 Violation were classified as weaker rural areas, while in what was known as stronger rural areas proved more difficult to secure planning permission in. It was agreed by members yesterday that the two be amalgamated and designated weaker rural areas under the new county development plan. The changes now have to be agreed by the planning regulator but Councillor Liam Blaney is hopeful of a positive outcome. It should make it easier for local people to be able to get planning on the county. But look it has to go yet in front of the regulator and it has to go in front of the minister and there's no guarantee that it's going to stay there. But I'm glad with the outcome of the meeting and I'm glad the way that we've finished the meeting and that the executive was in the right place for us and that they did work with us to try and get the best outcome that we thought that we could get as possible out of it. The Dengali executive of Finafoul have written to party headquarters appealing for Senator Niall Blaney to be added to the ticket in the European Parliament elections. Senator Blaney narrowly missed out on selection with just 71 votes between him and late awfully TD Barrie Kayan who will contest the election for the Midlands and Northwest constituency. Andrew Leith has more. The Finafoul Donegal Corleadol counter has sent a letter on behalf of the executive and the membership appealing to the party headquarters to add Senator Niall Blaney to the Finafoul ticket in the Midlands Northwest European Parliament election. Senator Blaney received a total of 1,071 votes just behind Deputy Barrie Kayans 1,142 votes. It's believed the party is considering running a second candidate in the region. In its letter the Donegal executive says it is the view of the party in Donegal that the addition of Senator Blaney will ensure a strong performance in the European elections and afford Finafoul the opportunity to win two seats. Sligo Corleadol counter has also written to the Finafoul headquarters stating that they are backing Senator Blaney for Europe and encourage the senator's addition to the ticket. Guardi have conducted a checkpoint outside Duncan Ailey National School where serious safety concerns have repeatedly been raised. Most recently a video shows a number of motorists ignoring the red light signal at the crossing outside the school while a mother and her child waited there. The Donegal town roads policing unit yesterday carried out a speed check at the school and observed driver behaviour at the traffic lights. One driver was caught travelling at 69 km per hour in the 50 km per hour zone. They've been fined 160 euro and handed 3 penalty points. Guardi are appealing to drivers to slow down, be particularly careful when travelling in school areas, be prepared to stop and obey all traffic signals. Finally for weather, cold this morning with frost and icy stretches, it will be dry and calm with he as a sunshine for much of the day, highest temperatures of 4 or 5 degrees. That's all from Hine and Radio News for now, we'll be back with news again at 10 o'clock, until then, good morning. Hello, a very good morning to you. It is four minutes past nine on this Wednesday, the seventh of February. How are you all keeping? I hope you're doing very well indeed and you're very welcome along to the Nine Tall Noon Show. We hope to keep you informed and entertained over the next three hours. We want you involved in that conversation as well. 08-6-60-25000, that's the WhatsApp and text number. Or give us a call on 07-4-9-1-25000. If you want to dial us from outside the Republic, the dialing code is, I'm sure you would know, is 00353 and drop the first O. If you want to email its comments at highlandradio.com and of course you can watch the show daily here on your big screen, TV or your forestic, open the YouTube channel and type in Highland Radio Ireland and you'll see we're live and you can take us across your mobile devices on that app and on Facebook, Highland Hub, Highland Radio, News and Sports. So tons of way for you to interact, watch, listen, text, email and all that jazz. OK, let's have a look at some of the front pages this morning. We'll start with the Finn Valley Voice, the Finn Valley's main source of population are not at risk from suspected carcinogenic substances in their drinking water. Ireland's environmental agency is confirmed, but operations or sorry, but questions remain over water supplies in Letterback Award and Glenties are drawn to areas which marginally overlap the Finn Valley. The EPA reassurance came in a week when the European Court of Justice ruled that the concentration of certain chemicals and it goes on to the inside of the paper, which I just gave you access to at the moment. Irish Independent continue their study of access to GPs and the cost of GPs indeed. People in Dublin pay up to 50 or more for a GP appointment than those elsewhere. There's a significant gap in what patients pay for standard GP appointment depending on where they live. An Irish Independent nationwide survey of 275 registered GPs has shown now this is the same questionnaire they must have issued yesterday when they said that a lot of GPs aren't taking on new clients and that there are some quite long delays in accessing GPs in certain areas. Well, the study reveals that most expensive GP appointments was a practice in Dublin City Centre for €80 while the cheapest available at a practice in County Monaghan for just €30. On the less expensive end of the scale, one GP in Sligo sets consultation fees at €45, a GP in Kerry charges €40 and a GP in Donegal apparently charges €35. So the average range of GP prices is €35 to €65. So there's at least one GP in Donegal that charges €35 for a consultation, which is, especially if you can get it, it's one of the lowest in the country. It's just €5 above the lowest in the country. I'll say that's not the general experience, but anyway, apparently one GP, €35. Inside the Irish Times, former political politician turned GP news presenter Nigel Farage said his brand of right-wing politics is growing in Ireland as he praised the size of an anti-immigration march held in Dublin on Monday. Mr Farage, who was speaking on the Irish Times, to the Irish Times on the fringes of the Westminster launch yesterday, a former Prime Minister Liz Truss's new popular Conservative faction also criticised the Republic's political establishments over its handling of immigration. I've long been surprised that the Irish politics in Dublin didn't represent a lot of the conversations that I've heard travelling around the other parts of Ireland, he said, but I think that's now beginning to happen. Mr Farage, the founder of the UK's Independence Party, remains one of the most influential figures in British politics and also finished third in the I'm a Celebrity Reality television show in December. He spoke approvingly in London of the right-wing march held in Dublin on Bank Holiday for which about 300 Garde were deployed. I'm not sure those taking part would, a lot of those taking part would like to be classified as right-wing, but anyway, Nigel Farage praised the level of attendance there. Welcome to the Irish Daily Mail now and the EU has set out plans to slash net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% for 2040 under an ambitious target that will test political appetite for the fight against climate change ahead of the European elections. Now, it's a little bit like Groundhog Day, which wasn't that long ago. In six years' time, there's supposed to be a million electric cars on the road and every other house was supposed to be retrofitted. I'm not sure how much of that is happening. All people are getting electric and hybrid vehicles, but certainly not at the levels and there's not even to charge an infrastructure for the cars that are there at the moment. At the same time, there are serious question marks over retrofit proposals. We're seeing a massive pushback from the farming community across Europe if the powers that be go after them to try and address these targets. So where else is there left to turn? Building all the wind power, wave power is not going to reach these targets. These cuts have to come from somewhere, but my point being anyway is here we go. 90% by 2040, yet it seems that any of the targets they've set for even 2030, they're going to fall well short. So my point being it just sounds like the same story over again and nothing will come of it eventually. But anyway, I must read on because these are the things people are talking about. While the overall target was within the range recommended by the bloc's official climate science advisors, the EU executive weakened part of the recommendation concerning agriculture in response to weeks of protest by farmers angry about European green rules among other complaints. So we did see farmers driving into that. Kenny on the hard shoulder there the other day in France, what they're doing is they're putting silage and slurry into businesses in front of the Eiffel Tower piling bales of hay as I said slurry. The Spanish are doing the same there. It'll be interesting to see with the at the moment, softly, softly approach of the the Irish farmers. And that's not a criticism by the way. But obviously what the European mainland European farmers are doing is making a difference in terms of policy. Will we see the same sort of changes in policy here with the Irish farmers taking a slightly softer approach? If that makes sense. A previous draft of the EU target had said agriculture would need to cut non CO2 emissions by 30% by 2040 and 2015 levels to comply with the overall climate goal that was removed from the final draft. Okay. So I presume if they're going to make cuts they'll have to make them across Europe and some countries will see a greater impact than others will. That's the kind of point I was making. Into the star now in a GEA All Star who's expecting her first baby with her wife is urging more male intercante players to come out as gay. Geraldine Doherty, who's 37, said she believes male players are still fearful of coming out in the GEA community, which she says is very accepting. The former Meath Ladies Gaelic Football Association player is one of a few female selectors in the country after she took on the role with the men's team at her club, St. Alton's. She was previously a selector with the ladies team in Dunn-Shockland. I always found the GEA to be so equal and so inclusive. My sexuality was never an issue. The GEA was such a safe place and it was my safe place, said the former forward who won an All Island in 205. If I was ever struggling in myself I'd go to a football training that night and all my troubles would be gone away. She says more fellas, if they're gay should come out, but I suppose that's her story, but I suppose it's up to each individual, isn't it really what they decide to do? I suppose she's not saying otherwise but she's saying it is a welcoming place. We're going to get some sleet snow over the next couple of days. There was speculation back some time ago when it's come to pass the long range where the forecasts were pretty accurate. Reading from the Irish Daily Mirror here, cold weather is forecast to make a better comeback as Ireland's recent mild temperatures plummet and snow is coming. Materian says thermometers will drop as low as minus three with wintery flurries affecting many areas. Three separate status yellow snow and ice warnings were issued yesterday. Tonight's expected to bring rain and snow as possible while more is likely to fall on Thursday in Ulster. In the first status yellow snow and ice alert, which applies to Conect plus Cavern and Monhan, there are warnings about hazardous driving conditions and then of course that yellow was extended to Donegal for Thursday. So some potentially difficult driving conditions on Thursday into Friday there. And finally, parents Fibs Folly says, parents Fibs Folly children who are lied to by their parents are more likely to turn into fibbers. The study shows the link was found to be strongest in those told untruths to get them to change their behaviour. But even white lies were enough to turn a child into a fibber. The findings are from a study of five hundred and 64 children in Singapore. The doctor involved said the bad news is for parents is that sometimes honesty may be the best policy. I remember back from my youth when we lived in a more urban area, the parents used to tell their children that when the ice cream van was making its noise when the music was coming that meant that they had sold out of ice cream and that was a warning that there was no more ice cream left. So every time it come around you could hear the ding ding ding and say oh no they've run out of ice cream. What's the best Fib you've ever told your children or you were ever told as a child that you believed? I actually thought my parents now this wasn't alive but I thought my parents name was mom and dad. Genuinely did right up until I was certainly in double figures so I was asked what was their names at school and I said mom and dad which obviously went down well with the classroom bullies. But anyway, what fibs have you told? What fibs were you told? Let us know. 08620 25000 0866 08660 25000 or give us a call on 074 at 9 1 25000. It is the 9 until noon show and we'll be back with more on the program in just a couple of moments. Stay right where you are. 18 hours. That's how long O'Hara's takes to craft the distinctive flavour and texture of our 18 hour fermented sourdough bread. You see, at O'Hara's a fox word, we've been baking bread since 1951 so we know you can't hurry perfection. One bite and you're done. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. One bite and you'll agree that true taste takes time. Welcome to Boots. How can we help? Is it normal that it stings when I want to support my immune system? What a fungal nail infection and why can't I maintain my earwax buildup and my retreating hairline? Maybe my blood pressure is light, regular or super plus. Whatever your question, and get advice without needing an appointment. Boots, with you for life. See boots.ie for details. The new year is here, but don't forget about the old tax here. Log on to Revenue's My Account to check your end of your position and claim any tax credits you are entitled to. If you do a refund, you'll get it within days. If you owe us money, we'll work with you on payment options. My Account. If you're living a home renovation project and don't know where to start, Foy and Company are here to help. With free in-store interior design and paint color consultants all this month, our interior designers will turn your dreams into a reality. We're the largest docus of interior and exterior paint in the Northwest and we have free delivery on furniture purchased this month to Dunnegal, Dury and Tyrone. Foy and Company in Ballet Buffet, Letter Kenny and online OK, you're very welcome back to The 9 Till Noon Show and we're joined in a studio now by Ben Harkin, author of Time No Tide, Ireland and Climate Change. A very good morning to you and thank you so much for calling in. Good to see you. Good morning, Greg. Thanks for having me. Good. Talk to us a little bit about Time No Tide, Ireland and Climate Change. Well, Time No Tide was a book I wrote a couple of years ago. It was in 2020 about climate change about, I suppose, what's causing it in Ireland, what are the effects that we can expect and I suppose what we can do about it as well. I was looking at agriculture and electricity in all the important sectors. What is the reality of our power infrastructure here because I've done a little bit of reading on this and apparently our plans are very ambitious but the infrastructure really is not there to match those plans. You know what I mean? And we need maybe a more realistic, honest conversation with the public. What's your assessment of what's being proposed and how achievable that might be? Yeah, there's big ambitions so there is and I suppose there's nothing wrong with ambition but we need a plan to get there. I suppose infrastructure is the key word. At the minute we have a lack of infrastructure for our grid so we all know it's a lot of wind energy but I think around 15-20% of that wind energy last year went to waste because we couldn't actually move it around the country so we don't have that infrastructure to move it. We don't have the battery capacity even just to hold it for a couple hours so that's something that we need to get to grips with if we plan on using more renewables. As well we have the problem that renewables are bringing down our prices they're saving us I think 1.6 billion between gas and coal last year and then when the wind stops blowing we need fuels to keep us going and then we're using expensive coal generators to keep us running and that's sort of cancelling the effect of a lot of the wind especially during storm Asia during a lot of the nights electricity was basically free but to keep the power going during the day we had to use coal on that which was really really expensive and that's keeping bills high for people like you and me. Is there a storage option that we're simply not using is that technology there? Well the technology is there like in the UK they use it an awful lot to have these markets set up that just make sure that the grid stays stable and that just means that you don't have to turn on for example a gas generator to keep you going for an hour you can use batteries they won't keep you going for days at a time but they'll keep you over them sort of short periods I suppose I've been writing recently about how perhaps it's time to take a look at nuclear energy in the future because I suppose it is a lot cleaner and as well it provides that stable source of energy that gas and coal are currently giving us Yeah but we kind of ruled that out in the past do you think that's something we should revisit? Yeah so there were proposals to build a plant in the 70s the government proposed it and then it was there was a visceral nationwide reaction to it there was concerts and all that and we ended up actually banning it in 1999 so we did but we actually can use it today we import nuclear energy from the UK we're going to import it from France but I think that I suppose there are critics of nuclear energy and I think that what they say is right some of the nuclear plants are too big there would be a threat to Ireland's grid if they suddenly turned off but there's new technology that's coming online in the next decade or so small because they're built in mass assembly units so they are and then they're sort of put together they're a lot smaller and as well I mean there's just less investment the UK is investing massively in bringing these online roles Royce are making them and I think that it is something to consider it isn't something that will bring a short term benefit to people but I think it is one of them long term plans like we have to remember I suppose we decided not to go nuclear in the 70s we ended up building the money point power station and that station we're still running it today on coal and it's a really expensive part of the grid that's keeping people's bills high so these long term decisions I think maybe we just need to revisit it one of the arguments because it is one of the debates that comes in cycles and one of the arguments and it came from the Green Party is that given the size of Ireland and the cost and the investment and running it that we I mean there's always export options I presume but that it wouldn't drive up the price of electricity that was the argument that was made but your argument would be on a smaller scale nuclear plant does it mean that we're independent or would it actually mean that we'd be paying less for electricity because it all I mean there's no way a politician could get it over the line saying you'll have a sustained power but your electricity is going back or that argument doesn't work well I would say that you know what is pushing bills up at the minute is the fact that we're using fossil fuels and the Green Party is right the historic plants that are used are too big, they're too big for Ireland it wouldn't really work but that's why I think these smaller plants that are being built deserve consideration around the size or if not smaller than the gas plants that we use today there's a lot of people talk about Ireland being the Saudi Arabia of Europe because we're going to generate a really cheap way but like the biggest exporter of electricity in Europe is France and they generate 60% of their electricity from nuclear and that's because they know that you know every day they're going to have clean relatively cheap electricity made from nuclear and then if they make more from renewables that's great is it really clean though I mean what do you do with the waste? yeah well I would say there's arguably barrels and barrels and barrels of it off the north west coast here where it's some other country thought they were making a clean product and dumped it off our coast well like I would say it is I suppose another benefit of these small modular reactors is that they can actually run off nuclear waste from other countries so I suppose you know we have I suppose that their capability as well but I mean 10% of the world's electricity is run on nuclear it's used all over Europe the countries with the cheapest electricity in Europe and the Nordic countries all use nuclear and you know as well like nuclear I think I see sort of as the air travel of electricity it's a thing that we get worried about the most and that's why it's the safest you know for for every terawatt hour of coal you produce it results in around 28 deaths between air pollution and accidents and that for coal it's around 2.5 or for nuclear sorry it's around 2.5 deaths you know sorry for gas it's around 2.5 and for nuclear it's around 0.03 it's tiny for nuclear you know and that is because we do put on all these regulations because we are so safe but when it goes wrong it goes often goes wrong on a grand scale you know I don't know what the implications would be in terms of if there were a disaster you know it's like anything even when I preparing for a show I'm kind of preparing for something to go wrong you know because when everything goes right it's grand so what do you do when things go wrong you know I mean you could be talking about pollution which would devastate the fishing industry which is already on its knees you know if there was a problem in terms of farming exports even if something wasn't damaged you can forget about that we'd be really putting all our eggs into one basket especially when there seems to be a move towards solar offshore wind which would be more and wave electricity generation which would be more predictable than than turbines so whilst it's an interesting conversation if you were to sort of a four and against column the against column would seemingly have an awful lot more in it than the four common now column now you might well say that's not the case but you know it would be a big gamble for Ireland and what keeps this country ticking yeah well I suppose the fact that the reactors so these things can be sort of put together in pieces so you can start off really small but I do think that you know all series like there is no silver ball and I think for electricity I'm a massive fan of renewables you know again I wrote the book renewables is sort of the basis of it but you need to have a long term strategy and everything is going to come with trade-offs you know I think that the fossil fuels that we use today come with a lot of trade-offs I think we kind of assume they don't just because that's what we use you know we have massive air pollution problems we're paying massive costs not to mention I suppose the countries that we're buying them from as well I think that nuclear works well in Europe I think that the new technology that we have that we're going to have is going to work even better and you know maybe it won't work in Ireland but I'm saying that while we have this ban it's we can't really take that consideration seriously but where would you put it you know like where would you put it and my understanding is we just have access to it would have to be on the coast wouldn't it because you need massive amounts of water to cool and what have you what county is going to allow that you know that outwash as well that would be there not that it would be radioactive or harmful right but you know offshore fishermen would have a say in it coastal communities like where could you actually put it and I think that would be that is quite an important question in this debate it's a massive consideration in this debate and I suppose like as the government identified the point of Cairnsmore Point in the 70s has been the suitable choice for you know perhaps even where Money Point is located now you know we could locate it there I suppose there is going to be people that aren't going to want it maybe you can work with counties to say electricity bills if you have a close to or something like that there but we have to think seriously about these problems if we want to bring electricity prices down we want to keep them going down we were told that if we accept we were kind of told that if we accept wind farms in our localities that would drive the price of electricity down it didn't it doesn't it doesn't come here it doesn't because we've it doesn't Ben we've guaranteed we've guaranteed the wind energy producers we've guaranteed them a unit price equal to that of coal or gas generated electricity well that's only a small percentage of the one generator you can see plainly when you look at wholesale prices you know if you look at early prices but ours is some of the most expensive electricity in Europe no well it is we didn't use 1.6 billion worth of gas in coal last year because of wind so wind pushes out the expensive generators that is what happens wind is bringing down the price I know we're not feeling it but the reason the prices have gone up in recent years is because gas has gone up and that's the reason why is the price of green energy is linked to the price of gas generated energy that's indisputable I don't think it is Greg I think you're wrong on that they're all now renewables are bringing down prices they're bringing them down now and they're going to keep doing it you know it's important that I suppose we just establish now a clean and relatively cheap form of secure energy that we can use in the future to help and the argument is and I think even even Eamon Ryan stated it like you know we do need a backup we do need a backup whether it be coal or so why are the major nations like China why are they sort of going back to sort of coal a wonder now you don't have all the answers well maybe you do but you know they're starting to construct again and they'll construct an awful lot of coal coal generated electricity I wonder why they are not going down the nuclear route and well China actually is one of the major supporters of small module reactors they have a state company that is trying to build them they want nuclear I suppose they have a lot of coal in China and they're outside of the world's carbon taxes so it works pretty well for them but China is going nuclear as well they're going to need more energy density in their big cities isn't it they are planning looking at this technology and they want to build it and that's also why America is trying to this is not a personal question but I've asked it before of people coming in and talking different things are you paid to push for nuclear no I'm not this is just your own passion if anyone would like to pay me I can also change my position I'm not anti anything I'm learning the whole time in this course of this conversation I feel like I am learning I think it's just what is it limbism not in my backyard it's going to be a toffee but you believe that this is a question not a statement you believe that whatever direction we're going all the cars have to be back on the table and we have to have a grown-up conversation about the reality of it because I'm just thinking in an election cycle when is the right time to talk about nuclear you know what I mean well it's probably not election cycle it would probably require a new government with a new political capital that would want to do it but yeah Greg it's a grown-up conversation about putting all the cars on the table like I say there is no silver bullets renewables are going to bring down the price of electricity they are bringing it down today but we need to make sure that we have that stable backup we're using gas and coal and we just shouldn't assume that's what we should use in the future interesting Ben Ireland's energy resolution or revolution sorry making the case for nuclear is that like a paper you've written or is it accessible for those that want to sort of hear a different because the one thing that I am a big advocate of is even if I were to like think what you're saying is ridiculous like nuclear are you having a laugh you really need to sort of at least have a glance over your arguments before you formulate that up I'm truly going to be free thinking people doing our research you do have to sometimes expose yourself to something that you don't fully agree with so where can people read it if they wish people can get that there if they go on to my twitter Ben Harkin you can find links to my sub-stack there post all different articles about energy and you know there about nuclear but you're right Greg when I wrote my book in 2020 I didn't even mention nuclear I didn't consider it and like you say you have to suppose take in these opinions read the papers that you disagree with and that's hopefully we can come together to get some real answers to the problems we have in our grid for sure listen we're not going to get anywhere if we are polarised we have to debate discuss where we're going anyway this is not the most emotive of conversations but it's an interesting one Ben Harkin thank you very much indeed and you can check him out on X stroke twitter watch the show live now on youtube facebook and at highlandradio.com this week's show is brought to you by the Highland Hoolie in Saloo join us this September in a sunny Saloo for a week of live entertainment with Ireland's leading country artists dinner each evening and plenty of crack sun, saloo and you this September for booking information go to the outlet on highlandradio.com because we're getting older they feel we shouldn't have rights so stand up and be counted look after the older people and this country would flourish because our expectations our enthusiasm our knowledge, our experience what we've gone through can all be so reflected on young people and make them feel stronger learn more about ageism in Ireland at ihrec.ie from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission we're all human we're all equal learn from industry experts on the evening including in the final clearance of wants and man's wear there's great savings across top labels a great selection of footwear shirt, sand knitwear, half price selected suits and kids clothing and kids clothing also have price. There's dress shirts, two for 40 euro, and denim's, two for just 70 euro. Don't miss out on some great bargains in the final clearance now on at Watson Men's Wear Main Street, Deter Kenny, and online at WatsonMen'sWear.com. Confirmation we're also now in stock. Highland Radio are celebrating another birthday. We are inviting you to join us for our Highland Radio birthday bash on Tuesday the 19th of March in the Mount Eregal Hotel, joined by the one and only Margot, myself, David James, plus special guest, Brendan Quinn, Declan Ernie, and Patrick Feeney. This is a night not to be missed. Tickets on sale now. Why not treat yourself to one of our package deals, including dinner, bed and breakfast, plus your ticket to the show? For more information, visit the outlet at HighlandRadio.com or give us a call on 074-912-25000. We'll see you at the Highland Radio birthday bash. Radio, Donegal County Council, has launched a county-wide recruitment drive for retained firefighters across Donegal. Up to 45 new retained firefighters are being recruited to fill vacancies to bring the total number of retained firefighters to 147 across our 15 retained fire stations. Hugh Galleher is Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer with Donegal County Council. And he joins us on the programme now. Good morning to you. Good morning, Greg. And I suppose, first of all, thanks for the opportunity to get to discuss this important topic with your listeners. No, it's great. So I suppose it's great to have you in. What is a retained firefighter and what's the difference between our fire stations just so we get a full understanding of that? OK, so I suppose at present, Donegal has 147 firefighters at present, and this new recruitment drive will see an additional between 42 and 45 added to that. In terms of fire stations at the moment, currently we have 15 fire stations on the mainland. And we have two voluntary stations on the island with some of the stations, Letterkenny and Bonkranagh currently serving at 15 and they remain at 13 currently at nine. So I'd say the purpose of this recruitment drive is to bring the single pump stations, which is the 13 from nine to 12, and that will allow them then to have what's termed under the new agreement a week on and a flexible week. So the flexible week will be deemed to give them a period of time away from the relerter to take the responsibility of them while knowing that there is a crew available to have time, as I say, time off with their family, that you don't have to leave family functions, you don't have to leave your work, you don't have to, I suppose, get out of bed at night and things like that. So this is part of the resolution to the strikes that we saw last year? That's right, yeah. It's overall as part of the agreement that came in, the WRC agreement that came in as part of that. And one of the things was that there would be an additional three people added to all of the single pump stations. And then the station's worth more than 12 currently. The local authority does the business case into team and team that. All right, I mean, as part of the team that sort of runs the fire service, to have more personnel, it's good for you guys too. Oh, definitely, it's good for us. But I think the focus on it definitely has to be in terms of the routine fireman. Like at present, the routine fireman carries a pager and he's responsible for alert for 24-7, unless, as I say, he's signed off at work. Now, when you take it that, I mean, like as I say, I previously worked as a fireman myself. So when you take that, I mean, that interrupts, you know, it's part of your mind every single day. And you know, as I say, when you're at work, you're thinking about it, when you're at home, you're thinking about it when you're in bed, you know, it's there, it's on your headboard. And once that alert goes, I mean, we try to mobilize the brigade within five minutes, as I say. So to get a minimum of six, to get the first appliance out the door, within the five minutes is a massive, I suppose, task on people. Just pardon my ignorance. Why do we have the retained model? Like, why don't we have fire stations that are, you know, that there's people on shift all of the time? I think just in terms of Dunning-Gall, you know, I suppose the number of calls and the risks it's there, I say it's not, it doesn't lead to having a full-time service. As I say, I suppose there has to be a, like not to talk about the money side of it, but there has to be a value as well, like I say for the authority. Yeah, of course. I hate everything comes down to many elements, including the cost-benefit side of things. Right, so what, well, we'll start from the beginning then. You know, what are the requirements in terms of, you know, age, is there, is there a fitness? The biggest requirement, I think, for us that people need to look at is the distance from your station, I suppose, and like, you know, I suppose, on this recruitment drive, we've moved all stations to three kilometers. So you must live and work within three kilometers of your fire station. And I know that does sound restrictive, but I mean, like I say, as I mentioned before, but like we would try to get a brigade out of the door within five minutes. So it has to be reflective of that. So as I say, that's that side of it. Well, stay with that then, because I was gonna come to that, but we'll stay with that. So you have to live and work within three kilometers. That's right, yeah. And in any month, or if I don't know what the cycle is, you know, under the new agreement, when would that not apply to you, if you know what I mean? Is it a week on week off, two weeks on two? Well, as I say, the termination is week on, and then flexible week. So you'll have a week on call, and then you'll have a flexible week. And the flexible week takes away your owners on you to respond to your pager. So as I said, you know, you don't have to leave your work. You don't have to get out of your bed. You don't have to miss your family stuff. So it's the same. What if we need extra units then? But if you wish that you want to attend to all your calls, you have the flexible week. That's why it's called a flexible week. You have the flexibility to attend or not. So it's a week on, week off, week on, week flexible, okay. Right, so, and then in terms of, if you need time off family holiday, you're at a wedding. Well, as I say, I suppose the overall, the year's divided into 52 weeks. And then I'd say they're like all other employees. There's four weeks of annual leave. So again, that can be booked in terms of that. And then there is the flexibility. If it is your week on, there is the flexibility there to swap with somebody on the week opposite to maintain the crew of six. In terms of renumeration. Yeah. What is the terms? The big change this time is that there has been a move to change a lot of the monies earned to guaranteed monies. And I think that was primarily the issue that was, that surrounded it. Like it was only the retainer payment. I mean, if a starting fireman was earning around 8,500. Whereas now the guaranteed payment now has moved over, like it's almost 19,000, somebody 18,950 or something like that. So when you get to that there, but there's also then additional earning opportunities then on top of that. So that would be the basic possible earnings, the minimum possible earnings that you can earn. But then there's additional things like there's training, there's special duties, there's community fire safety and stuff like that, that can further increase the earnings that you have. All right, okay. So the minimum is just shy of 19, which is quite the advancement. And that doesn't, I suppose, include the changes that will come on to the new pay agreements as well. Yeah, okay. So that's incremental increases. Incremental increases coupled with the other things. So that's a significant bit of progress. Okay, so then in terms of, we know the rates, we know how close you have to be, we know the working conditions on off, sort of on flexi-off or flexi-week. So what age categories are we talking? Well, I think, you know, as I say, we have to look at all categories of age first. Being, having been a retained fireman, I suppose, you know, to join the brigade at a very young age, you know, when you haven't maybe, I suppose what they say now, loved your life is not maybe the best thing. But like for us, you know, as I say, we definitely, we take applications from every person. The retirement age is set at 55. It can be extended based on medicals up as far as 60. So as I say, we do accept and we look forward to receiving applications from all walks of life. I think for us as a service, you know, the way that we've changed even as a country, you know, we're much more flexible and, I suppose, movable than what we were previously. So I don't think we're going to get the person that's in at the young age. It's going to serve, you know, 35 to 40 years. I think we're going to have to be looking to target the person, you know, this 35, 40, 45, and be prepared that we're not going to get, you know, as long a span of life from them. But it's the person that's in the community that has settled, you know, as to say that that isn't going to be going on. Well, I suppose ideally them's the type of person that we would be looking to target. You know, with the changing conditions, it's not, you know, I don't think we're exploiting people who want to be very community minded or have a particular passion. Those people are there. And I think now, rightfully, they're going to be rewarded better for that. What type of person becomes a fireman, firewoman? I think, you know, with, and I thought about this when I applied for it myself in 2011, you know, what I would suit the fire service. And I think what I have learned, every single person has something as a different element to bring to the regate. And that's why everybody, that's why the crews function so well as the team. We're not all unique, we are all unique. There's nobody that, we're not all doing the same thing. We all bring our own expertise, our own specialist trait that we can bring and say, and it helps us in all different situations. So I would say out there, you know, anybody, you know, can be a firefighter. And I think that's important to note and that's where we want to get across. Anybody can be a firefighter. The level of training that's provided now has been brought up to a QQI level. So as I say, like, you know, you do training on basic firefighting skills, you do training on breathing apparatus, you do training on RTCs, you do specific training on chemical incidents, hazardous materials, and you do specific training on pumps. So once you have completed that, you know, as I say, you have the knowledge to be a firefighter. And then, you know, you work along with the people then that has the experience of saying that's where you gain that. And I mean, the fire service offers respondents, you mentioned road traffic collisions there, fires, you know, often, you know, very stressful situations. Do you need a certain type of personality? I don't think you ever get used to stuff, but do you need a certain... I think, you know, where I would come from in that, I suppose, you know, first of all, in terms of the incidents that we attend, we run a program called SISM, which is Critical Incident Stress Management, and that deals with, you know, to making sure, in terms of the aftermath side of it, to make sure that everybody is aware of what everybody has done, what they have went through, and as I say, you know, we respond as a crew and you recover as a crew, which is extremely important. Now in terms of the incidents that we attend, and again, I suppose, being able to speak about it and I have been at some incidents like that, you're trained and you have a specific level of training and you have a specific role to do, and you go there and you do that role, and when you have that role complete, everything is effectively done and dusted, so you're there, you're not on your own, you're as part of a crew, and when you're doing that, you don't get the opportunity to take on board, you know, what people may see, like, you know, if you see something on TV or something like that, where you get a chance to sit and look at it, you're not standing and looking, you're doing your job, you're doing your role and you're helping that person. And you're going to work mode and you say that the training is there. That's right, you're going to work mode. Is there any women in the fire service in Donegal at the moment? Not at present in Donegal, and you know, as I said, I thought about this, I suppose, on the way up the road and it's definitely something that we want to see, we want to see applications from females. We have had applications from females in the past and they have came and they have done their assessments and they have passed their assessments. And there seems to be, I suppose, the next element, you know, whether it's they have changed their mind or whatever it is, but like, I definitely would like to say, I have, in other counties, I have worked with female firefighters, I have trained with female firefighters and they are equally, you know, as good as the male side of it. And that's definitely something that we want to see in Donegal. I mean, obviously, you don't want to have a fear of heights. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. You have to be available there to, you have to be able there to pass the training. Yeah. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. They're all markers. Yeah, and, you know, that is part of it. I mean, your first step in your, and the recruitment side is to fill in your application form and once you submit that, then everybody's invited in to Lerner County Fire Station, which is the headquarters of the county, to do recruit assessments. And they're set out around six different skills and them skills basically determines, you know, well, are you suitable for the fire service? And one of them includes climbing the 13.5 ladder to the top of the tower. No bother. No bother, yeah. Yeah. And like, say, for instance, would you advise someone who's interested in applying to speak to their employer first? Well, because in terms of the employer, and I think that's a very important point that you bring up, you know, and I suppose from my own perspective, what I would be saying to them is definitely speak to your employer. You know, primarily most of our calls is evening times, nights and weekends. So the impact that it has on the daily work, work and life of a person is extremely limited. Surely there's periods of time, particularly in Gorse Fire, you know, where things can maybe get slightly more busier for a very short period of time. But I think, you know, and first of all, I suppose thanks to the employers that currently employ fighters from Donegal, and to say that, that is a massive thanks, I suppose, from the county. But in terms of existing, or new people that wants to apply, I mean, I would urge employers to consider not just the negative side that this person might be attending a call, you know, ever so often, but the training that they bring, the speciality that they bring to their person, you know, in terms of the training that's provided, I mean, the training that's provided by the fire service doesn't stop at the gate when you leave the station. Like, you know, you carry that with you and, as I say, in all walks of your life, including your employment. Yeah, a listener is colorblind. Does that preclude them? Well, indeed, yes. Okay, that's one of the things. Is there anything obvious beyond that? I suppose, you know, as I say, the assessments that we provide, you know, so they'll be, as you said, like the height side of it. Quite physical. There's confines based side of it. There's strengths test. There's fitness test. As I say, and then there's reading and a listening or written comprehension side of it as well, like, you know. Okay, and if anyone wants to apply in the first instance, well, you can go to the website, donagorcoco.ie, where there's an information document which goes through, I'd say, a lot of what we've been discussing, why join your local fire brigade. And the application process is open until February 19th. So not that far away. 12 noon on Monday, February 19th. So you're hoping that the likes of this conversation might just plant a fire, but you know what I mean, plants read. That's right. The likes of this conversation, as I say, you know, it was a fireman myself. So as I'm talking from experience, the job itself, as I say, it's more than just a job. It's a role. It's very rewarding. It's very well respected within your community. And I suppose, you know, I would like people to think like when they're looking at the advertisements that, you know, if it's not them that applies, then who's it going to be? Because it is extremely important to have a fire service in your community. From the recruitment side of it now, I suppose we've got a massive social media presence. We will be putting up posters and flyers, as I say, from all stations around the county. And then there's scheduled open nights for each station. And again, we urge anybody that has any level of interest and appliance to definitely come to them, to the open nights, they'll get a chance to meet the crew. They'll get a chance to see appliances, equipment, et cetera. And chat to people that are loving the role every single day. And I think that's extremely important for them. Thank you. Listen, it's been really interesting. Uninformative, of course. And we hope there's a great response. Hugh Gallagher, Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer. We've done a good kind of council. Thank you very much. Yeah, thanks so much. I'll be back with more shortly. I'm tired of how you feel. Despite diet and exercise, are you struggling to lose weight? Do you need help to achieve your weight loss goals? At Leta Kenny Medics Private Clinic, we are offering a free consultation to ascertain if you are suitable for treatment on our weight management program. All consultations are confidential and completed by an experienced doctor. We're open seven days per week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. to facilitate your needs. To book an appointment, go to letakennemedics.ie. Leta Kenny Medics. We listen if you want to talk. We all love to get the most out of things, like a sunny day while it lasts. In Ireland, it can be hard to get enough vitamin D from the sun, but did you know that 90% of us also don't get enough vitamin D from the food we eat? The great news is, Avonmore Super Milk is fortified with vitamin D, helping us to absorb calcium for healthy bones and supporting the immune system too. Avonmore Super Milk. The most super our milk can be. Figures based on FSAI 2023 Vitamin D study. Discover the ultimate experience in the Spad Orchids at the Hollywood Hotel Bundorn with our tranquil Japanese-themed garden, rejuvenated in massages, revitalizing facials, luxurious spa baths, pampering body treatments, not forgetting the outdoor hot tub and sauna in our secret garden. Visit on a luxury spa day, poppin' for some me time, or buy the perfect present with a gift voucher. Relax and let the Spad Orchids transport you to another world. For more, see hollywoodhotel.com. A public interest message from Donegal County Council. Overgrown hedges, shrubs, and trees along public roads can become a danger to people using or working on a public road. Donegal County Council is reminding landowners and occupiers of their obligations to trim hedges and trees beside the public road. This should be done before the bird nesting season commences in early March. Donegal County Council thanks the many members of the public who have already carried this work out. Donegal County Council, protecting our communities and environment. Highland Radio weather updates brought to you by Grant. Building a new home, choose Grant's a triple-plus rated air-ona air-to-water heat pump and new flex underfloor heating. Visit grant.ie. OK, the weather forecast. Wednesday morning will be cold with frost and icy stretches, dry and calm with high hazy sunshine for much of the day, cold with highest temperatures of just four to five degrees with light northwest breezes, frost and ice setting in for a time tonight under clear skies, temperatures minus three to zero degrees. So please be careful travelling tomorrow morning. And there is a yellow, status yellow snow, ice warning for Donegal, Donegal, Materan says a band of rain will turn increasingly to sleet and snow on Thursday. Ice non-treated services, hazardous driving conditions, travel disruption, poor disability. That's valid from 11 a.m. Thursday to 8 p.m. Thursday. And on Friday, I thought quite interesting, there's no warning for Donegal, but they've issued a weather warning for Northern Ireland. Yellow snow warning for Antrim, Armaddan, for Manaturon and Derry. How will you avoid that in Donegal? Well, I don't know. But anyway, it's quite interesting just to see the six counties in inverted commas getting their own separate Materan weather warning. But for us, Thursday and Friday could be quite tricky for a short while. Anyway, that's what we're being told. We were also going to be told last weekend was calm. It wasn't calm, it was breezy. Right, some of your comments as we head towards the news at 10, there isn't enough resources, reserves of battery minerals in the world to back up intermittent wind energy. Mining for wind and batteries as well as mining for fossil fuels. It's all digging. We have to change the way we live to slow down climate change, but people don't want to do that. But listen, this is not a counter-argument, but digging and mining is not necessarily the big problem for the environment. It's the emissions, isn't it? And over the course of the lifetime of a car, studies have found just the lifetime of a car. It's not too long before it is better for the environment than a petrol-diesel car, even given the manufacturing of batteries and what have you. I read a study to that regard. Thanks, Greg. Wind has not put down the price of electricity. As for building turbines on peat and donagore, what nonsense? In terms of carbon release in face of climate change, that does seem to be a strange practice. What planet is this going on? Re-energy prices? We have the highest electricity prices in Europe, coupled to gas prices. These prices are always going to be higher. Irish consumers ripped off prices were cheaper before we allowed competition in electricity supply. It doesn't stack up, they say. There is no climate crisis, says a listener. It's proven by real climate experts, not funded by corrupt organisations like the UN, US, EU, WEF, CFR, et cetera, who bribe fell scientists to provide the results they want to use a controlled mechanism to restrict our freedoms, says a listener. I don't see how it restricts our freedoms, but anyway, that's your view, I think, really, if you have a particular point of view, you can find an expert to which you can align those views. Greg, biggest lie I was told when I was younger was that Ireland is the land of saints and scholars. Didn't take long to discover it was a country full of snakes and crawlers, OK? Greg, my siblings have a lot to answer for growing up as a Connolly. I was told Billy Connolly was my uncle and also would often be challenged to beat my previous time to get a bucket of coal in. OK, I like that. Any more like that? What was the fibs or lies? We'll stick with fibs. What were the fibs you were told as a young person by siblings or parents that you actually believed for quite some time? This person's name was Connolly and they were told Billy Connolly was my uncle. All right, OK, brilliant. And on it goes, we have a few more of those, actually, some quite funny ones coming in. So keep them coming in. What was the fib that you believed as a child that you can sort of laugh at now, looking back? Back with more after the news and obituary notices. This week's show is brought to you by the Highland Hoolie in Saloo. Join us this September in the sunny Saloo for a week of live entertainment with Ireland's leading country artist. Dinner each evening and plenty of crack. Sun, Saloo and you this September. For booking information, go to the outlet on highlandradial.com. The first referendum is about how our constitution recognizes families and the second proposes to replace existing wording with new text to provide recognition for care within families. A booklet explaining the two amendments will be delivered to homes across Ireland or see electoralcommission.ie forward slash referendums. Your vote is your voice. So be a voter on March 8th. From on Commission Thauakon, Ireland's independent electoral commission. Welcome to Boots. How can we help? Is it normal that it stings when I want to support my immune system? What a fungal nail infection. And why can't I maintain my earwax build-up and my... My retreat and hairline. Maybe my blood pressure's... Light, regular or super plus. Whatever your question, ask a pharmacist first and get advice without needing an appointment. Boots, with you for life. See Boots.ie for details. The way you eat a cream egg says everything about you. If you eat yours by cracking it open like an egg, that means you're a bit punchy. You don't whisper in the cinema, you've been known to cut your own fringe and you never get jet lag. Search Creme Egg Test to find out who you really are. Cadbury Creme Egg, how do you eat yours? Do you need a UK address? Save hundreds of euros on custom charges shopping online with Space Hub Dairy. We provide a full, virtual address mailbox service for all your business and personal use. Save hundreds, possibly thousands, on custom charges with Space Hub Dairy. Call 04871878077 or online spacehubdairy.com for more details. Live on air, online and on the Highland Radio app. This is Highland Radio News. Good morning, I'm Akilah Clark with the news at 10 o'clock. The DUP leader says Mary Lou MacDonald must have the longest arms on the island if she thinks the United Ireland is within touching distance. The Sinn Fein leader last week claimed Irish unity is now close as she celebrated her party assuming the role of Stormont First Minister for the first time. But DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson says that assertion is totally wrong. Well, unless Mary Lou MacDonald has the longest arms on this island, I don't think she's anywhere close to touching distance. As for the 10 years loop, and Jerry Adams once predicted that there would be a United Ireland by 2016, we're almost 10 years on from that and we're nowhere near a United Ireland. The Atlantic Technological University is to receive 20 million euro to enhance research and innovation opportunities. It's part of an 84 million euro allocation announced today by further and higher education minister, Simon Harris. The programme will establish, equip and staff regional research and innovation offices within to use to enable deepened engagement with local and regional business, industry and enterprise stakeholders. Changes to the county development plan agreed yesterday may make it easier to obtain planning permission in rural areas of Donegal. Under the current plan, areas which saw a decline in population were classified as weaker rural areas, while in what was known as stronger rural areas proved more difficult to secure planning permission in. It was agreed by members yesterday that the two be amalgamated and designated weaker rural areas under the new county development plan. The changes now have to be agreed by the planning regulator, but Councillor Liam Blaney is hopeful of a positive outcome. It should make it easier for local people to be able to get planning on the county. But look, it has to go yet in front of the regulator and it has to go in front of the minister and there's no guarantee that it's going to stay there. But I'm glad with the outcome of the meeting, I'm glad the way that we've finished the meeting and that the executive was in the right place for us and that they did work with us to try and get the best outcome that we thought that we could get possible out of it. The Tonnesjust says those responsible for the recent arson attacks around the country will be pursued and tracked down by Garde. Mihael Martin says there's no escape from punishment as a building rumoured to be used for asylum seekers was set alight in Dublin on Sunday. He says these types of attacks go against the grain of our democracy and anyone involved will be brought to justice. We will pursue those who are doing this and we don't deal with, as political leaders, we don't deal with the operational issues in terms of investigations and so on, but I've no doubt that the Garde are doing everything they possibly can to track the people who are committing these crimes. The Deningholic executive, Alffina Foll, has written to party headquarters appealing for Senator Nia Blaney to be added to the ticket in the European Parliament elections. Senator Blaney narrowly missed out on selection with just 71 votes between him and Leish-Affli T.D. Barrick-Keyen, who will contest the election for the Midlands at Northwest Constituency. Andrew Leith reports. The FinaFall Deningholic Corleadol counter has sent a letter on behalf of the executive and the membership appealing to the party headquarters to add Senator Nia Blaney to the FinaFall ticket in the Midlands Northwest European Parliament election. Senator Blaney received a total of 1,071 votes just behind Deputy Barry Cowan's 1,142 votes. It's believed the party is considering running a second candidate in the region. In its letter, the Deningholic executive says it is the view of the party in Deninghol that the addition of Senator Blaney will ensure a strong performance in the European elections and afford FinaFall the opportunity to win two seats. Sligo Corleadol counter has also written to the FinaFall headquarters, stating that they are backing Senator Blaney for Europe and encourage the senator's addition to the tickets. Guardi have conducted a checkpoint outside Duncan Ailey National School where serious safety concerns have repeatedly been raised. Most recently, a video shows a number of motorists ignoring the red light signal at the crossing outside the school, while a mother and her child waited to cross. The Deningholic townroads policing unit yesterday carried out a speed check at the school and observed driver behaviour at the traffic lights. One driver was caught travelling at 69 kilometres per hour in the 50-kilometre-per-hour zone. And finally, ESB is working to restore power in the Moville area. Over 100 customers are affected by a power outage. Its expected power will be restored by half-past two this afternoon. Whether I call this morning with frost and icy stretches, it will be dry and calm, with hazy sunshine for much of the day, highest temperatures of four or five degrees. That's all from Highland Radio. News for now will be back with an update again at 11 o'clock. Until then, good morning. The UBT renews its four this Wednesday morning, February the 7th. The death has taken place of Joseph Wilkie, West Palm Beach, Florida, and formerly from Dremor, Lettercanny. Joseph's remains will be reposing at the family home in Dremor today, which is private to immediate family-only pleas. Work tomorrow from 12 noon until rosary at 9 o'clock, family time after the rosary, and on the morning of the funeral please. Funeral from there on Friday morning at quarter past 10, going to St. John's Cathedral, Lettercanny, for 11 o'clock, recreation mass, which can be viewed on ChurchServices.tv. Interment afterwards in the family plot in Newlack Cemetery. Family flowers only please, donations in lieu of flowers if desired, to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust to curb any family member. The death has occurred of Fonsey Crawford, 235 St. John's Terrace Refaux, Kainty Dunnegall. Fonsey will be reposing at Hislite Residence all day today, family time from 11 o'clock to 10 o'clock. Funeral leaving Hislite Residence tomorrow afternoon at 222, going to St. John's Church Refaux for two o'clock recreation mass with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. The funeral mass can be viewed online via the parish webcam. Family flowers only please, donations in lieu if desired, to Cancer Care West, care of any family member or Kelly's funeral directors. The death has taken place of Michael McGonagall, Bereveal, Skaeg Road Dairy and formerly Ogara Villas Movil. Michael's remains are reposing at the home of his sister, Mary Daugherty, 25 Culleen Park, Calmore Dairy. Pune from there to more morning at 10 o'clock, for 11 o'clock, recreation mass, in St Pius, the 10th Church Movil, followed by burial in Bali, Brackery of Yard. Family time please, from 11 o'clock to 11 o'clock and on the morning of the funeral. Funeral mass can be viewed live on movilbharish.com. The death has occurred of Mark Quinn, a guest house and Refaux County, Donegal. Mark will be reposing at Kelly's Funeral Home, Oakfield, Refaux, today from two o'clock to nine o'clock, rosary at nine o'clock tonight. Funeral Cartage will be leaving Kelly's funeral home to more morning at half past 10, for 11 o'clock, recreation mass, followed by interment in the adjoining cemetery. The funeral mass can be viewed online via the parish webcam. The death has taken place of Dr William Macaulay, Roblin, Manitoba, Canada, formerly Rosebank Movil. A celebration of Billy's life will take place on the return of his ashes to Ireland. The death has taken place of Bernie Clinton, 16, Bracken Gates-Straban and Clagan Port Salon-Fanid, reposing at her home in Clagan Port Salon-Fanid, house private to family and close friends. Funeral mass to more morning at 11 o'clock in St Columbus Church Mass Mind Fanid, burial afterwards in Mass Mind Cemetery. Funeral mass can be viewed on Patrick Sweeney Funeral Director's Facebook page. Family flowers only, donations if desired to arthritis Ireland, care of any family member. The death has occurred of John Alexander, the Park Balna Corp, Crossroads Killie Gordon, remains reposing at his late residence. Funeral leaving from his late residence to more morning at half past 10 for recreation mass in St Patrick's Church Crossroads Killie Gordon at 11 o'clock, interment afterwards in the adjoining church yard. The recreation mass can be viewed live via the parish webcam. Family time from 10 o'clock until 11 o'clock and on the morning of the funeral. The death has occurred of Jimmy O'Donnell, Old Golf Course Road, Donegal Tine and formerly of Crahi Dunlow. Funeral mass this morning at 11 o'clock at St Patrick's Church Donegal Tine with burial afterwards in Clark Churchyard, house private place. The funeral mass will be live streamed on the parish webcam. And the death has taken place of Peg Duggan, Lower Door Bombayg. Funeral mass this morning at 11 o'clock at St Mary's Church Derry Bayg interment afterwards in Mahregalne Cemetery. The funeral mass can be viewed live on Kearn Roti Funeral Director's Facebook page. For family information and more details regarding wigs and funerals, please go to hinderedio.com. Oh, Amy, my little one. I ask myself a million questions every day. When will you give me your first smile? How much sleep do you need? How can I help you and your big brother to get along? At the HSE's MyChild.ie and in the free MyChild books, you'll find the answers you need from doctors, midwives, public health nurses, dietitians and lots of other experts. MyChild.ie, expert advice for every step of pregnancy, baby and toddler health from the HSE. And you're very welcome back to the 9 till noon to show how you're keeping this morning. It's good to have you on board and hopefully you're with us for the next couple of hours. We've got plenty to keep you informed and entertained 08 660 25000. Keep your calls and comments coming into us. Your calls to 07 491 25000. Right, I've been asked to mention that there is a pop-up community cafe which is taking place in the Electric Henry Baptist Church on the Port Road on Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It's a warm space, a warm welcome with free tea, coffee, pre-loved winter coats available as well. So if you want to go to the pop-up community cafe, it's in the Electric Henry Baptist Church Port Road on Friday the 9th of February between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. And as I say, it's a warm and welcome environment for free tea, coffee scones and hot soup. And they've got a quantity of winter coats for all ages free to whoever might need one. Okay, so. Right, a caller says our fire officers have been a great contribution to Donegal in recent years, attending a number of road incidents of which there have been many in Donegal as far as, and of course, the Creasley explosion indeed. They contribute so much indeed. And for some, it's gonna be a really exciting opportunity to be a part of that and to be able to contribute in that way to your local community. A caller says we can't build safe houses in Ireland. Why would we continents building a nuclear station? Incredible, I get your point and your reference. 60s global warning, 70s impending, I say 80s acid rain, 90s ozone layer. The 90s onwards, climate change with a twist, CO2. It took off this time. The world is dangerously low on carbon. There's different types of carbon. I've taken your point and I've read up on that, but I don't want to get into it because it's not for me. Everyone has to sort of take individual responsibility, but some would say you can't really because you are compelled into doing stuff. Right, okay. Now, Highland Radio in conjunction with the HSC are continuing to be delighted to be part of the Dementia Understand Together campaign. There are six simple actions we can take to support someone with dementia. And I'll give you some examples. See the person and not the dementia. Talk about dementia, stay in touch. Ask how you can help someone. Support the person to keep up hobbies and interests, which is vitally important, to make sure your service or space is easy to use. Now, for more information and support, you can free phone 1-800-341-341 or visit understandtogether.ie. And here's a little bit more information for you. We all understand the importance of social interaction, being with each other, connecting and sharing experiences. But did you know social interaction plays a key role in helping people who are living with dementia? It's healthy, like exercise for the brain. And it supports well-being, which has positive benefits for the person. Staying socially engaged with friends and family has also been shown to boost self-esteem. A dementia-inclusive community enables people who are living with dementia to do just that, to live. Whether that's staying connected to or joining a club, taking up a hobby or visiting their local shop. Being with each other to talk and share experiences nurtures the soul and gives a sense of belonging. You can be that connection. Display the National Dementia Inclusive Community Symbol in your organization, community group or club. By displaying the symbol, you are helping to build dementia-inclusive communities and showing that people with dementia and their loved ones are supported in your area. For free training and more information, visit understandtogether.ie or call the National Helpline, provided by the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland on free phone, 1-800-341-341, from the HSC. The county's number one talk show, the 9 till noon show on Highland Radio. It's time for Vision Ireland Bingo on Highland Radio. It's Wednesday, the 7th of February. You're playing on the blue sheet. The reference number is S8. It's game number six. The numbers are 31, 73, 58, 9, 41, 64, 68, 1, 67, and finally, 62. Phone your claim to 9104833 before 8 tonight. Leaving your name, contact number and the name of the shop where you purchased your product. The number is 21, 3, 2, 1, 60, 68, 1, 67, and finally, 62. Phone your claim to 9104833 before 8 tonight. Leaving 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 Vision Ireland bingo information at HighlandsRidio.com Do you hear that? That's the sound of a butcher cutting through his castles. A tech company developing their sustainability plan. And a brewery getting production flowing nicely. It's all in a day's work for small businesses all across Ireland. So whatever your business, your local enterprise office is here to help you save time, money and energy. To see how, visit allnetayswork.ie Brought to you by your local enterprise office and supported by Enterprise Ireland and the local authorities. An initiative of the Government of Ireland. Nutrious XL Yo with lamb and Nutrious Yo with lamb crunch are formulated to ensure a vigorous lamb and excellent milk yield. Available for lambing season offer, 25 kg bags, buy 10, get one free. And 15 euro off per tonne in bulk. Available at your local homeland store. Visit Nutrious.ie for full nutritional information. Keep out the cold, cold, cold! And ring Fleming for their full range of garage doors, Agri doors, insulated doors, milking parlour doors. Fleming, 91, 48, 234. This week's show is brought to you by the Highland Hoolie & Saloo. Join us this September in the sunny Saloo for a week of live entertainment with Ireland's leading country artist. Dinner each evening and plenty of crack. Sun, Saloo and you this September. For booking information, go to the outlet on HighlandRadio.com OK, you're very welcome back to the programme. Now, the independent information campaign for the two March 8th referendums recently launched with a commitment from Ireland's Independent Electoral Commission on Commission Taihan that people can depend on the Electoral Commission for independent, clear and accessible information. The chair of the commission is Ms. Justice Marie Baker and Ms. Justice joins us on the line now. Thank you very much for your time today. Good morning and thank you very much for having me on, Greg. No, it's good to have you on. OK, so what is your role as you see it in the lead up to these referendum? My role is as chair of the Commission Taihan, the Electoral Commission and specifically with regard to referendums to explain the subject matter of the referendum. That's what the Act says. So it's for me to inform in an impartial and objective and non-political way what the subject matter of the referendum is, what it means and what it will mean if people vote yes or what it will mean if people vote no. So I'm engaged and I'm delighted to be on the radio because I'm engaged in this information campaign and we want to spread it as far as possible. And thank you very much for having me on. No, it's good to have you on. Is there a challenge in this day and age to sort of establish and prove your impartiality? It's a more complicated job that you have now, I think, that might have been 10 or 15 years ago. Well, maybe you see it as different. Well, there was always a referendum commission. They were established at Huck. So every time there was a referendum, each took over chairing a body that assessed the meaning of the referendum and he or she helped in the preparation of documents and the leaflet that went out to everybody and did some radio interviews like I'm doing now. There's a lot of debate around this referendum and of course there will be debate around what I say and there'll be debate around what the commission says on its website and what we say on the book list. So far, I haven't heard anybody say that we're not impartial and I hope that we are impartial and objective. But the debate then and the opinions that are expressed, well, that's fine, let people debate. It's good to see us. Before we talk about what we're actually being asked to decide on, some of the concern seems to be that we vote on one thing and then down the line it's challenged or interpreted or, you know, it ends up being something different than what we actually voted on. I mean, can you see that as being a valid point? Is that unavoidable? You know a lot of the arguments that have been happening. It's really good question but it has a very long answer. Let me just explain first what constitutions do. They set out in general terms the principles behind which legislation must be tested and behind and which informs what the legislation should contain. So if there are issues, sometimes they go to court but the court doesn't just look into its own heart and say, oh, I think this is what it means. It's not for the court to say, oh, this is what can make us popular. This is what people generally think. Language and the constitution is in terms of in accordance with the whole jurisprudence of how we interpret particular words, where the particular word is found in the constitution, what meaning was found for those words in the past and what the court thinks. It means in the context in which it's found. So essentially this particular referendum, these two referendums are proposing changes to Article 41. Article 41 is part of the fundamental rights in the Irish constitution. They form the foundation for those rights. In other words, the starting point to understand them. They're an expression of principle and policy and they are also the ground against which legislation is tested. But the constitution is stated in such general terms that unless there's legislation, the generality remains. And it really is for the Iraqis to take a particular constitutional provision and make legislation to deal with the requirements that that particular constitution requires. Look what happened in the O'Marrow case. I'm sure you came across this in the last week or two. Mr. O'Marrow was living long term with his partner. They had three children. She died of COVID, in fact, tragically. And he applied for widower's pension and he was told he couldn't get widower's pension because they weren't married. And he brought a constitutional challenge. He said, A, I am a family in the constitution. And the court said no. And this is where this referendum can be easily explained. The court said that the family in the constitution, which has special recognition as a unit in society, is the family founded on marriage. And the court said it's not for us to say that Irish people want it one way or the other. It's for us to interpret what it means in the constitution. But does that not seem to be the same time? Five of the seven judges. I beg your pardon. Does that not, though, prove at the same time there is no need for a referendum? Because the right outcome was arrived at. It was challenged and it was found in Mr. Obama's favor. He laughed, remember, he laughed on his argument that he was a constitutional family. He won because the court held that it was an unequal application of social welfare payments. Because oddly enough, the widower's pension was payable to somebody who was divorced. So the court said there's an irrationality and inequality here and he's entitled to be paid. But you could say that he won his case and why did we have this referendum? The government decided to have the referendum. The Iraqis passed the legislation that we would have a referendum. The Omara case was delivered three days, two days before the act was passed in the Iraqis. And you could say that Mr. Omara would, anybody like Mr. Omara would win. Remember, to win an equality argument under the constitution, you have to have a comparison. You have to say, I'm the same as that person and my rights were not respected in the same way. Mr. Omara was able to do that. Not everybody wins an equality argument. They're harder to win than you think. It was the case last year where somebody didn't win one. So in terms of... I'm not saying whether the referendum... Oh, I'm really sorry. A radio interview is difficult on the phone because I can't see you. And I'll tell you another problem we have. There is a minor delay on the line, so it might appear like I'm cutting across you. That really is not my intention. So I'm going to take longer... Well, I might cut across you too. Well, we won't need a referendum to sort that out. We could do it amongst ourselves. Yes, the white-colored ballot paper. Can you talk to us about that? The white-colored ballot paper is this, the family referendum. I'll just say what it says. As I've just explained to you, the family in the constitution now, the family unit, which is entitled to recognition as a special unit of society, is the unit based on marriage. It's proposed to add to that that the state will recognize a family unit founded on other durable relationships without defining durable relationships but other durable relationships. It does, however, provide that the current recognition of marriage as an institution which requires special care will remain in place. So it's not displacing marriage. It's changing the concept of the family and allowing the courts and the Iraqis, when it's passing legislation, to pass legislation or to test legislation in the light of the meaning of the family as including other durable relationships and not just marriage. So that's what that's proposing to do. That's the white-colored paper and you can vote tall or nail to that. And if you vote no, nothing changes. If you vote yes, the meaning of the constitutional family, as I'm calling it, will be extended beyond the marital family. And, Ms. Justice, how do we... Now, it sounds very straightforward. It is, but how... But it's not. Of course it isn't. And maybe just for your opinion or not, or if this is not really in your role, the problem is that I, in deciding which way to vote, I feel like I really don't know sometimes what I'm voting on because I've heard arguments that I should vote no because to maintain the status quo, if I vote yes, we could... You know, that's a bit of an announcement argument I think about throuples and all that kind of stuff where a Christmas card could define a durable couple. Like, I want to vote on what I see as quite simple wording, but I'm struggling hypothetically. I'm struggling which way to vote, because really the arguments about what could happen... Well, what could happen... I'll do my best to explain this without giving you an opinion. What could happen will depend on how the Iraqis, first of all, understands this and what legislation has passed. And then, if the legislation is tested, what the courts say it means. Let me just tell you what contracts for durable relationships without telling you what it will inevitably mean in legislation. The word is not found already in the Constitution, so it's a new expression in the Constitution, and it's not defined. It's not a new expression in our law, so it exists in European law, and we have words a bit like us in the cohabitation legislation. So the cohabitation legislation recognizes that people who live together, who cohabit now, so who live together in an intimate relationship, but it's two people in an intimate relationship, and where the relationship is committed and where the relationship is intended to endure, that they are entitled to certain rights as cohabitants. So it may be that the Iraqis would look at that and say, well, that's the kind of thing we want to do now. We want to recognize durable relationships. We want to recognize the relationships of that type. I don't know where it will go. I agree with you that the argument around troubles is really at the margins, and really this case isn't this particular constitutional referendum. It's about a lot of things. It's about what durable relationships will be understood to mean when legislation happens. We do know, for example, that the Constitution prohibits polygamy. The Constitution defines marriage as a relationship between two people irrespective of their sex. The cohabiting legislation recognizes cohabitation of two people. So maybe the Iraqis will say something else, but we know what has happened to date, and people can take their own view of what's likely to happen in the future. I think the thruple argument is a bit of a smoke screen. Really what people are saying is that I could claim to have three wives spread across the continent. You can't, actually. That's the argument, you understand. But then I could challenge the Constitution because it could be seen as contradictory when the changes might benefit me in bringing my three wives here. It's very hard to challenge the Constitution, really. The courts can't change the Constitution. The courts will look at the Constitution in this context. And given that marriage is defined in the Constitution, and we went to the trouble of passing a referendum a few years ago to allow same-sex couples to marry, but it was two people. It's likely that everybody will look at that when they're looking at durable relationships, and it's likely that the Iraqis will. But I can't tell you that. I'm telling you they are the legal context within which this happens. But I can tell you that there was a case of a person who claimed to have two wives in Ireland, and the court said you can't have two wives in Ireland. You can only have one. The first wife is your wife. The second wife, you can't lawfully marry. And how would that work with cohabiting, sorry? No, cohabiting couples under the act are two people. I'm not challenging. My questions are actually to help me understand the confines of what we're voting on, which is really, I think, quite interesting, because there's a lot of different noise out there. OK, the care amendment, Ms Justice. Right, the care amendment. I think that the noise, to be frank, I think it's good that people have these debates and let people talk to one another about what they mean about relationships and what they mean about polygamy and open relationships and all of that. Let people talk about it. I certainly have heard some interesting debates, and I'm glad to hear them. I'm not expressing my view, but I'm glad to hear them because we need to think this through. And what our constitution should say. Now, go to the care amendment. This is, in a way, easier because what it proposes is to entirely delete two parts of the constitution. The present provision, which is called the women in the home provision, says that the state recognizes that by the work that women do at home, they support the common good and society. And goes on then to say that the state will endeavor to ensure that mothers, not women, but mothers, shall not be obliged to go out to work to the detriment of their duties in the home. That's the word in the constitution. That doesn't mean that women must stay at home. It doesn't mean women's places in the home. It doesn't mean women have no place in the workforce. And in fact, it absolutely doesn't mean that because later in the Constitution, in Article 45, the constitution actually recognizes that men and women are economic actors. In other words, they perform part of the economy. And the state pledges to ensure that the strength and health of workers, men and women, will not be abused. So this proposal is to entirely delete that reference to care by women in the home and care by mothers outside, care by mothers at home. And to replace it with a broader definition of who's giving the care, as it were. And it's proposed that the state will recognize that the provision of care by members of a family to one another by reason of their love for one another is an essential support for the common good and an essential structure in society and that the state will strive to support that provision. So it's, as it were, gender-neutral. It's not mothers and women. It's any member of a family that provides care to one another. And the proposal there would remove the existence of 41.2.1 and 41.2.2 and replace it with a brand-new provision, which in fact would be called 42B. The location of this debate around the location of it, I have nothing to add about that. That's just where it's proposed to be put. OK, that's a more interesting one too. I'll find it easier. No, no, it's very informative because I mean, like I would have been amongst many people out there that was a sole parent for children and often felt like, you know, it wasn't recognized or it was special in a particular way or whatever. So everyone's got loads of different views on that. OK, the important thing is that we actually have debates. I think sometimes, and this is just a general point, sometimes we could be so set in our views that we don't expose ourselves to other people's opinions. And I think you've highlighted the importance of hosting debates, having debates, exchanging views and coming up with your own opinion and not just sort of taking the opinion of what you see as a trusted source, be that me or anyone out there for that matter. It's really important that people genuinely make up their own minds. I think that's true. And you make up your mind best if you know the facts and if you know what it says. So you make up your mind best by being clear. And for example, to say that if we remove the reference to women in the home, there'd be no more mention of women in the Constitution. Actually, that's not the case. There is a reference in Article 45. But if you look at the Irish text, which is the main text, it's the predominant text, it says dinner everywhere, rather than man. So it's important that people read what it says, read what's proposed, and then listen to the debate. I'm finding the debate engaging, and I think you are too. For sure. Ms. Justice Marie Baker, thank you so much for your time on what is a complex issue, but laid it out really well for us. And I do appreciate it. Have a wonderful day. Oh, well, I'll have a working day. Thank you. Be wonderful, Marie. Ms. Justice, thank you. Work it wonderfully. Take care of yourself. Thank you very much indeed. That is Ms. Justice Marie Baker, Chair of On Commission Toychan. And that was to talk about what is to change, not to debate one way or other within it. We will have that. We'll host that. So don't worry about that. I just really think it's critical that it is really well informed because we make some big decisions as people. How does the durable relationship have to have a timeline? For example, how long must you cohabitate? Well, that is a matter for a post referendum to be determined. I mean, at the moment, you know, when is a... There are, I think, this is not my area of expertise, and I'm not sure if it will be used. There are ways of determining a cohabitant couple, a civil partnership and all that kind of stuff. How do you prove an intimate relationship? Well, again, that's already... There are already scenarios in terms of declarations that you have to make in certain areas as well. So that's nothing new there either. In partial, don't make me laugh. It's all about what way the government want you to vote, all disguised by a plethora of clever woke phrases and extreme examples to win their argument. But there are extreme examples everywhere, isn't there? The legal people are an ever-ending gravy train, no matter what, in my opinion. Challenges to whatever the argument may be, great profession. Don't trust what the government are doing. They sneaked it through the Senate. We seem to be going the way of the UK. Is it true the name woman and mother will be removed? And why can't they stay? Well, you've just heard Ms Justice reference that in these articles, as I say, in relation to that one, the care in the home. You know, there are a lot of fellas out there that are the carer for their children. Or what have you, for whatever reason, be it a bereavement or a separation or what have you. Are they not... Do they not have the right to be equally recognised in the Constitution and society? Good morning, Greg. I'm interested to know if there will be a referendum on the new hate speech bill. That's actually a good question. I don't believe there is, is there? Democracy demands a referendum on the new EU money on the new EU migration packed under article 2947 of the Constitutional Ireland can exercise the legal right to opt out of EU immigration policies under the Lisbon Treaty. Only a referendum can change this fact. But again, do I not reference the comments from Leal for Adcar that they are choosing the opt-out that's there, which means that you pay rather than receive immigrants. Is that not an opt-out of sorts as well? Maybe that doesn't go far enough for you. I don't know. What do you think? 08, 660, 25,000. Let us take a quick break. We're going to be back, actually, with some of the fibs that you were told as a child. Some of them are really quite funny. I love the siblings telling the young Connolly fella that their uncle was Billy Connolly. Anyway, you've kept us really busy on that. I'll come back with some of those after this break. Join us this September in the sunny Saloo for a week of live entertainment with Ireland's leading country artist. Dinner each evening and plenty of crack. Sun, Saloo and you this September. For booking information, go to the outlet on HighlandRadio.com. 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Don't miss a great concert. OK, so when we were talking about fibs you were told as a child. Let's go through some of them. Alice was told if you don't eat your crust, the crust man will come and take you away. Oh, God. Do we still do things like that? Catherine says, if we don't eat our crusts you wouldn't have curly hair. Well, that's what happened. Mum used to cut my crusts off. Sarah says, my brother used to have me crying every night. As he said, as I went to sleep, a big ladder came from the moon and he got to go up and swim in chocolate swimming pools and play with aliens. Boy, did I cry every night. So you thought when you fell asleep on the moon, Mary Teresa, if you eat your crust you'll have curly hair when you turn three. One of many of the crusts are getting a lot of a run out here. Deirdre says, I told my son and Manice the birds are actually spy birds and they tell you if they've been bold or bad, do we birdie-telt me? Manice used to go mad because the spy birds would tell her mum what she'd been up to in my house. OK. David was told of robbing his Santa's bird and I was found under a head of cabbage she was told. What age did you stop believing that, though? Angel was told if you don't brush your teeth worms will come out. Well, I was told that funny, that one about if you pick your nose and eat it it would give you worms. So I had that one. Gary, whatever you didn't like eating maybe a certain veg, etc. you were told get it into you, it'll put hairs on your chest. I don't want hairs on my chest. It's puberty and guess what? Airy chest, OK. And that's Gary there. Maureen, if you went out after dark the fairies would get you. Theresa was told if you pick your nose it's really your brain. You won't be smart when bigger. OK, that's a different one. I'm not sure if that's better or worse than my worms one. Lisa, if you're bad you'll go to jail and all you'll get is burnt toast and water, definitely a fib. Of course, they get Sky TV, BT sports and everything. And funny, Garda Granny was in with us one time and said it was a bit of a joke that parents make children afraid of the guards like if you do that the guards will come and when they get older then they've got this view of guards that may not be actually. Roshin was told don't pick your nose your eyeballs will fall out. Fiona, if you eat carrots you'll be able to see in the dark. I still believe that one. Suzanne, chewing gum was made from rat's tails. I was told about chewing gum that if I used chewing gum that if I swallowed it it would get wrapped around my tonsils or something. Helen, the hammy hamster lie, I'm not sure about that. Just a couple more before we take a last break. My three elder brothers tell me I was adopted and if a stranger or stranger came to the door they would say they were there to take me back. This went on for a while until I asked mum they all got reprimanded. I'm not surprised boys can be bold, can't they? If you stare at the TV too long your eyes will turn square. Yeah, I heard you. If you make a face and the wind blows your face will stay that way. I also got that one. And if you smoke you'll stop growing a bit of truth in that but also wow, that could be literally me sent those last three in. Keep them coming in and keep them light hearted of course. What fibs were you told what fibs were you told when you were younger? A caller says as it relates to these upcoming referenda, remember the claims that abortion in Ireland would be rare if the 8th Amendment was repealed for 1,000 abortions later were still being told lies and more lies. What do you see? Like I'm not sure about the 400,000 figure I'll have to check that out but the point being and I kind of put that point to misjustice well that can be part of the reason why you decide which way to vote. Do you know what I mean? Like there's no that is how you form an opinion on which way to vote but you have to vote as well yeah your name but there you go. I mean that's a valid point of view for that person. I'm not saying it's true I'm just saying it's valid for them. Greg in those cultures that allow more than one wife are the women allowed to have more than one husband I would doubt it very much it might be 2024 but it's like 1024 in many countries and in some areas this one too. Alright back with more after these. This week's show is brought to you by the Highland Hooli in Saloo. 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for yourself do you need a UK address save hundreds of euros on custom charges shopping online with Space Hub Dairy we provide a full virtual address mailbox service for all your business and personal use save hundreds possibly thousands on custom charges with Space Hub Dairy call 04871878077 or online spacehubdairy.com for more details Highland radio weather updates brought to you by Grant building a new home choose grants a triple plus rated air owner air to water heat pump and you flex under floor heating visit grant.ie right to you now drying calm with hazy sunshine for much of the day cold with highest temperatures of just four or five degrees with light Northwest breezes now the dementia understand together campaign is running and Highland radio is supporting the ongoing dementia understand together campaign being led by the HSE currently there are over 64,000 people living with dementia in Ireland there is a particular focus this year on the importance of connection friendship and social interaction for people and families who are living with dementia www.understandtogether.ie you can go there for more information and free training advice support is available by calling the national helpline provided by the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland on free phone 1-800-341-341 Anna mcternan is older person service coordinator with the leach room development company and joins us on the program now good morning to you Anna thank you so much for joining us so can you briefly describe to us what is dementia dementia did the umbrella term to describe a cognitive impairment disorder so basically there's so many very varieties of dementia and they can affect you in lots of different ways from the way that you remember things to the way that you see the world and interact with people and how does it generally present itself do I do understand it's different dependent on the condition and the person but is there a sort of a general description I mean as you say it's very different for lots of different people I mean we'd be very common with the symptom of things becoming a little bit forgetful forgetting how to do everyday activities things like making a cup of tea things around the house that seem more difficult to remember but there's other things you know like seeing things that aren't there on occasions your visual impairments things like that so the best thing to do is if you are concerned about anything even if it's not something that you would stereotypically think of as a dementia symptom is go and talk to your GP and have a chat with them yeah okay because obviously and I hope I still have you there obviously we have a tendency maybe to put something down to something else you know as we age sometimes we can get slightly forgetful but don't self diagnose if you have any concerns go and speak to your GP definitely and I mean the number of people being diagnosed with dementia is increasing every year and so everyone's experience is different so as you say don't wait quick intervention is best because there's great drugs for the symptoms of dementia and also that you can become familiar with how it's going to affect your life and progress and how you can help yourself to understand it better much of the advice this week and last has been really useful talking about dementia, stay in touch see the person not the dementia how and ask how you can help do you think that's born a little bit from the fact that sometimes if someone close to us is diagnosed with dementia that we can sort of take a step back or be fearful or disengage when really it's the opposite that we should be doing absolutely I think the way things are depicted on TV and in films we're all terrified of that the double loss of the person that we lose the person and then we lose them forever after that and I think it doesn't always present that way, it doesn't always progress so aggressively and quickly and there's some really great dementia specific services that people can access in their counties so dementia advisors, memory technology rooms as you've just mentioned the national helpline but there's also non-specific dementia services the things that we always did the hobbies that we had, the things that made us us, they're really important to stay connected with and engage with because we need our friends we need our community and I think the tendency is to retreat or people don't know how to talk to someone that's got a dementia diagnosis but it's really important for both sides to have a person with dementia to try and keep doing what they always did and try to keep connecting with their community but also for the people that don't have dementia in communities it's really I would really encourage anybody to try to learn a little bit more about dementia there's some free training courses that you can do on the Understand Together website and that gives us a good general understanding but just patience and kindness and the businesses we go into living I think it's really really important I've never heard anyone complain that there's too much kindness there's always space for more kindness and often too just you talked of the importance of keeping up hobbies and interests and people may well need support in doing so so people might retract from that and go well because of this and that I can't do this or the other we have a role to support them yes you can and this is how you can do this support them in that exactly and I don't think if we manage to keep seeing the person rather than the diagnosis I think it makes life a lot easier for everyone so if we learn a little bit more about what we can do to help how we can present information and listen to people then it makes life much easier for them to continue to be part of a community because they don't feel that they can't articulate what they want when they go to a shop or when they go to see a friend join a community group maybe the answer to this question would be kind of an opinion or anecdotal but you know 64,000 people diagnosed it's an awful lot of people break that down into counties right across the country it's a lot of people are they seen are they supported and active in the community or is unfortunately society set up in such a way access to services or whatever it might be that a lot of these people aren't seen that they maybe become isolated and is that something that we need to work on too I think it's a spectrum I think wherever you are on your journey I think when you've had an early diagnosis and life is somewhat as it was you know and you can find things assistive technology and things you can use in your own home I think people are seen maybe at that stage of their journey because they're still able to some degree continue on as the disease progresses and people go to more specific dementia services like cogs clubs or memory cafes or into dementia care units in residential units I think then they become unseen and I suppose we don't recognize it but as you've just said we always understand better we could all make a bit more effort to understand it and even if we all did it there's still be room for more we all need to understand that this is something that can happen to our family members it can happen to us, it's happening to people we love all over the country right now and we can all do a little bit better to support people One of the things that's suggested is for communities to be aware of neighbours in the area with dementia how do we achieve that whether others know or not know or whatever but how can communities be more aware of neighbours in the area with dementia I suppose we should all be checking on our older neighbours anyway with dementia or without them whether it's just you know we had to stay in touch and knock on the door things like that, there are services like a loans befriending service and they do a call service and a face-to-face befriender for people that perhaps are alone can be dementia specific or not and so I think that sort of linking in whether it's over the phone or in person is really important for anybody that's on their own especially older people but I think with dementia it's a very personal journey and if you're lucky enough to have a family or a spouse or a daughter or a son that can take you that can share your concerns with and can help you along the journey of getting the diagnosis and what that means for your life then that's brilliant but some people are entirely on their own and as you say, don't always get the medical assistance that they require because they don't know that they need it or we're always terrible at putting things off when it's ourselves and I think just calling in and keeping in touch and finally Anna as the population lives longer we are going to see more cases of dementia but it just feels generally that the world is moving forward and leaving a lot of people particularly older people behind in terms of tech, the use of cash and all that type of stuff I mean we can do orbit and we should do orbit but I think businesses and even arms of the state need to do more do they not to make sure that services are easy to access for people with dementia or not and that there's an ease of use there I don't think in our race to sort of evolve that we should leave generations behind us Exactly and I think things are probably better than people think they are in more counties we've got, literally Ireland is an age friendly country with every county in Ireland signed up to the age friendly programme which tries to look through a strategy in every county to develop everything from housing to transport to healthcare to make it more accessible for everybody so that this universal design spreads through to older people and anybody that has any mobility issues or any kind of disability and it's open to everyone so if you look around every county I work in leachum but I'm sure the same is true of Donegal that there are so many great social groups there's day care centres there's dementia advisers there's one stop shops for housing you know the local county councils have great healthy homes coordinators that have just been put into place there's lots of things happening with sports partnerships and ETBs to look at lifelong learning sports, keeping going as we get older the problem is when you're younger you don't necessarily look for those services and you don't know they exist but they're very easy to access and they're great and they're there and yes we can always do more but we've got to remember that we've come a long way and there are great services around OK thank you so much for your time I do appreciate it, that's Anna McTernan there and I'm an old native with the leachum development company understandtogether.ie for more information and free training advice, support is available by calling the national helpline provided by the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland and that number is 1-800-341-341 back after 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Switching couldn't be easier. Simply go to sseairtercity.com. SSE AirTricity. This is Generation Green. EAB 1,484.82. Rates valid from the 1st of February 2024. For details of teasing fees, rates, exit fees, standing charges and renewable energy, see sseairtercity.com. The county's number one talk show, the 9 till noon show on Highland Radio. Okay, it is a little after 11 o'clock but still time for a news update and it's over to Makayla Clark. Thanks Greg, good morning. The Atlantic Technological University is to receive almost 20 million euro to enhance research and innovation opportunities. It's part of an 84 million euro allocation announced today by further and higher education minister Simon Harris. ATU president Dr Orla Flynn in welcoming the funding says the northwest has suffered for many years without such research and innovation. The DUP leader says Mary Lou MacDonald must have the longest arms on the island if she thinks the United Ireland is within touching distance. The Sinn Féin leader last week claimed Irish unity is now close as she celebrated her party assuming the role of storm and first minister for the first time. More cases have been raised as part of a review into spinal surgeries at Temple Street Children's Hospital in Dublin. An independent review was already examining 19 cases but has now identified 17 more. It's understood these do not relate to unauthorized springs that were used and are instead being described as cases of concern. The chair of Donegal ETB is supporting calls for more deputy principles for post primary schools. At the ETB's national conference representations were made to increase the allocation of deputy principles in jazz schools. Cancer Donegal Call says it's crucial the call is recognised. The Northwest is to receive additional funding under the Tine and Village Renewal scheme. The minister for rural and community development has today announced a four and a half million year national package for rural Tines and villages. Minister Heather Humphrey says the extra funding for the Northwest will be provided in recognition of the specific challenges facing the region. Guardi have conducted a checkpoint outside Duncan Neely National School where serious safety concerns have repeatedly been raised. Most recently a video shows a number of motorists ignoring the red light signal at the crossing outside the school while a mother and child waited to cross. The Donegal Town Road's policing unit yesterday carried out a speed check at the school and observed driver behaviour at the traffic lights. And ESB is working to restore power in the Moville area. Over 100 customers are affected by a power outage. Its expected power will be restored by half past two this afternoon. Those are the latest headlines. We'll be back with an update again at 12 noon. McKella thank you very much indeed and we have a really short break to take more on the way. You know when you're flying back from some winter sun you take an epic cloud pick but it's got your sunburned reflection in the window up. Well the new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has built an AI that removes reflections and even touches up your pics so well you'll be drowning in fire emojis. Galaxy AI is here. Buy now from Samsung and get up to 730 euro off when you trade in your old smartphone. Purchased by 29th of Feb, 730 euro based on Galaxy S23 Ultra 256 gigabytes. Values vary by model and condition. T's and C's apply. Okay some of your comments here. A recent herd dementia described as diabetes three would your guest agree with that? Sorry that came in a little bit late. How important is the therapy of familiar music to the dementia patient? Well that hotline that is really good for you to ring that helpline as well to ask questions like that. In relation to the referendum die, Greg Cutten got out of the picture once again if we'd bring God back into our lives and live as he intended there would be less confusion than a happier world generally. I suppose that's your god and everyone there's so many gods out there. Why are women protesting about it? Don't believe anything politicians tell you after women through the years fought to get us so many rights. It's all going to change now. Only knows what the eructus will change it to as it goes along. Men will be able to go into women's refuge. Yeah women being removed. I don't see how women could go into women's refuge. There is refuge for men as well too. Men can and are the victims of domestic violence if that's what you're referencing. What happens if you live with friends? Does that make them your family? Well it depends how close you are. I think you have to be intimate with them. Greg why doesn't you say it out plain same sex couples instead of durable couples? That's why people don't know what to vote will you see? Same sex couples probably isn't inclusive enough language nowadays so that's probably the reason. Just coming through the north didn't go... Sorry okay that's just why they didn't get a message early on. My dad was a fireman for 30 years and I would not follow in his footsteps because the job wants you to not have a life so you're there on call 24-7. Some people can't talk about their feelings or seek counselling and feel like the bottle is the answer. My brother tried to follow in his footsteps and was two kilometres outside the bracket and when you're in a job like that you feel you can't leave can't relax because you're waiting on the bleeper to go off. Well hopefully hopefully now the changes that have been made which are quite significant in terms of money and other things you week on flexible week off that make it more attractive than it would have been when your father was there. Greg you told a listener who denies climate change that if you go online you can get any information to match your point of view by the same token you said that you read a report that electric cars are better for the environment in the long run than a petrol or diesel what makes you so sure the report you read is the correct one just saying absolutely nothing that's why I don't ram my views down people's throats everyone is entitled to their own point of view I was just quoting some science that I read okay let us go now to Barry Quinn who's owner of Port New Market Garden Barry can you hear me good morning to you I can hear you can you hear me ah yeah I can good to have you on board thanks so much for joining us from of course Donnie Gull owner of Port New Market Garden and you've been expressing your concern about the increasing evidence showing that weed killer is damaging to our health and devastating to our environment and our council is one of not all of them that's still using harmful substances and there is very strong evidence and directives and what have you that suggest some of this stuff we're using shouldn't be used at all so you've been digging into this tell us your views yeah so there's something I've been quite passionate about for many years now I've been talking about it and making people aware of it for a long time there's a statistic I like to give people straight away and it's very worrying that 24 percent of Irish people have got the active ingredient that's in roundup it's called glyphosate is in their systems that's from research Sunburn University of Galway carried out 2022 and that figure is actually 80 percent of the United States you know it's worrying worrying numbers and you know it's something that we should really be made aware of and something that we should be concerned about there's mountain evidence as you say that this is a hugely damaging and dangerous product to be using in and around our towns and in our villages and you know we should really make a stand and we can make a stand like core county council have already last year have really kind of led the way and their roadside teams have stopped using it all along the edges of the roads and pathways and it's been great success you know and there's there's there's really scary scary evidence and well we'll get to that more real laggards up here though because the last stats I saw the council was spending over 80 000 euro a year on these chemicals that are sort of classed as toxic weed killers and also sprayed on public areas roads and what have you across on the goal now from time to time you see someone out doing this and and they're in a hasmat suit effectively and all protected but there doesn't seem to be any signage up the road's not closed there's dogs could be walking down there five minutes later kids running through grass you know it's like really really worrying even if you don't dig into the even if you don't do a deep dive into the science there's something fundamentally wrong there isn't there absolutely I totally agree with you yeah so it's it's apparently okay for for councils to go through playgrounds and roadsides and spray this without any signage and it can be as fresh as an hour on and then the children could come into a park and play and that's something as you say it needs to be looked at it needs to be something needs to be changed here because it's it's too dangerous it can't happen it can't go on like this you know as I say would court county council they have really started this motion like you know and I think that dunny gall the people of dunny gall is needs to be made aware of the dangers of this and then we could be you know one of the one of the counties that leaves the way now too you know glyphosate is that the particular concerning uh yeah chemical that is found in round up and and others and and you know has this been not here but there's been some really high profile challenges to its use in in the united states if I if I uh recall correctly that's correct yeah the the makers of of round up and glyphosate are Bayer you might see pharmaceutical products of theirs at home you know and they bought a company called Monsanto back in 2018 who were the main producers of this they've had mounting court cases against them throughout the years in 2022 they paid out 11 billion only last week they paid 2.25 billion to a man in pennsylvania who who developed non-hodgekin's lymphoma from using this and and this evidence is backed up by by by research carried out there was research carried out by a professor in the university of washington her name is leanne shepherd and her team carried out a study on the correlation between um glyphosate and non-hodgekin's lymphoma and the conclusion was that there was a compelling link between the two so you know um this is this is the this is the worrying part of it that it's it's still being used here and even after last year in october last year there was a vote in the european commission as to whether or not to ban it or to renew the license for 10 more years and after tune and throwing and there wasn't a qualified majority of the vote it was actually put through and voted for for another 10 years so uh that's why i've taken it on myself and that's why i started this position petition to say well if we we we're not going to get it stopped on a big scale like in europe so bit by bit and maybe council by council in ireland we can make a big impact for for our own health and for the environment too but what an opportunity for the likes of of donagall to put itself out there as you know a leader of change you've referenced cork there and i'm sure cork's being quoted in interviews and articles all over the place i mean you know our our our greatest asset is our beautiful landscape and environment you know turn a negative into a positive we should be really sort of using this as a as a as a platform to to show the type of country we are and where we want to be absolutely i couldn't agree what more with you that was that that was the same feeling i had when i decided to do this maybe we could be we could be one of the leaders in this in ireland and show the way for the other counties to follow suit and and you know who knows you know in in a year or two's time from now maybe the majority of the councils in ireland or hopefully the majority of the council in ireland maybe have done away with using this harmful chemical you know other alternatives effective alternatives well so there is there is alternatives it's just hard for a lot of people to get away from the fact and i have this conversation so many people all the time they're saying but it's very effective it's about changing your mindset as well towards this you know the most important thing is that this is a damaging chemical and it can harm you and it can harm the environment but there is alternatives and for councils there is you know there's a there's a there's a website called pan pan it's pesticide action network and they actually have a lot of information and guidance on how councils can get away from using them so there is alternatives yet there is more certainly you know i wonder what was spread spraying on the knotweed because i believe there was a it's hard i find it hard to judge time now because there was like two or three years that is like purgatory but the with that donagore county council were leading um leading a study or uh on the use of different chemicals for japanese knotweed which when i was invasive really hard to shift i mean what was being sprayed on that also barry and what are we trying to control right that's another thing that i'm interested in here what are we spraying uh what is the local authority spraying the likes of round up with similar chemicals on like what are we are we sure that what we're killing we want to kill do you know do you know what i mean like i mean there's a big move at the moment for uh wild zone fields and stuff do you know what i mean it's not they're not offensive they're really quite beautiful and really good for the environment so like what are we trying to kill with this with this stuff what are we controlling so as far as i know and the way i see it it's all about convenience it's about doing edges of roads to save an extra bit of labor or spraying them in underneath slides and swings in parks so they don't have to stream and stuff like that but again it comes down to how we view as you say like a meadow of grass you know if you view it differently we've been told that a dandelion for instance is this invasive terrible weed but in actual fact if you do a little bit of research it's an amazing plant that has a lot of health benefits all of it is edible and it is hugely beneficial to soil but funnily enough round up have used the dandelion as a picture on their bottles as we need to get rid of this of this weed but it's you know the weed that's grown in your garden is not doing as much harm as spraying a chemical onto your garden yeah it's really quite interesting because you know people will know in in towns and villages around the county that beautiful trees were botched effectively and it was like why i remember everyone's going why was it well it turned out it was because of maintenance and not having the budgets to maintain them we're using these weed killers to limit maintenance we don't put in public toilets really let's let's let's just be honest we try and avoid public toilets because really it's a problem to maintain them and we're taking bins out of areas because people put rubbish in them and then you have to empty them and that's maintenance as well you know there's an awful lot of strange decisions and i'm not attributing all of these to the council or any individuals within the council but we do make a lot of decisions which are detrimental it would seem based on not wanting to invest in maintenance and upkeep well that's what it seems like with this as well yeah it's it's it's about being able to get out and do a quick job on the edges of the road so that they don't have to pay more undoubtedly that's what it seems like it's it's the quick it's the convenient option um but again if people are made aware of this and the councils are made more aware of of of how detrimental it is for our health and for our environment then you know uh perhaps a big change could be made and it needs to be made you know and also like just to reiterate we don't really know you don't know when this has been sprayed you don't know where it's been sprayed you don't know if you're walking through it you don't know if your pet is walking through it um you don't know if the dog is chewing the grass you don't know if your kids are are pulling dandelions out and sniffing them just after they've been sprayed like we simply don't know i'm not trying to scare monger but there is a complete absence of public knowledge of of this all we know is that 85 000 euro was spent on these chemicals by the council and this was the figures published in 2022 so presumably that covered 2021 so this is very recent history unless something's changed drastically since so if you want people to come on board with you and say right i'm a bit concerned about this i don't like what's going on uh you have a change to aug petition up which um they have to come up with a different way of sort this i'd love to read for the just for the lol's the url but unfortunately it's a full paragraph long so if people want to sign uh this petition what's the the most convenient way for them to get access to it so uh on my social media platforms it's on it's on uh facebook and instagram and tiktok it's in my bio it's in the link is there to get on it i'd be sharing it regularly as well and so it's it's only a few clicks if you feel strongly about it i mean i i always say like i ask any parent do you want your child in a park that this has been sprayed and going back to a point you made there greg you don't know when it's been sprayed usually this takes over seven days before it starts to just color so you know there's seven days there that it's it's very fresh on the ground and as you say pets could be through it and and your children and uh i don't like using this stuff at home i just don't like it um and i'm not on about the round up you know the the commonly available stuff you know by the time you put on your goggles your mask your gloves you know you think well what the hell is in this and that's just on a on a domestic sort of basis right if people want to get more information you can search barry quinn on socials but there's a bit of a curveball uh in that you spelled your first name a little bit different than people might presume so it's not b a r r why it's b a r r i e yeah but it's port new market garden is all my socials right you know and and just go to port new market garden okay right anything you want to add barry um uh i just i just this is something i've been very passionate about again and i love spread and i really want to thank you for bringing me on here because um you know the people that are making the decisions like in europe and that are powerful people and they're in powerful positions and although they're making these decisions they're not always right and you you would know this greg they're not always right and so i think it's up to people like yourself and people like yourself too to to that are in positions where we can speak to a wider audience and we can make a create awareness and make it aware that this is uh something that we can change and hopefully we can make a change for the better and if you glance over uh the arguments that are made how they're being pitched where they're being pitched and then you look at the court cases and how they're being settled and what what's being said if you do a deep dive into it a little bit you don't even have to go too deep it just feel very reminiscent of cigarettes uh and other things like that you know um where people are saying right we can get another 10 years out of this and then we'll get out all right so people just need to be careful and as always stay informed barry thank you very much for your time thank you great barry queen owner of port new market garden if you want more information port new market garden now uh the figures i'm quoting were figures that were published late 2022 in terms of the council's purchasing of pesticides and on other chemicals we'll make an inquiry to find out if that's changed a lot i don't want to do the council to service if they've changed their uh if they change their practices i'll give that equal platform as well but that's off the back of the concerns there hi greg can you recommend an organic weed killer that works please i can't but i know our fantastic listeners on the night till noon show can so what uh and i would be really interested in this as well i don't like using i don't like the weed killer i just don't like using i don't like it around the house um i don't like spraying it so what what is a good way to suppress kill weeds that is organic and works now the thing is everything takes time like weed killer takes a couple of weeks to work doesn't it but is there an organic alternative a listener wants to know i ain't gonna lie i want to know let us know 086 60 25 000 the county's number one talk show the night till noon show on highland radio this week's show is brought to you by the highland hoolie in saloo join us this september in the sunny saloo for a week of live entertainment with ireland's leading country artist dinner each evening and plenty of crack sun saloo and you this september for booking information go to the outlet on highlandradial.com across a wide range of categories the 2024.ie digital town awards are a chance to showcase your town's digital project apply now at digitaltownawards.ie brought to you by .ie ireland's national domain 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relationship with us through annual service and comprehensive after sales contact us for a free consultation on low-cost low-carbon heating solutions visit eye heating and cooling dot ie today join homeland and uterus animal feeds for their future of farming 2024 and the dunny gall sales awards evening on wednesday 7th of february and 8 p.m. in the monteregal hotel letter kenny learned from industry experts on the evening including finn barrow reagan from the department of agriculture connor brown from the icbf adam woods from the iberish farmers journal and guest judge andrew right better known as farm theory na on youtube and tech talk for more information visit homeland dot ie okay you welcome back to the program we welcome on to it now kathy good morning kathy listening perhaps listening perhaps to that last conversation with interest yeah i was um listening to it and i heard about the spraying and all and um i was diagnosed last year in july with a thing called harry sale leukemia and it was something it was a bit of a shock and it was something i didn't know much about and when i looked up how did i get this and it's not hereditary or that type of thing but some of the research would suggest there's been nothing you know concrete but it would suggest that it may be caused by pesticides or sprays or that type of thing can you tell us a bit and i found uh sorry go i'll just we'll get to the can you tell us a little bit more about the condition as you say it's very rare i hadn't heard of it before either or have you not no harry sale leukemia no not happened harry sale leukemia is um my white blood cell count had been low for a good number of years certainly since 2019 it was going down pretty rapid and then um i had headaches um a lot of pain muscle tiredness uh a lot of different stuff going on and my white blood cell count was very low then uh about a year and a half ago i got this purple sort of a blotchy rash on my face and um i didn't pay much heed so it was spot through whatever but eventually i went to the doctor and it was got to be rosacea um i got cream for it and it got worse it got actually pretty painful so then i was on iver mechton and i can't remember the name of the antibiotic and it took most for three months and it certainly it done healed the rash a bit or whatever but it didn't totally go away then last year in may i got my blood stone again after the three months of the treatment for my face up and my blood cell my white blood cell count had dropped dramatically that my immune system was very low so i was a what the hematologist on a thursday i was in on a Monday morning for a bone marrow biopsy at the ricketing hospital and two weeks later i got my diagnosis of harry cell leukemia it's where these cells um they're a clone cell they overproduce themselves open the bone marrow and then they crowd out to production of good cells that makes sense they're invasive cells really effectively yeah okay yeah they're a clone they're they're a clone type um you know i i'm a great one for reading and to stuff and researching and looking and checking out or whatever but basically they're a clone cell and they take over where the good your your good cells are produced in your bone marrow and all like that and then they crowded out in the rhythm so eventually then i had treatment at the end of september then i got uterine accepted i was allergic to some of the drugs that i just gave them afterwards and i'm still trying to recover and like lots of people you know you want to know where did this come from uh you know could it could could my children be affected or my sisters or brothers or whatever it might be so we try and find out and and the first thing that seems to be suggested is that it has been linked to uh exposure to chemicals and you would have used it's not it's not saying for definite there's no definite reason there's no definite cause or no definite reason why but there's a suggestion there of it and growing up on a farm i would have been exposed to chemicals um like there was even stuff they used to put on potatoes you know to stop them budding you know so it would last longer that's a chemical um myself i would have used uh different wheat chillers round up and no different stuff you wouldn't have thought or whatever um you know we didn't protect ourselves you know we didn't put on a mask put on gloves i'd be very conscious now i'd wear gloves if they constantly wash my hands i would wear a mask even if i was super me care to watch it you know about and healing and healing that stuff and i found it very interesting the way that yeah the the do spray along the roads and the paths and all that and you'd be out walking or whatever and you just don't think but that's bound to linger in the air for a certain amount of time yeah and again for me you just have to be extra careful now and this is a condition that you will live with for the rest of your life um it's it develops slowly but there are effective treatments is that the situation kathy uh well it developed very slowly with me and i've had my treatment was five days of planter being um and my uh my immune system was totally depleted or whatever like that and my face and praying or whatever like that and i would have great faith and i would be praying very hard to the police spirit and all like that yeah that i would get um remission um and the doctor explained to me the last day that it was i'm having a bone marrow biopsy now and April again to um see if it's gone but he said even what's that because it can't be found you know even if it's not found in April and my bone marrow or whatever the couldn't say for deaf and that it's not that it's eradicated i guess you yes one of those things that can come back again you know if there's a slight difference yeah has the has your symptoms eased somewhat though um the headaches aren't as bad but um the treatment then has its own yeah effects or whatever um you know nerve pain bone pain sleepless nights anxiety everything else that sort of goes with it um i joined in a group there's a heresial leukemia support group or whatever and like every other support group there's a lot of positivity to be taken there's a lot of learning from reading stuff on it and then there's all the negative side of it as well or whatever i would debate sometimes is it good to join the scripture or not because you know but i think there's a lot of great people but i think you've got your opinions too Kathy you sound like a person that has so but yeah i know what you mean yeah it's like everything and then people have their own takes and what have you but listen fingers crossed for April and things going forward Kathy i hope you get good news and i hope you're yeah um i also thought different times maybe protecting yourself as well i'm sure there must be other people in donnie gall who've had a diagnosis of heresial leukemia um you know it would be nice just to you know to put a facer to talk to someone who may have this heresial leukemia to see how other people got on like well listen they can contact us and we can check with them and and and if you just want to make contact with each other we've done a lot of sort of awareness campaigns on many many different things and it may well have come up but i just don't remember heresial leukemia coming up it is pretty rare but if you're happy enough we will invite anyone who who's interested to contact us and we can try and find a way for for you to connect with them if that's what both parties want if that would be useful for you Kathy yeah i find that it's pretty rare but sometimes um things aren't as rare it's just that you know nobody um highlights it or there's no awareness off of it or whatever and we were speaking we were doing more people than we know about yeah last week we were speaking about a condition and the person with it uh adison's disease actually it is uh the person with it yeah was of the opinion there was only two people in donnie gall with it and i think by the time the interview had ended uh it was like there was about 10 people who'd said they had it in donnie gall so i i imagine it's probably going to be quite similar with heresial leukemia yeah you know just to say uh how the treatment go for you or what worked for you you know um there's learning from each other and they're the best learning i think you get it from from people who understand you they've been through stuff themselves exactly because no matter how sympathetic and and carrying those around us are sometimes it's someone who's lived it and knows exactly what's going on that that that you can get a bit of comfort from all right kathie as i say best of luck with april and beyond uh and uh thanks very much for your faith and what hafi you work out good news and we appreciate your time yeah thank you very much and i did find it interesting today um and i just uh the awareness around the pesticide and stuff like that kind of things with the stuff out there um just awareness um i think helps too for sure and actually really useful to get uh some information on that condition thank you so much indeed kathie uh a caller says it is some of the safest because it kills green plant it comes into contact with and does not leech okay uh glyphosate uh glyphosate glyphosate is probably says that it's the safest herbicide available when used correctly and like any other chemicals it is it's improper use which leads to problems with its use okay indeed thank you um caroline on facebook uh in terms of sort of natural ways to kill weeds um pour one gallon of white vinegar into a bucket five percent household white vinegar is fine add one cup of table salt stir in one tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap blend all thoroughly and then follow funnel the weed killer into a plastic spray bottle pretty good weed killer they say so i presume caroline you've used that how long does it take to work and what have you and is it is it useful sort of for the weeds on the driveways and what and stuff right um the main ingredient in glyphosate is isopropylamine salt which is an organic compound and a mine i mean sorry about my pronunciation of some of this stuff which is a type of ammonia uh glyphosate is absorbed into the plant and is deactivated on contact with soil so does not leech it is a contact herbicide indeed but could there be cross contamination walking through um or touching it after it's been sprayed i'm texting from australia i spent christmas with my sister and her family in donagol great thank you childhood lies when i was 12 i bought a hamster with my confirmation money named him hammy was mad about him one morning i woke up and hammy wasn't in his cage i was devastated went off to school when i came home hammy was back uh in his cage my father told me he had found him in a cupboard near the kitchen while i was at school for years i mean up to my trip to donagol i believed that hammy had been found and put back it never dawned on me that hammy wasn't actually hammy but a complete new hamster we laughed so much about this over christmas i've just turned 50 so clearly i'm a bit thick please say hi to my lovely sister mary and our family from helen in walla gong walla gong south new south wales um actually that reminds me when we were younger pestered uh pestered mom and dad for a budgie eventually we got a budgie and it was in a cage downstairs and um it's kind of it's wonderful and terrible at the same time but we spent so much time trying to get it to speak i'm not sure budgies can speak or whatever but anyway that that didn't work but we'd get up early and gadan gadan uh it feels like i'm doing that with hudson now but we'd get down early and try and teach the budgie to speak but anyway that's that's not the really story but older brother i think it was an older brother um do you know those little eggs that you get at easter time the little hard shelled eggs the tiny little eggs well they thought it would be funny to put a couple of these eggs in the cage and uh we went down and so excited that the budgie had laid eggs never thought how that would be physically possible if there was only one budgie in there anyway but for a couple of days was waiting on these little these little easter eggs to to hatch and then i think someone took one out and ate it or something and it was devastating uh funny but it took a couple of days to get over that was a bad prank uh but fun at the same time interesting to look back on and paul hammy there there's a hammy one and hammy two this time it's personal anyway any more stories like that from your childhood share them up to us on 08 660 25 000 i made that story about the eggs and the budgie sound really sad it wasn't sad it was hilarious it was funny and we've laughed about it many times since but anyway that's the kind of prank big brothers can be responsible for watch the show live now on youtube facebook and at highlandradio.com this week's show is brought to you by the Highland Hoolian Saloo join us this september in the sunny saloo for a week of live entertainment with ireland's leading country artist dinner each evening and plenty of crack sun saloo and you this september for booking information go to the outlet on highlandradio.com are you graduating this year venture has opportunities for ambitious graduates from the northwest region to join its financial services graduate program 2024 and with offices located in both letter kenny and dairy london dairy you can build a successful career as a financial analyst right here on your doorstep want to work with the world's leading investment banks join the multi-award wedding team at venture and become the future of financial services visit venture.com forward slash grad to apply applications close February 12th uno dose trace ahain adoa tree one two three the orona the ateka and the terraco three great suvs from seat and when you order now you can enjoy three years free tire insurance and three years roadside assistance plus three flexible payment options to purchase your new seat visit seat.ie to discover even more of our fantastic offers great things come in threes at dmg motors dunny gold town and while i have three seconds allow me to say that yes terms and conditions apply do you need a uk address save hundreds of euros on custom charges shopping online with spacehop dairy we provide a full virtual address mailbox service for all your business and personal use save hundreds possibly thousands on custom charges with spacehop dairy call 04871878077 or online spacehopdairy.com for more details connect hearing is open for free hearing tests our audiologist is available monday to friday for wax removal services at our letter kidney clinic in the courtyard shopping center we also offer a home visit for those who aren't able to visit us our hearing is our social sense are you finding hearing more of a challenge call urshula today on 07491 13296 to make an appointment good hearing helps us to connect to our family friends and loved ones connect hearing connecting you to life business matters in association with the faculty of business at atu dunny gold for a career in financial governance consider the level 9 ma in governance and it in financial services starting in january contact the exec ed coordinator on 9186206 or email donald dot hanigan at atu.ie all right you're very welcome back to the program and we welcome into studio now chris ashmore we're going to be talking about the business matters podcast shortly digital first content dfc you can download it stream it listen to it right now on our website highlandradio.com chris good morning to you good morning greg interesting actually to hear this first item of news before we get into the podcast dunny gold's most popular car by mate mudlin color for the first month of this year yes i've been delving into the stats from the society of the arish motor industry and well first of all new car sales in dunny gold registrations in january amounted to 763 for the month so that's 16 up on last year so that's that's a good figure the garages will be pleased with that and nationally it's up about 15 so we're pretty much in kilture with the national figure although the national figure is actually slightly below the pre-covid level so still a little bit of catch up but yes now dunny gold first month of the year of 2024 the best selling brand was toyota who had 17 percent of the market followed by kia and then we had hyunday third full scota was fourth and puja was fifth i can make up the top 12 if you want well we'll stick it at that okay and then now the actual most popular model of car registered in dunny gold in january was the kia sportage 67 of them in america they call them the kia sportage oh really yeah why do you call it the sportage i really don't know yeah it's called the sportage in sportage right okay and then we had the toyota rav 4 with 31 and the puja 3008 with so the top three selling cars are all suvs which is kind of interesting it shows the way things have gone yeah and five of the top ten models were toyota which is significant and and just uh you know you might want to know that 32 percent of those registered in january were petrol 27 diesel and 24 hybrid petrol electric which is sort of the the big growth area because we're seeing not that many pure electric in dunny gold because the hybrid electric gives you that little bit of option and there's the mild diesel uh hybrid as well which i don't think goes into not as many and electric vehicles percentage wise sort of standalone electric vehicles the standalone ones at about seven percent so it's not that yeah now color is interesting gray the most popular choice now when they say gray that takes in silver so silver gray 36 percent of all new registration so right next to it no white stroke ivory okay 18 percent and then black 16 percent right that cars are all to keep clean yeah just staying on that a listener says i got my renewal in for my private van it was 644 euro when i rang up the company the best they could do was 600 euro so i said i'll get back to you so i did an online quote for the same company it came back at 490 euro so i rang up and told the lady the story after she put me on hold for 28 minutes i got it for 477 euro uh just to say patience pays off so they went from 644 the renewal down to 477 with the same bloody company but anyway okay right um big plans in falcara yes uh good news story uh was reported in the business post uh a falcara based tech company called calcius uh set to invest in the region of five million euro in an expansion program that will lead to around 30 new jobs now they manufacture wireless temperature monitoring systems so a lot of these are for food display and for storage they signed a deal with tesco last year supplying 112 tesco stores so somebody somewhere can see what the temperature is of all the units so uh they've a number of new products coming on stream in early 2025 so they're expanding rapidly so uh a great little success story there brilliant stuff and units of housing next 88 for letter kenny yeah plans and the pipeline for the construction of 72 houses and 16 apartments in the creve smith area of letter kenny and this follows on from an application some years ago so uh the updated one is uh from george dardy construction limited it's currently with dunagall kenny council but that's quite a significant number 72 houses and 16 apartments in the planning process all right and the dunagall women in business network they have a workshop upcoming they do indeed wednesday the 21st of february and uh it's a workshop all about numbers uh things that will be discussed will be uh should you register for tax they learn about uh vat how to minimize your tax liability uh all sorts of things like that and it'll be led by risa feeney who's the founder and ceo of accountant online it's a full day workshop so uh you'll find more details on that on the dunagall women in business facebook page or indeed on their website as well brilliant stuff okay let's get down to the uh business of the podcast who's your guest this week chris i guess this week is a young woman called hannah van der volt who came to dunagall three years ago from south africa initially planning to stay just one year her husband uh got a job here and uh one year became two two years became three and uh just before christmas in october in fact she went into business herself and opened her bloom of coffee shop in letter kenny so a nice little journey from south africa to letter kenny so the initial plan was to come here for one year my husband got a job offer in letter kenny and we said we are young we don't have kids so paid so um we're gonna see hard guys and um one year sent into two and two turned into three and now we are here um and later kenny has been really good very welcoming to us so we are happy to be here so my husband came on a critical skills permit so i was allowed to work start working immediately um and i said i want to work in a coffee shop i like hospitality i want to see what the culture is how the people are um just to get to know the people and the community and i got a job in another coffee shop in town um where i started working and i said to the to the owner one day i want to open my own coffee shop uh it's the plan to open a coffee shop one day um not the intent maybe not letter kenny and it just happened okay what an interesting story and you can hear much more of it uh in the full podcast available for you right now on our website highland radio dot com you can choose to download or stream it from that platform and it should also be up on Spotify or iTunes right now as well and broadcast of course live uh although prerecorded but broadcast uh on the airwaves on sunday chris that's right on sunday after the six o'clock news and you can contact me at business matters at highland radio dot com chris thank you very much indeed that is chris ashmore there and we'll be back with more in the nine till noon show after these this week's show is brought to you by the highland hoolie in saloo join us this september in the sunny saloo for a week of live entertainment with ireland's leading country artists dinner each evening and plenty of crack sun saloo and you this september for booking information go to the outlet on highland radio dot com traditional irish folk in balaban to kill kenny's come to jackson's hotel balba fe on friday 16th of february and and kerchkey door on saturday 17th of february tickets are 20 euro each and available from event bright and from hotel reception for day-to-day health care needs generations have trusted the experienced staff at mickey's chemist letter kenny from coughs and coals to aches and pains from vitamin supplements to first aid essentials mickey's have what you need when you need it with a full prescription service available daily mickey's chemist main street letter kenny for health care help and advice you can always trust let's hear the real to snag heron fabric world made out dairy biggest ever winter sale now on on trend and in stock curtain and upholstery fabrics all on sale over 3000 meters now half price or less free curtain design ready make curtains up to half price and lining from one pound with fabulous rates on the euro in store at fabric world made out dairy across ireland more than 1.6 million homes farms and businesses have been upgraded to a smart electricity meter and esb networks is continuing the rollout of smart measures in your area connecting more of us to a cleaner electric future one of the benefits of your smart measure is being able to find out more about your daily usage regardless of who your electricity supplier is get started by signing up today for your online account visit esb networks dot ie esb networks energizing your everything highland radio weather updates brought to you by grant building a new home choose grants a triple plus rated air owner air to water heat pump and you flex under floor heating visit grant dot ie okay drying calm for the rest of today with hazy uh high hazy sunshine for much of the day cold with highest temperatures of just four or five degrees in light northeast breezes now we received correspondent from a listener and the the whole letter is uh on our social media i can't go through it all now because time wouldn't permit but it reads as follows to begin with i know that you've helped others before and given them right resources and advice to help i'm at my wit's end i'm the eldest in my family and unfortunately never met the right person to settle down with that is until two years ago i've been dating my partner for two years and it's all going smoothly my mother's in the late 17s and relies on me a lot i've always been a mommy's girl and always felt that we've an unbreakable bond my mother's health has deteriorated in recent years as i live closest i'm tasked with minding her i enjoy her company but my god it is tough now that she's started to doubt has become frail and forgetful and just generally needs more help i have three other siblings one who lives a 15 minute drive away but is very preoccupied with his job so he makes excuses that he's too busy to take mom for a driver or even just take her to the shop for the essentials i find this behavior to be totally selfish my other sibling lives in gallway with three young children so i understand it would be difficult for them to care for month for mom due to the distance my other sibling lives an hour's drive away but also has a young family managing family life can be tough not only though would a monthly visit help mom but grandchildren love their grandparents i feel that my sister is making them miss out by not bringing them to visit mom i've cared for and visited mom for years uh the most four years as i'm the most readily available with the lease equipment out of all of my siblings why does the responsibility of caring for a parent always fall on one person any advice uh and i've kind of skipped through some of that but i hope the correspondent understands it is a familiar story a lot of people out there will go you know what that's very similar to my experience beth Fitzpatrick is a psychotherapist and has accepted our invite to come on and talk about this as i say beth good morning to you and not an unfamiliar story i would say one that an awful lot of people listening can relate to that's right greg and you know in our service like in cromland we see a lot of people that are in the cut in the same situation and basically i know you're stuck for time and come up to news probably seven minutes i'll take my time to help this lady yeah she's you know she's really really a beautiful person listen reading her letter she's a beautiful person she has been so good to her mother and she's not even being too hard on her siblings but the thing is people will take as long as you give it's not because they're bad i was taught that a long time ago so it's up to her to say look um i love you ma'am but i might be able to come every day and it's when we continue to do something people expect it's not that our siblings are bad they're just used to her doing it so it's like saying to them you know something i can't do this all the time i'm going to need some help i can't do it alone it you can never make somebody do something so it's not to lose faith with them and to say look i can't have you asked for help if i say to my family look i need some help with this i i can't do it can you help me they it works better than say oh you'd never help me and you know it's like saying the right words so how do you overcome though the argument well i live far away i've got young kids it's hard for me to get up and down or the other siblings saying well i'm really busy you know you've gotten old kids and you live right beside mom i mean you have to you have to stand up for yourself and and look after your own health and mental well-being don't you yeah no i agree with you but but even in our lives she said even a phone call and she's also right then grandchildren need our grandparents i mean i'm a grandmother myself and i know it's so good for them to see a different part and it's like saying and all she wants even a phone call if i'm doing that living all the way i mean i think she's been so so reasonable i think this lady deserves a huge medal i mean for what she's done but she at some stage it's as long as i remember years ago when i used to do things for everything for my children and then we learned this theory of taking care of myself as well so i said i'm sorry for continuing to do this i'm not going to do it anymore unlike they didn't it was only i changed by her change and she can help and it's only little steps like maybe saying to our sister i'm not going to be there this Saturday i'm hoping one of yous will step up and you suggest a whatsapp group a whatsapp group would be a way of communicating a whatsapp group would be she might have that already but put the mother under whatsapp group and not the mother just to create them because i do that we're all my siblings and i mean i often have that my mother is well past now but like that we all took days that we could go in even if we lived far and it's like it's not this woman has four children you know it's not like she has only one she has four and it's like we all if i can get away with it if i know somebody who's doing it all the time it's easy for me to sit back and say that's your job i can't do that so but that might not be more you're saying that might not be motivated by badness that might might be just sir mary's opposite mom she can look yeah she can do she can do everything she can do everything she and they will lie you know say for example you're giving somebody something every week and they they take a program to that it's going to be there it's like the same thing you go to see somebody every day they just and if you don't turn up they're going to be an eye that you but it's like saying to mum i know i've always done it but i do have a life as well and i'm not going to make it every day and the mother might be demanding because she's learned at the same time wouldn't it be lovely if one of the one of them went up with the children even say i'll do on a saturday i'll do this even every other saturday she's only looking for them to come up once a month i mean my god this girl is so patient you know i'd be looking for a lot more than once a month you know one of them is only an hour away 15 minutes away one is away what would what but say for instance three minutes away it's so to employ that advice and hopefully it would would resonate beth um there are also and people do be reluctant to to bring in outside help that's not family but there are services there in the meantime in an interim that could give this brilliant daughter a little bit of time to herself a bit of rest i have had so many people in access counseling where we are over the years help them to stand back and learn them that it's not their fault that they've done this she's a she's a caring type she's a fourth child usually the fourth child takes on everything but it's too much for them it's too much and they need to let go and say look i know i've done it and and she also adores our mother you can see that but it's about standing back and saying i can't do it every day and i don't think she could meet somebody yeah and in challenging that beth she shouldn't feel guilty or selfish for thinking those thoughts you know what i would do i would stand any guilt she feels on a very slow boat to china yeah i agree i agree because i think you can have a conflict of emotions there can't you i shouldn't feel like yeah you can and the guilt and guilt is not a bad thing it can teach us right from wrong you can teach us you know it's a normal it's a very normal feeling but when she feels that guilt just say no i'm letting it go i'm letting it go with love i love my mom i've done so much mom i can't do it every day i know i'm always there and even though our mother is though it looks like she can look and also look out for outside help like what's in the community if they're neighbors if they're people that can pop in if they're meals on wheels if they're like help from the local community yeah you know the local resources there's some of brilliant advice in there but i think this is actually especially given the reaction is something we're going to have to dedicate actually quite a bit more time to because there's an awful lot in here and an awful lot of people in the same boat i think for now you've given our listeners some really encouraging words and some really good advice and something to work with beth and i would love to follow this up with you at a later date but for now have a wonderful day and thank you so much beth that's awful because i couldn't get to you sooner thank you beth fits patrick there akhola says my story exactly no recognition from the government either whatsoever and another the moral of this story is very common i can look after five growing up but five cannot look after the one when they get older all right on that note and that's something we'll probably return to keep your texts and calls coming in by the way the lines remain open have a wonderful wednesday back tomorrow at nine john bresens up