 You have one new message. Hi Claire, Auntie Dee here. I just wanted to say a big thank you for skipping my party. We had a great night and everyone was so happy you didn't come. Now you take care, I hope to see you soon. Bye. No one will thank you for turning up to work or anything else when you're sick. Stay at home and get a test to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. From the HSE, Forest Hall. And now it's time for the talk of the Northwest, the 9th & Noon Show with Greg Hughes on Highland Radio. Hello, good morning. Five minutes past nine, Wednesday the 23rd of March is another edition of the 9th & Noon Show live from the sunny northwest of Ireland. We do hope you well and that you'll stick around for this program and the rest of the day here on your number one. Line's open for you right now. The number to WhatsApp or text 08 660 25000 or give us a call in 07 491 25000. Right, let's look at the front of the newspapers this morning. We'll start with the Innish Times and they have a story of a young Innish own mother of two who claims her childhood cardiac condition has returned with greater intensity following a postnatal injection administered in Lettuce County University Hospital. Pamela O'Hagan from Bunkrana is currently unimpatient in the hospital's coronary care unit and is waiting to go to Dublin for cardiac surgery. Pamela, who suffers, suffered undiagnosed super ventricular trachardia between the ages of five and 18 said she has had an SVT attack within minutes of receiving the injection. After the birth of her son last August prior to that, she had not had an episode for 15 years. You can read much more in that story on the front of an inside that paper today. The Donegal post tells us that a Donegal town man is feeling hugely relieved and grateful after his Ukrainian parents in law completed an epic four-day journey of almost 2,000 kilometers to reach safety. Mike Mulligan from Barnas Mo area lives in Dublin with his wife Natasha since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Their main concern has been Natasha's parents Dima and Zoya who had been living in the eastern part of the country. Their hometown was very much in the war zone and it was a terrifying time for everyone involved we read. On to the nationals. Now, I think that I may have left the Finn Valley voice Caroline out there onto the nationals and we'll return to that last local. The Irish independent what Russia's war on Ukraine is set to usher in a level of inflation not seen in Ireland since the 1980s with rising fuel food and housing cost straining budgets. Price rises are expected to peak at around 8.5% this summer according to the Economic and Social Research Institute. Inflation has not been at that level here since 1984. Wages and government supports are unlikely to keep pace with average inflation of 6.7% for the year. This means disposal income could fall by around 2% the year Sarai warned in its quarterly economic forecast. Russian food costs are already rising as a result of the pandemic with consumer price inflation hitting 5.6% in February. Are you feeling it? Tell us how you're feeling it? How it's impacted on your life? What you're noticing as by way of change 08 660 25000. Well, the war will put further strain on oil and gas, cereal, cooking oil, fertilizer and metal imports from Russia and Ukraine. And this will lead to hikes in the cost of home heating or transport, electronic goods, building materials, which is a key one for us as well. Of course, and basic foods such as bread and pasta. Returning to the Finn Valley voice here now and their lead story, the headline are hospitals should be run like hotels. This according to a key speaker at Jackson's Hotel. Professor Sam McKonkey, one of the leading Irish medical experts advising the public on COVID-19 is to address members of Donegal's Hospitality and Tourism Sector at Jackson's Hotel next week. According to the Changing Times is the title of the conference which follows the two most difficult years the hotel industry in the Finn Valley has ever known. Professor McKonkey will be satisfied with our leading hoteliers and he'll he'd put them in charge of our hospital rooms if he could. Okay, I'm not sure I realistic that is, but anyway, I suppose he's addressing people in that industry. On to the times now and speaking of a difficult two years it continues. Officials are hopeful that COVID-19 cases will begin to decline without any need for new restrictions. Despite a warning from the World Health Organization that Ireland had lifted the public health curbs too brutally. Political and official sources were steadfast last night that despite the increasing pressure on hospitals restrictions were not being considered. There's no doubt it's creating a strain on the hospital system, but there's no clear proportionate measure that would reduce the strain one official said. But of course the eye in a mode feels very differently. They believe that mask wearing would at least slow down the spread of the disease taking pressure on them off them. But this on name source contradicts that a total of 23,702 cases were reported in the state yesterday. That's one of the highest daily total since the pandemic began. And of course, you know, we're not really testing like we did. So it's probably much higher. I think we all know even those that didn't get it have got it. Those that maybe didn't know an awful lot of people that did get it know lots of people that have and those that had it already are getting again. But this figure of almost 24,000 included 15,873 positive answering tests. The highest number registered on a single day. There were 1,388 COVID-19 patients in hospital yesterday, although that really probably should read patients in hospital with COVID-19. An increase of 31 on the previous day, including 61 in intensive care. That's up from 37 on March 11th. On to the Irish Daily Mail now and organisers of a St Patrick's Day parade that featured a float depicting two men who were allegedly brought a dead body inside a post office to collect his pension have apologised to his family. Padre Doyle age 66 died shortly before he was taken into Colo post office by his nephew Declan Hockney and one of the man on January 24. Both men denied that they knew he was dead as they attempted to claim his pension. The incident which sparked international attention has resurfaced after two entries depicted Mr. Doyle's death. They were featured at the St Patrick's Day events in Belmullet, Cantimale and I think it's Kilfenora in Cantique Clair. The depictions have since been harshly criticised by friends and people in the Colo community where the 66 year old lived. I'm sure they didn't fully think through how it might be upsetting, but if you saw the images of the video, it's some person in a cardboard post office. Two other people dressed up and there seemed to be wheeling some sort of a mannequin or something behind them. In the moment they might have thought it was funny, but clearly I think once the national media got involved and amplified it to the extent that they did, they had no alternative but to apologise, perhaps they would have done so anyway. We talked yesterday about how the fact that Ireland is set to co-host Euro 2028, well the government now has given its backing by way of a letter of support. The joint bid with Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland is expected to be successful and about 150,000 fans may travel here for the tournament. There are no bids expected by the deadline today for national football associations to confirm their interest. There were no discussions yesterday over the proposed costs of jointly hosting the event. However, the government will be expected to provide funding for venues, transport, security and fan zones. And I think I did see a figure somewhere of in the region of 80 million that it might cost this state. Do you think that's money well spent? Let us know what you think. I suppose it might be the lift that people need by the time it rolls around. Back to the war in Ukraine and the sun tells us that over 40,000 Ukrainian refugees are expected to land in Ireland by the end of next month, honestly over, I can't reveal. It comes as ministers scrambled to put in place accommodation plans with the government in talks with religious orders to use monasteries and convents as housing. Some 10,147 Ukrainians have arrived in Ireland so far. But Leof Radkar yesterday told the door, we expect that number will rise to 20,000 by the end of the month. It's reasonable to assume that it will probably hit something around 40,000 by the end of next month, he said. Some 7,326 PPS numbers have been issued to Ukrainians so far and some of the people that arrived here are already at work and some of their children have already begun school. And finally, what do you call your mother or what did you call your mother if you're lucky enough to have her with you still? Mum, Mam, Mammy, Mum. What's the most popular here in the Northwest? Well, Mum isn't the word for most Irish sons and daughters as most Irish mothers are called Mam Finding Show. Research commissioned by appliance maker Beco and Woman's Way found 31% of Irish mothers are referred to as Mam by their children. Some 23% of sons and daughters called their mother Mum while 12% use Mammy and 4% use Mother's first name. So 4% of you listening call Mum by whatever names you had. I'm honestly kind of embarrassed saying this. I up until probably the age of 10 or 11 thought my mum's name was Mum and I thought my dad's name was Dad. I couldn't have told you their first names because they referred to each other as Mum and Dad. It's not something I ever really thought on. I actually just thought their names were Mum and Dad. But anyway, what do you call your mum or what did you call your beautiful mum? Mum was it Mum, Mammy, Mother? Anything else out there that we call them Mum? M-O-M. That's in there, isn't it? Let us know. 08, 6, 60, 25,000. It'll be interesting to see because Mum, M-U-M is the word for mothers in Ulster as more than half, 53% of children there call their mothers Mum. But it's different where you are in the country, interestingly enough. You think we're all the same, but even on the most trivial of things, we're really quite different, dependent where you live. OK, and if you want to watch today's program, by the way, see some of our guests. See all of our guests, really, that come on the show at this point. You can hop onto our website. It's highlandradio.com, highlandradio.com. And you'll see a link there you can click through and watch in browser. If you prefer, go straight to our YouTube page or our Facebook pages and join us there where you can interact. Say hello, tell us where you're watching us from and so on and so forth. OK, our first guests will join us on this show after we take this short break. The Newspapers, Unclear to See of Kelly Centra. Mount and Top, letter Kelly. 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Visit nidirect.gov.uk and check ahead with providers. And you're very welcome back to the programme and as some of you are pointing out that story from Dan and Carlo was represented in at least one or two parades across the north-west over St Patrick's Day but as I say no one did it with any bad intent but obviously it just perhaps has blown up now. Right, let's switch subjects. Eamon Logue is chair of the Liffords-Straban Anglis Association. He joins us now. How are you getting on Eamon? Not too bad, Greg. Good to have you with us. Right, now tell us what you've discovered. No, just an ancient boat down below Lifford Bridge. We were meeting a friend there. I was taking a walk down there a few weeks back and we spotted it at the centre of Earthbreak. It was new. It looked like a boat but it looked like an old boat, you know. When I went down I had a good look around it and knew it was old but didn't know what to do or who to phone or what to tell you to preserve or take it away on the museum or something. So I contacted one of my members and he got a number from Iverson-Eating Clare for Roussin Mawen, the entire museum. I gave Roussin a ring and she came up and she was excited about it as well. Now it was three of her and everything else happened but Roussin opened the doors. I was like, you know, so only for Roussin we wouldn't have had the help we needed. And has it always been there and you stumbled across it or did something happen, I don't know, a storm on the movement of the ground and it became exposed? There was a big flood there. But we've been finding about some pieces very well over the years. Now we knew it was boats found along that stretch but we've only been finding pieces of it, this one, as soon as we see it. It's not the one that's in the newspaper. That's a different boat. There's less and less of that. We knew when we looked at it, there was a dugout tree. A sunken, you know. So that has been exposed and there's nothing else to come across it. And what's it made of as much as you can determine? Well, now the export, as far as we know, oak. It's the one single oak tree. Okay, well, listen. As it turns out, we have an expert on hand. Stay where you are, Aiman. Narl Gregory is a marine archaeologist. Hi, Narl. Hi, Greg, how are you? Good, nice to speak to you. Talk to us about what this boat is. How far back it dates? First of all, I'd like to thank Aiman and his members from the Anglos Association for bringing the attention of these boats to the Heritage Services that's absolutely paid off. So it's fantastic. So there are two boats. There are the remains of dugout boats. So effectively, there are hollowed-out tree trunks made into boats. Now, that sounds very crude, but they're actually very sophisticated craft in terms of actually how they're usually shaped or sculpted from the original tree trunk into the boat. And we have different sizes and different hollow shapes from them, within the confines of the original tree trunk. And these criteria actually tell us quite a lot of information about them, most specifically the intended environment in which they're going to be used and the purpose for which they're going to be used in that environment. Obviously, these ones came from the foil there and certainly one of them is oak and I think the second one probably is as well. The diagnostic sort of information or details from them, one in particular has iron nails on it, but they're a type of nail that can be anything from the early medieval to the late medieval. And in terms of centuries, when is that now? You're talking about five or six hundred AD, right through to sixteen hundred AD. The boats were actually used in Ireland right away up to 1793 AD and we have the earliest recorded ones about 7000 BC. So you're looking at a good 9000 years of use. So if there's something that's been used that length of time, they had to be quite a successful form of boat. And what would the most likely use be? Is it for fishing, transport? These particular ones are designed as cargo ferries. So if you can imagine, obviously we have the bridge there now between Lifford and Surbanum, but that's not that old because you've got the title aspect to the river and obviously there's an ancient forwarding point of this location. Not everyone wants to get their feet wet and certainly don't want your cargo to get wet, especially commercial sort of products that would have been crossing the river wet at that particular time. But as Ayman correctly pointed out, we've had a number of discoveries in this section of the river from 1984 and at that particular location where these two boats have turned up, that's 15 boats we found there out of overall 20 one boats from that stretch of the river. And do you ever suppose why they were found in the river, in other words why they weren't broad ashore used for wood and repurposed for something else? Is there some significance as to why they're being found in the very place they were employed? They have been found to be repurposed. Excuse me. If you look at, I don't know if your listeners recall the panel excavation outside Eneskill and their drum clay, I think it was around 2012-2013 and actually the base material to build up the artificial island used a lot of timbers and repurposed timbers and there were at least three dugout boats that were used built up that base there. So they do get repurposed even in antiquity and in more modern times even in the last couple of hundred years we do have accounts of them being used unfortunately for things like firewood but that was before modern archeology really came into play if you like. These ones here now they probably were lost during inclement weather conditions, maybe sort of winter storms or something like that but they were locked in filth layers or sedimentary layers within the areas where they were originally used to be brought up during times of winter weather, the higher river level. Right, they're 16 foot long. Why would they be at their widest point? Okay, one of them I'm sorry, I used the new money I'm afraid so Aiman, you're going to have to convert this for us. Go ahead now. One of them was about six meters long and the other one was about just over four meters long so that's multiplied by three. Yes. But the width? Yeah, the width now obviously they were really confined to the original parameters or the dimensions of the trees so typically they can be anything from 50 centimeters just short three feet, I suppose by two feet right way up to one meter. These are big trees that were and I suppose you could make a bigger one lower to the base the tree and the smaller one the further you go up. I suppose it works in the sense of that you use the entire tree trunk these ones here now they were about 60 centimeters in width and we can actually see because of the soft wood on the outside aspects of the hull and that's a soft wood that any self-respecting boat builder would not want to use because it won't last very long and you need the hard wood the hard wood and obviously because we're using the soft wood there was a shortage of trees in the area where the boat was being built all the suitable size so they're trying to maximize the absolute limits of the trunk. Of course the bigger it is the less runs you have to make so you're going to try and push the limits. Obviously these are of great interest to you Nile and many people listening are they of significance that would justify removing them, preserving them displaying them or are they so common that maybe they're not? That's a yes and no answer in terms of we have one of the most realistic number of these boats on the island of Ireland compared to just about any other country on continental Europe so we have a huge number of these discoveries over the years now these are archaeological items so they are non-renewable resources so they have to be treated with due diligence but like anything it's the state services and it's a state finances that really come into play and it's a justification in terms of what the priorities are over a limited part. Now these boats in recent conversations with the historic Environment Division of the Department for Communities they're taking actions and in terms of being able to retain these boats and be able to take a curatorship of them but these are slow decisions to make because everything is a cost and there's very limited part for the public finances and historic items are no less so but if you can imagine. And part of that decision would be to presumably let time take its course as well would it? Like I couldn't go from remove one of those for example that would be illegal would it? There are different laws in terms of jurisdictions now obviously I'm in type of Ireland based in Tipperary so I'd be more cognizant of those sort of legal requirements. Well it's complicated enough to find out who owns the boat let alone who owns what's in it so we'll maybe leave that for others. Well it's permissions of the landlord as well comes into play but this will be taken in hand anyway but it is like things like cost of pixel now from the Ukraine sort of war that's actually playing into this as well so that actually has to be sort of slow into liberal decisions in terms of what we're going to do when we're going to move it to its ultimate place we want to be able to not keep on moving it because that's a cost and that's an expense so this has to be decided upon before it can actually lift and retain them. And Ayman I don't know if you're connected to the past or you know nostalgic but did you feel any particular connection to your forefathers or would you like anything in particular maybe even the one that's in better condition would you like anything it could end up in appear in Donegal town the way things are and then it's shown sometimes but anyway do you do you would you like to see anything done with it or as I say do you feel any sort of connection to your ancestors in finding it? Yeah well we did and we obviously preserved an arm display somewhere as I was saying there you know what I mean they're only a certain amount they don't last long if they're not protected and I don't know Oh here's the rich history that the local people don't need to know about you know Kroger Howell alone there's a there's a man that has a speech on YouTube Mr. Lacey and I just tell you we don't know about it you know I mean that's what we know I think we lost unless somebody has somebody put it on the display it you know it should be it should be presented alright brilliant stuff thanks Ayman I appreciate you coming on and sharing that story with us what's your your favourite find or your favourite item now that you've worked on okay you thought you thought my question about metric versus imperial was bad get your teeth around that one I know that's a real challenge I'm over 30 years working as a professional archaeologist so I mean when I'm working on site right now on the outskirts of southern Dublin and returning up prehistoric formation you know that there is a human sort of a bayou to be like along with 18th century big bath so that's topical there at the moment but I suppose maybe about 25 years ago I was working for the National Museum of Ireland and the River Sock and underwater excavation of a crossing point on tributaries the river Shannon and we're working with underwater metal detectors and quite often I didn't have the opportunity to work underwater but this was a life administration day and I went in with the detector and I thought I was detecting a piece of barbed wire or 1980 shopping trolling that's exactly so it turned out to be this is the formal title of it it's a sword now it's a 17th century Irish copy of a Scottish mercenaries ring pommel sword wow what kind of condition was it in it was actually in excellent condition it was one of the best preserved in the country we even had the leather of the scabbard and then you wonder how did it end up in such a place you'd just love to be able to time travel now it's fascinating stuff thanks for your time this morning I appreciate it and your expertise it's very much appreciated as I mentioned now Gregory there marine archaeologist and Damon Loog the discoverer many old boats seemingly will too anyway okay 086625,000 WhatsApps and texts have you ever found anything of note I seem to recall clay pipes being found that's the most significant thing I've ever found whilst it was actually sounds quite brutal well it wasn't really that brutal but it was intrusive was digging out foundations 086625,000 if you've come across anything interesting like that maybe it's now your prize possession call Caroline an 07491 25,000 righty oh we've got more coming up on the program and you never know what we might be talking about after these don't sleep in and miss the very latest beds and mattress offers from dfibeds.ie Ireland's leading online bed and mattress retailer you'll get a comfy Irish made mattress a postured base and headboard from an amazing 229 euro check out the full range at dfibeds.ie delivery free and guaranteed to you within seven working days dfi beds sleep well live well I think if you try to design a garden too much it's artificial I mean it would be better to see go around in the garden we see these gardener programs don't put this color beside that color and mind that's a lot of nonsense too like you know time to time to look at what color it is that's Down the Garden Path a new series Wednesday nights on Highland Radio after the news at 8pm join me David James this Friday as the joe of time show will be coming to you live from Century complex later Kenny we will be celebrating 85 years of Century cinemas reminiscent on some of the old movies how cinema has changed the way it is we will be celebrating 85 years of Century cinemas reminiscent on some of the old movies how cinema has changed the way it is we will be celebrating 85 years of Century cinemas reminiscent on some of the old movies how cinema has changed through the years and as usual we have some fantastic giveaways on the day that's this Friday from 2.30pm on Highland Radio Central Auto Parts are now stocking Sony a water based paint offering all up to dead colors for all vehicles and selling mixed commercial the perfect paint for diggers plant and machinery buy it today at Central Auto Parts 991-27491 Ok you welcome back to the program now elected representatives and delegates from around the country are in Bancranha this week to attend the Association of Irish local government congress conference about you pardon Councillor Nicholas Krossen is the President of that association he joins us now I suppose it's a big boost to Bancranha to get people up here to have a look around and it's Nicholas, good morning. Good morning, Greg. Thanks for the opportunity, yeah. Delighted that to welcome up to, well, probably 300, maybe 350 delegates to Bonkran over the next couple of days. Of course, we have the weather orders, and it's absolutely beautiful. And there's some that have come up last night. And they're just, when they come around the lockout at four, they see the open of the squalay in the entrance of the Bonkran, saying to me it's the nicest entrance in any town in Ireland. So it's a great opportunity, first of all, to welcome up here for the conference, but to actually see in person and to show them the good that it has to offer. Yeah, and it's beautiful all year round, but I think we can be extra proud at this time of the year with this type of weather, which is great. What is up for discussion? What do you think the key conversation points will be? Well, we're open tonight as our minister for officially opening the conference tonight. I suppose he is our go-to man with our association. As you know, we deal with issues pertaining to local government. We're asked for an input into legislation. And that's what basically the association of Irish local government does. So we're delighted to have the minister with us in Bonkran tonight. As I said, he will be talking regarding local government. The main bones of the conference is, I suppose, the aspect of town center first, which is trying to develop our town centers back into and make them vibrant again. And I think that Donegal, I suppose where we chose the subject for Donegal is not only did we have to deal with COVID-19, but we also dealt with Brexit. Brexit. We also deal with currency. We also deal with various other things that we have on the cross border, which a lot of other counties in Ireland don't do that to, you know, we have a choice if we can go to shop in Northern Ireland or we can shop in the Republic of Ireland. But if you're living in Cork or Kerry, you either go to your living in your own town, you eat shop in that town or you go to the next town, but you're still in the Republic. So there's a whole lot of various aspects that wouldn't be so much in other counties as relevant to Donegal. Oh, I think it's good that Ola's getting an understanding of it, you know, because we talk about shop local and shop local could be Derry or it could be Bonkranna and these are our friends and neighbors and our family or our partners, whatever it might be. It's a unique situation, it really is. That's a very unique situation, yeah. What is the future of our town centres? Is it striking a balance between maybe more residential, getting life back into our town centres and commercial or is it about trying to have a commercial focus and to promote business or we're still in the conversation part of that, do you think? No, I think we're well past the conversation. It's a matter of now getting action. I think, Greg, what I can speak for, I was born on the main street of Bonkranna and it was a lower main street in Bonkranna. There was 30, 40 people living in the few houses along that street. Now there's one or two and you're right, we have to get a balance between residential and commercial but unless we get residents back into town and people are realising now, but we have all the services in the town, somebody builds in the country, a daily guy that's beautiful, but you're not gonna get your road salted, you're not gonna foot pass up to your house, you're not gonna have maybe mains, water or sewage or whatever the case. So there's an advantage for living within a town boundary itself, which is people who like to live in the country but there's advantages, you've got broadband, you've got all the services that you wish for. Your children can walk to school, you're with unwelcome distance of shop and if you place a few loads per month, something maybe could be factored in. And do you see the Bonkranna project helping to, or maybe that's more about connecting areas of the town, do you think that project can be used also to look at say for instance, the centre of Bonkranna? You're talking about the shorefront development? Yeah, you know, the money that was announced, the 1.6 million, I know it's about interconnecting but there has to be a long-term plan. It's not about joining different areas of a town and it's outskirts together. I mean, it may not come under the funding of that but all these things surely have to be considered as part of any major development of Bonkranna, even if it's a little bit out of the main street area. One of the main factors we're saying was connecting the main street, the resident to or shorefront, probably one of the disadvantages is our main street is back from the shorefront, I agree it does, there's a lot of seaside towns, the main street would go along the shorefront, or pier, you want the other towns, and the pier is a main focus point and a town that you'd drive down and have a look at the pier, white support or whatever the case may be. Bonkranna, you just can have to go out of your way to get to the pier. So what we're trying to do is rejuvenate that to make it more welcome and to, that the pier would be a focal point of the shorefront and to connect that with the town centre. All right, so it's going to be a good conference, I'd imagine, separately, it's a couple of years now since you got COVID, I think you were one of the first anyway that I was speaking to that had it two years on, do you still feel the effects of it? What's your reflections on what happened to you? That's ironic, you should ask that, it's actually two years today. Today? Right, okay. Today the 23rd of March, and I was with my physio yesterday, and I'm one, and I keep saying this, Greg, I'm one of the very, very lucky ones, I got a clean bowl of health yesterday, my physio therapist says, look, Nikolas, your heart, your lungs, or everything is good, you're good to go, and I don't want to see you again in this nicest possible way, and I say, thank you very much. So for long term, COVID with myself, thankfully, Greg, I don't see any after effects at this present moment in time, and I'm very thankful for that. You passed the NCT, that's what we can say. I got the NCT, but look, there's an awful lot of people, and I would ask people to just, there's a surge again, and please, please just be careful. Now, people say, it's okay, the variance's not as bad, that's okay, that's probably true, but for anybody that does get it bad, it's a huge, you know, they're a hospital crisis, Leather County Hospital, it's kind of the color, like we were talking to the people and I see you keep in touch with them over, most of my wife does that, on tellers just at the progress and just seeing how they're getting on, and they just had to get, didn't get their head lifted the last few years. It's unbelievable. When you get the animals calling for a state of emergency, they'll be declared, and they're the ones at the cold phase. Just finally on the conference, this evening, by the way, before I let you go, I mean, it depends on what is discussed, but do you think that the housing situation, the mica situation in Donegal and down the West Coast, is that formally going to be discussed? No, that's not formally discussed, Greg, although probably mica isn't a good lot of the counties that our program is just set up just for what we have, you know, there's only so much we can put into the conference, maybe it's not relevant on Wexford or Waterford or Cork or whatever the case may be, so we're trying to get topics that's relevant supposed to all the councillors because the councillors coming from every county and island, although it's very relevant to yourselves up here. But I'm glad to say that Donegal County Council are, they're starting to make inroads into this, and it's a very, very slow process, but I hear people that are getting through look one, two, three, and they're getting through this here, and that's what we want to do, we want to try and get it speeded up as fast as possible for people because it's a horrendous situation there. All right, thanks for your time. I appreciate it, Councillor Nicholas Cross and the First Independent, Councillor to be head of that association, by the way, which is no mean feat, speaking ahead of that conference this evening, 08 660 25000, that's the WhatsApp text number. Give us a call at 07 491 25000. I just want to let you know before the break that this week in Highland Radio, on our website, HighlandRadio.com, we are highlighting Neurodiversity Celebration Week, which runs from March 21 to 28. Patrick Sharkey speaking to different neurodivergent people from throughout the county and further afield, in fact, about the challenges they overcome in daily life. The guests span all four corners of Donegal, tell many different stories, including ADHD autism. I believe autism was the focus yesterday, dyspraxia, which we've discussed a lot on this program as well as dyslexia and Asperger's syndrome. The podcasts are available in the playback section on our website, and as I mentioned, some highlights from this program go on there. We had a very interesting conversation yesterday with the GP about the new drug, which is being seen as a game changer in terms of tackling obesity. If you missed that, that's in the playback section. The DL debate reflecting on the weekend sport with Brendan Daveney, that's there. The new Business Matters podcast, which we'll be discussing later, that'll be up there. The scores featured there. You can even catch up, by the way, on all of the news of the day. The main even new sport and obituary notes this podcast every single day for you, just to make it as easy as it is possible to keep up to date with everything that's happening. So if you haven't been on in a while, hop on to HighlandRadio.com. And you know, if you've got any feedback on the website, email it to me or on anything at all, and I'll pass it on to the relevant people. You can email Greg Hughes at HighlandRadio.com or inquiries at HighlandRadio.com or use the form on the website. Have your say. As I say, it was recently done up and that work is continuing. Right, okay, we'll be back, as I say, with your comments and much more after these. Text 086 60 25,000. Greatness isn't something you're born with. It requires work, dedication, self-belief and support. In 2024, Team Ireland will travel to Paris with the hopes of a nation on their shoulders. And permanent TSB will be supporting them every step of the way. So when our Olympians and Paralympians take to the world stage, let's come together in raising a nation to greatness. Permanent TSB, proud sponsor of the Irish Olympic Team and the Irish Paralympic Team. Enjoy your bath. I will, no. Everywhere. There's a pipe leaking through the ceiling. With Allianz Home Insurance, you get emergency home assistance at no extra cost. So when those unexpected moments happen, we'll be here to help. 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Highest temperatures of 15 to 17 degrees with light. South-Easterly winds. Now, Dr Lucy Michael is co-author of iReport.ie. It's the racist... racist instant reporting line. And we've been talking about this for a number of years now, I think, since it's launched, if I'm not mistaken. Dr Lucy, thank you very much for joining us. Good morning to you. Good morning. Lovely to be with you. Thank you for talking with me. Right. Okay. Tell us what are the findings of your report for 2021 and in terms of trend and people's experiences. I've heard the three things that stand out for me about this year's report. And you're right. We've been talking about this for a number of years. And one is we're still seeing a really high rate of racist assault, which we've seen for the last three years. Worryingly, at the same time, we've seen reporting of those to Garde cut by half. And we've also seen a high level of illegal discrimination in employment, accommodation and other areas. So 90 cases with that. And so really high in terms of assault and discrimination. Much lower in terms of people reporting online hate speech. And I think that we've put that down really to fatigue. There was a huge level of reporting in that area. And when we all started working from home, I think people got used to seeing it and set up a reporting it and seeing it not taken down off the main platform. Well, it's so prevalent. I mean, you know, a couple of years ago, you would never see it. People feel they can say things, which are, I mean, they're clearly offensive. And, you know, you have people with relatively high profile saying things which I think many could deem as being racist. I think if I were that person, I would go, well, what's the point? I have no faith in this. No one seems to be bothered. It appears to be getting worse. I'll just keep my head down and try and avoid it as much as I can. That's it. And organizations like INR have been working hand in hand with the big social media platforms to try and reduce it. But the waves of online hate at the moment are just huge. And the efforts to try and take them down are very burdensome, to try and report something. It asks everybody to send the link to report it. You go through about eight different steps to report a single statement on Facebook. It's extraordinarily burdensome. No wonder people have given us thinking about it. And yet, you know, we have to try and stop it somehow. In terms of, you know, whether how Guardi can log this type of information into the likes of the Pulse system, you know, so we can get an official line on it. I'm not saying that the information gathering that you do is not official, but if you understand, in other words, that information that can form policy, are we making any inroads in that regard so that if there is safe, for instance, assault, that it can be officially recorded as having a racial motivation? Well, this is why this reporting system is important because it's not official. So it gives us a second view at what's happening. And so we would always look every year at what statistics the Guardi have recorded. And then we would look at what has been reported to our report. And we would try and compare the two. And that tells us something about the levels of trust people have in the Guardi. It tells us about the ability of the Guardi to accurately record incidents. And, you know, the Guardi nine months ago set up an online hate crime reporting form. And, but we're not seeing anywhere near the level of reports to that that we get to eye report. And as I say, you know, the thing that people use to report most, which was assault, you know, something that's very tangible. You can see injury. You can very often photograph. At the perpetrator, they're usually identifiable known. Those are the things that used to be most reported to Guardi. And now they're the thing that are least reported to Guardi. And that worries me a lot. I mean, though, I think the Guardi do deserve some credit, though, because obviously, do they? Sorry, that's a question, not a statement. Because obviously, their most recent campaign has been very much focused on increasing diversity, different voices, different faces in on Guardi. She kind of presumably that might instill a little bit of trust if you're from a particular community, if you feel that you can go to a Guardi, that you'd have more faith in them understanding. Yes. And I think the mistake is to assume that everybody sees the Guardi as one single thing. And, you know, people, people acknowledge that there are Guardi who go well out of their way to try and build community trust, to really work with communities to address racism. And then there are others that are doing the opposite, you know, that are really engaging in racial profiling, that are dismissing victims who go to Guardi stations. And, you know, so the organization as a whole has to build trust. And that campaign, you're right, is one really good way of doing that. But it's not the only way. It also has to be seen in the practice of Guardi on the street, how they talk to young people, how they deal with migrants who come to a Guardi station, how they respond to somebody who wants to report racism or anything else. And it's that complex picture of trust that really creates what happens in the end. And for us, what we've seen is in the last two years, as we've seen racial profiling going up in communities, we've seen that trust level going down. So, apart from that recruitment campaign, and Guardi Shiekona has to take seriously two things. One is the behavior of Guardi who are acting in ways that appear to be racial profiling. We have no legislation and no data on that. And the Minister of Justice has said that they don't intend to introduce that legislation. And the second thing then is just to be very aware that the policies of the organization have to, as a whole, be anti-racist. They have to be proactive. Okay, in terms of reaching people, though, you know, and it kind of has to be sweeping because I don't have time to sort of try and phrase it in a different way. But reaching different people, minority groups or whatever it is, do we do enough in that regard? You know, it is quite possible. Let's say, for instance, there could be a community in Donegal that maybe they have connections to another country. They source the news from there. They're not listening to Highland Radio. We're buying a local newspaper. Are we reaching out and making sure we're finding different ways of communicating with people? Because I'm thinking the government website, and you think the government can get this right in the wake of the awful crisis in Ukraine. They published an information document on their own website, only in English for people coming here from Ukraine. There was no bilingual presentation of it. There was, you know, no number offered for people to contact someone who could maybe speak their language. I just wonder sometimes if we're dusting around the corners. Yeah, I think that's it. We fall down in places that are very obvious. For example, in Dublin 15, there was no diversity officer for quite a while in one of the most diverse parts of Ireland. And Done language, overall, I think we fall in behind in many ways. There are no interpreting standards, for example, for interpreter use in international protection, in the courts, in guard stations, in healthcare. And yes, we're very bad at thinking about how we do this multilingualy. I mean, I have to say, this is the first year that we have published iReport data in 11 languages. And that's been very much about funding. The states don't have that excuse. But we certainly this year decided that we have to get this iReport news out in multiple languages, so that it belongs to communities, so that people can start asking for that official data from Guardian the State in their own language. And you're thinking you're talking with people and not talking about them. Not you, you know, generally speaking. Okay, if people want to find this report, I presume they go to iReport.ie, and it will be easily found on the front page there. If they want to see the report, they go to inar.ie. That's inar.ie. I mean, if they want to make a report, they go to iReport.ie. My apologies. So it's the Irish network against racism, whether report is published, i-m-a-r. And if you wish to report an incident, it's iReport.ie, which makes sense to have that separation. Thanks for your time, doctor. I appreciate it. Much appreciated. Okay, bye-bye. That's Dr. Lucy Michael, who is the co-author of report.ie. 08, 6, 60, 25,000 WhatsApps and texts to that number. Lots of you messaging us today, which is fantastic. We'll be getting to some of those calls in a moment. In fact, after the news at 10, because we don't want to delay it, stay where you are. Lots to keep you entertained, but we'll be back with more on The Nine to Noon Show after these messages. Do you want to react to any of today's news stories, or do you have your own issue to raise? The Nine to Noon Show phone lines are now open on 074-9125,000, or text 086-6025,000. Darren Brown, the multi-award-winning master of mind control and psychological illusion, is coming to Derry with his brand new live show, Showman, guaranteed to blow your mind. From the 26th of April for one week only, don't miss Darren Brown, live at The Millennium Forum, book now at millenniumforum.co.uk. Years ago, I used to dread my motor insurance renewal. Then a friend told me about O'Malley Scanlon Insurance in Balibu Fe and Dunlow. They do all the hard work. They contact all the major insurance underwriters, and they get the very best possible quote for me. They have saved me a small fortune over the years, and they could do the same for you. When your insurance comes up for renewal, contact O'Malley Scanlon Insurance at their Balibu Fe office on 911-310-20, or they're done low office on 95 Treble 206. O'Malley Scanlon is regulated by the central bank. Win with low prices from SuperValue with a great range in store and online. Like, SuperValue chilled Valenci orange juice, one liter, only two euro. Epic! SuperValue frozen vegetable stir-fry mix, 750 gram, only 119. Smash dead! And SuperValue chocolate chip cookies, only 99 cent. Winning! Win with low prices that compete with anyone. Win with SuperValue. Sheridan Security, now introducing ZeroWire Smart Alarm Systems. ZeroWire, zero mess, and a real peace of mind. With a simple press of a button, your alarm can be set or on set, or download the free app and control it from your phone. Call us today on 074 912 6025 and get your alarm from 299 euro. Stay local, stay safe, and protect what you value most with Sheridan Security Systems. Highland Radio wants to send you on the holiday of a lifetime. More than 10,000 euro. Plus five grand spending money. Get your ticket now at highlandradio.com. Answer the question and start packing. Start our packing. Draw takes place April 14th on the 9 till noon show. Start planning your ultimate getaway, only on Highland Radio. From the Highland Radio app, this is Highland Radio News. Good morning, it's 10 o'clock, Donald Kavanaugh at the news desk. The finance minister says, no matter what the government does in a bid to counteract the rising cost of living, it'll never be good enough for the opposition. Minister Pasco Dunno, who was reacting to a Sinn Fein motion on rising energy costs, which was brought to the door last evening, the party believes that the measures announced by government in recent weeks, while welcome, do nothing to address the spiralling cost of home heating. The Nicole W. Pierce Doherty has been outlining what their motion would do. It is to start by removing XI study on home heating oil to support families who are struggling to heat their homes. And this alone would reduce the cost of a fill by 100 euros, to move as far as it can on the cost of diesel and petrol with further reductions on XI study, and to win a special derogation to reduce the level of that applied to household energy bills. Well, responding minister Pasco Dunno, who said the opposition will always look to change the goalposts. Regardless of what the government did, it wouldn't be enough, because it is never enough for an opposition that will always look to change the goalposts in relation to any argument that we are in, because whatever measure the government brings forward will always be condemned by Sinn Fein and other opposition members as not being enough. Well, the ESRI is warning that Ireland is set to witness inflation not seen since 1984. In its latest quarterly economic survey, the ESRI says inflation could hit 8.5% by the summer and average out at 6.7% across the year. Only one in every five children aged five to 11 are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. That compares to three quarters of 12 to 15 year olds. That's according to the HSE. 89% of 16 and 17 year olds are fully vaccinated. Dr. Dennis McCauley, Donegal GP and IMO GP committee chair, says it's important that vulnerable children are vaccinated. If your child has a pre-existing condition such as asthma, I think it's really essential that they get it. I think that any other associated illness, if there's a family member who is ill with a chronic disease or a terminal diagnosis, I think once again it would be very practical and very sensible for them to actually get it. The Association of Irish Local Government is holding its annual training conference in Bancraná over the next two days. The event at the Inishon Gateway Hotel is looking at a number of issues, including the Town Centre First initiative, from which a number of towns in Donegal are set to benefit. The president of the ALG is Donegal Councillor and Acting Chair of the Inishon Municipal District, Councillor Nicholas Crossan. He says one of the issues being discussed will be how to promote Town Centre living. I was born on the main street of Bancraná, lower main street in Bancraná. There was 30, 40 people living in the few houses along that street. Now there's one or two, and we have to get the balance between residential and commercial. But unless we get residents back into town, and people are realising now, it's both with them, but we have all the services in the town, we have all the services that you can wish for. Your children can walk to school, you're both on walk in this instance of shopping, and place a few loads per month. A visit by the Cahir look of Latter-Kennie Milford Municipal District, Rudelstadt, has facilitated the further strengthening of links between the German town and Latter-Kennie. That's according to Councillor Jimmy Kavanaugh, who led a delegation from Latter-Kennie for a series of meetings and St Patrick's Day events in Rudelstadt. The two towns signed an official town-tweeting agreement in October 2018. The latest visit saw the establishment of a further educational link between St Joseph's National School in Rathmullen and a national school in Rudelstadt. Councillor Kavanaugh says the twinning agreement offers much potential. The German market is very important for Ireland, very important for Donegal, it's the second market after the UK. But one of the things about Rudelstadt is that it's from the old East German part, and there's many cities near Rudelstadt, Vienna and Weimar and airport, with big populations, and we haven't really touched on that market yet as a potential for tourism. Well, the forecast in Ireland tells it'll be mostly dry today with spells of hazy sunshine, well-scattered showers later today, particularly in the west of the region, some coastal fog possible, highest temperatures 14 to 17, warmest in sunshine, away from coastal areas, light south-easterly winds, tonight it'll be mainly dry with just some isolated showers and some light southerly breezes, clear at first, but it'll become cloudier across the west of the region, low cloud into possible, mist or fog forming in low temperatures of three to seven. Tomorrow, cloudier with some drizzle possible, otherwise dry with light southerly winds, top temperatures tomorrow 11 to 16, and that's how in radio news, we're back with news headlines again at 11 o'clock. Until then, from the news team, good morning. The obituary notices for Wednesday morning, the 23rd of March. The death has occurred of John Dunleavy, seven Nocnomona terrorists, letter Kenny, and formerly of our Glassport Salon. John's remains are reposing at his home, the house is private place. Funeral from there, tomorrow, going to St. Union's Cathedral, for Requiem Mass at 11 o'clock, which can be viewed live on churchservices.tv, and term it afterwards in Cornwall Cemetery. Family flowers only, donations if wish to the Emergency Department or ICU, letter Kenny University Hospital, care of Pasco Blake, Funeral Director. The death has occurred of Rasha Quinn, Glen Villa, New Mills, letter Kenny. Her remains were reposed at her home from six o'clock this evening. Requiem Mass will be celebrated in St. Columbus Church, Glen Swilly, at 12 noon on Friday, with an term it afterwards to Kill Peak Cemetery. Family flowers only please, donations in lieu if desired, to Pieta House, care of Con-McDade, Funeral Directors or any family member. The death has taken place of James Doren, formerly of Carragans. James's remains are reposing at Trinity Court with family time please from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. Funeral from there, tomorrow morning, arriving at St. Bathans Church, St. Johnston, for 11 o'clock Requiem Mass with burial afterwards in the Adjoining Cemetery. The death has taken place of Brigid McBride, Nick Hoyle, Tier-Homan Milford. Her remains are reposing at her home with Rosary Tonight at 9 o'clock. Funeral Mass tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock in St. Columbus Church Mass Mount, followed by burial in the Adjoining Cemetery. The funeral mass in Rosary can be viewed on St. Mary's, Vanne Volte, and St. Columbus Mass Mount Facebook page. Family, flowers only, donations if desired, to the Irish Motor Neuron Disease Association or ICU Letter Kenney University Hospital, care of Patrick Sweeney, Funeral Directors. Family time please from 10 p.m. to 11 a.m. and on the morning of the funeral. The death has taken place of Catherine Logue, Ney Ivers, Greenbank, Quigley's Point. Her remains are reposing at the Sacred Heart Church Muff, Requiem Mass this morning there at 11 o'clock with interment afterwards in the Adjoining Cemetery. The death has taken place of Pat Hamilton, late of 9 New Street, Clady. His remains will repose at Quigley's Funeral Home this afternoon from Half Pass 4 with removal at Half Pass 5 going to St. Columbus Church, Donnie Loop. Requiem Mass tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock with interment afterwards in the Adjoining Cemetery. The Requiem Mass can be viewed live via the parish webcam. And the death has taken place of Kathleen K. Kemp, Ney McLaughlin, 5 Seacrest Shore Road, Bunkranna. Her remains are reposing at McLaughlin's Funeral Home in Bunkranna with viewing from 3 until 5 and 6 until 8 o'clock today. Funeral from there tomorrow morning at 20 past 9 going to St Mary's Oratory for 10 o'clock Requiem Mass, burial afterwards in Cockhill Cemetery. For more details, including any family health guidelines for wakes and funerals, please go to highlandradio.com. You're going to be brilliant today. See, everyone needs a boost these days. And it couldn't be easier to get one. Everyone aged 16 and over can book a booster appointment for their COVID-19 vaccine. It'll reduce your chances of being seriously ill. And you can book a time and date that suits you at hse.ie. Your appointment will need to be three months since your last vaccine. And wait three months if you had COVID-19 since you were vaccinated. Visit hse.ie now. From the HSE. With all the stories that matter across the Northwest, it's Greg Hughes on the 9 to noon show on Highland Radio. And you welcome back to the second hour of the program. Nine minutes past 10. Shall we have a summer feel to our music at 10.30? Do you think? Give us your suggestions. What song shall we play at 10.30? Because it is nice and bright out there. Let us know what you want to hear also. If you've got a request or a dedication or you want to pass on a message, so there's something nice about it, someone, whatever it is, but we'll do that in the lead up to that music at around about 10.30. So your music suggestions and your requests, get them in now. Hi Greg, listening to Councillor Croson. I don't see Micah top of the list. And now Paddy Dever is stepped down. I don't hold much hope of things getting sorted anytime soon. Thanks. I don't know the ins and outs of the Paddy Dever situation, but I suspect that he's taken a step back at this time in terms of getting people out in the streets or what have you. I'm not sure an awful lot of that is happening in any case, I think reading his social media, he said that if such was required, again, he wouldn't belong stepping back in. Just watch Sky News now over 4 million refugees across Ukraine borders. However, a full 10 minutes was spent highlighting the plight of the transgender community there and the problem faced by those males who identify as women who want to leave but can't due to new government conscription laws that require an eligible men to stay in fight. Seems Putin got it right when all the western liberal elite are concerned about is oysters and gender politics. I think really at this point with the situation in Ukraine and I think it does frustrate the Ukrainians a little bit because what they want is the media to be talking about how to stop the war. They're looking for stories, angles, and of course that's going to be one of them. Just because a community is small, it doesn't mean it's not significant. But as I say, what Ukrainians want the media to be talking about is putting pressure on Russia, its allies, those with influence to end what's happening over there rather than discussing the consequences of it. The consequences are huge, don't get me wrong. But that's the sense I got. Hi, Greg Parrish, the thought that Councillor Croson would have on the agenda, the biggest catastrophe affecting Donegal community since Angkor-Tamor, i.e. Micah, will ask about the report on corruption that's gathering millimeters of dust on a minister's desk. But A, let's talk about the weather. The conference is not setting a national agenda. Perhaps it should be on there, I don't know. But as it relates to that planning report, I believe it's going to be referenced tonight in an RTE programme that's been broadcast tonight. So it'll be interesting what's said about that. Look, I've asked, I don't know, how many housing ministers about that report, when it's going to be published, when it's going to see the light of day, still nothing. Every one of them said, it's on the desk, we're looking at it, we hope to get it released, hope to get it released. And for whatever reason, reasons I don't know, it's still not released, I don't know. So housing micah is not a big enough issue nationally to be discussed by the councils this evening. It says it all really says this caller. The Donegal councillors should have used this opportunity to make it an issue. I wonder, other councillors from the county will be in attendance. I wonder what their feelings are about it not being at the top of or high up the agenda. Good morning, could you please find out what's going on with the roadworks? That's ongoing since before Christmas at Westbrook, Bonkranagh. The layout is not making any sense when exiting Westbrook to turn left. The back wheel is hitting off the footpath. That's a car, a lorry has to cross to the other side to avoid this happening. Has anyone else an opinion on this? Let us know. Oh wait, 60, 25,000. High in Glasgow when I was growing up, people used to call their mum, Ma. Not for me, always mommy, Catherine in Glenealy. A few ma's coming in, that sort of MAW. Maybe that is that sort of Scottish Donegal connection. Call my mother mum, M-U-M, was adamant that I would be mom also. I thought mommy sounded so strange, but hey ho, my kids are more Irish than me, so I've ended up as mommy and how can I not like it now? Excuse me. How can I not like it now? I'm privileged to be a mommy indeed. What about, what do you call grannies? Cause that can be quite controversial. I know some moms when they become grannies don't want to be called granny, but we're getting the right mixture in as to what we call our moms here. As a person who pays health insurance, I've tried in vain to get an appointment with my doctor. I find it strange how thousands can come into the country and get medical cards. I'm not sure if they're all getting medical cards, but I'll take your point. It was contacted by a listener yesterday who just to get some blood work done, was told they'd have to wait until May and speaking to another person who had to get blood work done and they got it the next day. So it seems to be hit and miss dependent on where you are. Spain took in 20,000 Ukrainians, the Polish have taken thousands, but they're on the border. Ireland is being very impractical in support, offers how are we going to cope when we can't as we are? Well, we'll have to find a way, isn't it? That isn't the situation. I presume, you know, Ukrainians are taking refuge in Poland with a view to getting back as soon as they possibly can. And obviously that's not practical for everyone and then we'll find other European countries hosting these people. Listen, I remember when I used to work in a few seaside towns, there was a huge population of people from, a lot of them were from Eastern Europe and known better than Ireland. And they came with their own free will, I think many of them stayed to call Ireland their home. Some returned, but we've always had, I think a strong particularly Eastern European population in certain parts, at least it was in the past. And we cope then, so in terms of hosting them doctors and you know what I mean? Schools and stuff like that there. So we found a way before, I'm sure we can find a way again. The leaders of this government really know how to divide society. We can't get homes despite being on waiting lists for years. And yesterday we discovered they can find 500 houses out of nowhere. For others not to mention, I only have a GP visit card because I earn 50 euro over the medical card limit. Something needs to change. We're accepting 200,000 people. The majority will be children. Schools will need to be built overnight. Where will our tourists stay while hotels are booked at an overpriced? You mentioned children there. Many of them will be children, 30 children who are separated from their parents or are orphaned around in Ireland since the start of the war, which was imposed on them, the citizens. What would we do? I mean, are we seriously talking people out there? Like if you believe that we should turn these children away and their families, let us know why. I mean, we can point out the fact that, you know, people feel the government has failed, the Irish people, successive governments, not enough investment in housing, not enough investment in healthcare. But to use that phrase, we are where we are, are we suggesting that we don't help these people? They are coming for refuge, they're refugees, and I presume that what the majority of them will want is to get back to their own country that they're so proudly defending. And this is probably a short-term thing. Hopefully, if the situation is resolved, the war ends, a lot of these people want to go back to their families. Some might choose to stay, and that is fine. But I mean, they're not here to displace anyone. We are, you know, opening our doors to try and help people that are being bombed out of their homes. Is that not the right thing to do? I don't know if lots of people think it isn't or just those that think it isn't are more motivated to text the show. I know there's an awful lot of people out there and a great outpouring of generosity and help. And those same people do the same. They donate to food banks here, they donate to St. Vincent de Paul, they donate to other charities to help Irish people too. And now they want to extend some of that generosity to people fleeing their country to escape bombs. Let us know what you think. Oh, wait, 60, 25,000. Greg, with so much COVID around, could you have someone on to explain the rules for social distancing and self-isolating? Can people still work and study if a family member tests positive as long as they keep testing negative and have no symptoms or are recovered from COVID recently? It's complicated. I obviously, you know, I had COVID myself trying to figure out what you can and can't do. It is quite complicated, but look, we can go through that, run through it for people. Greg, any idea what the low flying plane of a moth this morning was? The noise if it was terrible? There's an awful lot of surveying has been going on, not an awful lot, two nights. Could it be that surveying plane? Maybe they're out in the morning because people were kicking up a stink that they were flying around south in a shown, I was gonna say North Donegal. I was gonna say South Donegal and North Donegal, but you know what I mean? The middle part of the county, North of Vendor County, south in a shown, back and forward, back and forward, doing some sort of surveying and then they were over Derry as well, crossing back and forwards there. Maybe they were doing it in the morning rather than last thing at night. If it's noisy, it's probably is that twin-engined propellared plane. Acala says Donegal is falling apart under mental health. Never mind medical support, yet we are bringing in hundreds from Ukraine with huge mental health issues after the war. Donegal, my family's were not offered hotel rooms while their houses fell around them. There appears to be a huge disparity in the treatment of EU citizens. Yeah, I don't like staying in hotel rooms. I don't think that would be a one-year, six-month solution for micro-affected families. Maybe it would be. I don't believe it would be. And I don't think it's a long-term solution to helping our European neighbors who have been bombed from their country. It's the three months contract. I presume people are hoping that this will be over by May and it's not going to be a medium-long-term thing. Who's to say? I don't know. Trying to call for an appointment with my GP, surgery supposed to open at 9 a.m. cannot get through and getting a message at 9.03 that the surgery is still closed. Now getting a message that the call cannot be completed when trying to get through. Have any other listeners experienced this issue with the GP surgery? Let me tell you, GP surgeries at the moment are absolutely overwhelmed with people contacting them about the COVID situation. So maybe that's what's going on. Just because we don't talk about it as much and people aren't wearing masks and people are going about their business, there are thousands of people currently infected with it in Donegal alone. And the GPs are taking calls from them as well, be referral for tests or whatever it might be. A call says, don't forget that the taxpayer pays for their free legal aid. These are people who are in some cases awaiting trial or untrial. No free legal aid if found guilty might be a deterrent or might be deducted from future income. That might be some sort of a deterrent. Right, let's take the bingo numbers. I just wanted to give a good run through of all your comments that were coming through this morning and keep them coming on whatever issue you want to discuss, by the way, it just doesn't have to be what we are talking about at the very moment. All right, here are the bingo numbers. Good luck if you are playing. It's time for NCBI Bingo on Highland Radio. It's Wednesday the 23rd of March. You're playing on the blue sheet. The reference number is S18. It's game number 12. The numbers are one, 69, 17, 87, 72, 33, 11, 88, 84, And finally, 19. Phone your claim to 910-4833 before 8 tonight. Leave your name, contact number and the name of the shop where you purchased your book and we'll call you back the next working day. Get all your NCBI Bingo information at HighlandRadio.com. The National Lottery. It could be you. Aldi has everything to make this Easter extra special. Medium-cabrie cream eggs, Buttons, KitKat and Smarties eggs, just 165 each. That's three for under five euro. Large-cabrie twirl, Whisper and Maltesers eggs, just 3.99 each. And treat the kids with Easter egg on favorites from just 79 cents. Visit Aldi or click and collect. So on your marks, egg set, go! Aldi, the home of an amazing Easter. See Aldi.ie for terms and available stores, charges apply. Highland Radio wants to send you on the holiday of a lifetime. More than $10,000 euro. Plus five grand spending money. Get your ticket now at highlandradio.com. Answer the question and start packing. Start packing. Draw takes place April 14th on the 9 till then show. Start planning your ultimate getaway. Only on Highland Radio. There's amazing deals every week at Watson Hire in Litterkenny. Wait specials in tools, hardware and homework. If you're a tradesperson where you're doing a one-off job, you'll find everything from power tools to hand tools and paint to work clothing. For great weekly deals and a great selection, visit Watson Hire at KillToy Litterkenny. For more information, visit the Facebook page or see WatsonHire.ie. Join me, David James, this Friday as the Jovetime show will be coming to you live from Century Complex Litterkenny. We will be celebrating 85 years of Century Cinemas, reminiscing on some of the old movies, how cinema has changed through the years and as usual we have some fantastic giveaways on the day. That's this Friday from 2.30 to 5.00 p.m. on Highland Radio. Tune in this Thursday for all the latest farming news and views straight after the 5.00 p.m. news brought to you in association with Lifford Credit Union who have recently launched Cultivate, an agricultural loan at only 6.55%, APR 6.75%. Call into any of their three offices for more information or to make an appointment. Lifford Credit Union, Raphoh Newton Lifford, supporting local farmers. Okay, so we are enjoying some beautiful weather across the Northwest so far this week and across the country indeed, but what can we look forward to in the days ahead? Alan O'Reilly from Carla Weathers back on the show. Hi, Alan. Hi, how are you doing? Good to have you with us. Actually, before we talk about the weather, can you talk to us a little bit about this sand? A lot of people woke up earlier this week with their cars covered in, is it sand from the Sahara? I saw some really interesting images from some ski slopes in France that looked like sand dunes more so. That's weather related, isn't it? Yeah, the sun suddenly winds, that's basically exactly that. Whip up the sand from the Sahara and bring it in to parts of Spain and France, as you say. Even some of the ski slopes were covered in snow or covered in sand on top of the snow, which was a very unusual sight. But it has reached as far as Ireland. Now, generally speaking, it doesn't really come down without rain. So you need the showers of rain to bring the sand down, which happened in some areas over the weekend in late last week. So many people woke up maybe after the nice sunny weather that they had decided to wash the car or maybe wash the house windows and saw this residue. And that is exactly it. Sand all the way from Sahara carried in those very strong, sudderly winds. And then it brought down from the atmosphere when there's a bit of rain. So that's kind of what caused that, exactly. I mean, it's really quite remarkable, isn't it, the power of weather? I mean, obviously, we could never determine how much sand is lifted and transported north but obviously it's a huge amount. It's just another wonder of nature, really. Yeah, no, it really is. And some of the satellite images you actually pick it up that you can see the concentration of it, especially around parts of Spain and over Europe. It obviously is a lot less by the time it reaches us. But it is remarkable that it can be carried all the way from the Sahara Desert onto your car window when it goes blow that direction. Yeah, all right. Back to the weather then. Well, that is the weather. But back to the weather. And I suppose, you know, when we look at the weather nationally, it can't cover all areas. So maybe we could focus on the northwest, Alan. What can we expect over the next few days? Well, today is probably the best in terms of sunshine that parts of Donegal are going to see. Most areas of Donegal should have a lot of hazy sunshine this morning and that will continue through today. Temperature is getting up to maybe 16, 17 degrees. I think Finner got up to 17.5 yesterday, actually. So we have a so-easterly wind at the moment, which is good for the northwest of the country because you're escaping the wind chill, really. So lots of pleasant sunshine today. Unfortunately, though, while many parts of the country will enjoy sunshine tomorrow, there'll be a lot of clouds tomorrow in the northwest. And that's actually also going to bring some patchy mist and even some little light showers at the time. So while most of the country will be enjoying the sunshine, unfortunately, that won't be the case for parts of the west and the northwest. And obviously without the sunshine, it'll be back down to maybe 13 degrees, so feeling that big cooler. As we head into Friday and the weekend then, there will be some sunny spells, but a lot of cloud around the game, but there will definitely be some sunny spells and still feeling warm when the sunshine does come through into the weekend, even maybe 15, 16 degrees. So pretty good for this time of the year. Yeah, also. In terms of looking at it from a positive point of view, today's the best probably day of sunshine, but it's going to stay largely dry apart from maybe some mist tomorrow and some sunny spells over the weekend still looking good. And what are your models telling you as we head into next week and towards April? Yeah, so unfortunately, the winds are going to go in northerly early next week. Now, high pressure will still be kind of the dominant force from Monday and Tuesday, but I'm sure I don't need to tell your listeners up there what happens when the wind comes from the northerly direction. It's going to drop the temperatures, especially for you. We put our t-shirts back on. That's what happens. I'd say you might want to get the big coat back out to be honest with you. Ah, we're harder than that. Yeah, it's going to get cool Monday and Tuesday, but temperatures back to probably 9, 10 degrees. But the weather models are actually showing a risk of a bit of an even colder blast of weather to start April, a little bit uncertain or a little bit unsettled. So temperatures could be back down to six or seven degrees by day, by the middle of next week. And we could see some wintry showers even. So it's important to say because I think what we're all doing is you see a bit of sunshine and next thing you start looking at those empty pots and you wonder is it time to stop planting and people cutting their lawns down nice and tight? But we're not out of the winter, not wintery, but the wintery type weather just yet then. No, certainly not. And look, I think even your furniture is coming out and the lawnmowers are getting there, the first pole and all that. And it is great to see it, but April can bring pretty much anything as well. And it does look like it's gonna start off cold. So don't maybe get ahead of yourself and certainly there will be a risk of frost. So the gardeners will need to be aware of that because unfortunately we will see even tonight, like in tomorrow night, we could see some frost with clear skies, especially as we head into next week, we could see that colder weather return. So yeah, just don't get ahead of ourselves, I suppose, in the main message. But of course we had a superb April, a couple of years ago, I think it was around about the time we started going into lockdown. It was two, it was three, two. We're not, we can't say we're gonna have another April like that just yet then. No, but you're right, two years ago, even this time two years ago when we were in lockdown, started lockdown, it was really fine weather. And I remember looking at all the different trees that were coming, cherry blossoms were coming out, it was beautiful weather. And you can get that in April, but it does look like it's gonna start off cool and really beyond the first week of April, it's any man's guess what's gonna happen. No bother, listen Alan, thanks for your time again as always. Thank you. No problem. All right, that's Alan O'Reilly from Carlo Weather There. Right, now we've been asked to wish Agnes Tinney from St. John's and a happy birthday from Kathleen Coil. Have a wonderful day, Agnes. And we've been asked to play a number of songs, including this one from The Beach Boys. Okay, it's 18 quite well, is it? That is The Beach Boys and Good Vibrations. Okay, we are going to be joined by our next guest in studio after we take a quick break, stay where you are. 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Don't miss out on amazing offers with up to 50% off in-store and online from bedding, kitchen, dining curtains and furniture offers. Find something for every room in the house for less at McElhenny's Home Value event. Starts tomorrow in-store at 9.30am or shop online at McElhenny's.com. Okay, you're very welcome back to the programme. We've welcomed into studio now Rachel Elliott. Rachel, thank you very much for joining us. No problem. How are you keeping? Yeah, I'm good. Can I complain? You do well, okay. People may recognise your name or if they're watching on social media, they may recognise your face. You had what can only be described as a completely life-changing incident in 2018. As much as you're comfortable in explaining, tell us what happened. In the 19th of August, 2018, I was involved in a car accident in Wondown and due to that, when I threw the back window, I suffered a T9 spinal cord injury and that's left me paralysed, but it's been difficult coming to terms with, but I'm getting there. It was just a horrific accident. It was, and you were very, very ill at the time. I mean, I presumed there was, at least for a period of time, a fear that you wouldn't survive. Yeah, well, whenever I was being transferred from Slego to Dublin, they told my mum and dad and my family that they didn't know if I was going to make the journey to Dublin, but I did. And then I was in a coma then for 10 days. They had actually thought that I would have had a brain stem injury because of the swollen in my brain, but it turned out then that I didn't. Thank God, you know, but then they just broke the news to me that I wouldn't walk again, whether it's like a 1% chance of walking again. Yeah, well, you're trying to push those odds. Oh, God, I'll not give up until I am back on my feet. And that's what we're going to talk about. That's what the whole nature of this conversation is about. You don't remember, like, how much of a period of time have you, do you not really recall around that time, Rachel? I don't remember. I remember being at work. I worked in a bar and swaddling a bar, and I remember being at work putting on my makeup. And I forget, there was this old man who was outside the bar and he was drinking like a pint of Guinness, and he was watching me put on my makeup, and he's like, where are you running to the night? And I was like, oh, I'm going out, but I couldn't remember anything after that. So we went to, I left a friend of mine's two sisters down at Donegal, but I didn't remember anything like that, so I think I don't remember anything from about, I believe it's three o'clock that day, you know? Yeah, until how far afterwards then do you sort of start having, do you remember being in hospital coming out of the coma or? Well, I remember, like, coming out of the coma, you know, like, because when I was in my coma, I was always thinking of this girl that does my hair, Becky, Chloe, she owns her own hairdressers there in Irvingson, and it was weird because we weren't really, we weren't friendly at the time. I'd went to her the Wednesday before the accident, and she had done my hair, and I had brought the wee gear that was in the car with me into the hair salon with me, and they were all like, oh, bringing your friend into the hair salon, blah, blah, and that was fine. I just kept, like, in my coma, I just kept thinking of her, like, I had pictured that her salon was in ICU, but I remember coming out then of the coma, and I remember two nurses being at the bottom of the bed, and they were talking about an accident, and I had said something, and then they just stopped the conversation because there wasn't allowed to be so much activity to my brain at that stage, you know? And were you taken out of your coma, or did you come out of it naturally? I wonder. You were medically taken out of your coma? Okay, medically, it was okay. Now, in terms of dealing with it, has it been more difficult because you have one memory of being at work, putting your makeup on, and a vivid memory, and that man having his drink, and then the next is waking from a coma, all that in between, is it better not to remember, or has it been worse? Because it must feel like your life has changed, you've woke up, and everything's different. Well, I woke up, you know, like I never remember asking my family why I couldn't move my legs. Never remember that. If anything, I thought I was more interested in my phone, hair extensions, clothes, bald at the back, you know? And all I was like, I said, Mama, where's my hair extensions? You know, where have they gone to? But I wanted my phone, and at that stage, my mom was like, no, you can't have your phone in ICU. And I said, Mama, I need to get speaking to Sheva. You know, I do need to get speaking to her. And Mama was like, no, no, no, no. So my older sister came in, and I said, give me your phone, did I ring her? And she was like, no. But I kind of like, at the face of her, you know, I was kind of thinking there was something wrong then. But it was definitely hard to come to terms with, you know, like I don't remember, I remember being told I'd never walk in, but I don't remember ever saying to my family, why can I not move my legs? Yeah. You know, I can never remember saying that. You weren't in that space at that time, it sounds like, because you were almost sort of in the pre-crash phase because you were thinking about, you know, your appearance, contacting someone, the penny hadn't clearly dropped then. Did it hit you then like a sort of a wrecking ball, then all the terrible tragedy of the crash and also its impact on you? Do you know what? I don't think it actually hit me until, honestly, like obviously I was grieving when I'd heard that my friends had died and like the accident and stuff like that. I was grieving and I was like, I was so upset and stuff. But when I think back now, I'd be like, I think it just hit me on June past there, you know, where I just literally had a breakdown, mental, like I just couldn't control any emotion. And I think it was because after the court case and stuff, I just couldn't believe it. It was so real, like somebody had went to jail for it. You know, we had heard the whole facts and I just think ever since April, I just couldn't cope with any emotions. So then when I couldn't cope with it, I was like, I need to get help, I just knew it. You know, like there was my sisters, you know, my mom and dad and everyone was ringing me. So couldn't get me on the phone. They were tracking my social media, checking to see when I was last on, lying and stuff just to see, because they obviously knew that there was something wrong with me, like I was just having a breakdown and they didn't know if they were. I think it's helpful you recognise that though. Yeah, well, I did have that. But a lot of people wouldn't know. You knew that something needed some intervention. It was me crying over a dog that I was like, oh my God, there's something wrong with me because, you know, I was crying over a stupid stuff. Yeah, I know. But at least you're spot on it. And also too, you have to look after yourself, but you know the impact this has had on your sisters and your family and what they're going through and your son Ronnie too, three at the time, you know, there's an awful lot going on there, having to process your emotions as to how you might feel towards the driver, for example. You know what I'm on about? There's just no end to what you're having to cope with. Having your son Ronnie, how was that difficult to sort of, I mean, he's so young and children are so adaptable, but there's still a pressure on you to make it as manageable for him as possible, presumably too. At the start it was difficult, but I think now because I am so independent, you know, I don't need, like as I said, everybody there's only, you know, the only difference between me and you is that you're standing and I'm sitting, like I can handle Ronnie no problem now. Whereas at the start I would have had my family staying with me and helping me look after him. Whereas now it's just me and him and it's brought me and him such a real good, like close relationship because he understands. He's your body now. Yeah. Except if I got out of the shower, he would be coming after me with me wheelchair. He'd put it on one side of the bed, I'd get in off the shower chair to the end of my bed and then he'd be away off the shower chair back into the bathroom. So he's really adjusting to it too, but he does still say, like, you know, I was slagging on Monday about going out for a beer with him and his friends when he's older. And he says, no, mommy, no. And I says, no, I am, I'm coming out with you. And he was like, no. And I goes, and you can push mommy about and he goes, no, mommy, you'll be walking by then. So he's never give up hope either that I will walk again, you know. Yeah, and that is your focus now. This is mission one at the moment. I'm not gonna stop. I don't care if it takes me years. I am gonna walk again. What is the practicalities of you being able to walk? Because the paralysis can't be reversed. So you have to learn to walk a different way. Is that the way it is? Yeah. Well, like in order for me to like walk, it has to start from like here. And I like, so you need your force. So just from the belly button area and down here. So like, you know, I've already regained, you know, like feeling back on my stomach. You know, I've got to use my muscles in all my stomach. You know, like that has been progressed now from maybe the last four or five months, you know, and that's been going to private physiotherapists and like losing weight. And then I'm flat out training with the PT and the smart gym and listening ski. So I go to PT three times a week. And then I also go to Belfast once a week for physio. But now I was done getting measured for calibers and they came and they just need a wee bit of like adjustment. So they're being sent away for another two weeks. Then they come back to see if they're ready for me to walk and then they go back for another two weeks. So calipers would give a bit of rigidity. Is that, is that? Calibers will like, you'll not be walking properly in them like, you know, but you will be like lifting your hip, you know, like henshin. I get you. You know, like some people can walk on a book crutches and then some people use this in the frame. But my aim is for the crutches, but she says to me, you know, Rachel, will this in the frame first and then we'll go on to that. But is it kind of a bit where whatever they tell you, you're gonna, you're gonna, well, I'm actually gonna go further than that. Yeah, I am. Yeah, that's, that's, you want to say not that they don't support you and want the best for you, but you're just going to say, well, that's what you think medically. This is what I'm capable of. But I think like it took, you know, like there, like it'll be four years now in August. And I think it took me three years to get used to like my grief and stuff like that. And, you know, I didn't, I didn't really care about like doing exercise or wanting to get better. And now it's just this year. I'm just like, that's it. I'm not being in the wheelchair. So you had to get yourself, did you in the best emotional space that you can? And now you might be there. It's always an ongoing journey, of course, for all of us. But now you can focus more on the physical element. Oh God, yeah. Because it was my mental health that deteriorated the last Father's Day. And I just was like, no, I need help. So, you know, I have like a mental health nurse, you know, I see as a psychiatrist. There's good and bad days too, presumably. Oh God, yeah. Like the last couple of days have been tough, but today I'm in great form then. You know, like it's just, it's just one of them days. You just have to take it. Right. So you are, firstly, you're on TikTok now, you're getting a lot of traction on there. Why did you get on that route? Because, I mean, some people, you know, sort of withdraw into a shell and want to do it very privately. And I'm not saying you're doing everything publicly, but you know, why did you decide to sort of jump on the TikTok train, so to speak? It was actually my councillor had said to me, you know, Rachel, I think you could really help a lot of people. And I was like, no. Oh, good idea. And she was like, I think you could. So one day I was on TikTok, and like my sister and all used to always be on. I'd be like, worry he's on that for her. But I had just created the account just to view you like other people's. So I was like, this one day I was like, you know what? Well, I'll just say something. So then it just kind of, whoa, went mad with the whole followers and stuff. And then it's been really good. You know, like I talk about everything. Like I be completely honest about it. You know, I tell them the good days, the bad days. You know, I tell them about my past. I tell them, go and look at it. You know, that's my past. I can't change anything. So like all that matters now is what I'm doing in the future. But you do get trolls and stuff on it. Listen, unfortunately, that is social media. But I mean, obviously then people are going to message you, right? Because what you're going through or what you've been through in your life and how you're dealing with it, you know, it relates, all the people can relate to that even if they haven't gone through the same thing. The mind of people that's wrote to me about it. That's what I was going to say. How does that feel when you realize that you're touching people, you know, even in what you're dealing with, people are saying, right, you know, actually you're an inspiration or this is what you're doing for me. Did it take a while to sort of go, well, what are they? No, well, like people would be writing to me. Like there was one person who wrote to me about their son being in a wheelchair and like they showed him the video of me getting in and out of the car. And I was like, imagine I have helped one person. So then there was another one who wrote to me, another one, they were like, you know, I'm going to end up in a wheelchair and this is what the doctor said to me and blah, blah, blah. And I was like, well, you know what? You know, it does take time to get used to. I don't think you ever accept it. But like it's one of these things, you either make the most of it or you're just going to be completely depressed like. So I just, I just tell them that everybody's different and everybody's emotions is different. But you know, there is good days and there is bad days. Like I do still get my bad days. Yeah. And how do you deal with the comments? You might get them on TikTok. You know, there are professional trolls and that's what they do. For some reason, that's how they get by, which is in terribly dark and sad. But you know, maybe if it might comment and you go for me, Paige or what? Yeah. But you know what? I'm... It weighs you down though, doesn't it? Or it can do, maybe. Do you know what? It does and it doesn't. I actually was talking because in the last end of this, I was like, you know what? There is not an anybody can say to me that would know me. Somebody called me a handicap a couple of days ago. And I just was like, if you want, like, that says more than you. But these nasty people that are capable of this though, it doesn't matter what status you have. You know, they will find something that they think will hurt you. And that's what they will focus on. It could be a chair or it could be your looks. It could be whatever it might be. And that's just... Unfortunately, that is just the way it is. And there's very little these companies seem to do to try and moderate that, really, in truth. But like, Greg, if I had been last June and somebody had said something to me like that, I'd have been like, oh my God, I can't cope with this. But seeing that, I just be like, whatever. Like, if that's your opinion, that's how you feel and what can you do? I think it says an awful lot more about them than it might you. I've got stronger. I'm fit to take on anything. Right, so you, as well as sort of helping people reaching out and the help and bit sort of happened, I don't think that was necessarily your intention, but intention, but it's happened, which I can understand fully. Also, you've set up a GoFundMe page. Now, what's the purpose of... It's Rachel's journey, by the way, if you want to search on GoFundMe. What are you fundraising for specifically? I want to get the carbon fiber calibers. The lighter, the lightness and strength, presumably. It is because the carbon fiber ones would be kind of ones that you could take out in public. The NHS ones, they are okay, but they're very like, they're cheap, like they're just the bog standard. But not only that there, Greg, I'm going to be traveling to Belfast four times a week, and like with fuel and stuff. Obviously, I don't have a lot of money. You know, I'm a single mum. You know, nothing's happened with the whole compensation thing yet. And it's just like, you know, to help me, even get down there, I don't even have to stay away for a night down there, instead of traveling up and down four times a week. But my main aim is for the calibers. Like, I would love the carbon fiber ones, but they're just so expensive, you know. And you're just asking people if they enjoy your TikToks or they want to help, or they've got a few spare euro that would make a big difference to you. Yeah, but I don't want anyone to feel like they have to. You know, I just... No, that's clear. And it's always a choice. You're not guilting anyone to do it, if they want to and contribute to improving your life. And, you know, obviously, too, your son would love to see you. Oh, God. But I think that's... I was on the stout and free him yesterday, and he was like, Mummy, look it! You're standing up. You know, he was so chuffed. You talked about feeling coming back, you know. Yes. Is there a possibility that over time, with the right rehab, that maybe, you know, some of what's happened to you might be reversed more? Well, I... My private physio, like, she was like, oh, my God, like, I've been going to her for, like, three years. And she was like, Jesus is the most that you have, like, done. And, like, she was quite chocked. So she was in... Yeah, brilliant. She was like, like, you know, like the whole weight loss thing. And, like, like, me tancing my muscles and stuff was something I could never do. And, like, I was like, do you think it could all come back? And she was like, never say nothing. She has to manage your expectations, too. She just keeps working with me. And she just says... Who's to say? Do you have a thing that you want to achieve? Or, I mean, I know it's about walking, but is there something beyond that? I would love to walk, but I also love... I love helping other people. Yeah. Like, if I could, you know, if there was, like, one of my tech talks and there was only one person that helped, then that there is all that matters. I don't want anybody to, like, suffer alone or be depressed, lying in their bed. Like, I want somebody to be fit to speak to me and, you know, tell me how they're feeling, if I can help them any way I will. I just wouldn't wish this on anyone and if I can help anybody in any way I will. All right, brilliant. Okay. So if you are inspired by Rachel's story, you can support Rachel in her journey. And you can go on to go find me, search Rachel's journey. It's the easiest way. Or maybe your social media, presumably it's linked there, Rachel, where are you on TikTok? I'm on TikTok, I'm not on any other social media. I went off that and never gone back on. Why is that? I couldn't cope with, you know, Facebook. After the court, there was a lot of nasty comments. It's to community-oriented, not community-orientated, but without going into the nitty gritties as a sort of a global semi-anonymous, not anonymous, but it's not about friends and connections and all that kind of stuff that you get on. It just was horrible. People saying, you know, how can you forgive somebody who ruined your life? And I just thought, you know what, I don't need all that. I need to get stronger. But that's for you though, isn't it? It's a decision you've made. Yeah, like I says to, before we went into the court, that fella that is in jail, I say, he says to me, am I destroyed your life? And I says, no, you haven't. No, you haven't. My life has changed. And that's all it is, it's changed. There's no difference between me and you, only you're standing in my own chair. Yeah, and I think everyone's, and it's easier said than done, but everybody's experience or grief or loss or how it impacts on the life. It's how you feel personally. And we can't all think the same. We can't, we're not conditioned to do so. So if this is how you're living your life and how you want to proceed with it. I can't deal with being. You just have to. I can't deal with being angry. You have to be here with the stage, can't you? Yeah, I can't deal with being angry. And I just want to forgive and forget and just, that's just my, like there's, being angry with somebody is only doing me harm. So I don't be angry. Are you happy with how you're touching people now through the social media? Is that, I think the way to do it? Have you started saying, I wonder maybe I could do something more formal courses or whatever? Well, that's what we're kind of hoping for. Like, you know, I can maybe do more things. Like even speak to more people. Even like I was on Zoom to a school in Waxford, you know, and if I can help anyone, I will. You know, especially like children that, you know, like students that I'd like to think before you get into a car, it's overloaded. Think before you do anything. You know, think before you get into a car or somebody drank driving. You know, like it's just... It's interesting because that was with the focus of the bank holiday message, was to try and put a bit of onus onto not just the driver, but the passengers as well and it all ties in. Listen, the very best of luck with everything going forward. I think you're going to achieve what you want to achieve. I think that's pretty clear. And I hope you have more good days than bad days going forward. Thanks very much. I think you've very supportive family. I think that's pretty clear too, which is running as well. Sans, pretty supportive as well. Maybe he says there's my rock. She's looking at me here. Is your rock and camera worn? Yes. Have you ever stayed quiet for this long? I wondered about... Would you be a charter? She's here, you don't speak. It's all about me. You're not going to ask about her injury, so you'll hear about them. OK, we'll maybe do another interview on that one. Listen, continued success in the road to recovery is to say hopefully more good days than bad days. And if people want to help you search Rachel's journey on GoFundMe and you'll find the story there. But also, if you want to jump on TikTok, what's your handle on TikTok? What do you... Is it Rachel Elliot's? Let's go and check here. Well, we'll find that out. I'll announce that later. I don't know what it is. Now she's just scrolling. It's Rachel Elliot 03. I mean, there's two more. OK, we'll be back with more, in fact, the news after the break. But for now, Rachel Elliot and Sister, thank you very much. All right, thank you. For Generations. Store color consultation today at foys.ie. Bluebird Care are looking for you. Bluebird Care are currently seeking carers and nurses to join their ever-expanding team. Immediate starts for carers in all parts of the county, especially that of Kenny and Ashone and Donegal Town. Bluebird Care are also looking for registered general nurses for day and night time 12 hour shifts. Contact Bluebird Care on 0749129562 or visit bluebirdcare.ie and bring care home. Store and Go Springtown Derry, the north of Ireland's only temperature control smart access individually sized storage units. Store and Go offers storage for personal storage, house moves and renovations, business storage for excess stock or filing systems. Once signed up, you can access 24 hours a day through an app on your phone, gaining access through four levels of security to your most precious possessions. Call Store and Go Springtown Derry on 02871278900 to discuss your needs and get bespoke advice or get a free quote at storeandgo.net. Highland Radio Weather updates with Ireland West Airport. This summer is going to be one of the busiest ever. Check out our summer flights to European cities such as Barcelona, Cologne and Milan with Ryanair. Ireland West Airport, you're flying. OK, today we'll be mostly dry with spoils of hazy sunshine. They'll be well scattered showers later. Temperatures 15 to 17 degrees with light south, westerly winds. It is just turned a minute past 11. It's time for a news update and we welcome back into studio. Catherine Gaffney, good morning, Catherine. Good morning, Greg. The finance minister says no matter what the government do in a bid to counteract the rising cost of living, it'll never be good enough for the opposition. Minister Pascal Donahue was reacting to a shin-fane motion on rising energy costs, which was brought forward to the doll yesterday evening. The party believed that the measures announced by the government in recent weeks, while welcome, do nothing to address the spiralling cost of home heating. Russia's foreign minister says if peacekeeping troops are sent into Ukraine, it could start a conflict with NATO. It follows a suggestion from Poland. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian president says in Mariupol, which is one of the worst affected areas, around 100,000 people don't have any food or water. The HSE boss says a perfect storm of high COVID cases, emergency department attendances and staff, of absences, is affecting our hospitals currently. Over 7,700 PCR confirmed COVID cases and nearly 16,000 positive antigen tests were recorded yesterday alone. 82 COVID patients are currently being treated on site at Letter Kenne University Hospital, one of them in ICU. The Association of Irish Local Government is holding its annual training conference in Bunkrana over the next two days, with local government and planning minister Peter Burke opening the event this evening. The conference at the Inneshaun Gateway Hotel will look at a number of issues, including the Town Centre First initiative, from which a number of towns in Donegal are set to benefit. It's thought post offices should take responsibility to check and validate passports. It's in a bid to provide more services within the post office network, while it's also thought it would alleviate the huge backlog in passport applications. There's a similar system in place in Northern Ireland. And there's fears that an ancient boat discovered at Lyford Bridge may be lost forever if it's not preserved sooner rather than later. It's believed that the 16-foot-long log boat dates back to the Iron Age and was found by members of the Lyford-Straban Anglers Association in recent weeks. That's it for now. We're back with more at 12 now. OK, Catherine, thank you very much indeed. And we'll be back with more in the 9-till-noon show after we take this break. Wet and Wild is your one-stop shop for outdoor clothing, footwear and equipment to enjoy the Donegal Outdoors and adventure travel abroad. Wet and Wilds stock all the leading outdoor brands of rainwear, waterproof footwear, sandals, tents, cooler boxes, flasks, insect repellents, swimwear, merino socks and sunglasses, and are fully stocked for the summer season right now. Kelly's diner in Etter Kelly now has even longer opening hours. Try Kelly's Erdie Bird Breakfast, one of their great lunch specials, or our renowned Jake's Burger. Kelly's famous steak specials are available every Saturday from three, with an 8-ounce succulent steak and all the trimmings for just 11 euro. New, extended opening hours now in Kelly's award-winning diner at Mountaintop Letter Kelly. Check out Facebook for details. 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All right, so as you may have heard in the news there, there are calls for post offices to take responsibility to check and validate passports. It's in a bid to provide more services in the post office network while it's also thought it would alleviate the huge backlog in passport applications. The suggestion is coming from Deputy Mark McSherry who joins us now. Good morning, Mark, how are you keeping? Good morning, Rick. I mean, I'm conscious of us discussing, you know, giving post offices further responsibilities. And yet I was speaking to the head of the Postmasters Union yesterday who says they're not being paid already for the extra work that they've taken on. So I suppose we'd need to fix that before we talk about asking them to do more. Well, now actually I was speaking to Ned Lahara, the General Secretary yesterday and indeed for Dola McBride who'd be the, the Delegal kind of representative of the National Council of the Postmasters Union. They were aware of my call. And the essence here is to kill two birds with a one stone. As I said last night at the door, in terms of our processing of passports and our assessment of applications, when I first went into national politics 20 years ago, I could get your passport in two days, Greg. Now I have one particular child waiting eight months because of the administrative merry-go-round that comes. So what we were suggesting was that like what we have just across the border in Straban where they have a check and send service that we would introduce a check, validate and send process throughout our post office network for which people would pay. So it's pre-clearance effectively locally. Is it? Well, just the level one clear. I'll tell you, it is complicated. I'm in the process at the moment of a child's passport and you, dependent on their website, whether you speak to someone directly on the website, they ask you for different bits of information. Some you're supposed to send, some you're not supposed to send, you're not supposed to send extra documents so that can invalidate it. Then when you try and track it, it says it's about to be dispatched. But at the same time it says that there are problems with it and further documentation is required. I mean, we should have got a head around how to do this correctly at this point. No, absolutely. I made all of these points last evening. I mean, there's now 900 staff in the passport office nationally. 300 extra have been recruited to pick it up to 900 rather at the moment. 10 million additional in the budgets. And all we're doing is putting in unnecessary layers of bureaucracy that make that difficult. Now, if you were able to go to your post office with some basic training and a fee to the postmasters to help them with their viability, which is the issue that I was addressing last night at the main. And I've also talked to unnamed individuals within the passport office that if they level one check, whether you were uploading it as an online or a paper one, obviously they want to see everybody going the online route. Now, not everybody has that capability. So again, maybe the post office could assist with this to ensure the most regular problems are signatures in the wrong place or the dates between guardians and the relevant guard being different and the consent forms for children in particular. And these are the issues that are rising. You mentioned the tracking bar where people are, they're their application in, they watch this bar progressing day by day. Their passport is due out on Friday to them, they're flying on Saturday and on Thursday, it goes back to the beginning. And it says with an asterisk, the dispatch time is not like, why put it there at all? If it is not some sort of an indication as to when the passport might be sent out to you, don't put it in there. Just don't put an asterisk there. Totally agree. One of the points I made last night on the questions paper for this week and although there are more questions relevant to passport applications than there was in the history of the state. I said last week in terms of processing passports, we have gone at warp speed in reverse in terms of our approach to processing and they're over complicating what needs to be. It's a cure, certainly, but simple process. And back to the post offices for a second, with the genesis of the suggestion for me in trying to help them. Minister Hildegard Lafton, the junior minister associated with post was given responsibility by the senior minister last year to do a troll across all government departments to see how additional services could be diverted to the postmasters and the post office network nationally to bring up that shortfall of 17 million that they have. Here's one tangible suggestion for her to consider and I hope that she does. Because it's a 17 million shortfall, consecutive governments of my own color and none of the all colors have paid lip service to this service nationally. We've seen them close time and again and the rest of them are going to close completely unless something is done to make them in some way viable. And listen, that's as it relates to post offices, but people have been talking about post office offices in the regions for decades. This would be one way to sort of at least move in that direction, but also, I mean, what staggers me is that we do elect politicians and they form governments to make decisions. We think obvious decisions, things that make life easier. Anyone would have known post Brexit there's going to be a rush on passports. During the pandemic, we're going to leave them in the drawers, take them out and realize that, you know, they're not valid. They know when passports are expiring. Like a lot of this stuff is predictable and yet we're firefighting again. We're scrambling to try and address an issue. We're greatly inconvenienced in the public and we had, it's one of those issues, we just knew what was coming. Yeah, I mean, and there are so many things like that. I mean, the practice in Ireland, sadly, is that we firefight. Nobody is interested in planning, only when it comes to introducing additional bureaucracy and regulation. So the message is sadly that politicians, as I say, increasingly pay lip service, go native as soon as they get in there and defer to the likes of Robert Watt, who makes up his own salary as we know adding 80,000 last year. I also told an anecdote last night of a minister who had been contacted on a Tuesday. This gives you an example of the autopilot with which government is on sadly and how a priority has been subcontracted to everybody but elected representatives. A minister was contacted on a Tuesday for somebody traveling to a funeral in the United States the following Saturday. They needed to fly on the Friday. There was a TD helpline in the passport office that minister in question rang. This gave the details and was last at, in his words, there's no way that can be turned around in that time. So sadly, but dutifully, the minister returned to the Ponterwood contacts that we needed to go to the States, explained it couldn't be done. And apologized, the person said back, well, I'm proud of you're not trying hard enough. You're useless. In fact, I'm going to have to go elsewhere. That's self-same individual contacted the minister on the Friday from the departure lounge, Dublin Airport, having collected their pass but an Ivy house the night before. And I made the point last night, that is totally unacceptable, but it is consistent with the way elected politicians have been treated by the civil service. Well, you all remember too. That's down to senior government ministers allowing that to develop. Of course, we all remember too. I can't remember how long ago it is that the passport office refused or said it would not be, it would not be engaging with public representatives. I can't remember what the quarrel was about, but that left the public in the firing line over a quarrel between passport services staff and elected representatives. I think maybe about five or six years ago. That's, civil servants shouldn't have that power. Everyone has the power to protest. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that, but I'm not sure that was even a formal situation. I think they just wanted to frustrate the situation. That's completely unacceptable. Who's employing who, who's paying whose wages? This is a point that many of us have back benches and in the lower ratio on their basis. But sadly it seems when what for all intents and purposes for a very excellent, hard-working, focused and idealistic politicians interested in making change once they get there and join the small ones, it seems that they're just happy to sit on the bus and let the civil servants, the senior civil servants, not the very hard-working middle management and below, but the senior civil servants that guide the direction and performance of that bus that to me is unacceptable at the extreme. And this is one example of it. Okay, and the point I was making right at the very start, we're probably on the same page. I can understand you making the representations in conjunction with the post office, postmasters union, but if an agreement is signed and on postage refusing to pay money for a service that postmasters are providing, you wouldn't get away with that in most other businesses. It would mean that we've an awful lot way to go. But you know what I mean? We need to get now sorted and then the future stuff. So I wasn't contradicting you. I was just saying that my optimism is limited in achieving all of that, but I think it'd be useful. So as my politicians go to the public meetings, pay the lip service, yes, yes, we're all in favor of supporting post offices. But when the powers within their hands, they do so, they'll quote the commercial mandate of on post profitability's bottom line. And the Grand Thornton report and it's a very formidable and reputable company to which the government regularly defer for independent reports to guide them home decisions, carry out a report on the viability and review of future of post office network. And what they found, just a 17 million shortfall. However, they put a value on the service provided at between 335 and 750 million per annum. So I think sometimes when it comes to public services, we need to see the value and acknowledges before we focus exclusively on the pounds, shirings and pence of the bottom line. And you rightly said that there are services that there was agreement to pay on in terms of increased money laundering, activities that postmasters have to carry out for an exchange and so on. And up to date, it seems that on post, how well should the payment of those? And processing the Christmas bonus payments and the splinter there as well. I don't want to forget the vote that the members of the Irish junior are going to have next week. And I'd certainly support them in their decision, whatever it is, but in the meantime, it's about pressuring on post and the central government to come up with those additional services, which I believe people will be happy to pay. All right, listen, thanks very much indeed for that. That's Deputy Mark McSherry. The night and noon show with Greg Hughes, Monday to Friday, with all that matters across the Northwest. Eileen can milk 49 cows in 57 minutes. Michael could wire a new kitchen in under three hours. And John can fix Sandra's shower sink and toilet all before lunch. Fair play to you, John. These people are experts at what they do, so they work fast. We're experts in getting to know their business and helping it be better connected with Ireland's fastest mobile network. If you're a small business, switch to three business from only 15 euro per month. Visit us in store or at 3.ie forward slash business. Three business, where connections come to life. 15 euro per month for the first 12 months on our sim only plan, 25 euro thereafter, based on analysis by Eucla of speed, test, intelligence data for Q3 to Q4 2021. We're the connectors. At ESB networks, we've been connecting customers to Ireland's power network for years. We've also been making new connections, building a network that's stronger than ever so we can all be kinder to the planet, connecting our network to natural resources and Ireland to a net zero future that's more sustainable. ESB networks, connecting you to a clean electric future. Make Creaseless supermarket your number one stop for this Mother's Day with a large selection of fresh flowers, chocolates and cards for the perfect meal. Our butcher's special will deliver on both quality and value with joys of steaks and ropes. We have everything you need to make Mother's Day special. Creaseless supermarket here for your convenience. Head Value Bully Buffet has just got bigger. Yes, we've opened store number two at Samarish Row, Bonkranagh and to celebrate one lucky customer will win 1,000 euro of home-eating oil. Simply call into the store during March and you will be entered into the draw. Head Value are open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. Sunday, 12 till 5 with fantastic offers across both stores. Head Value, your one stop shop for all your animal needs. We all deserve a better work-life balance. Not all of us have the space to work from home. Connected Hubs brings together flexible work spaces across Ireland on one simple website. So you can quickly and easily find a hub in your local area. It's everything you want from an office without the lengthy commute. Meaning you don't have to trade quality of life for quality of work space. Give yourself space. Visit connectedhubs.ie or download the app to discover a hub near you. Connected Hubs is part of Our Rural Future, a government of Ireland initiative. Join me, David James, this Friday as the Jove Time Show will be coming to you live from Century Complex letter Kenny. We will be celebrating 85 years of Century Cinemas, reminiscing on some of the old movies, how cinema has changed through the years, and as usual, we have some fantastic giveaways on the day. That's this Friday from 2.30 to 5 p.m. on Highland Radio. Forward Emphasis International based in Mallonhead are actively recruiting for customer service advisors with both permanent, remote working and hybrid opportunities available. Experience and contact centres or insurance services is desirable but not essential as full training is provided. Fully funded financial services qualifications delivering attractive career path opportunities are available. Please visit their website, www.forwardemphasis.ie or apply via their careers page. Now you're very welcome back to the 9 till noon show and I am very pleased to welcome on to it Professor Ravi Fora, who is a world expert in emergency surgery systems and Mr. Michael Sugru, Surgeon at Latter-Kinney University Hospital and Project Lead. Gentlemen, good morning to you. Good morning, Greg. I think we should stay right from the beginning. You two are going to be doing the heavy lifting during this interview because it's a complex area. And I'm going to ask you first, Mr. Sugru. Can you explain to us the Cross-Border Centre for Personalised Medicine, Emergency, General Surgery Cluster and how it creates a new era in the treatment for emergency surgery patients, please. Yes, Greg, approximately four years ago we received a European Union grant which is separate from the HSC funding and we undertook some strategies to identify emergency surgery patients, create a registry to allow data interrogation, create clinical pathways, new ways to treat patients combined with research in a team of five people that worked in Latter-Kinney with some Cross-Border collaboration with Art Nagelvin and Scotland. During this three-year period, we created a database identified and enrolled over 6,000 patients that were admitted to Latter-Kinney Hospital because emergency general surgeries about abdominal pain, predominantly, Greg, that your listeners might have had, diverticulitis, appendicitis, colisistitis. So what we've done is we've worked with international leaders such as Professor Vorik from Nottingham and others to create this novel system that will allow interrogation of data and create new benchmarks. And it's been a very exciting three years and today we've launched our report which is available on Donegal Clinical Research Academy, dcra.ie website. And that's a very comprehensive report looking from patient admission, patient treatment, patient outcomes, key performance indicators. And our recommendations are that we feel that this should be a national system, not just in Ireland, but across the European Union, Greg. Professor Vorik, how important do you believe this document is, this research? How important do you believe it is and how impactful could it be on millions of people effectively? So I think it's actually really, really important. And as Michael has already highlighted, it provides a framework, a platform to allow us to compare what's going on across different hospitals, different regions and even different countries. So one of the things that is really important for us as surgeons to understand is we don't want our patients going into hospitals and being treated differently for the same diseases. So for example, Greg, if you get an appendicitis, you want to know that if you go into a hospital, your treatment will be the same in Leta Kenney as it is in London as it is in Madrid or Barcelona. We want to be able to assure that because so much over the years in surgery has been done through dogma, surgeons, individual surgeons, individual hospitals doing what they think is right and not really working together or understanding what is the best way to treat really common conditions. So how could, sorry, Professor, how could then say, how do you then ensure that someone in a hospital presenting with a condition in Leta Kenney gets the same treatment in Madrid? So, you know, what is the process that ensures that? Well, this platform actually ensures that by compare, by individual hospitals, individual surgeons, different hospitals in different countries in putting their data into this type of platform, into this type of database, makes it allows us to compare what's going on across different hospitals. And then in addition to that, it allows us to look at all those patients that are inputted into that database, saying, well, the patients here are doing slightly better because they're having this or these patients are not doing as well because they're not getting that. And that's really the power of these sorts of databases that Michael and the team here have set up. Yeah, and of course, Professor, I'll bring Michael back in a moment. This is has the potential to save, I think, an estimated 20,000 lives across the EU. But presumably, it's an excellent tool also for those who are responsible for trying to save these lives. Yes, it is. And in built in this, we have educational programs. So we have new key performance indicators or key outcome indicators, Greg, to define what we think should be a benchmark. To achieve that, we have to train our staff and we have the emergency abdominals surgery course, which Professor Vora has told on in Dublin and others from around the world. So we try and instill the values that we want to achieve based on current evidence. Now, the evidence does change from year to year and things do change. But presumably the system is flexible to adapt to that. It is, but change is very hard. Okay. And that is a challenge for us. We're humans. And I don't know if Professor Vora wants to comment on this. No, I mean, we are and we are very much driven by dogma and what has worked for us in the past tends to affect our decision making. So, but that's flawed in essence. What we should be doing is learning from the best practice by the best, from the best people and the people working on this project are Michael has bought those people together, not only to create a database, but also to get the best leaders in this sort of area together to basically inform us as surgeons what the best treatment pathways are. Yeah. And when I talked about flexibility I wasn't necessarily talking about the current system. I was talking more maybe, you know, this system in that, you know, if there are evolutions or changes that that would be quite, you know would be easier to reflect perhaps. So I think one of the biggest learnings is actually over the last couple of years has come during COVID. So COVID has provided a real stress test for all healthcare systems around the world. And obviously, you know, we've different countries that have done differing amounts for it. But one of the things that's happened in surgery, particularly emergency surgery, these patients haven't gone away. People have still been presenting with appendicitis, with bowel perforations, but they have been treated differently because resources have been moved away from the front door to help patients with COVID who are struggling to breathe and who need intensive care capacity. So, but again, this, but we see those variations not as extreme as during COVID, but during the winter months where more people come into hospital with chest infections, for example. But what we want to be able to understand is how we can protect resources to patients who are still coming through the front door because they always do with things like appendicitis or bowel perforations. Mr. Sugar, how do we arrive at the 20,000 figure in terms of lives potentially being saved and then reducing complications? Obviously, those two things are linked, but how do we arrive at that number? If you take the European Union, about 15 million admissions annually with abdominal pain and acute surgical conditions. Of those 400,000 undergo what's called a major abdominal operation and laborotomy. Of those, about 10% die, that's 40,000. So that's a very significant number of deaths. Now, most of these are not avoidable deaths, but what we can do with treatment is we can improve the level of treatment. And Professor Vora and the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland and the NELA group have reduced their mortality in that condition from 15% down to about 8%. And we're working with collaborating groups to reduce that mortality. So if we can reduce the mortality from 10% down to 8% or 6%, that's where that figure comes from. But more importantly for our listeners, we get complications as patients. About 10 to 20% of patients get a complication. It's not the fault of them or the surgeon, generally. It's a fault of the disease process. And what we want to reduce those complication rates from 20% to 10%. And we initiated in this project about 40 publications with new wound bundles. We identified the effect of infection on cancer, a whole range of management options in gallbladder disease, new reporting systems. And I know Professor Vora might want to comment on the NELA data in the UK, which is the National Emergency Laboratomy Outcome. So what this project has essentially been doing, this NELA project in the UK, is every hospital has a financial incentive to input their data into this audit. And it essentially measures people that are undergoing emergency surgery. So big operations on that tummy with an attempt to try to understand what it is that improves survival, improved outcomes, gets patients home, gets them rehabilitated better. But the important thing has been that financial incentive to the individual hospitals, because actually what that means is that all hospitals are inputting their data, it creates better understanding and it's created a better system of understanding about what the important things in terms of treating these patients are. In a very similar way, what Michael and the group here have done by putting together this project is they've provided the platform, the database to allow this to be done within and across Ireland and further afield. Okay, so pardon my ignorance on this, Michael. In terms of the findings of this report, is this going to be implemented or are we at the stage saying, look, this is the work we have done, this is what can happen if implemented? So that's the question actually, effectively. There's nothing I need to add to that. Yes, it is really, really important that the health department and the government take this on board, the policy makers. So what we've done is we've made a number of recommendations in our executive summary, both at the start and on page 220, where we look at particularly laboratory and what we've done is we've made about 10 recommendations. If those recommendations were put in place, it would significantly improve the delivery of emergency-generate surgery care to the patients of Ireland, on the island and across Europe. Professor Vorum, you've got some experience in the UK of improving outcomes. Yeah, and the first thing, the most important thing is having data, is having knowledge. Without that, we're going to understand where the process is falling down. And that's the most important thing is to have a simple, a very granular set of data to allow us to understand what's going on, where. And I go back to the thing that we said at the start, that's Greg, where actually, if you're going into hospital, you want to know that you are getting the best treatment in that hospital, compared to other hospitals, both locally and further afield. Now, we've been focusing obviously on Tommy's area. Is this something that could also be applied to in the area? I don't know, of stroke or other medical emergencies? Absolutely, and what we need to do here is we need to recognize this is a magic template. It has the key cogs that build into a system. So already in other areas, there are key performance indicators. So for example, stroke has very regimented outcome indicators, breast cancer surgery, which you know I deal with, has also very similar performance indicators. So emergency general surgery is a long way behind some other conditions. Understood. And yes, in elective surgery, there are significant performance indicators. Yeah, so I mean, across all cancer types, there are these performance indicators. Emergency surgery is not sexy, and that's one of the problems that it has been left behind. Whereas cancer, we all know about cancer, we're all worried, we all know somebody who's had a cancer, most of us. So it's very much on the forefront. Emergency surgery tends not to have got the same sort of publicity over the years, but as Michael described earlier, one in 10 people pass away if they come into the hospital requiring emergency surgery, that's phenomenally high. And as the Neela reports in England has demonstrated, it is possible to improve outcomes. I think it's really significant though that this conversation is being had sort of by those at the call face, so to speak, and calling for support and implementation. Often it might be from a TD in the Dall or an MP in Westminster or a campaign group or whatever. I mean, I think, do you think people are going to listen to this argument, Michael, because it's compelling? It is very compelling, Greg. And I think the time has come for change. The time has come for us to realize that as humans, we deserve the best that we can give. We can't always give the best with all the resources, but what we can do is we can make an effort. And the recommendations of this report suggest that there should be a national policy in emergency general surgery care, which we don't currently have an active one. There should be a minimum data set with data collection that Professor Vorley was talking about. We need reporting. We need to define minimum outcomes. Look at practice where things are being done well. Copy and replicate those in other areas. And we need to work with legislation, industry, and patient groups to bring it together so that really we can improve, so that if you are one of your relatives or I go into hospital, we're going to have a better outcome. OK, if anyone wants to access the report, you can download it by going to dcra.ie. There's also an event later today. Is that correct, Michael? Yes, we're currently in Derry at the launch of the final report of this Centre for Personalised Medicine, which brought 8.4 million to the Northwest in European Union funding three years ago, with Morris O'Kane and Tony Björsen and myself. And today we have experts from around the globe coming here just to add weight to the findings of the different clusters. And that's why Professor Vorley is here from Nottingham. So it's a very special day. And we would like to continue this work. We would ask, it's not all about money, but we would ask the government, the legislation and the colleges to make a special investment in emergency general surgery to give fair equity to those who come in with abdominal pain. And this is an opportunity. It's a unique report and a unique piece of work. Yeah, it certainly is. And congratulations to you and everyone involved in this because there's a lot of collaboration in it and some great minds. And it's good to see it being funded as well. And let's just hope it doesn't gather dust. It won't certainly as a result of your efforts. But you know that people listen because there's some, the people that know we're talking about this and they need to be listened to. Professor Ravi Vorley, it's been lovely having you on the programme and having you in the Northwest of Ireland. Thank you very much for joining us. You couldn't have picked a better day for me to come over. No, Professor, it's like this all of the time. Do not believe what you read. Fake news. This is it. You come any time. This is precisely what it will be like. Well, I'll definitely be back then if the weather's like this. Michael, don't let on. I'm not telling a full truth there. Mr. Michael Sugar, as always. And thanks very much to both of you, by the way, for explaining it in a way which we can understand because it's a very detailed and complicated document to the late person. So thank you both very much indeed. It's been lovely having you on. Thank you very much. OK, take care and good luck with the launch today. Central Auto Parts are now stocking Sony, a water-based paint, offering all up-to-date colors for all vehicles, and Selimix Commercial, the perfect paint for diggers, plant and machinery. Buy it today at Central Auto Parts, Port Link Business Park, Letter Kenny. Find us on Facebook or call us on 07491 27491. Don't forget to make inquiries about the fantastic offers we currently have across the range of Nissan and Kia with PCP options available in all new vehicles. We have your new car sitting ready to go. To find out more, call iMotors, Letter Kenny and Mallon today at 07491 34567 or visit iMotors.ie. I think if you try to design a garden too much, it's artificial, I mean, you know, you're better to say, go along the garden. If you see these gardener programs, you know, don't put this color beside that color, and don't, I think that's a lot of nonsense, too. Like, you know, a pint of plant looks nice and whatever, what color it is. That's Down the Garden Path, a new series Wednesday nights on Highland Radio, after the news at 8 p.m. At SuperValue, we partner with the best Irish local food and drink producers. Our Food Academy program has over 300 quality Irish producers, like Willie Cremon from Filigens in Dunygol. Great tasting product produced locally for you. Call in store today and discover for yourself. SuperValue, real food, real people. Business matters in association with the Letterkennie IT faculty of business. Looking for a career in financial services? Consider the Level 9 MA in governance, compliance, and data protection. Take the next step in your career and contact the Exec Head Coordinator on 9186206 or email exechead.lyit.ie today. Okay, some new content dropping today as it does almost every day at this stage now on our On Demand section of HighlandRadio.com. It's the latest Business Matters podcast from Highland Radio. Here's its presenter, Kieran O'Donnell. Kieran, welcome back to the program. How are you keeping? Good morning, Greg. How are you? You've recovered from London, have you? Just a bit, Dave. Just a bit. It was significant. Chargant wit? Yeah, it was, but it was significant, wasn't it? It was really interesting to get an insight into the connections that are there between Ireland and London, particularly because that was where we were. The history of the Irish in London, what's being done to support them as they age and decide to live out their years in London, but also talking about the future, mutually beneficial relationships. And I think really in terms of news, that feeds into that business breakfast, which took place in London. Yeah, as you say, I think the fact that there were so many, it was 40 businesses coming together from that breakfast, Greg, from different sectors over there. And you mentioned Asington. Almost a quarter of a million people there in Asington, and a vast majority are Irish. And as you say, the business breakfast in London, hosted by the Donagall County Council, with IDA, the Asington Council, Liddiken Institute of Technology, and Donagall ETB. That showcases the best the business community has to offer here. And I've been to see now, it's a very proactive step. It's great to see, coordinated by Ambrie Conlon, the head of economic development with Donagall County Council. And again, well, I said this on Saturday, but for those that didn't listen, it's a conversation about, it's not necessarily what you can do for us, because we're not out with the bacon bowl here. It's what the Northwest, what Donagall can do for you. And we're in a unique position, as was mentioned as well, in that we are on the doorstep of the UK in inverted commas, and vice versa, the UK and the doorstep of Europe. And it offers unique opportunities. And that was all explored. As I say, it's hard to sort of quantify what comes out of those kind of breakfast launches, because it can take quite some time. But I would be pretty optimistic. Yeah, as opposed to a post-Brexit, as a post-pandemic. And I do think a lot of businesses have taken the time over the last couple of years to maybe push the restart button and how they do things. And I think this initiative was really good. And I will be able to see what follows on from Greg. Yeah, in other news, we are exporting more drink, or at a higher value at least. The total value of Irish drinks exports increased by 19% in 2021 to 1.26 billion, that's according to the latest board B of data. While heavily impacted by COVID-19, and particularly the global closure of the on-trade pubs restaurants and hotel bars, exports remained resilient, and producers are now focused on recovery and further growth. Irish whiskey exports grew by 25% in 2021, and were valued at 855 million, while beer exports were down by 3% last year due to the closure of the on-trade channel. That said, they were still valued at 246 million euro, which is a lot of money. And it's quite interesting that it was announced yesterday that UK sanctions on American exports and American exports on UK sanctions have been canceled, which resulted in a 50% drop in booze exports, whiskey exports to the United States. I just wonder, will that impact next year? Maybe we were picking up some of that market. Okay, interesting, we'll see if that's sustainable or if it was a positive blip. Right, Shandon Hotel, tell us about it. Yeah, bookings at the Shandon Hotel and Spa and Don Fanny for 2022 are set to pass all previous records as the country benefits from a new state occasion culture. That's the prediction of us general manager and newly appointed director, Kalyne Harrison. She made her comments as the hotel celebrated six years since its reopening, which also coincided with the official opening of a new 110-seater space bar at the hotel as part of a one million-euro expansion. All right, the latest co-working space is opened and it's in Termen. Yeah, the official opening of GTEC at the Craven Community and Enterprise Centre in Termen takes place on Monday next March the 29th at 1 p.m. Speakers at the Shermney will include Tracey Koeh of Grower Mote, Uthers Nagyothas, Michael Heaney and Pollock Fingertown from DLDC. Now, despite everything that's going on and of course inflation reaching record heights, should drop back a little bit as the year wears on, the economy is continuing to grow and there's still optimism out there in the business community. And I think that's reflected in the latest bit of news. Yeah, very much Greg. New data suggests Irish employers intend to embark on their biggest hiring spree in more than 15 years in the second quarter of 2022. The latest employment outlook survey from Manpower Group is based on responses from more than 400 employers across Ireland. It asks whether employers intend to hire additional workers or reduce the size of their workforce on the common quarter. It's found employers plan to expand head of country significantly, driving the national hiring outlook up to 32% in the second quarter, which would be an increase of 29% present these points year on year. All right, okay. Interesting stuff. Now, business matters in terms of its guests has gone international for the first time and we're not talking Terry Husterman. It's gone truly international and I might mean that as a joke before anyone's a go at me, okay. Geographically, it's gone international, right? And we're gonna hear about it after this break. Suppose it's... Okay, that was an accidental preview for all my smart chat. We'll take the break and then we'll be right back. Business matters in association with the letter Kenny IT faculty of business. Looking for a career in financial services? Consider the level nine MA in governance compliance and data protection. Take the next step in your career and contact the exec head coordinator on 9186206 or email exechead at lyit.ie today. When you get the M&S app, you get the good stuff. Good stuff that comes from Sparks, the M&S reward scheme, like personalized offers tailored just for you, easy breezy shopping and returns too. Good stuff like the chance to get your shopping for free, a donation to your chosen Sparks charity every time you shop. And good stuff like little treats, because well, who doesn't like a little treat every now and then? Download the M&S app today and get the good stuff. Terms and conditions apply, see marksandspenser.ie for details. Attention all tractor and forklift owners. 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Kids will love exploring Century Play. There's lots of tasty options available at backstage bar and grill. And at Century Cinemas, we're showing entertaining kids movies, rom-coms, actions, adventure movies, dramas, and more. Call us on 07491 21976 or visit centurycinemas.ie. Milford Tiles, Wood Flooring, and Bathware, Milford Retail Park, now open. Large range of wall and floor tiles on display and in stock. Over 70 different laminate floors to suit every pocket. Tiler's and Woodfooters available. New Bathware showroom now open. Milford Tiles, Wood Flooring, and Bathware. 083-091-0707. Highland radio weather updates with Ireland West Airport. Thinking of a sun holiday with the family, you can now fly to Barcelona three times weekly this summer with Ryanair and enjoy some of Europe's best family campsites. Ireland West Airport, you're flying. All right, so it is short and sweet, mostly dry with spores of hazy sunshine. There is a chance, though, of an odd well-scattered shower later today. I don't think you will need an umbrella, though. Temperature is 15 to 17 degrees. We're still in the company of Kieran O'Donnell. We're on the business end of Business Mattress now because we are talking about your guest. And an interesting character, the character, it sounds almost as if I'm being depreciating or depreciating, but I'm not at all. Paddock is a very interesting man. And you just never know where you'll bump into someone from Donegal and what they'll be doing, Kieran. Exactly, Greg. On this week's buzzers, as you say, the first edition to be recorded outside of Ireland, I'm joined by Paddock McFarren from Goudour, who is the manager of the 400-bedroom, four-star, double-three by Hilton Hotel at Angel Kings Cross in London. The youngest of a family of seven, Paddock moved to London in 2000 and has been working with the Hilton Group for the last 12 years. During our conversation, I asked Paddock, what was the best lesson he'd learned in his many years in the hospitality sector? I suppose it's not to act irrationally, to take your time and to ask for advice, to speak to people. Speak to people before, you know, don't be forced into making what could potentially be a neurational decision or a poor choice. And that's happened to me over time, trying to please people, you know, when you're in the game, you become not a yes, man, but, you know, nose, a very negative word to use in hospitality, you want, oh, we're here to please. But, you know, you have layers of management and experience around you and good friends, good solid friends, you know, lift the phone, ask the question, what would you do, what you think is what I'm thinking of, you know, this is how I'm thinking of approaching this matter and let your thoughts come through a little bit more before you make a decision. Yeah, good advice. We were very well looked after there. Funny though, I probably shouldn't admit it. I thought, I thought there was only, I thought double tree by the Hilton, right? I thought, I didn't realise it was the Hilton Hotel Group, so I thought it was beside Hilton. So I thought there's only one of these, right? So I ended up at a double tree by Hilton. I don't know, somewhere else? Somewhere else, there's about 12 of them around, London or whatever. I thought it was another branch or another. Another branch, good one, have a double tree. All right, okay, interesting stuff. So you get to hear the full interview of another Donagall man doing very well outside the country, Pat McFadden, he's the guest on the podcast, which is available right now on our website, highlandradio.com, you can listen on Spotify and iTunes as well, and it's broadcast on Sunday, Kieran. Yeah, after the six o'clock news on Sunday evening break. And if anyone wants to get in contact with you, how did they do so? Yeah, drop me an email please, businessmarersathighlandradio.com. Has microphone is prepared to travel? Correct. Okay, good stuff, even if it's London. He wants to go to Dubai next, by the way, I think, or somewhere else. What do you think, Kieran? Ask it on me, wherever you're going. All right, take care of yourself. Thank you very much indeed. I'll be the plus one. No problem. You need a plus five, wouldn't you? Okay, listen, thanks for that, Kieran. All right, moving on now, Eileen Doherty is a member of the Micah Redress team, and there is an important online seminar taking place this afternoon. So if you are affected by Micah or have an interest in this, listen up. Eileen joins us now. Hi, Eileen, good morning to you. Good to you too. Right, tell us about this, tell us about this event this afternoon. Okay, well, this afternoon at 3.30, the left group at the European Union are kindly hosting an international seminar on what we call deleterious minerals, which suggests to do with defective blocks. And effectively to make it simple, Micah is a deleterious mineral, as is pirate, as is pirateite. And there's been a lot of conversation over the last number of years as to whether or not the remedial works that are in the current protocol are sufficient, given that there's new minerals being found in our homes as we're doing the testing. So what it is, is that we have reached out to international experts all over the world in Canada and Connecticut and Massachusetts and in Switzerland. And we are bringing them all together through the EU and we're having a seminar today to try and understand what to gain their understanding basically of how these minerals all interact. And basically, whether or not the remedial works that are in the IS465, which is a protocol, whether or not that is actually fit for purpose. So are we talking in real layman's terms, say for instance, whether in any circumstances simply doing the exterior leaf is a satisfactory response to this situation? Exactly, Greg. So that's one of the key things we're hoping to get to. Now, whether we get to that point today or not, we're not sure, but we're trying to work out whether or not, for example, removing the external leaf of a home is sufficient or whether or not having multiple of these minerals and your home is basically requires a home to be all of these homes to be demolished. Foundations and all presumably. Foundations and all presumably. Foundations and all, yeah. I mean, that's one of the things obviously that's going to be starting to be testing. But we're reaching out. These people have been researching these minerals for years. When we started this process, when the government developed the IS465 protocol, there was kind of a belief and assumption that we only had mica and that people in Mayo only had pirate. But as we've got our home tested, like my home has mica, pirate and pirateite. The pirateite is what they found in the US. So the Canadians and the people in Connecticut and in Massachusetts, they have an issue with pirateite and their basements. So they have been researching this mineral for years with millions of dollars of government funding. So they really understand how this impacts concrete. So we're trying to learn from them. So today we're having all of these international experts as well as an expert from Switzerland come and present us. Some of the impacts of these minerals on concrete. Yeah, and obviously some of this conversation too is going to focus on how do we prevent this happening into the future? How do we make sure we're not rebuilding homes with defective materials again? We don't want all the families to have to go down this route now. Maybe everything won't be gotten into today, but this is the international conversation that's beginning to happen now. Exactly, and ultimately, as you say, we absolutely, this can never happen again. And what we would like to see happening as a consequence of this international delegation is that we influence standards in Ireland that policies that are developed in the future in Ireland are influenced by these experts. There's nobody in Ireland that's doing this research. I mean, we're eight years in since we started campaigning. There hasn't been sufficient research done in Ireland on these minerals. It's very disappointing that the Irish government has not done that. So we as a group have reached out to these international experts ourselves through our own networks, and we're now trying to answer that question for the Irish government. Well, the reality is though that the further they dig, the bigger the problem they become. Well, that's absolutely... I mean, we hope that's not the motivation, but it's got those bells and whistles on it. Well, yeah, I mean, I think that's... I mean, we have given them this information. People are saying to us recently, no, this was our idea to do this. We've been talking about this for years, and in the working group last year, we submitted to the working group that there is an issue with the current IS-465 because it assumes that it only has Micah, for example, in Donegal or Pirate Mail. So we've been talking about this a long time, and when we went to Brussels in December, we proposed this to the MAPs in Brussels that we needed to have this international conversation. It wasn't happening in Ireland, and we needed to have it. So this is thanks to the left group. This is happening today. Right, the international seminars this afternoon at 3.30 Irish time. Is it open to everyone? And if so, how do people log in? It is 3.30 this afternoon, and it's open to everyone, and you basically go to the 100% redress page, and you'll find the link on there, and you just click, and as I say, hopefully that should be very interesting for people to listen to. And I'm hopeful that we can have a recording of it as well for people who can't make it. But yes, very interesting, and the conversation is just starting. So this is the first of a number of these sessions, I would imagine, and hopefully the next one might be face-to-face. But yes, very interesting development. Thanks, Silene. I appreciate it very much. OK, 3.30 this afternoon. Go to the 100% redress page and mag page for links. Back tomorrow morning at 9. Stay tuned, John Bresens, up around the North West after the news at 12.