your interview I did mine between the two of us, hopefully we've got something out of it, but he's on the new senior football team set up, he seems pretty optimistic, recognises as you do too really, that we need to find maybe a different way of playing, but also you know, we need some new defenders in, but optimistic yeah, listen I think Antony is that way anyway he knows from being around teams in that that there's no point in anything now but positivity and you have to give these boys every room to put their stamp on it and I suppose overhaul things a bit, you know, they're definitely coming in to try and make them all their best, so it remains to be seen, I know there's a one year review in there which is I don't know, I suppose it's such a big job now and I think with the two lads they're coming in that What can you really reflect on in a year, a few league games that a lot of them the excuse will be, well sure look we're building, it's towards the championship and I'm losing also I understand why it's there, and it's not unusual but it's, you'd want to give a team at least two years wouldn't you take the pressure off, there's going to be enough pressure on Twitter and Facebook and everywhere else and on the Sunday game I like Paddy Carr's quote on it, actually it was a smart way of playing it, say listen, we want the feedback we want this discussion that's some playing a smart game, I like that comment back, now if Carl Lacey joins him I think it would be huge, there's no doubting it in the first couple years a boner Carl was on there and he was well gotten it and sure listen I mean the statuary brains, but not only that I think he was really good at the setup and the tactics and so there's a strong rumour that he might join the team as well, I think that'll be that could be vital to the team Kevin, and normally when you give strong rumours your phone goes off while we're still doing the interview are you happy enough with that one? hey, we're in the entertainment business here not whilst we're still on air throw it out there already that's happened at least twice no, listen, that's that's out there that's not me, put it right there it's out there already, so yeah come here, another thing too Anthony says is that you know I think he says, I don't want to misquote him but you talk about maybe needing to go backwards a little bit in how we play the game that he believes that the old way of playing football for one of a better way of putting it, those days are gone that we'll never go back that way and that maybe something from in terms of a rule change is required to try and make the game a bit more attractive is a view you would share? oh definitely, it's going to take a real change at this point because we've seen it kind of come out of all of it we've seen it being dragged back a bit, not a county and a club so I'm thinking that leaving the players there has to be a rule I think brought on to leave players on the side the problem is the top teams aren't doing that and when you get the big games of the season and what you call it the Dublin's and Kerry's and even though they do flood players back they're so quick at them they change that they do have a kick pass game as well we saw throwback, some of the games we saw, the throwback games wow, this is what it's all about legislates, are you disadvantageing them? you are a bit, but it's even been through Mondal Ireland, they went man for man at the back by and large and that changed it completely again so the teams that have gone all the way tend to play a different game now the problem is that you could say right now they have the most talent so they can do that and that is correct but while everybody else falls under that shell it really kills the game what's the level though? you became so tactical that they changed it there has to be two players inside their scoring zone which at least means you have to kick the ball which at least opens up you think if you can drop the full 15 and you want to be that much rigid it really kills the match all together and for so many reasons we spoke of this so many times but if you were able to kick pass if you even had to have two players in the opposition half at least or inside the 50 or whatever at least what I mean that team has to stay with there is going to be a kick pass and then the game will be more free flowing and I think at this point it's going to take that change much more from Brendan Daveney on the deal debate it's on after the 7 o'clock news this evening reflecting on the weekend's action looking forward to a busy weekend again next weekend and it's all brought to you in association with sister Sarah's right okay Brendan Brendan crossing on with me too Brendan crossing on the news he's coming on to round up all the stuff top man Brendan so looking forward to having him as I'm sure are you regular so alright thanks very much for that Brendan we'll be back with more on the Ninetal Noon Show after we take this quick break state right where you are The Ninetal Noon Show is brought to you by Letter Kenny Credit Union seasonal loans now available for Christmas apply online or via our app today and get your loan transferred directly to your current account it's Christmas magic terms and conditions apply for more information visit HighlandRadio.com visit tourismcareers.ie brought to you by Fulcher Ireland Connelly's Audi Slego are returning with their future now test drive event taking place on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th November at Letter Kenny Golf Club call in from 10am to 4pm we will be showcasing our fantastic range of cars for the entire weekend to avoid disappointment order you new 231 Audi today with Connelly's Audi Slego visit Connelly's.ie to see our full range celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first Joe Dolan Bondoren music festival a spectacular Christmas party night at the Allianham Arms Hotel on Friday December the 16th with the sensational Joe Dolan show Remembering Joe featuring five vocalists with the Dolan family and the original Joe Dolan band cabaret dinner and accommodation if required now booking at the Allianham Arms or online at showtours.ie revive the 90s in Bondoren on December the 16th at the Allianham Listen up pet lovers feed your pets for less a pet value bunkrana get Whiskas 80 pack pouches for only 30 euro Royal Cannon puppy range now 20% off 15kg bags of dog food starting at 16 euro 50 get more value a pet value St Mary's Row Bunkrana open 7 days a week find us on Facebook To give vacciney flu and off covid needy I am pre-show a toy test all the course in minute contours of her news from kushuck She never thought that she will do anything to help her her current sloncher and say in the now will rock sloncher thought her muck her new vaccine at home that I Punga I no glee or a varni HSC yo any octon, odd shakton odd shakton odd odd cun or as finnid vaccine at home or I'm an Othna Sabresus launcher all right just to remind you and to let you know coming up around the Northwest after 12 it's Michaela Flanagan she's set in for John okay so John gets a well-deserved day off there are people in shops on below minimum wage I think they deserve a tip more I'd never think to tip shop staff but I guess the way things are going it's something to consider indeed hello would like to say that Finn Valley actually I think this is what mark you there in line one yes good it was a comment but I have you to say it saves me reading it out mark right okay so what do you want to let us know here well on Saturday there was a competition down at the fund Valley athletic club and Sturnor and I would say there was about maybe 50 hundred to 2,000 people at it and there was cars parked everywhere as you know the area around McCool that's an old estate there's a lot of elderly people they were parked everywhere and nobody could get in to get to their elderly parents they were parked both sides of the road going over Greenham Bridge up on the footpath there was no stewards there no Gardie there and I think it was there seemed to be no traffic plan for the area at all mark the amount of people in the past there's there's been big events there has has there all is there always a parking problem when there's a big competition ongoing or normally is there a bit of organization to manage the traffic no any time there's a big event there even 5k or something like that the local people you go outside maybe if the 5k was on a Sunday and you took the car down to mass or go to the local shop one of you came back you have no place to park your car and the cars were parked there was a good few cars parked up on the footpaths elderly people and people with young families and with post chairs and that had to go out onto the road to walk which I think was terrible so is there a sense almost of dread ahead of big events then because here we go we have to give over our footpaths our driveways and our freedoms to some extent because of the traffic levels well it's like that's great a fun valley are going to hold competitions as big as that they would need to have a traffic management plan in place and proper better stewarding of the situation even if they have to go away and maybe get rent out a local field they could charge to park the car on it but that there on Saturday was unacceptable for local residents in the Ard Macul and the Ard Macul area of Stranora do you know if there's been any engagement in the past between a residence group or residents individually and the Athletics Club no honestly I don't know but what happened there on Saturday no from what I could see no fun valley personnel out saying you can't park here you can't park there if you go on down the road there there's a couple of parking spots down there there was and there was no Garde about either like whenever there's a big football game in the town don't they go you're always sure that there's going to be some Garde in places around Balmuffet to direct the traffic all right well listen it's great to see it's great to see the club being so successful it's great to see big numbers but it can't be the expense of local residents either we're we're in contact with Finn Valley AC to get a spokesperson to see what they have to say maybe there was traffic management we didn't see I don't know mark I just have to wait for their side of it but I appreciate you helping us to highlight it here and as I say you'd be ashamed for something that's so successful for a positive event to be tarnished if you know understandably residents are angry because they're being inconvenienced and particularly I would have a particular interest in obviously you know people in wheelchairs mobility scooters the visually impaired those with boogies you know you need access to footpaths and if that's if they're being blocked it's completely unacceptable it's great facilities down there Greg but at the same time there has to be some consideration given to the local residents whenever there's a big competition on understood all right points well made mark thanks for your time this morning writes more of your comments here can you wish father John Joe well from everyone in Stranola of course father John Joe's the most amazing human he has touched people all over the world God bless you always God rest all who lost their lives may they rest in peace and happiness bless all who are mourning may those around them care for them and I didn't want to embarrass father John Joe or indeed to in any way take away from the important words the ad say but I believe he's celebrating his birth date or his is birthday today so we wish father John Joe as best a situation as possible I think you understand it's difficult to phrase it correctly but it is his birthday and he doesn't feel in a place to do something now hopefully in the future he can does all Ireland rail include in his shown well that's not part of the plans at the moment another how much would it cost to have a rail line in the Northwest they estimate two to three hundred million to get a rail line from Derry to letter Kenny to listeners know someone who qualifies to get college fees paid with Susie only get this in the Republic Susie do not pay fees in Northern Ireland yeah there that's something that we've touched on on this program before it's something we might return to or we'll get some clarity on if need be which there is need there of course Greg the amount of money and disruption of traffic during the four lane project from the dry arch and still it's not going to make one bit of difference to the mess letter Kenny is with traffic seriously we need people with proper qualification saying what's needed a total waste of money in my opinion the new school for school East Gumbong crana sent a message last Wednesday I don't know what that's kind of like half a test text I'll double check what that means Greg I bet the residents in Glen Tane don't know if that that if the estate has not been taken over by the council every resident in the state who has paid the property taxes entitled to a refund because no local government money is being spent on their estate I don't see how that works because I'm paying mine and nothing's been spent in my house but okay maybe there's something else there right back to tipping of staff the barber or hairdresser probably doesn't get the full amount charged their employer would take a large portion of that money tipping five euros a kind gesture for tough work I never tip they charge enough says another caller I think they get paid enough nearly 70 euro to get your head done and people don't have the money to tip people would get something at Christmas but that's all and other tips five to 10 euro they deserve it okay back to the rail Greg good morning is a rail connection to Sligo not part of the plans thanks Charlie doesn't seem to be in the map I've saw in the immediate plans get it to letter Kenny first seems to be the seems to be what I can see on the map they've produced why not restart the Dona Gore line is a steam line then multi-purpose it as transport for locals and a major tourist attraction for the county I don't think in this day and age because obviously for steam would require wasn't it traditionally the burnt coal I can't imagine any new transport investment that relies on the burning of dirty fuel as they'd call it might get the green light I could be wrong there but I don't know right let us take a quick break more of your comments and more interviews on the way for you the 90 noon show is brought to you by letter Kenny credit union with monster loans available up to 60,000 euro for all occasions visit letter Kenny see you dot IE celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first Joe Dolan Bond or music festival a spectacular Christmas party night at the alien arms hotel on Friday December the 16th with the sensational Joe Dolan show remembering Joe featuring five vocalists with the Dolan family and the original Joe Dolan band cabaret dinner and accommodation if required now booking at the alien arms are online at show tours dot IE revive the 90s in Bondoran on December the 16th at the alien ham if I learned one thing in the last year it's that falling into debt can happen to anyone luckily I heard about the ISI the insolvency service of Ireland their professional advisors can help you restructure or even write off your debt the first thing they said to me was every debt problem has a solution I can still feel the relief so if you're worried visit their website back on track dot IE or free text get help to 50015 the ISI together will get you back on track this is an initiative of the government of Ireland never queue again with scan and shop on the M&S app simply use your phone to scan and bag items as you go then pay for your food shop directly from the app easy download the M&S app today see marks and Spencer dot IE for details a public interest message from Dunnegall County Council attention farmers Dunnegall County Council would like to remind farmers of the importance of good agricultural practice in protecting water courses over the wet winter period make sure soiled water from yards roadways or the poaching of land doesn't enter waters and keep out wintered stock away from streams and rivers by fencing off locate supplementary feeding points at least 20 meters from waters and not on beer rock fix any broken gutters and downpipes to keep clean roof water off dirty yards and divert all silage effluent to a storage tank play your part in keeping Dunnegall clean and green. All right you're welcome back to the program it's time for a Monday focus and today we're discussing stand up awareness week which is running from the 14th next Monday till the 18th of November Megan rush works as works on the break out project to support group for LGBT young people with the Dunnegall Youth Service. Thank you very much Megan for calling in to see us good to have you on the program. Yeah thanks for having me. Right okay so talk to us about Stand Up Awareness Week. So Stand Up Awareness Week at its crux it's about standing up against homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools and youth services and how do we do that by encouraging friendships and positive understanding of LGBTI plus young people. How's that done is that a role we have to take on as individuals. Well I think so personally there's so many different things we can do we stand up for other people if we see them targeted online or in person I mean look Greg I like a bit of answer as much as the next person I think being able to have a laugh is one of the biggest lessons you learn in life but we all know there's a there is a fine line where jokes and laughter just become bullying and Stand Up Awareness Week is about standing up against that when we see it we don't just be a boy standard we call it out exactly we let because at the end of the day you and I and everyone else listening in we all have an LGBTI plus person in our families in our friendship groups as a co-worker that we know and love and we want to make them feel comfortable we want to make them feel loved and accepted and that's what Stand Up Awareness Week is about. So with that in mind and without getting into the ins and outs of the individual and what have you obviously in the last week there's some controversial comments made that seem to be weaponised against the LGBTI plus community whether or not the words were said with that intention they were in other words someone with influence has said that this is a sin this shouldn't be happening it's almost like one step forward and two steps back sometime because there does seem to be an appetite for that mindset out there. Yeah absolutely I mean I think we're very lucky to live in the Ireland we do live in where the vast majority of people do accept the young people that I work with you know we have a very positive country for that but there's always going to be a vocal minority I suppose and in my opinion the best thing we can do call it out absolutely that's what Stand Up Awareness Week is about but I think it's also important to point out to ourselves and to the LGBTI plus people we know these people are a minority they don't represent Ireland we need to look to the future that's where we're going I do think these attitudes are a remnant of the past that we're moving further and further away from. I would say there's very few people listening to us if any that would not have someone that they care deeply about that would not be part of the LGBTI plus community. Yeah absolutely that's the reality and thing is you might not even know it you know I mean like I've definitely learned like it's an honour and a privilege to work with the young LGBTI people I work with they're just the kindest funniest most intelligent young people I love working with them but if you pass them on the street sure unless they're waving their flags about you wouldn't know absolutely yeah so there's a situation to whereby there are young people particularly and older people as well you know who the only thing that differentiates them is they've maybe fancy someone else you don't fancy someone of the same sex right that's absolutely that's okay but they can't really express themselves or live their life as they would like to because people close to them they believe goes against their views that maybe a conversation could resolve that but that's how people are living their lives it's it's it's sad that people can't find happiness just because of yeah absolutely it's heartbreaking and we at Breakout and Donegal Youth Service that's one of the major support services we provided a safe space for if you will for young LGBTI people who maybe don't have that support from their family who maybe their families are part of that aforementioned vocal minority and you know it's horrible when you think about there's a young person who's not getting the support and love from their family that every young person should have but I think you know at the same time I do feel so lucky and privileged that I'm in a position where my work is to create a space where these people can feel acceptance where they can feel support in community yeah and you reference it as a vocal a vocal minority isn't a vocal minority because there's a there is a significant pushback I think particularly towards transgender people it's not just here I know some some people in the gay community I know they also maybe have some issues in this space as well is it actually really a vocal minority or because I think if you shut it down is that we don't have a conversation and I'm not into mudslinging marginalizing people or have you but I think sometimes things need to be spoken out in front because they're being spoken about in the back yeah and I think like first of all the LGBTI community isn't monolith everyone has very in political opinions you know you'll find gay people on every end of the political spectrum that's just the reality and I do think conversation absolutely has to happen I think you know the most important thing about my job is facilitating even among the young people I work with facilitating the different opinions they have within the group some of those opinions are related to the community itself and I 100% agree there's conversations that need to be had but I don't see why these conversations can't come from a place of kindness I think when we're seeing this push back against transgender people as you say a lot of this it's not a conversation for a lot of people it's an attack it's a lot of it's an area that a lot of people actually are afraid to step in to even have an opinion because it's so polarized that you can be cancelled or hung drawn and quartered from any quarter and so what happens is it's a space that people don't want to step into but anyway listen we don't want to get bogged down and that so when we talk about homophobia or standing up or words that offend I think maybe you know a lot of words that would be offensive to certain people are used very casually and maybe people don't realize that if someone is gay in their linear shot they hear them use a certain word it's important that they understand the way that their language can carry you know in other words a lot of attitudes some things are said but there's not intent there oh that's part of it isn't it awareness understanding oh yeah absolutely I mean one of the kind of tenements off the group where we we want to create like I said originally a safe space but that also means creating a safe space for maybe the people you're working with who aren't LGBTI who maybe aren't as caught up in what's right and what's wrong and who knows what to say and who knows not what to say so once what you said there about we don't want to get make people feel worried that they can't have a conversation like I'm all about facilitating conversation having like a healthy debate absolutely and the one thing we do say to our young people unless someone is intentionally speaking to you with malice trying to hurt you nine times out of ten someone using the incorrect word or maybe the wrong pronoun or whatever nine times out of ten is an honest mistake yeah because you're conditioned to use certain language in certain ways yeah especially in Ireland I think this is from people I know there's there is that understanding yeah what they really want is just for you to recognize and to understand and even if you correct yourself that's fine oh yeah like okay right so supporting people standing up for them you know speaking out not just being a bystander maybe a tweeter a facebook post of support that type of thing is that what we're talking about yeah I mean specifically with in relation to young people like speak to your skills speak to your youth workers what can I do you know my sister's a lesbian my cousin's gay I want to show I support these people what can I do to get involved if you come down to Donegal youth service now over the next couple of weeks we're based in the loft in Port Road and we'll be doing so many different activities during the week we'll be having our quiz on Friday not the 18th to celebrate the end of standard week we will be doing window painting chalk it up whether permitting this is Donegal sometimes you cannot do the outdoor activities yeah but you know we'll be making balloon arches we'll be doing rainbows in bacon really just we activities we fun events just to let the young people know we're there for them they have a support space that's here and it's of course open to anyone gay straight trans however you identify what do you think we get we'll get to a point whereby you know I uh that where we we don't feel we need to identify ourselves by our sexual preference that in other words it actually doesn't really matter do you think wherever get to that point because I'll be honest with you I don't really it's not in my business what you know what people are interested in and I don't mean that as in uh I don't mean that as in I'm taking this down back and I wouldn't get involved and in other words it doesn't bother me what someone's sexual orientation is if no one's getting hurt and people are happy at what point will we get to it whereby just people live their lives I mean like I said I love my job but in a dream world my job wouldn't exist in that there wouldn't need to be a support system for lgbt or young people because like you said if we reach that stage of life where it just didn't matter you know because to me someone's actual orientation it plays a huge role in their life unfortunately because if in this current world if you are gay unfortunately it will alter how your life is led but hopefully we will get to the point I mean a hundred years ago in Ireland it was inconceivable to be left handed because it would be literally beaten out of you and now sure you hand behind your back yeah now we don't link an eye my child come out to me I love them so much and totally accept them the problem is my parents I don't want to put my child through the acceptance yet at least not until they're older is this the wrong thing to do it's a difficult one I know people who who took a decision just says you know what I'm not going to just open up this kind of problems with my parents because you know eventually you know you don't want to put your kid through receiving that kind of maybe abuse maybe that loss of love and acceptance from someone who was previously a huge part of their lives yeah but it's a decision they have to balance it up don't they but then again but that's going to come up like I think in your life whether you're gay or not you're going to do things that your grandparents aren't going to like but I would think I'd for because I hope I mean the realities is they're they will be pre-deceased by their grandparents I think it might be better for them to know rather than to not know I think it's case by case basis exactly because I'd be like well my parents grandparents never really knew me what would they have thought if they did rather I think that would be harder to take maybe than even if there was a negative reaction while they were alive anyway but hopefully that that person's only asking the question because they can't make up the minds themselves I'm sure anything you want to add oh do you think it's important to mention ahead of stand-up awareness week just I'll just reiterate I suppose what I said earlier if you're sitting listening here I'm not saying this is a maybe or it was a possibility but there is someone in your life who is lesbian gay bisexual transgender and maybe you don't know that for certain maybe of your suspicions maybe you're not a hundred percent sure but like you said Greg the reality is someone in everyone's life is part of this community and it could be you can't pretend it doesn't affect you yeah I mean it you can't we can't whether you know it or not you can't pretend it's there yeah so ultimately just go I mean the same way you treat any other person I think with love and acceptance and openness and kindness and that's what stand-up week is about standing up against that what goes against those values yeah okay thanks for your time Megan I really appreciate it thank you very much thank you for having me it's been our pleasure that was Megan rush there she works on the breakout project it's a support group for LGBT young people with the Donegal Youth Service and stand-up awareness week runs from the 14th 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Well this year at Highland Radio we want to make Christmas extra special for one lucky family we want to bring someone home for Christmas who couldn't make it home to see their loved ones to nominate someone close to you email both sets of contact details and why we should choose you to home for Christmas at HighlandRadio.com and don't forget you can nominate yourself by sending your details and reasons why to home for Christmas at HighlandRadio.com and then let Highland Radio work its Christmas magic terms and conditions apply for more information visit HighlandRadio.com Now it's the same with O'Donnell Park in Letter Kenny when matches are on the Ballamacool estate Kirkstown Road gets blocked with no respect for residents guardly, guardy only worry about the main road Hi I was wondering if you could highlight SSE tricity customer care shambles my wife's been trying to get through to them for seven days now some rubbish being replayed on their answering machine number had to be left for them to reply each time they were contacted it takes an average well over an hour for an answer if you do get one trust pilot reviews are scandalous will you mention to your listeners to just hear reviews on it thanks I would suggest send them a tweet either publicly send them publicly tweet them and explain what's going on and send them a private message even if you're not on Twitter establish an account because they don't like that stuff happening out in open so maybe you'll have a little bit of success with that that being said all right as I revealed exclusively on Friday I have 300 euro on my electricity bill and do you think I can get through to try and get that sorted it's because my direct debit didn't go through so switched banks and I didn't change that direct debit it is my fault of course but with no warning 300 euro was put in my bill which means my bills 588 and I can't pay that so I have to get the 300 off set up the new direct debit but I can't get through to speak to a human to try and sort it out I've been calling my GP for the last two weeks and it's ringing out and then I get cut off so I decided to just call in and see how I got on but because I had a chest infection I was chased I've had chest infections long before Covid lived and if she bothered to look at my record she would see that I also to be on the safe side tested before I called in and of course it was negative can anyone explain why now it takes forever to get an answer from your GP in about three weeks to actually get an appointment it's hard to explain and I'll tell you what makes it more difficult to explain is that it's not the same experience for everyone that people listening to us all over the region ride across Donagall and some people can ring up and get into the GP that afternoon and for others it seems to be an absolute nightmare it might be down to population being served by particular GPs I think that has to be considered maybe one GP serving a whole area which is impossible really to do so effectively but others have more choice and are able to see GP quicker so it's not across the board unfortunately and advice have a suspicion where that text is coming from there's no alternative for them either if you're going to justify tipping a beautitional barber then you're going to have to tip every worker in every sector of every business says this caller another the Leicester County Checking Centre for the shoebox appeal is where Elvry Sports used to be thank you for that Greg I recently attended the ED and found my experience very different we got seen too very quickly and got treated with the best of care it's nice to hear those stories too Dave said I just I understand the anger after those comments by the Kerry Priest and feel most people laugh them off but I wonder how many of the angry people will watch the World Cup in Qatar where homosexuality is illegal indeed and football fans have been told to be on their best behaviour when they're over there but it's like everything you know a lot of sports takes place in the UAE now a lot of controversial money being pumped into sport but people turn a blind eye because it's money isn't it and if you take a high moral stand that money dries up and money motivates right we're going to speak about the problem of deer on our roads here in Donegal that's after these The 9 till noon show is brought to you by Letter Kenny Credit Union seasonal loans now available for Christmas apply online or via our app today and get your loan transferred directly to your current account our toy tester Jacob is giving the lowdown on the toys at Lidl the electric train that is deadly two two the wooden play kitchen is great I made this for the whole family this week there's loads of highly rated and great value toys at Lidl go on shop without compromise go full Lidl today six wardrobe clearouts three look changes one night in a hotel lost and found and ten years of being your favourite it's fair to say 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choose from our fantastic deli range lasagnas cottage pie chicken curry and soups just a sample of our fine products all made in store only at Joe McGee butchers Lattie Kenny and Glencar shopping centres find us on facebook and instagram okay we say imagine why not as a counsellor me hold Colin McGill in this book thanks for joining us imagine why you're there could you move that too now you've raised the issue of cars hitting deer particularly in rural parts of the county but not exclusively and you believe something needs to be done about it are we talking about fencing or culling or what well look unfortunately and also for the poor deers who are getting harked or killed outright and those that are involved in the collision as well there's a problem in the west and the gulf culling the article the mouth note excuse me but of course today I was contacted then said there was an incident there over the weekend I'm led to believe that unfortunately an ambulance had hit a number of deers outside Ahluha Nia on the way to Duhuri who were on a call and you know so this obviously has a massive impact and those that are in the car and the animal itself and you know we don't want to see a case where anybody's getting harked we have to learn to go inside what the wild animal that is the years but the difficulty is that it's an ongoing issue that's not rare to hear on a regular basis that somebody's car has been written off because a deer has leaped across the road and even I suppose I was talking to a person today that's very well informed in relation to deers and who was outlining to me one of the big difficulties you know for instance say Ahluha Nia the new stretcher road to Lichormack award is that that we've planted or seeded the new side of the road and then that's that's like honey to bees for deer and at night they'll walk that 50 yards out of the forest and they'll start grazing on the side of the road and that's who we're in a mess I've been trying to get in contact with the National Parks and Wildlife over the weekend this morning as well and eventually got somebody from Dublin to speak to me who's directed me but unfortunately what they're saying is that they have no responsibility here which now not saying the person's lying but I find that very hard to believe and I have to look into it more they're saying that the responsibility lies what the landowner so then that begs the question then that the deer has hidden cars or the car has hidden deers on the road but the responsibility lie with us with the legal county council and I think that then becomes a mess but it is suggested by a number of people that we need a call and I know not everybody would be happy about that I certainly wouldn't want to see the herd that we have on our land touched but we can continue to have the situation we have so what's the solution then whilst you don't want to see a call we can't fence in Donegal either it's the only solution too listen listen there is a a procedure with calling in terms of which animals you go after to try and thin out the herd you know it's not just taking everything out that might go near a road on hard for people and a lot of that meat can end up too if it's done correctly if I'm not mistaken can end up too in the food chain so maybe that might help people process it a little bit better but either way it's the only it's the only real solution to this isn't it a call well look look speaking to professional hunters who are sophisticated and trained and that they're saying very clearly that if allowed that if they're given the opportunity at night to hunt to take out from the herd what they believe needs to be taken out and you're correct it's not the whole herd that would be taken out that that food that's meat will make its way on to somebody's plate and some restaurant somewhere so yes it's not a case of just killing them burying look I'm not an expert here wouldn't even suggest that I am but what I'm hearing from people that would be they're strongly suggesting that we need a call and it'd be very interesting and you know if anybody is in national wild national parks and wild life listening to this yeah thanks if they could ring in and clarify maybe two highland radio the the such you know the position and the steps that needs to be taken because we would like it was possible to it's possible to that people can acquire the license but they're not doing so that maybe they've taken an interest in something else or you know there's a more attractive part because it's something people travel into Donegal to do so like are we seeing less hunters now than we might have in previous years you know well look I would know most of the hunters that would be legal in this area you know in the garden they shoot humanely you know the butcher the animal and that does end up on somebody's plate and you know and there is the question because I think we've spoke about this before guy in relation to those that come on poaching and we certainly don't want to be encouraged in that of course not but why then have you spoken to have you had a chance to chat to any of the people who are hunters are they not out shooting deer or no there is there is and I don't know what it is because I'm very conscious of somebody's actually listening right now because he texts me to say put on highland radio they're talking about the deers look that they are out absolutely they're out but there's a huge population of deer now you know and it is it is I am I understand that this is rotten season at the moment or else it's the past one on the other so that creates difficulties but look there's a huge population of deer out there we see them when I don't see them every day but I see them most days people are concerned in relation to dreaming at night now I know a number of people have chosen not to go anywhere near areas that we know like doors crawlies really really bad might I ask just just to try and cover all cover all bases here I mean there are signs up saying that there might be deer on the road they are to be expected I think anyone driving particularly in west on a go but you could be driving up to Clark Chapel and see a deer standing in in the middle of the road just outside Donagall town but I think you're more likely to see them in the areas that we're talking of now is there a bit is there any element to this that drivers need to make sure they're driving an appropriate speed to react if there is a deer there you know are we ignoring the signs and the likelihood of of of seeing a deer is that an element of it that that needs to be looked at before we talk about destroying the population of them well look I don't think so Greg to be honest with you and I can only speak of what I'm being told and what I hear in my own community so they'll touch off but it is that people are very conscious of it I don't believe that anybody that is worried about it is is speeding on the road thinking I'll be grand I think people do really take care I think people are very conscious of it and on that basis that they drive a lot slower but when you are driving at 30-40 miles an hour and a deer leaps across the road even at 20 miles an hour Greg you're going to do damage like for sure and you you raised an interesting question about who pays for that damage because this caller says and I'm not sure if it's dependent on your insurance company or if it's anecdotal but they say if you hit a deer and your car is badly damaged you cannot claim off your insurance company because it's deemed an act of nature now I'm not I'm not sure of that I'm not sure about that but my understanding speaking of a woman last week he think it over was that she unfortunately had an accident and the deer didn't come out well in it at all but the car was badly, badly damaged but the insurance company was paying out so look listen we all know insurance companies are there to make profit and they'll do everything they can not to pay people out but again it might be a case of you know depending on your insurance I don't really know an answer to that but the reality is say where you are enough wrap up with you Andy good morning good morning you think this is simple enough solution to this well it isn't it isn't do you know um look deer don't have a natural predator in this country that's because we got rid of the wolves isn't it that's right but I mean nobody's going to reintroduce nope look that's the whole different thing reintroducing wolves but there will be an imbalance in their in their population do you know and plenty of farmers will tell you how much damage a herd of deer will do to crops or forestry or you know there's various implications so you know I think it is okay to control the population and we're not talking about going and wiping out an entire herd and they have a season you know the part times of the year you only shoot the the stag you know I as I say I'm not an expert on this nope neither here you know they call a but controlling the population when there's when there's no natural remedy for us has to be you know considered because we we are well I think Andy the truth is is we don't really have an alternative here and I think maybe if people could be satisfied that maybe you know the meat is not going to be wasted that they're you know that it enters the the food chain maybe they might be easy with the idea absolutely and look venison is a great meat it's low in fat it's high in iron wouldn't be for me now I tried it a couple of times but well do you know what the thing is there's a lot you know if you get poached meat then it can have a very strong gamey taste because of the way it's the animal's died but if it's if it's humanely shot and dispatched and processed quickly treated properly yeah absolutely it is a very tasty thing I mean the thing is people get roadkill and they something's died and it's been scared then adrenaline goes through its body and it tints the whole flavor of the meat which is a lot of people's experience of venison unfortunately right but like you go to a high-end restaurant this time of year it's really really expensive and it's you know it's a it's a high quality product you know yeah okay well listen thanks very much for that Andy and I think we all you know the bottom line is is that you know we are our steaks end up in the in the in our fridges and our chicken ends up in the fridges and we don't really like to probably think of what it used to be before it became those cuts and deer are pretty and we're going up to Christmas but the reality is something is going to have to be done then is that is that the bottom line yeah and look personally for myself I I don't have a problem with a call and I think that once when you are speaking to even when in my own family they're license shooters and you know do I think if deer I think if deer were were allowed to have guns and hunt humans I think I might be more comfortable with it it's not something I like I'm I'm I'm do that again sorry if dears if it were if deer were able to carry guns and it was more of a level playing field you know rather than stalking them and all that stuff and I don't know I I certainly wouldn't want to be coming over my land and eliminate and sit in the deer carry carry carry carry our weapons But you're in your car, that's worse. I understand. I know what you mean. But that's a, that's something morally that we all have to, we all, we all have to sleep at night. Andy's correct. Sorry, Andy's correct. There, it is a high end quality meat. And if you're, if you're, if you know somebody locally who, who, who is a professional shooter, and who kills the meat, or kills the deer properly, and butchers properly and know what they're doing, you will not get anything better. And, and, and if you're buying directly off them, you know, obviously, you're saving yourself a huge amount of money. Okay, we have to leave to that, me, all the points well made. Have a lovely day. Thank you too. Right, we'll be back tomorrow morning at nine.