 with 90 seats to fill in the storming assembly. It's expected Sinn Féin will come out as the largest party for the first time while there's uncertainty over the DUP going back into government post-election. But Northern Ireland correspondent Amanda Ferguson says the Alliance Party's performance should be closely watched. It's up to the people obviously to decide what happens but it wouldn't be surprising if Sinn Féin become the largest party. Then of course people shouldn't underestimate what the Alliance Party can do the cross-community party because over local elections, European elections and Westminster elections that it is surging in support and polling also indicates it could be a good day for them as well. Raising the cost of rent in the doll is like shouting into the void according to Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle. Speaking in the doll last night, Deputy Pringle highlighted the need for urgent action on the soaring cost of rent and how people are now at crisis point and losing hope. The latest staff.ie report revealed that rents in Donegal rose by 24.3% the largest increase in nationally. Deputy Pringle says as a result homelessness is becoming a serious issue in the county. As a board member of the Northwest Simon community I have sadly seen the shocking rise of homelessness in our region which doesn't even take into account the incredible number of hidden homelessness across Donegal. In a single week in March 97 individuals in the Northwest were provided with emergency accommodation and these are only the people that actually come towards the services we're not talking about the people who are couchsurfing or anything like that that aren't included in any of the figures that the government talks about. The state has failed these families and we should all feel very ashamed when hearing these statistics. Patients are waiting over three months for a gynecology appointment at Letcher-Kennedy University Hospital. Hospital consultants are warning of a perfect storm in gynecological care due to the pandemic, increased demand and staff shortages. Figures provided by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly show that 485 patients are waiting on a gynecology appointment at Letcher-Kennedy University Hospital with the average waiting time for an outpatient appointment 98 days. Consultant, obstetrician and gynecologist at the Rotonda Hospital in Dublin Professor Sam Calder-Smith says urgent action is needed. It's hugely important that we upgrade our facilities to the extent that we can address the capacity issues that we face. Weather and I largely cloudy this morning with scattered patches of light rain drizzle and mist. Shirey rain will extend this afternoon and evening with highest temperatures of 13 to 16 degrees. That's all from Highland Radio News for now. We'll be back with news again at 10 o'clock. Until then, good morning. Fancy a minute to yourself in the morning and I'm prompt you make muffin before you start the day. A hash brown and another hash brown. Fancy a bacon roll to get things going. A breather before the madness begins. Fancy slowing things down. A breakfast roll before the boss emails and a nice sip of McAfee to feel like yourself again. Fancy some me time? Fancy McDonald's? Served until 11 a.m. And now it's time for the talk of the Northwest The Nine to Noon Show with Greg Hughes on Highland Radio. Hello and a very good morning. It's just three minutes past nine on this Thursday, the fifth of May. How are you keeping? I hope you're well. The lines are open for you right now. By the way, we want you getting involved in the conversation as you always do with your views, your comments, and to raise your issues as well. 08-6-60-25,000. WhatsApps and texts to that number. Give us a call to 07-491-25,000. If you wish, you can watch the show today as always on our website, HighlandRadio.com. You can click the link there. We'll be available for you to watch and browse. Or go straight to YouTube or Facebook and join us there and comment there as well. It's Thursday. So lots of local newspapers out as well as the nationals. Joe McHugh's decision to step away from politics makes the front pages of all the local newspapers as does on the front of the Chicano Tribune. Clarification from the friends of LUH over Cardiac Lab funding and the ongoing controversy over the future of the Cardiac Diagnostic Services at LUH. Excuse me, the friends of the hospital have moved to clarify that every euro raised in a huge fundraising campaign was for the provision of Intervention Cardiac Cath Lab. It is reported that when the procurement process was ongoing to purchase the cath lab, the clinical input from LUH was led by Dr. Santosh David, the consultant cardiologist whose appointment to the post in 2007 triggered the urgency of the search to fund the purchase of the facility. The clarification by the friends came after hospital general manager Sean Murphy at the weekend said that 750,000 euros raised was for an intervention radiology suite. Much more detail in the paper today on that story. The Donegal Democrat highlights a candidate dilemma for Fina Gale and we'll be teasing this out a little later on in this programme as well. Tonastro and Fina Gale Lidili of Radcar arrives in Donegal tomorrow as the search begins to find someone to replace the party's only Donegal TD, namely Joe McHugh. The 50-year-old Cara Gargman announced on Wednesday his intention not to run in the general election. To most the news was a surprise, but privately several party sources have confirmed that Deputy McHugh had been thinking along these lines for a while now. The dilemma now is who will be his successor. He yesterday in his interview with us talked about the sitting councillors, McGinnis of course, Harley and Kavana, but perhaps someone else that might come to the fore who is to say, we'll talk about that as I say a little later on in the programme. The Donegal News this morning, there are 428 women currently waiting for an outpatient gynecology appointment in Letter Kenney University Hospital facing an average 98-day wait. That's according to alarming figures provided by Deputy Sorcia Clark in response to a parliamentary question to the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly. In all 30,805 women are waiting for an outpatient gynecology appointment at hospitals around the country. Tallah University Hospital has the longest average waiting time of 652 days. On to the dairy news now, and the jury in the trial of three men accused of murdering 35-year-old Carol Kelly in Dairy over four years ago has been told that the father of five died as a result of a murderous attack carried out by the defendants. The comments came in the opening address by prosecution counsel Liam McCollum in the trial of brothers Gary and Sean Anderson, both of Grafton Street in the Rosemount area and Michael Dunlop of Fern Park in Gallia, that area of the city, who were all charged with the murder of Mr Kelly in Dairy on March 2018. On to the Farmers Journal now, and Chuggus is set for a U-turn on suckler advice. We read on that Chuggus Gluck U-turn on its stocking rate advised to suckler farmers. Newell-Alas analysis has found that margins on lower stocked beef farms are forecast to be similar to higher stocked farms this year. The modelling exercise seen by the Irish Farmers Journal shows an alarming shift in margins on highly stocked beef farms in 2022. It found that farms stocked at 1.6 LUHA could see a 28% increase in net margins from 274 per hector in 2020 to 355 euro per hector in 2022. Sorry, that's 2020 versus 2022 when input and output prices are compared there. Now, we'll move on to the Nationals and we'll start with the Irish Times and as you may be aware, if you were listening to any news, a new round of sanctions have been unveiled by the EU. The European Union has unveiled plans to raise out oil imports from Russia and to sanction its biggest bank state broadcasters and people responsible for alleged atrocities in Ukraine. Of course, really, what the Ukrainians would want is gas to be an embargo on gas usage. We don't use that much oil compared to the amount of gas. When I say we, I mean the EU, cities across Ukraine faced a new salvo missiles fired by Moscow's military. Deadly artillery exchanges continued yesterday in the eastern Donbas region and Russian forces attacked the as of missiles steelworks in Mariupol. The last readout of you, that's obviously a typo, it's the last holdout of Ukrainian troops in the ruined city and a place of refuge for hundreds of civilians. Now it seems like the civilians are going to get out but the fate awaiting those Ukrainian soldiers in those that steelworks are being told of course to fight and not surrender but their future is very bleak indeed. You can only imagine what it must be like waiting on those forces to bear down on you. Ukrainian officials say 20,000 people may have died during Russia's two month siege with bombardment of Mariupol and that Moscow's troops have buried evidence of alleged war crimes in mass graves outside the as of sea port. They are also accused of murdering hundreds of civilians during their brief occupation of Bukha and other towns near Kiev. The Irish Independent, Simon Coveney the Minister for Foreign Affairs he's pushing forward a certain narrative in light of what's happening in Ukraine Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has said at least 3,000 extra Irish soldiers are needed to address the security threats facing Ireland in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine now, be that as it may you would think first and foremost start paying the soldiers that are currently as part of the Irish Army, start paying them and those that operate our sea vessels properly and then they won't all be leaving because there's no they can barely live on the money that they're being given but anyway he thinks we need 3,000 extra soldiers. He said Mr Coveney said he would soon bring a memo to cabinet seeking to dramatically increase investment in the forces. He added that a recent report on military spending outlined how Ireland needed to increase its army by at least 3,000, 3,000 more soldiers. However he said the 3,000 should only be a starting point and noted the commission on the defence forces report was drafted before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Do you think our security has been affected by the war in Ukraine? Like should this be a catalyst for us saying hello on you 3,000 soldiers might have been enough prior to what Russia has done what we actually need is many more. Do you think what has happened over the course of the last 70-80 days justifies that position? Anyway he says 3,000 is a good starting point but don't forget that the commission report was done before the war in Ukraine so I think the politics and the context within which we make this decision now is also different to when the work of the commission began. He told the Irish Independent but I wonder what he believes we need these soldiers for. Like is he saying I haven't had an opportunity to read the full article I'm not sure if he would be asked in the Irish Independent but was he asked like what why do we need more soldiers to what end what would be before what would they be doing. I think that would be an interesting question to sort of get his attitude on where we're at. Okay the Irish Daily Mail Hospital overcrowding is creating a pressure cooker environment that has led to an increase in assault on hospital staff. This does not surprise me since the beginning of 2021 an average of seven assaults a day are taking place on nurses with many more instances going unreported this according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organization. The Union's General Secretary Phil Nehay said frontline workers are being put at risk for conditions they are not responsible for the INMO kicked off its three-day annual conference yesterday it plans to highlight diabolical situations being faced by staff who are working under severe pressure in an overcrowded health service while still dealing with the pandemic and you know you have a lot of people in a certain space you know under pressure and that is going to cause problems and unfortunately nurses seem to be at the receiving end. A big day for Northern Ireland today potentially the Norse political future is at stake as voters go to the polls today to decide on the make up of the next storm and assembly is it the future really at stake well that's according to this article in the Irish Daily Star and it comes at a time of tension between the UK and the Union over Tory moves to tear up their own Brexit deal on trade with the North. Draft legislation to override the Northern Ireland protocol is being prepared and should figure in next week's Queen's Speech that trade treaty negotiated by Boris Johnson which keeps the North in the EU single market with a new trade border with the rest of the UK is backed by Republican Sinn Féin but fiercely opposed by Unionists and in a sensational shift in the political landscape Queen is poised to win a historic victory taking a majority of seats in the 19th member parliament but again it still remains to be seen what might come from that in terms of getting a decision making executive up and running a lot of coverage today in the newspapers in fact I think pretty much all of them and this is claims from Blahid Ni Kofi claims she was sexually harassed working at RTE the TV presenter in 1951 has taken a workplace relations commission case against the station RTE insiders say they're absolutely deny the claim made yesterday in the extensive details it emerged yesterday the TV star has taken the case as I mentioned she lodged a complaint under the Employment Equality Act and said she was harassed in 2019 while working at the station she's named a number of people who work there in her complaint but they will remain anonymous and will not be allowed to be named by this at least one is considered to be a public figure it is understood that RTE will vigorously defend the action in the WRC and RTE so said we were aware this was coming down the line but there's nothing else we can say we will just have to let it play out we absolutely deny all allegations and finally a lot of coverage as well and I'm not sure how many of you are following the story as it relates to the future of the maternity hospital but Miho Martin has defended the government's plan to continue with the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital to land owned by the Sisters of Charity Religious Order the plan to move from Dublin's whole street to a site at Elm Park along St. Vincent's as well as its governance and ownership has been subject of controversy for some time now the issue came before the cabinet this week but has been postponed for two weeks to allow for documents about the ownership structure to be published and for Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to appear before a committee and the two sides of the argument to be that this will be completely independent of any religious order and it's a fantastic development for women's health but others concerned that this could there could be too much influence from religion on it and the services provides and so on and so forth as long as right 086625 thousand your whatsapps and your texts to that number or give us a call on 07 4 9125 thousand thinking of changing your floors why not see what Fluret Letter Kenny has to offer Fluret have a large selection of solid semi-solid and laminate click vinyl wood flooring together with a fantastic choice of parquet herringbone flooring all at incredible value don't delay call Fluret today on 087 161 7008 for all your health and beauty needs you can always rely on McGee's chemist in Letter Kenny if you need a prescription just call or order online at McGee's.ie and it will be ready for you in advance before you arrive for beauty and skin care there's all the big names of great prices in store and online and for your photo printing needs simply download the McGee's photo prints app or click on the website link McGee's chemist Main Street Letter Kenny for all your health and beauty needs and so much more call 9121409 or visit McGee's.ie Donegal County Council invites you to a public drop-in event in the Inishong Gateway Hotel on Monday the 23rd of May until 8 p.m. to commence a number of plans being prepared a variation to the current County Development Plan the Repairing Bunkrana Regeneration Project and Preliminary Design for Bunkrana Leisure Center with formal presentations at 7 from Donegal County Council and the Keherlock of Donegal County Council Councillor Jack Murray for more information visit DonegalDevPlan.ie that's DonegalDevPlan.ie and DonegalCoco.ie Experience a taste of Italy with the Italian event at Done Stores mix and match any three for two on our new Italian range think delicious Italian made fresh and filled pastas flavor some sauces hand-stretched stone baked pizzas and all buttered tear and share breads buy any two products get the third free plus with our 10 off 50 grocery voucher you save even more which means every trip to Done Stores means better value always better value terms and conditions apply by to confuse an explosive shop of 50 euro or more OK, you're very welcome back to the 9 till noon show here on Highland Radio Delighted to welcome on to it now John McIntyre editor of the Chicano Tribune. Good morning to you John Thanks for joining us. Good morning Greg I'm keeping well We have plenty to talk about this is a rehearsal for the general election probably Yeah, indeed I think so I mean it didn't come as any surprise to me I know I had any inside track don't get me wrong but I mean I was asking the question of Joe McIntyre for some time now because I suspected that I mean he's given his reasons as to why he's decided to step away from politics after the next general election but I suppose everyone's going to speculate as to why did it come as a surprise to you I would have to say it did and the reason why is that after been dropped from the cabinet in June 2020 Joe McIntyre he was just battered by that decision and then he had that heart scare a year last Christmas time but I would have detected in the last six months that he had a new enthusiasm and a new thinking about politics and he was he was planning, he was organizing he was doing all kinds of things and of course it came as a shock to me yesterday morning when I got that text message I listened to the interview sharp enough interview but did we hear the full story or did we not I think you made the point that it seemed kind of extraordinary that the T-shirt was just up and done it all in 24 hours time from talking to you yesterday why was the urgency and going through with this now I mean he did talk about the whole idea that the party is developing a strategy for the next election they have a lead in time of two years so we look at an election in and around that time there's not an election due until February 20th of 2025 I think there's a whole lot of things in the mix here there's a whole lot of things up on there the whole landscape politically has changed inflation that we haven't heard of in 20 years is going to be a huge factor in driving prices up Joe McHugh is sitting there just wondering after 23 years in politics and that's maybe genuinely the case that he feels that he has delivered all that he's ever going to do in politics I find that quite extraordinary given that he's just over 50 years of age 20 years ahead of him almost but also the reality is that I don't see any obvious name in the party well we'll get to that Namol, let's get to the reasons I mean you know like and what the reaction to this might be there are those I presume affected by Micah there are those going to be within that campaign that are going to be very grateful for what he did in getting the supposed 2010 scheme over the line as it turns out it wasn't that and then you know this so I'm going to welcome that but there are others that are going to feel that he probably was going to be particularly perhaps maybe with an awful lot of things changing in his own he might have been on a hiding to nothing in his own in the next general election and could struggle to have gotten over the line and they might feel some might feel that well he's riding off into the sunset and leaving us in this battle on our own even though some of them might not have voted for him now he says and I mean I'm not for a moment suggesting that he's not telling the truth but he says that wasn't even a factor I find that surprising every politician looks at one thing they look at the last election results they look at opinion polls and nationally Leo Radker is not doing that well at all there's a whole issue hanging over him or will he even be there to take over the leadership on the 15th of December and how will the DPP find there will it be referred to a court hearing if it does we're in really big bother there and there's no guarantees that anything like that is going to happen before the change over the DPP's office doesn't work that way Leo Radker has admitted that he leaked the document he says in the greater order that's not a big offence and anyway he was trying to force a deal over the line with the DPP's that's his view may not be the DPP's view definitely it's not the public's view they're holding to the line that he broke the law constitutionally probably unwittingly to a great extent and there may well be a price to be paid for but there's all that feeding in there for Joe McHugh but what I want to say is that Joe McHugh was a very high profile minister for almost two years he was the chief government chief up ahead of that so during the period of that 16 government he was in a fairly high flying position he was there at the cabinet table he was all over the place and he was doing a lot of work he was doing a lot of announcements big projects underway he was landed on the very first day in office with the issue about the defective school buildings and that was it was a real big big issue to try and confront and deal with but nevertheless to go into an election with a good track record and to end up with under 10% of the vote I think that was a very very telling figure in other words had he not been a minister would he have been away below that the possibility is being a very pragmatic man he probably would have lost out I don't know where we would have gone from that there because Martin Harley's vote was actually key to the last two elections you know pulling in over 3,000 votes is no small amount and in the campaign battle Martin Harley playing second fiddle there but coming back with a big strong vote he has name recognition there aren't many finnegale politicians that I would know that have name recognition from Donegal Town from Lahey to Fanat Head and out to Ennisone that is a factor getting the right candidates and then wondering will there be a change of boundaries in the constituency or will there not there's a whole pile of things playing into that for Joe McHugh and after three years as he said there yesterday perhaps he's had enough like he has also said to me on several times there's no way for him back into the top echelons of the party there's no way back into the cabinet room and that may be so he may not have much of a relationship with party headquarters in fact he may not have much of a relationship with Leo Radker because you know that statement that he made about the Micah and he was prepared to pull the party whip if it wasn't going to be delivered I know that didn't play well in doubling those decisions are you sure it didn't though John because I mean we're not unused to in this county or any county politicians having one position in Donegal it being understood that that position has to be adopted they're allowed to go a certain way down the line without actually criticising the government and then going up to Dublin and voting with the government and sitting with the party colleagues as well I mean that's been going on for a position to be in but for a TD to confirm that he was prepared to full go the party whip if Micah wasn't going to be delivered I think that was a very genuine attempt by Joe McHugh but from what I understand that travelled very badly with the Tisha or the Tennessee he would have seen that as an element of this loyalty that he was entitled to better Joe McHugh knew exactly where he stood on that he stood with the people at Donegal and he made that very plain and probably had he been ejected from the party and that would have gone through he probably would have gone independent and be elected that would be my reader but is there something wrong with inside Finnegill that's a question that I can't answer Yeah and obviously there was quite a bit of controversy leading up to the last election within the party as well and some dissenting younger voices within it so in terms of natural measures I mean obviously there's sitting councillors over there you mentioned Martin Harley already in a show and you've got McGinnis and Jimmy Kavanaugh obviously he's been a very loyal party member for quite some time he's in the big population area there might be moves within the party to say is it not time now maybe we can see if we can get a female Finnegill re-elected where that person might come from you might know better than I with all due respect to everybody that's there it's an obvious success of jumping out to you because it isn't for me and let's not forget that John McHugh is the only Finnegill TD in the county There isn't an obvious successor the successor that I mentioned at the top of the interview was that Martin Harley, I haven't talked to Martin on this he would have named recognition he's well got across the constituency Finnegill is not like most other parties they're not leading down with talent waiting in the wings to jump into the forefront of politics a lot of this is stemming from very poor election performances in the locals in 2019 and the local elections are coming up in two years time I don't know Finnegill won six seats to the last time and within a week lost two councillors in Frank McBrady and in Michael McClafferty and they're left with four Barry Sweeney as I said out of 37 seats Greg this is a very bad return and it must beg questions of what the party is doing and what their structures are and how they're organizing themselves now I'm sure most parties are not all that well organized in the aftermath of Covid but Finnegill and Finnegill and the independents can return into double figures 12s and 11s and 10s so they're doing something right because your local councillor is your first contact and most only contact with the official Ireland so Finnegill is in a very strong position their vote wouldn't be that great at a national level in their opinion polls they lost a seat at the election yet they seem to have a very strong grassroots base right across the constitution if if the Minister McCharlie McCormill was announcing his intentions to step away from politics next week you could name five or six and ready made candidates almost Finnegill doesn't have that if I gave you 20 to one it doesn't necessarily have to be from the north and north west of the county if I give you 20 to one someone from the west of the county or south west of the county would you have them being selected? I wouldn't actually but what I would be taking because there's going to be much more of an emphasis on female candidates the next time there's going to be a higher percentage of female candidates that must be put forward that's going to pose a big difficulty for every party because they are pretty well male dominated well I think I'm speaking to Leo Veradko tomorrow I'm going to ask him the question and I can I would be very surprised if I ask him would he favour a female candidate him answering in the affirmative? Well you know it's like it is the party policy it's been forced on the parties because they're not electing enough women candidates they're not they're only about 13 or 14% of female candidates in Leinster House and in the year 2022 that's a very very poor result given that we've been talking about this for over 20 years but this starts all at the local elections Finnegeal have failed to make a breakthrough I mean they've had candidates running in Lerrickeni on a couple of occasions none of them got elected and they just disappear without sight Jimmy Cavanaugh has left as the only standard bearer in the town the biggest town in Donegal probably Finnegeal is not where they should be in the town of Lerrickeni because if you're going anywhere to get a seat Lerrickeni is very pivotal because there's a huge vote they don't turn out in the same numbers but I think there's another story that's down to the registrar I mean there obviously were some very senior politicians within Finnegeal at the time of the last election that would have favoured going into opposition maybe the parties look into opposition again or would be happy enough in opposition again after the next election to sort of regather its resources for an onslaught you know in another five years down the line That's a very interesting point that you raised there because you know grassroots in Finnegeal and in Finnegeal are still in opposition they're living in denial that there are literally betrayed of some and they put it to me and it's equally as transient in the Finnegeal grassroots as it is in Finnegeal because you don't have to go out knocking on doorsteps in a couple of years time and people are going to say to them why should I vote for you even Finnegeal and yourselves are the very same and to a great extent that's true these days so do they finally decide that we're going to separate entirely or are we going to become a unified party of one mind and one agenda and one party policy I doubt that I think the fact that Finnefal and Finnegeal amalgamated it was against the wishes of the voters that were against the wishes of the grassroots just while that has never resolved itself no and just what have you on I also I also would wonder what's in it for Charlie McConnel to run again after the next general election I think progress will be slow on the mic issue over the next couple of years I think Joe McHugh was able to rehabilitate himself if it need be done and that was evident at the reception some of them got down at the protest in Dublin so I think Charlie McConnel would struggle more now as you talked about there is a strong grassroots Finnefal membership there but that could split we could see a member of Finnefal say I've had enough of this it's my time to shine and have the backing save for instance of the micro-action group to effectively compete with Charlie McConnel in his own backyard I mean there's no there's nothing guaranteed for Charlie McConnel if he were to run I think he probably would struggle if he decides to he's also another person with all respect that has probably reached the pinnacle of his political career it probably has given the fact that he wasn't even on the first or second list of ministers when Michael Martin announced the Cabinet on the 27th of June Charlie McConnel August had a very difficult time trying to drive the CAP agenda trying to cope with a climate action plan that might be acceptable to Brussels he's been on the fire right left and centre if it's not that it's with the fishermen and he has become alienated when I'm hearing this from their own grassroots that he has been alienated from them and he's more a party man I don't have any great debate with Charlie McConnel though but he's in a very difficult position it has turned out to be a very difficult ministry it won't be a poison challenge or else a great run but it also depends on how you judge success because obviously he's able to make an awful lot of announcements as it relates to supporting the farming industry he's in a very important ministry at this time given our reliance on Ukraine and other areas for stuff he's able to make huge announcements as it relates to peers and the upkeep of peers you know I mean history when it looks back once you take out all the opinions of it it might you know we might be seeing this as success as the agriculture minister that took it over when everyone else couldn't manage to hold on it for any time you know because I think there's different timeframes there's the here and the now and then your legacy then you know but you know if you go back and Joe McHugh delivering millions upon millions into Donegal, Jimmy McDade overloading the system and letter Kenny from the hospital to the sports clubs to everything else to tourism Joe McHugh likewise you know finishing up with getting that Elystron road over the line from from down to Elystron down into Kilmachryan which is a fantastic achievement for him that does not resonate on election day I mean why would Joe McHugh get 9.8% if that were true I'm not saying that you're wrong it is a fact of life that these announced nowadays mean very little people don't even take it seriously sorry you're correct John we actually agree I don't believe that this will stand to him necessarily at the next election but I think it will stand to his legacy and I think some you know I mean that's if you know what I mean I don't think Charlie McCorne-Lowe will have to get back the farming vote he's got to get back the farmers all the time as I do living out here fairly rarely living on a farm the farmers are up in arms with prices gone through the roof for fertilizer and things and everything else under the sun and they're getting nothing back as they see it in compensation that's going to keep them in business farming, small farming the sucker has under threat fishing industries being wiped out fishing industries being wiped out Charlie McCorne-Lowe was a very very difficult role nobody would envy them that role but the more he tries the less he satisfies that grass roots now whether that's within the phenophile party or whether it's a broader issue or whether the days of phenophile and phenogel as the two big behemoths of Irish politics is over John-Lowe- Well done the gold politics for that matter just at least for Charlie McCorne- The reality is that you're watching the opinion polls probably as much as I do and I'm analyzing them every other week when they come out and there's one consistency about them and phenophile and phenogel are just not at the races no matter what they do, no matter what big announcements they make, I mean then they get engaged in these every little issue in politics now becomes a sort of a war words like let it be the turf war I mean that's going to play into the election as well that's going to play into everything but my case going to be our big issue here in Donningall and for the likes of Joe McEwen and Charlie McCorne-Lowe I don't know how about phenogel or I don't know how about Sinn Fein they've been very much to the forward John- Well it's easy in opposition though I mean fighting an election in opposition is a piece of cake you can just promise the sun the moon and the stars John- See the government have tried a different stunt in this campaign since Mary Lou became the leader they've tried to throw the responsibility on her for coming up with solutions we elect a government to come forward with solutions and the opposition is there to hold them to account but both Leah Radker and Michael Martin are crying in their professionally best way through the PR systems to blur that vision you know and it's not working for them because every time an opinion poll comes out the last red sea poll had Sinn Fein at 34% and the historic high for them and phenogel was doing slightly better than phenofoil phenofoil is down to 16 points and that is the feeling of the grassroots when you talk to them there they feel that they need a new leader and they're pretty adamant about that now to all intents and purposes, Michael Martin may not have any intents of opting out of politics or indeed walking away he may be coming into a senior position he may be taking over Leah Radker's role as Stanis in December and we start preparing to fight the next election but all parties have a problem and that trying to motivate the grassroots is simply not on because they're going to have to find a whole new way of doing politics and don't tell me it's going to be on Zoom it's alright for us to do on Zoom in a one-to-one situation but to try and hold for your town hall meeting on Zoom is an absolute disaster I just think it doesn't work just speaking to you know many phenofoil, phenogel but particularly phenofoil people they just want their identity back to you know to build their brand on their policies and I just get a sense that that's what they're going to spend the next five years afterwards doing and I think there's going to be quite an overhaul of both parties here in Donegal to over the next seven years if I was strategising I'll probably be looking at what's going to happen in seven years rather than what's going to happen too but I mean are they going to have a grassroots base at that point of course I'm sure they will but do you know better than I John? I failed to see it because if you try to call on meeting now you might can get 20 at it and that's across the constituency where you could get 250 that day is gone people have become much more independent now they're just not rushing out to back their leader because they don't recognise their leader they recognise who is making the best play and who's this question is scoring very very heavily in opposition you know you see all these issues about Robert Watt down at the Public Health Enquiry or the Earthness Committee yesterday people are seeing that and they're not happy with it they're not happy with the kind of salaries that's been doled out there and you know truth be told they're not happy that Tony Hulhan was treated the way he was do you think the public have sympathy for Tony Hulhan? I'm hearing that yeah I suppose I don't know you heard John LaHart yesterday seeing a foil man at the Earthness Committee asking him had he finally ruled himself out of a top position and he said not yet I just find it remarkable that what was hung drawn and quoted and Tony Hulhan got such a got such a the general public are looking at that and bewilderment and amusement of these kind of salaries and I mean let's face facts let's see what the next election is going to be it's just going to be where we were the last time have we made any progress on housing have we made any progress with with the hospital waiting lists probably not but maybe it's going to be there to dominate the scene for sure there's going to be new faces obviously on the house I think so and new faces new people the same people maybe with different jerseys on too John listen thanks very much for that as always enjoy your analysis thank you thank you Greg all right take care John McIntyre there editor of the Trichonal Tribune what's your view do you agree disagree from within parties and outside parties as well by the way the one interesting thing about politics is the speculation and the two wing and fro wing but what do you think 086 6025000 086 6025000 give us a call in 07491 25000 fly with Loganair from City of Derry to Edinburgh and immerse yourself in the live shows at Street Food of the Fringe Festival this summer with discounts for children aged 11 and under book now at Loganair.co.uk 15 kilo luggage allowance as standard in the darkest times we can struggle to find the brightness but during darkness into light every person has the power to be a light against the dark and set every step taken every sunrise shared helps support those impacted by suicide and raises vital funds for Pieta's life-saving work so please join Pieta and Electric Ireland for darkness into light on Saturday May 7th sign up now at darknessintelight.ie because everyone who runs walks and watches the sunrise shows we're brighter together proudly supported by Electric Ireland quick, write this number down 9148234 Fleming Doors Industrial Doors Garage Doors Agri Doors Insulated Doors Flaming 9148234 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 bucket, tillers and wood footers available new bathware showroom now open Milford Tiles Wood Flooring and Bathware 083 091 0707 The Blue Stack Special Needs Foundation presents its 20th Anniversary Blue Stack Challenge fundraising walk on the 21st of May The Blue Stack Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with additional needs they offer a range of supports to children vulnerable adults and their families this year's ambition is to fund expansion into the wider Donegal area registration closing soon to register or donate visit www.bluestackfoundation.com this ad is sponsored by Print Supplies Donegal Sunday April 3rd was census night and our enumerators have now finished collecting census forms every form must be returned so if your form hasn't been collected please free post it now to the address on the front of your form census.ie to find out more be counted in the build up to the County Flower which takes place in Lettercanny this weekend Joem Braslin will present around the Northwest from Lettercanny's Main Street just outside Dillon's Hotel this Thursday tune in to find out about the County Flower Weekend as well as the Kelly's concerts and sessions that will take place at various locations throughout the town this weekend that's around the Northwest live from Lettercanny's Main Street this Thursday from 12 noon it's back and it's bigger and better than ever before the one the only Grove Furnishings a sale odyssey your local easy living store Grove Furnishings big anniversary sale is now on at Killtie Road, Lettercanny Highland Radio weather updates with Ireland West Airport thinking of a some holiday with the family you can now fly to Barcelona three times weekly this summer with Scherri Rainer and enjoy some of Europe's best family campsites Ireland West Airport, you're flying OK, largely cloudy this morning with scattered patches of light rain, drizzle and mist Scherri Rain will extend across the region during the afternoon and evening but amounts will be quite small sunny intervals will develop too as the day goes on highest temperatures of 13 to 16 degrees in mostly light to moderate southwest winds we're joined on the program now by Independent Deputy Thomas Pringle thanks for joining us Thomas, good to have you on the show No bother Greg, it's a pleasure to see you Before we talk about the issue we invited you on, just a word, we were chatting to Minister Anne Robert yesterday as it relates to the services here in Donny Gall she's looking for another review obviously on top of the Hicqua one and say she's determined to get systems in place that you know that are acceptable she concurs with you I think in terms of you know there's no issue about having a debate on this in the door what's your view though on another review I mean I thought the Hicqua one seemed quite comprehensive and there should be enough, if the HSE has got any teeth at all there should have been enough in that, should there or are you welcoming an external look at this I think there has to be an external look at it Greg because the HSE have shown that they're not willing to actually change and the Brandon report was published by the HSE and the Minister's problem is that apparently the other legal advice that she has is that the HSE own the Brandon report and it's not her decision as to whether it will be published or not so she has to actually do her own review and then that will be published and I think that is very significant and it's very important and it's a sad reflection when you think about it that a Government Minister who the HSE supposedly work for us, various people but a Government Minister has to take this action to actually get the HSE to take responsibility for something that is very serious and has an impact on a lot of people's lives. We want to talk to you about the issue of homelessness and I think people underestimate how big a problem this is across the region, across Donegal and I don't think we actually really know the full extent of the problem but there are an awful lot of people to all intents and purposes that could be classed as homeless it's a real worry, it's a real problem it's a huge problem it's a very big problem it's very obvious in Dublin that there is a homelessness issue you only have to step outside the door and you see tents on the street and everything you've got there, it's shocking but in Donegal and places in rural Ireland it's not as visible and there's a huge amount of people who are couchsurfing in friends' houses or family members' houses they don't actually they're not counted in any figures anywhere and so when you hear statistics around homelessness it doesn't actually give the true figures at all the statistics for the northwest which is Donegal, Sligo, Lietzum are shocking enough like in March there was 97 individuals provided with emergency accommodation and that included 62 single adults 13 families including 20 children, 20 child dependents that's shocking that's happening in Donegal, Sligo, Lietzum and we're faced with this all the time and I was just thinking there I was waiting for you to come to me in the programme that I've been involved in national politics now since 2011 and this issue has been ongoing since then we've had Fenefal Government or we've had Fengel and Labour we've had Fenefal and Fengel and this continues on and yesterday we were speaking on the private members' motion and I basically said we're speaking into the vacuum the government doesn't care doesn't listen and won't do anything but when there is a will there is a way and I'm not pitching any one group of people against another group of people but it's the obvious question to ask you when we rightfully said we need to do our bit for the people coming to us from Ukraine Heaven and Earth has been moved not only to get people into hotel rooms I think everyone realises that wouldn't be a solution to the Micah issue or to homelessness but then we've discovered all of these homes that we all knew that were lying vacant that can very quickly be turned around that can house these people if I were one of those 97 people and even if I had absolute sympathy for the people of Ukraine and what they're facing I would feel very, very put out and I would be confused and probably feel guilty for feeling confused and angry but these people are finding themselves with those emotions through no fault of their own they've been painted into that corner Yeah that's totally understandable and I only hope that through the response that we're seeing dealing with the Ukrainian crisis and the refugee crisis that we have from Ukraine that will actually carry on after Ukraine is and the amount of people that have been engaged in this crisis will actually stay engaged and that's my hope that it will actually build awareness and build awareness across the board because in reality most people don't understand that there is a homelessness issue in Donegal and they look at it and see it and double it and they see it in the cities and so they got there but they don't see it locally Because you know there's also two things going on here is it worth discussing or maybe you have a view of the facts on it like there are people who are homeless that require more support than simply a house because you know I think there's this presumption that you know that you could just have a room or a house or a flat for everybody and then that would be it everything that is not simply the case there are thousands of people that it's not simply a case of providing a house or an apartment or a flat there are much more supports that need to be put in place in Donegal perhaps the majority would not necessarily require those extra support but the homeless issue is more complex than simply rooms and front doors Yeah that's true Greg I mean traditionally homelessness and doubling and nationally would be people who have difficulties in living in accommodation and do need that support but we've moved far beyond that now with the homeless crisis in the country I mean there's people who are working who simply can't afford to pay rent and they're getting up by the tents in the street and they have jobs in the morning and that's not anything that we would ever have considered as being somebody who would be at risk of homelessness at some stage in our society there is no doubt that those services need to be available for people that need support to live in a house as well but need support in general anyway and that has to be available but the vast majority of the homeless people are far beyond that and what they need is the support and what they need to understand that people need support to be able to live and be able to buy houses get houses rent houses So what do we do because I imagine that this figure it's March I think you probably I don't know, multiply that I don't know by how many, I fear how many of people that are on the brink that were just teetering on the brink of homelessness that the rising cost is going to push them into that situation What role does the council have what role does central government have what needs to be done in your view now to firstly get as many people into safe accommodation as is possible right now but also to make sure there is sufficient accommodation going forward Look we've got I think 12,000 vacant properties as of the last census I'm not saying all of those should be taken off who owns them or whatever I'm thinking along those lines but there's something going on there there's at least a portion of those that are houses that maybe are in the council's ownership or maybe are derelict and can be compulsory purchase I don't know what it is but we need to start thinking short, medium and long term now Yeah and I think so I think the first thing we have to do won't come around for another couple of years but basically we have to get rid of Finafone and Gail they have to be got out of government and you would say well I would say that that's the reality of the situation and you know we have a government that has to say that I just want to say it's very important because you made a decision not to go into government as well like it's very easy for you and I say this with respect does it do to anyone I speak to you could have gone into government with Finafone and Finafone and you could have tried to influence policy within and you could have been a strong voice even who's to say at a cabinet table to try and advocate for these people like you can't always stand in the ditch and say Finafone and Gail are terrible get them out you could have you know put your ideology to one side to some extent and gone in there and actually maybe you've made a real difference but you chose not to Thomas That's the thing Greg you see the issue is ideology because Finafone and Gail are working off an ideology that the private sector is going to deal with these issues You could have been in there within changing it though these 97 people you say you say right you say no child should ever have to face homelessness the state has failed these families and we should all feel very ashamed you could have been in that government right and you wouldn't have to have sold your soul to the devil and you could have been advocated with a strong voice from within for those people but you chose not to and so wouldn't make any difference so what's the point of standing for election then because Finafone and Finafone and Gail you're not listening to what I'm saying actually Greg Finafone and Finafone and Gail are the crux of the problem here Finafone and Finafone and Gail have made a policy decision that the private sector is going to deal with this issue and that's going to sort it out we've seen how the private sector will deal with the issue of homelessness over the last 10 or 11 years they're not going to deal with it and we have to have a government in place in this country that is going to put homeless people put people at the start front of policy and it's going to make sure that the county councils can actually deliver housing to ensure that the needs can be met there as well because this government doesn't do that and the reality is if I went into that government and sat in there with them you're trying to beat their ideology and one voice against that ideology will not be able to do it and that's why I made this decision not to go into government with them because I don't believe that it would be able to make a difference and that's the reality of the situation what we need is we need a complete change and we need a complete change of government to make sure that we can put on track a basis to make a difference in the society and sadly I would love to be able to stand up on the doll and say to Dara O'Brien that he's making rows and making rows and disorting this issue out but he's not and they just have the motions going to the doll we stand up and we outline the problems they just ignore it and they just continue on so just say for instance on the mic issue as part of negotiations for entering government you don't think that you could have got any benefit for Donegal maybe progress the mica issue a little bit or maybe got more funding or attention targeting homeless are you saying that as part of a negotiation of going into government that you could have not achieved something for Donegal to get something for Donegal to improve the plight of people here what I feel is that you would get something that would happen work on a very short term basis you would get you would get a school provided maybe a year faster than that would be and that's not the height of my ambition the height of my ambition is to make sure that the people of Donegal are on equal footing with everybody in the country and that everybody in the country can expect and hope that their government will work for them on their behalf not for the private sector and not against them because that's actually what we're seeing happening here and you have to remember as well to Greg that Joe McHugh is a member of the last government that supposedly started out to make an issue and Joe McHugh is a member of this government and Charlie McConnog was a member of this government who are now attempting to start out to make an issue again well we I hope they're attempting to start it out we're not been told anything we don't know and that's all been done behind closed doors we have to wait and see when the actual legislation comes before the Dall which was actually promised to be at the start of this year and it actually hasn't arrived yet. Okay listen thanks for that thanks for covering the range of issues I appreciate it that was independent deputy Thomas Pringle your views are 860 25000 are 860 25000 Greg thanks for having John McIntyre on I just love his analysis and opinion and his wonderful accent and voice why is he not a nominee for Donegal person of the year well you nominate him next time the nominations are open you can nominate him I believe that's how that works I'm not sure how it works but I presume you can Joe McIntyre will be remembered by school secretaries in Donegal as the Minister for Education who did not fight their calls or working terms and conditions says one caller another Joe McIntyre knew he faced being wiped out he's the smart one he jumped before he was pushed and so your messages continue to come in but we do have to take a break as we want to too for the news and obituary notices rejoin us afterwards the SkySpring sale is here get SkyQ with the TV you love all in one place and super reliable Sky Broadband so you can always stay connected plus choose from Sky Sports or Sky Cinema all for just 60 euro a month for 12 months don't miss this amazing offer just search SkySpring sale availability subject to location new Sky customers only minimum term and further terms apply for more information see sky.ie slash speeds pick up your phone while driving and you might need to be picked up from work break the speed limit and you could be breaking plans with your mates leave L or N plates off your car and you could be left getting taxis for the next six months so ask yourself is it really worth it seven penalty points over three years will disqualify learner and novice drivers for six months steer clear of points and stay on the road a message from the Road Safety Authority farmers to be paid 100 euro per hectare for silage and hay for more in this week's Irish Farmers Journal is Paul Mooney we have all the details of the new silage scheme targeting beef and sheep farmers major chuggers you turn on suckler beef advice the beef trade is booming we reveal the reasons why and will it last and find out how you could save thousands by switching mortgage provider plus don't miss our veiled silage special only inside this week's Irish Farmers Journal you cannot afford to miss it live on air online and on the Highland Radio app this is Highland Radio News Good morning I'm Achille Clark with the news at 10 o'clock the polls are open in Northern Ireland for what is tipped to be one of the most significant elections in a generation polls will remain open until 10 o'clock tonight with 90 seats to fill in the storming assembly it's expected she and Finn will come out as the largest party for the first time while there's uncertainty over the DUP going back into government post-election but Northern Ireland correspondent Amanda Ferguson says the Alliance Party's performance should be closely watched it's up to the people obviously to decide what happens but it wouldn't be a surprising if she and Finn become the largest party then of course people shouldn't underestimate what the Alliance Party can do the cross-community party because over local elections European elections and Westminster elections that it is surging it's surging in support and polling also indicates it could be a good day for them as well raising the cost of rent in the doll is like shouting into a void according to Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle speaking in the doll last night Deputy Pringle highlighted the need for urgent action on the soaring cost of rent and how people are now at crisis point and losing hope the latest staff.ie report revealed that rents in Donegal rose by 24.3% the largest increase nationally Deputy Pringle says as a result homelessness is becoming a serious issue in the county. As a board member of the Northwest Simon community I have sadly seen the shocking rise of homelessness in our region which doesn't even take into account the incredible number of hidden homelessness across Donegal in a single week in March 97 individuals in the Northwest were provided with emergency accommodation and these are only the people that actually come towards the services we're not talking about the people who are couchsurfing or anything that the government talks about the state has failed these families and we should all feel very ashamed when hearing these statistics At least 3,000 extra soldiers are needed to address security threats posed to Ireland in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Covenay told the Irish Independent he would soon bring a memo to Cabinet to drastically increase spending on defence forces The Minister says the figure of 3,000 is a starting point only of the future of the Irish military Defence Analyst Declan Pair says the defence forces have to be ready to deal with threats We need to be looking at a reconfiguration of the forces creating a platform that's more agile to respond to threat and without getting down into the weeds about it for Ireland the primary likelihood of threat is going to be hybrid so it's a mixture of military and other means we'd be looking at threats Patients are waiting over 3 months for a gynecology appointment at Leicester-Kenney University Hospital Hospital consultants are warning of a perfect storm in gynecological care due to the pandemic, increased demand and staff shortages Figures provided by Health Minister Stephen Donne show that 485 patients are waiting on a gynecology appointment at Leicester-Kenney University Hospital with the average waiting time for an outpatient appointment 98 days Consultant obstetrician and gynecologist at the Rotonda Hospital in Dublin Professor Sam Colder-Smith says urgent action is needed It's hugely important that we upgrade our facilities to the extent that we can address the capacity issues that we face Donegal Company, Mulrind has signed a multi-million-year deal with Lidl. The eight-million-year partnership will see Mulrind's juices and smoothies feature on shelves across 210 stores throughout Ireland and Britain. Donna Marie Doherty has more. Mulrind's established in 1919 in Balboffay has been working with Lidl since 2009 Currently they produce a variety of 11 fruit juices and smoothies for the supermarket Company chairman Peter Mulrind says securing deals like this with Lidl advance new innovations in the business that positively contribute to the surrounding area through local investment and job creation Following the success of Mulrind's products with Lidl's customers, the retailer confirmed the contract extension will be more than 8 million euro which is said to have had a significantly positive impact on their operations Weather and I largely cloudy this morning with scattered patches of light rain drizzle and mist. Shirey Rain will extend this afternoon and evening with highest temperatures of 13 to 16 degrees That's all from Highland Radio News for now. We'll be back with an update again at 11 o'clock Until then, good morning This is for this Thursday morning May the 5th The death has taken place of Josephine Bradley, Nick Timoney, 38 Beechwood Road, Leicester-Kennie and formerly Mina Tuy, Fintime Josephine's remains will be reposing at early at residence from 6 o'clock this evening Fueler from there on Saturday afternoon at 10 past 4 going to St. Juneen's Cathedral Leicester-Kennie for half past 4 Requiem Mass which can be viewed live on churchservices.tv and term it afterwards to Commel Cemetery Family flowers only please donations and lay of flowers if desired to art view large nursing home comfort fund, care of any family member rosary both nights at 9 o'clock family time please from 10 p.m. until 11 a.m. The death has taken place of John William Doherty Briney Gordfal Klamani funeral arrangements to be confirmed later The death has occurred of Charlie Anthony Ward KG His remains are reposing at his home this afternoon from 4 o'clock Removable tomorrow evening at half past 6 going to St Mary's Church Kincashla for 7 o'clock where he will repose overnight funeral mass on Saturday morning at 10 o'clock with interment afterwards in Belchurch Cemetery The death has occurred of Mary Joyce Main Street Dunlow Her remains will be reposing at home this afternoon from 4 o'clock until 9 o'clock until more from 2 o'clock until 9 o'clock rosary both nights at 9 o'clock house private please funeral mass on Saturday afternoon at 1 o'clock in St Cronus Church Dunlow with interment afterwards in Mahary Cemetery The death has occurred of James Jim Francis 20 Solomon's Manor letter Kenny formerly Belfast Reposing of the Eternal Light at Mountaintop letter Kenny this evening from 6 o'clock until half past 7 with Removable to St Jinnan's Cathedral letter Kenny for reception prayers at 8 o'clock Reposing overnight for Recreate Mass to more morning at 11 o'clock with interment afterwards in the family plot in Cronus Cemetery Recreate Mass can be viewed on ChurchServices.tv Family flowers on a please Donations of Wish to St Jinnan's Nursing Home Residence Comfort Fund Care Pascal Blake, funeral director The death has occurred of Sean Conway, Bali Manus Mulladoff. His remains are reposing today at his late residence which is private to family only please. Removable tomorrow evening going to the Star of the Sea Church Annegri for 6 o'clock where he will repose overnight funeral mass on Saturday morning at 11 o'clock with burial afterwards in the new cemetery The death has taken place at the former Cairn Mallon Mallon Head Jules's remains are reposing at his home funeral from there at half past 1 to more afternoon for 2 o'clock funeral mass in the Star of the Sea Church Mallon Head followed by burial in like Graveyard Mallon Family time please from 10 o'clock tonight and before the funeral tomorrow The death has occurred of Brydie Gallagher, Ney Duffy Glasgow and Main Cairn Her remains will arrive at her niece Anne-Marie Gillins who will do a letter mac award this evening at 6 o'clock funeral tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock in St Bridges church letter mac award with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery and the tragic death has taken place of Jim Kenny, Sleeve-Born Mallon Head his remains are reposing at his late home funeral from there to more morning at half past 10 going to the Star of the Sea Church Mallon Head for Requiem mass at 11 o'clock and term it afterwards in like Cemetery Mallon his private today from 9 o'clock for family and close friends only please for more details including any family house guidelines for wigs and funerals please go to highlandridio.com That anti-gravity slide is unbelievable Marianne! You know what else is unbelievable? Fake tan No, that 90% of money spent on the National Lottery goes back into the community. Yeah, right! It does! Most of it was enterprises of course. Good causes get a big chunk and there's all the shopkeepers too. 90% That is unbelievable! But true! The National Lottery support responsibly 90% based on most recent audited accounts. With all the stories that matter across the Northwest it's Greg Hughes on the 90 noon show on Highland Radio And you're very welcome back to the 90 noon show you may have noticed a slight technical area error I beg your pardon with the obituary notices but hopefully you heard that important information well enough it will be resolved obviously for later broadcasts so taxa says Greg I got 500 litres of oil in September home heating oil 410 euro those were the glory days yesterday I needed more just look at the prices below 500 litres of home heating oil now is 720 euro up from 410 in September I think it was actually lower in the summer as well you know I think it was lower than the 410 during the summer 200 litres now 320 250, 390, 500 as I mentioned 720 a thousand litres of oil 1,390 euro I wonder for the average person how long would a thousand litres of home heating oil last 08, 6, 6, 20, 25,000 Talking about the army business they talk about Putin pressing the big button and Americans they want everyone to think they have two buttons to press all men at the top with all the talk about what to do have no button to press would it not be better to stay quiet well maybe we are trying to get closer and a little pat on the back on top of the head from those with the buttons maybe that's the motivation just a wee message for the ones in government that say they're doing everything for us well my mother in her 80s lives alone they want me to buy her a torch because she's afraid of putting on the lights in case she's not able to pay the ESB bill thanks government for carbon tax upon carbon tax and tax after tax you're doing a great job for the elderly can you imagine getting that call from your parent in their 80s saying I don't want to use the lights will you get me a torch Thomas Pringle knows that if you join a party like Finafuel or Finagel the party whip decides what happens and you don't tow the line but you're punished maybe then that's your protest from within saying I thought I could join and make a change I did manage to secure this for Donagall but I realised that the system is such that I have to leave maybe that could have been an option there are five main issues that will dominate the next agenda says this listener Micah housing two issues we talk about greatly here health another issue that's high on the agenda here emigration which we've touched on of course features every day and then they go on to say in which you the woke media don't want to talk about I just wonder sometimes if people actually listen to the radio before they send in text messages I love criticism by the way it's very constructive but they say that we as a woke media won't talk about Micah housing health emigration I suspect this texture probably means immigration high taxation as I say we talk about it all the time taxation on the pay AYE workers 52% when you go over the cutoff point is scandalous and you refuse to talk about it which is complete nonsense we try to contact the person to come on and have a chat about it but unavailable but we talk about this stuff literally all of the time I'll never vote again not one opportunist deserves my support and that's one point of view aren't finnegale finnifall redundant their policies are the same conservative establishment and incompetent ones that have failed the people of Ireland and benefited the wealthy I think it's very important to note that there's an awful lot of people in this county and country that support finnegale and finnifall and their vote combined exceeds by some margin Sinn Féin so to presume that everybody is anti finnegale or finnifall or believes that their policies are not effective I don't think it would be a fair assessment they enjoy a lot of support the two parties particularly combined individually they are behind Sinn Féin but they are in government at the moment to combine they're doing well I suppose adding two parties to beat one but you know what a point I'm trying to make I'll read the text though without my interruption aren't finnegale finnifall redundant their policies are the same conservative establishment and competent ones that have failed the people of Ireland and benefited the wealthy just look at how the state of hospitals, housing, education transport, two-slip courts etc are all go from crisis to crisis consistently in the professionals and those in the know make a fortune while the majority sufferer have to work harder to keep their heads above water maybe time to rebrand finnegale or finnifall it's time for change from the outdated fake civil war politics they expand sooner another election the better Greg in relation to Brezcek which we've talked about this week of course I needed an appointment nothing was coming so I called them they asked would I take a cancellation if something came up the next day I got a call and asked if I could go and be there in 20 minutes on the other hand I also need a cardiac appointment to follow up from December 2020 I eventually got an appointment for the 25th of May only to have it cancelled this morning until the 8th of August another Ireland is definitely in a riskier position now thanks to the big mouth of our current leader as Ireland was technically neutral and the reputation for peacekeeping worldwide we now have a huge target on our heads from Russia if Russia comes in here we'll be as well to put our hands up as we be like Ukraine flatten so remain neutral we have enough army pay we have enough army pay what we have indeed I think we should certainly before even we talk about increasing the army those that are currently served should be rewarded in a respectful way the thing about it is though the gap between where we are now and where we need to be to put up any meaningful defence against any invader is far beyond a few extra soldiers a couple of tanks and maybe a helicopter you know we are so far behind I would be of the view personally maybe looking towards my children and thinking that we I think we should have maybe used our neutrality a bit better or alleged not alleged neutrality but you know our perceived neutrality Pope Paddy Devereux as a candidate for the election he won't let you down he speaks the truth I mean listen I think it's inevitable at this stage that the Micah campaign will back candidates in the next general election they'll probably do very well indeed who they are remains to be seen but hey it could be some members of disgruntled Finafola Finaigale that could end up going it alone who's to say I agree with some points this was Jim yesterday a farmer we were talking to this Texas said I agree with some of Jim's points but I'm a small sheep farmer hard work in supporting the smaller farmer in Donegal and if you share that view as well by the way please get in touch with the show I know those that maybe are most angry or upset or don't like the way things are going might be more motivated to ring or call in a radio station I accept that but if you are someone who thinks that things are going okay at the moment or you are a supporter of government please feel free also to text in and call in and your views will be obviously read out wait 660 25000 WhatsApps or texts or call 07491 25000 good luck if you're playing the bingo today you'll know yourself it's jackpot day here are the numbers it's time for NCBI Bingo on Highland Radio it's 30 the 5th of May jackpot day you're playing for the jackpot prize of 6600 euro on the pink sheet the reference number is S9 it's game number 18 the jackpot number is 32 this number can come out in any position from the next 10 numbers drawn and now here are your daily numbers 78 8 42 39 14 88 55 22 77 and finally 61 phone your claim to 9104833 before 8 tonight leave your name, contact number and the name of the shop where you purchase your book and we'll call you back the next working day get all your NCBI bingo information at highlandradio.com the CFC interior stock disposal sale ends this weekend due to overstock an incredible 1.5 million pounds worth of stock must go don't miss our highest ever discount on selected ranges across all departments the stock disposal sale at the CFC interiors Derry Cookstone and Abbey Centre farmers to be paid 100 euro per hector for silage and hay for more in this week's Irish farmers journal is Paul Mooney we have all the details of the new silage scheme targeting beef and sheep farmers major chug as you turn on suckler beef advice the beef trade is booming we reveal the reasons why and will it last and find out how you could save thousands by switching mortgage provider plus don't miss our bailed silage special only inside this week's Irish farmers journal you cannot afford to miss it we can all see how conflict affects energy prices more than ever we need to be mindful of how we use energy by reducing your use you can save money and lessen the impact here's how use your timer and thermostat to heat your home and hot water to the temperature you need use appliances efficiently and where possible outside the peak hours of four to seven p.m. consider walking, cycling or public transport for short journeys drive at lower speeds where safe to do so government advice and supports are available for homes and businesses to help you meet this challenge find out more at gov.ie forward slash reduce your use brought to you by the government of Ireland in the build up to the county which takes place in Letterkenny this weekend John Braslin will present around the northwest from Letterkenny's main street just outside Dylan's Hotel this Thursday tune in to find out about the kindy flower weekend as well as the Kelly's concerts and sessions that will take place at various locations throughout the town this weekend that's around the northwest live from Letterkenny's main street this Thursday from 12 noon okay that's coming up after this program of course looking forward to that Peter joins us on the program now morning Peter morning Craig good to have you on the show our sales probably be short for half of the time that's your opinions right tell us what you've I was listening to your program I listened to it all the time anyway the thing that you know if you're going to Dublin you'll not see a signpost for Cork I'm living between Remelton and Malford right and I'm looking down at the lovely wee homes all two bedrooms that never were finished they were for old people at home and one doctor do the whole lot and between Remelton and Malford it was scary of many old people like myself as 11 and 5 and 6 bedroom houses I can't afford to keep them can't afford to take anybody in because you lost your love and love and you lost your free transport you know the whole sign is all wrong they're not looking at the right thing at all so let's look at your situation Peter then so you're living a 4 5 bedroom house that takes a lot of running and it takes a lot of maintenance you're saying that if you had an option you would enter into a deal and hopefully you'd get a bit of extra money as well where you would downsize and that would make your home then available for a family so it would be better suited to their needs and then you'd have something easier easier to maintain easier to run and cosier I would jump out but the biggest thing that wouldn't be financially on it you'd be on a hub like we are social beings like you know and they're living alone you go to bed at night alone you're living alone you get up nobody you end up speaking to nobody and like I definitely would like you know it's just a period of never got finished that scheme down at John and Donald on started I don't know he started down at the home are you talking like you know a favour of sort of like a retirement village type that's the one retirement village they wouldn't have to spend very big money on just a wee two bedroom there's one over in Chrystle and it's working great and maybe a little social hub too like you know a room outside the house that people could go into and mix and what have you like you're wired up and you know tell you where there's one there's one in Claregart in Salford now that's four miles it would scare you to see many old people like Miss Alice living alone and they would jump in there lonely what do you think the view of other older people Peter would be about because obviously you know a lot of us have a lot of pride in our homes and we want to be taken out sort of feet first if you know what I mean it was handed down from generation to generation but I'll tell you them older people have to get living on alone you know for 14-15 years and like the family has to come you know and then you can't take anybody on to give them a room to eat look a bit if you lost all your benefit in other words you'd almost become a landlord and then that's your bandage if you don't they'll be down for even saying this and they'll really look good you've said nothing absolutely nothing that I think is controversial I mean I don't like being on my own for you know even when everyone's out of the house you know like you know you still find yourself kicking around is it tough for you Peter you've said it is I'll tell you something now Craig I have a granddaughter stayed with me last night it's just nice to have someone there with you I just take one a lot of that's the difference it's not a difference in day and night it's the difference between the millionaire and the homeless just nice to have someone else in the house to chat to like you know we had a wee bit late in the cup of tea and chat and you know right now for something in my computer but that's grand we're still there and at this stage is this stage Peter is that the most important thing for you the company the loneliness in the company you couldn't care less about the big house here cleaning and cleaning and people come down and clean the house here I wouldn't really go into a caravan but there are a lot of people in the same boat and they're afraid to say it and their families and then you know but then that's now there were 30 living to them and there's a problem the whole family is split up I was up until there at the homeless time last time I was very friendly with the boy I can't even mention the hotel now but it was 35 bedrooms I couldn't understand the way he was all fully booked out but he had them rented to the corporation in Dublin for what is it 3,100 no 30,100 a month or a week you know and I was saying the guy didn't get my homeless he says there's only six of them I could pay at any one time and I said what do you mean he says the rest of them just use them for an address to get on the housing list Would you ever consider yourself personally or? I would move them and a lot of other people would say I wouldn't like you know but having the choice isn't it having the choice it's sad really that all these they're looking at different things they're they're just looking the wrong road to build more of them and you see that we are hardly home we're down the road there after 28 years they could build a way on us and beside the North Union and the doctor wouldn't have to get on his car to go to the university you know but if you look at Craig if you look at the Ukraine right I looked at it and I thought to myself I couldn't have known anyone living in a big house like we are it was all blocks of apartments and they were all working and they were all I suppose we kind of saw the city end of it Peter there's a lot of villages and rural areas I only seen two bungalows in the whole thing yeah I know what you're saying but we sort of were showing what the cameras were pointing at Peter have you tried have you tried is there any sort of local groups or anything that you could get involved with you know any I played ball for sure but that's gone for a while for a while but you know I only come happy okay good so I was getting the weeb I was getting the weeb upset at myself I was getting upset to be honest with you like you know the way you young ones you'll scull a bit when they're there and then of course you don't want to be a burden either and you'd never be a burden Peter but you know at the same time I kind of a wee bit of an insight into this and I know at the same time everyone has to get on with their lives normally the last thing I'm going to say to you there's only one way I can put it like I'm not looking for sympathy is when your partner dies who's the lucky one yeah I know but the one that's left or the one that's away to heaven how long have you been on your own now in that regard Peter no, it'll be 15 years now 12th of July and you still haven't I'm not looking for something I'm just looking at the way between your wealth and Walford I know about 30-40 people in the same boat maybe half of them would be inclined to sort of go into a communal sort of way of living and I can see the benefits of it look Peter thanks for listening stay in touch listen to your program every day listen to your data every time I'll tell you you've said we well ago that you like criticism the only time I'll switch it over is on the Friday morning correct Bod Bod Peter I understand what? that's our most popular feature that is it I'm too old to listen to or break Peter, maybe if you were one of the three we could change your way of thinking that's a bit of a... now we're talking these, are we? Peter, listen stay safe, stay happy ok, thanks Peter thanks so much bye bye Peter ok, we'll be back after these spectacular musical extravaganza a brand new tour of his best yes celebrate once again with a night of non-stop sing-along favorites it's a show you simply won't want to miss for more on The Dairy Show see Millennium Forum Dakota, UK and for more on the OMA show see Struel Arts Centre, Dakota, UK for details of all Michael's shows see MichaelEnglish.ie The Blue Stack Special Needs Foundation presents its 20th anniversary Blue Stack Challenge fundraising walk on the 21st of May The Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with additional needs they offer a range of supports to children vulnerable adults and their families this year's ambition is to fund expansion into the wider Donegal area registration closing soon to register or donate visit www.BlueStackFoundation.com this ad is sponsored by Print Supplies Donegal there's more than me coming back to the mountaintop letter Kenny this month rest takes beds have just opened a new showroom and if you're like me and you really appreciate a good night's sleep these guys have brilliant ranges of beds and mattresses and they have some great offers too call in and check out their new showroom no open just beside us here at the mountaintop in letter Kenny do you suffer from high cholesterol menopause symptoms digestive issues, anxiety aches and pains or a lack of energy they're a highly trained team at the Natural Way Letter Kenny can provide advice on natural remedies for a number of individual health issues the Natural Way also has its own brand of herbal treatments to help fight fatigue, relieve digestive discomfort, maintain a healthy immune system and alleviate common menopause symptoms the Natural Way at Letter Kenny Shopping Centre your one-stop health shop ok some of your requests now and could you please say a big happy birthday to our granddad Michael in two band Byrne Fudd from Haley Abbey Keegan and Amy as well also we've been asked to say wish Mary Ann Sweeney from Mahar Klokha Bumberg a happy birthday today from Mark Caroline Sarah Kevin and James could you play a nice song of your choice indeed we will do that for you also happy birthday to Michael Barnes from Chivis hope you have a lovely day and so say all of us and also happy birthday to granddad Michael in two band from Jackson and from Carter some lovely names actually coming in on the request today and look at for the day that's in it we know that Dolly Parton has accepted her position in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame fair play to her here she is ok that's the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dolly Parton there now Dr Alex Barker is psychology lecturer at Nottingham Trent University he joins us right now good morning to you Dr Barker how are you keeping hi good morning it's great to have you great to see us right ok I have an interesting one because I've talked about this on the program before but not quite how you have so I'm interested to hear your views as a professional you're looking at shows like Love Island Made in Chelsea and other programs like that and you'll have a concern or you've noted that it is bombarding our youth with images of alcohol so tell us a little bit more about your views in that regard yeah yeah so we know that youth exposure to this content often leads to uptake in young people and we know that reality TV shows are popular with young people so we wanted to look at how much content is actually in these programs and how much this is exposing young people to this content and so we we recorded all content in every reality TV show we saw that was broadcast on the UK TV over a one year period and we managed to look at all episodes from 20 different reality TV shows in total we found that while tobacco content was quite rare alcohol and junk food content was regularly shown so alcohol content appeared in 98% of the episodes we looked at and junk food content was in 88% of these episodes and it's presented generally speaking I presume in Avenue Large you know what I mean in a positive way and I just think with young people a lot of young people choose not to drink but when it's normalised in such a way where there's only sort of particularly one way that alcohol consumption is presented it's going to influence people it would be impossible for it not to yeah yeah so speaking about how alcohol was presented so we saw a range of different behaviours so we saw audience members in the circle holding glasses of champagne but we also saw the other end of the spectrum so characters from Jordy Shaw going out to a nightclub and having a really good time and the thing is that psychologically speaking there's a theory called social learning theory whereby people imitate behaviours of influential others and these reality TV stars often influences themselves that is their job so if young people are watching these celebrities doing these behaviours then they're going to copy it yeah for sure whether it's actually looking at and going I want to be them I'm going to do that or it's more subliminal either way it has the same effect do we know if there's any product placement I think that has to be a level of transparency do we know is there any product alcohol product placement in these type of programmes like in other words are there drinks companies paying to to make sure that alcohol consumption is in a prominent position I wonder yeah so strictly speaking paid for product placement for alcohol products is prohibited by the off-conboard casting code however we saw examples where a particular brand is receiving widespread exposure from certain programmes so for example in made in Chelsea the characters walk into a bar and there are 14 bottles of a particular brand of whiskey being shown on screen now I'm not saying that's paid for product placement but that brand is receiving a lot of exposure from from that and it's casual exposure which is probably better than an advert during the programme itself I can understand why the focus for this study has been on reality shows because of the demographic but what I was rambling on about on this programme previously was Saturday morning television and the way alcohol is presented on a Saturday morning particularly with a youth audience probably watching with their parents or guardians or whatever every single channel people are sitting there casually boozing they're sitting having a chit chat around at breakfast time on live programmes it's on the BBC and it's on ITV and it's on Channel 4 I know that for a fact and you flick between them and everyone's just sitting around having a glass of wine as if it's perfectly fine and for the majority it is but I can't understand how I used to watch Tiz was on a Saturday morning or something like that there like I can't understand how that's allowed it's early morning and everyone's drinking yeah yeah it's a really interesting one and I'm assuming you mean a particular cooking programme all of the cooking shows yeah according to the off-con broadcasting code alcohol content is allowed as long as it's part of the programme so if it has editorial justification and I suspect that that is how these programmes are getting around is there not a moral responsibility I mean there's a moral code surely shouldn't be about circumventing the regulations should they not look and go you know what we are giving this far more prominence you cannot eat without having a drink you cannot eat you don't say and you know here's a lovely dilutable orange here that goes really nice with this chicken it's a particular wine and also I think it sells the dream that you're only really enjoying yourself with one finger in the air your little finger in the air if you're also boozing yeah yeah I would totally agree and I would this research what we're trying to say is that the off-con broadcasting code is not preventing this exposure and they're never out of the pub on Coronation Street never out of the pub yeah yeah my previous research has looked at soap operas as well and there is a lot of content there and there is a lot of genuine brands so you take it in the whole you take it in the round Saturday mornings of course daytime TV then you're into the soap operas which presents in inverted commas real life then into programs like Love Island made in Chelsea presenting real life like you would feel like an outlier if you didn't enjoy a drink and I think non-drinkers who someone says do you want a drink and they go well I don't drink you don't drink you never drank no I've never drank what does it not agree with you know what I mean that's people who don't drink know what I'm talking about and you can see why because we're being convinced that you have to be boozing or there's something wrong with you yeah but you're seen as an outlier because it's so normalized to drink especially on TV right and there is a connection we know viewing alcohol content leads to alcohol use that goes without saying and listen adults 35 year olds whatever they can make up their own minds I think really what we're talking about here 1515 being really dragged into the industry yeah yeah we are and through this study and other studies we're showing that young people are really being exposed to this content and it's likely having an effect on uptake alibi branding talk to me a little bit about that and I think you've already touched in it in some of your explanation but what is alibi branding so alibi branding is when brands are featured that feature prominent features of a brand so for example if you were talking about a particular can I say brands yes of course so if you were talking about Heineken beer for example if you use the Heineken red star instead of the actual brand that is then alibi branding so you're not using the Heineken brand but you're using key features of the brand yeah it could be the tick with Nike you don't actually say Nike but it's so recognizable that it's there is there any appetite for change in this regard because you know I think the thing is the majority of people I think it's the majority of people who drink and drink responsibly and they don't want you making them feel guilty for doing so or being a killjoy I think really we're talking specifically about maybe people who feel that they're compelled to or that drink is a problem like I would imagine if I were a recovering alcoholic it's very difficult to watch TV for example because there's so much branding in it what do you think needs to be done is there any appetite for change yeah so hopefully through these studies we're able to show that the offcom code isn't working and children are being exposed to this content these findings will be communicated to offcom and we're hoping that they can listen and that means that the lobby groups will happen to open their game a little bit because as soon as you start saying look we need to change you need to listen to this the lobby groups who often pull a lot of policy strings they'll kick into action that's just the way things work and it's whoever wins that war yeah yeah alright doctor thanks for your time today great to speak to you bye bye that's doctor Alex Barker what do you think now I by the way enjoy a drink I'm not in any high moral ground here I'm on about really younger people being exposed with and maybe feel they don't have a choice a lot of us made a choice and we could so I'm not a white knight here on this by the way I just think that you're sitting there watching TV on a Saturday morning and it's just not the way it used to be but I'm harking back to times that perhaps will never return but what are your views 08, 6, 60, 25,000 08, 6, 60, 25,000 what half-wit is making a decision to increase our so-called military how much good would a million soldiers be if Russia or China decided to send a nuclear warhead into Ireland we would not have time to bless ourselves ask the children of Syria or Afghanistan do we need to increase our army shall announce tripled their profits their profits are obscene what the oil companies through this crisis and I haven't really looked at it yet or it hasn't been explained to me yet but how can oil companies be making so much money they reported huge profits last year and they're reporting even bigger profits for the first third of this year we're in a fuel crisis we are the mugs that can't afford to feed our, to heat our homes run our cars and now we have the oil companies making record profits and who regulates them who's gonna pull them up in it lets tax the living daylights out of them win fall tax on them and use that to help maybe specifically those that are struggling most with fuel poverty we should be taxing them to high heavens I'm not sure it's within the gift of the Irish government maybe the EU they call the shots anyway don't they but it won't happen that's just the bottom line 08 660 25000 for over 100 years Donegal Creamery's Milk has been brought to you Dilly from our dairy at Crossroads Killy Gordon the longest established Creamery in the region support local farms, local families and local jobs by choosing Donegal Creamery's Milk at your local centra we have great offers this week like centra fresh arch round steak mince 500 gram only 3 euro half price meridian, crunchy and smooth peanut butter 1 kilo peach and chic pepe rose wine only 10 euro centra live every day enjoy call sensibly at Hickey Clark & Langan Insurance Brokers they compare quotes from all leading insurers so you get a great price home, motor and van farm, holiday home, travel and liability insurance they quote them all so if the worst happens you're covered for a competitive insurance quote today called Hickey Clark & Langan it's double 8 or pop into their office at Bally McCool Letter Kenny Hickey Clark & Langan General Insurance is limited trading as Hickey Clark & Langan is regulated by the central bank of Ireland Ireland Radio Weather Updates with Ireland West Airport enjoy stress free travel this summer with Ryanair's brand new services to Birmingham, Edinburgh and Manchester Ireland West Airport, you're flying OK very welcome back to the programme let's look at the weather forecast for you right now I can tell you that largely cloudy this morning with scattered patches of light rain, drizzle and mist showery rain then will extend across the region during the afternoon and evening but amounts will be quite small sunny intervals temperatures 13 to 16 degrees we welcome, we welcome on to the programme now John Slattery and Kira Whelan good morning to the pair of you can you hear me right OK we are having some slight audio issues there we'll bring them back in it normally fixes the problem 08 660 25000 get your calls comments coming into us 08 660 25000 or call 07491 25000 OK we will try and reconnect John can you hear me hello can you hear me OK we are struggling with that one OK we'll come back to that Greg Pringle would be no different George Lee thought he had the right attitude and numbers to join the government as far as I know Fina Gale but he didn't last too long as they work at a tedious hair pulling rate sooner rather than later he left it wasn't his idea of sitting at the heavily discounted door bar drinking I'd say George would have got a fair use of that printer unfortunately someone forgot to take the measurements but George certainly got their measurements and it wore thin and left before he became a non-moving speaking object like that defunct printer at our expense and not theirs I'll try one more time John can you hear me no John can't hear me there Rebecca can though good morning Rebecca good morning Greg are you not too bad at all we were talking there about drinking and I suppose the influence the media has programs have in trying to sort of make make us do it what's your what's your story well I made the decision to quit drinking at 23 and it was very difficult because everyone my age drinks everybody my age drinks from they were teenagers and it's all we really knew to be honest like births death marriages it's alcohol TV it's alcohol like I just think that something needs to change because people's gonna end up thinking that that's okay and alcohol at the end of the day it's the depressant it's an addictive substance and yes not everybody becomes addicted but some people can and I think people need to open up to the dangers of it yeah I think we need to get into a space where I don't think I heard a choice I don't recall having a choice did you feel you had a choice Rebecca start drinking not really no it was like it's what you don't yeah that's it because it everything as you say communions confirmations christening a success in sport a death everything ends up in the pub doesn't it not for everyone by the way that's a generalization but you know where I'm coming from Rebecca yes Ireland as a whole I feel it puts alcohol on the pedestal too much and it's a bit too normalized I think did the messages dry up at all when you let it be known that you were stopping boozing I wonder or drinking so I say boozing boozing kind of has connotations of drinking a lot but it's just a the way I describe it but drinking you know what I mean I definitely lost a lot of friends you know people that you think are friends but they're really only drinking partners and changed my whole lifestyle really it was really tough at the start it even was like it was scary to nearly come out and say that I don't drink because you know if I was at a function that I would lost people that I drank before and they said you want a drink and I'd say no they're like are you sick with you you know so it was nearly I was I was ashamed nearly to be alcohol free but you have that conversation pretty much every time you're out I'm sure there's some person that offers drink and you say I'll have a coke or something and you go through the explanation you probably have to do that every time oh you'll have one sure what one won't do any harm sure go go go and I'm like I don't want to yeah and did you find a big difference in yourself or it depends on how drink everyone you know two drinks can affect someone the same as 10 drinks can affect another person but yeah did you find a big difference in yourself when you gave up drink Rebecca oh like amazing like my mental health like you know whenever I would drink the next day I would just put it down to hangover but it was like what I call anxiety and see since I stopped drinking I just it's like something shifted on me like I'm more clearheaded and more productive you know I love on the present moment I'm not loving for the weekend to go out and waste time and energy getting drunk so I just I feel so much healthier and so much better yeah any and any anxiety at all alcohol just magnifies it huge oh it's just adding fuel to the fire really yeah and you were listening then to the interview with the doctor I mean you can we all see what he's talking about the fact that you know Love Island Big Brother any of these reality shows it's all you know there's a lot of drinking 98% of episode contained alcohol I know and like see once I've stopped drinking it's only now that I actually really it's like I've opened my eyes to it and I noticed it so much more before you know you just had notice it was like blood and all messages because it was so normalised but now I think it's everywhere especially as you say for young teenagers I think it's just a can be dangerous have you found yourself less tolerant of people drinking yeah I wouldn't really in terms of them getting the wee bit noisy and repetitive and I'm sorry for doing that to your Rebecca I know I'm only joking okay I don't mind being around people that's drinking you know but like I always call it the gremlin hour if it gets to a certain stage I just get the car and yeah I suppose too you have to slip off or you end up driving everyone all over the place as well do you I usually leave before 12 okay listen Rebecca thanks for that I'm glad it's working for you no problem take care lovely to chat to you I'll try John one more time John and Kira can you hear me guys know we can hear you sorry that was my fault that's okay that's no problem John Slattery Kira Whelan, Folch Ireland and Virgin Media 1 television the teaming up for an exciting new six-part domestic travel series are we there yet it involves you guys and your children and all the filming has been done hasn't we're all done yet we spent loads of lovely days filming in Donegal can't wait to get back actually yeah you episode featuring Wardford and Donegal it's the last episode nice to see you saved the best for last that airs on Sunday the 15th of May it's a bit of a different approach to a travel show this is more relatable is it I think is that what you're hoping to achieve that you know it's we get to see what what use of doing and probably for you know for a lot of people with a family unit as I say it's probably more relatable yeah I think it came from we used to do a show called the holiday show which was on TV3 as it was back in the day so myself and Kira went around the country because we're actually at the time we didn't make it really probably that we were a couple and but we wanted to make a show that was more about the experience of going away in holidays and having a bit more crack and stuff like that and this was kind of the next phase of that really to be honest with you bringing the kids with us now it's complete carnage and like I mean that's what I'm saying it's more relatable yeah yeah and I think that's it I think like literally we sit down sometimes watching it you know and because we produce it as well and kind of go you could not write the script sometimes for what the kids say and what they do and it's just like and we let it just happen it's very much not a set yeah you want it to be authentic then real life yes absolutely and the whole idea was that we just basically it where followed going on holidays and all the carnage that comes with it but seeing wonderful places around the country as well I love the way you say holiday it's not a holiday it's travelling with children Kira what did you do in Donegal? What did we not do? The problem with Donegal is just massive isn't it we did get around though I think one of my favourite things is we stayed overnight and funnied that was amazing something I'll never forget and then we did the usual stuff like the pet farms the Ergy Brack we went to I didn't think a gardening centre could be so exciting but we went to Tropical World the kids love that the beaches it's not a garden centre though because you've got the whole place with all the animals and spiders and there's a butterfly thing in there which actually blew us away as well when you walk through an area it's just all these butterflies flying around I just like the heat I was staying I'll get me in a cage here I'll live with the butterflies because I just love this humidity and do you think this is more like this is going to be more relatable to overusing that word but because our eyes were open more to holidaying at home through the lockdown so this approach that maybe works better now that it might have two or three years ago when everyone was looking to Portugal or Spain for a break I think it's going to do hopefully is basically show people what's in the country because I think people I think you can underestimate what Ireland has to offer to be honest with you because it's got pretty much everything and we didn't really set out to do this as a post-COVID series it was literally something we started a couple of years ago we travelled around post-COVID and pre-COVID and it was more about experiencing Ireland rather than just I mean I think Kira is right places like Donegal I'd never been to Donegal before so it was completely new to me and actually Kira, we had to write a list because there were so many this is Kira also you have been to Donegal before before we had our own kids we used to borrow other kids to bring on holiday so we actually brought my sister from Doran don't remember that correction I did go to Donegal so it's handy that we have our own kids to drag around for sure but as you say it's like a waltz in all experience there's still enough in there to encourage people to do it I presume to travel with their children I think the key with it is it's not we didn't make it a show for just families I mean this because of the hilarity of the chair because of the crackiness because of all the different things we do I think there's a much wider audience and a lot of friends of ours that don't have kids think it's hilarious as well I love that kids love it before bedtime and actually the feedback we're getting from other children is amazing I love that it's good to see us in this country starting to move programming a bit forward and not thinking that everything has to go into a certain slot in the evening I think that's a cracking time for it just as people maybe are sitting down to have their dinner or whatever and it's an alternative to the chase on plus one or whatever it might be do you get into the because I haven't seen an episode yet unfortunately because presumably the cost of holidaying along varies from where you go do you touch on that side of it it's not that sort of series it's not a big pick and hold it's about showing what's best but saying that Kira was talking to somebody recently and I think today she was talking about if you look around you can get deals first of all second of all one thing I heard her say the other day which is very true if you've got a friend and go and visit them for the weekend and go see all the other stuff there's ways to bring your costs down I think during lockdown we all had our 5km so if you go and visit a friend they're going to know every inch of their 5km so make use of that and don't say anything but maybe even 10km say nothing yeah but of course we were lots of us in our own counties were experiencing parts of our own counties for the first time which was a wonderful thing and as you say it's nice to make a program that's proper family entertainment it's nice to be behind that I presume and that was all since we started doing the holiday show which was nearly 10 years ago it was always about doing something about what you would experience when you're on holidays rather than here's a beach, here's a hotel and a lot of the stuff that happens in the holiday stuff we never expected to happen and that made it in to the series and that proved to be hugely successful from that perspective and I think this series of are we there, stop kicking me pins and needles she usually tells me to stop talking but this series was always about just following us doing what we're doing rather than being a travel series is there a gentleman to reality TV as well too a real reality TV it's not scripted reality and that's why it'll be relatable listen I'm really looking forward to watching the episode on Sunday 5th and catching up on the player the other episodes it sounds like it's great fun as well and I presume your three children get on better than used to do they don't kick each other as much she does it all the time I'd say half the time at least you deserve it come here John, John and Cure lovely having you John, thanks so much and congratulations on the series that is John and Cure are we there yet to their show which airs on Virgin Media One television the episode focusing on Waterford and Donagall airs on Sunday the 5th of May it's 11 o'clock you tune to the 90 noon show time for a news update good morning, Michaela Clark thanks Greg, good morning voting is underway and what could be a historic election in the north the storm and assembly elections are taking place against the backdrop of unionist divisions over the brexit protocol opinion polls show she and Finn are said to be the largest party when the votes are counted and will have the right to nominate the first minister raising the cost of rent in the doll is like shouting into the void according to Donagall Deputy Thomas Pringle speaking in the doll last night Deputy Pringle highlighted the need for urgent action on the soaring cost of rent and how people are now at crisis point and losing hope he said homelessness is becoming a serious issue with 97 people in the north west provided with emergency accommodation in one week alone in March the government won't oppose a fresh motion going before the doll later on the sale and supply of turf the motion which is being put forward by independent TD Michael Fitzmores is calling for exemptions for people with turf harvesting rights it's also urging government to place turf on the same regulatory footing as Timber and Pete Pregats for a reasonable period which would ensure a ban is no longer necessary at least 3,000 extra soldiers are needed to address security threats posed to Ireland in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney told the Irish Independent he would soon bring a memo to Cabinet to drastically increase spending on defence forces patients are waiting over three months for a gynecology appointment at letter Kenny University Hospital hospital consultants are warning of a chronic increased demand and staff shortages and O'Neill company Mulrines has signed a multi-million year deal with Lidl the eight million year partnership will see Mulrines juices and smoothies feature in shelves across 210 stores throughout Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain those are the latest headlines we'll be back with an update again at 12 noon OK Mikaela thank you very much indeed back with more after the break anyway also we're going to be back in the garden with Paul if you have any questions as it relates to anything horticultural get in touch with us I'll wait 60, 25,000 we'll get all your questions answered before 12 and ready to go in your supermarket or fish muggers for great recipes online like crab pasta with cherry tomatoes and basil visit boardbia.ie forward slash crab and make everyday meals amazing it's back and it's bigger and better than ever before the one the only grow furnishings a sale odyssey your local easy-living store grow furnishings big anniversary sale is now on the Tyre Road LetterCanny Atlantic Technological University Donegalls May Open Day will take place on Thursday 5th May from 3 to 7pm join us on our LetterCanny campus to discover the wide range of course options available with undergraduate, postgraduate and part time offerings soak in the atmosphere at Donegalls newest university if you're not able to come in person log on to our virtual open evening platform on Thursday from 3 to 7 join live webinars, take a virtual tour and talk to academic and support staff Atlantic Technological University the future is here Drivers keep an eye out for the digital signs between Junction 4 Ballymun and Junction 9 Red Cow on the M50 the signs will be switched on to slow traffic in the event of a collision road works, poor weather or congestion lowering your speed will help protect you other road users, emergency responders and road workers respect the speed displayed and help keep the M50 safe a message from Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Road Safety Authority OK, one of the largest charity fundraising events takes place this weekend it's Darkness into Light it's Saturday May 7th in the early hours of the morning this year we'll see events take place right across the county and country and indeed the world organised to raise vital funds for Suicide Charity Pieta and we want to give people out there who are organising events an opportunity to let everybody else know what's happening if they want to get involved in their local area if you want to pass on your details to us 08 6, 60, 25,000 better give Carolina a call on 07 4, 9, 1, 25,000 right, we're going to start in Letter Kenny Darkness into Light Letter Kenny, we're joined on the programme now Karen Quinn, hi Karen Hello, how are you doing? I'm doing good, thank you for joining us OK, tell us what's happening this weekend OK, so this weekend we have over 500 people joining us at the Letter Kenny Community Centre for Darkness into Light which we're absolutely delighted about, we're also very excited to announce that we have a raffle for the first time that is in circulation at the minute and again all proceeds go to PSA House, which includes wonderful prizes artwork from Emigre International, Folklore Canvals, Wild Plague and also Lower Precannon and Donegal Girl Draws have all kindly donated pieces of their artwork I suppose their work to us for that draw and then we'll also be selling a children's book as well on the day and again all proceeds go to PSA House So remind people how they can get involved, you've already got over 500 people but for those who go, you know what the weather's looking pretty good I want to be involved in this do you register in advance, do you turn up or what's the process please Well you can register in advance all you have to go on to is www.darknessintolight.ie click on your local area and register from there or alternatively you can show up on the day the registration link will be available for a week afterwards as well so if people are feeling like in the moment they're a little bit inspired and they want to come along then they're more than welcome to do so Brilliant and how's the raffle working will that be conducted on the day or is that online or what's the story The raffle link is available online access it through our social media accounts we have an Instagram and Facebook and then the winners will be drawn on the day Alright so it is about raising funds for Pieta of course but in terms of taking part and the symbolism it's not your first one Karen is it This is my very first one Oh is it, okay excellent, okay so we'll talk to you after the fact and maybe get a sense of that We appreciate your time this morning and good luck with it, it's going to be huge obviously and I'll take care of it for yourself thank you indeed Angelo Galena joins us, hi Angelo Hello, good morning Greg, how are you getting on? I'm doing good, darkness into light in Bond Cranagh, give us the details So we are going to be starting our darkness into a light this year in the same route as previous years so it is an early start it's 4.15 and just to remind people that it's 4.15 going Friday into Saturday as opposed to Saturday going into Sunday there's a confusion over the years so we're going to bed really early on Friday night and then getting up all perky and ready to go we will be welcoming people from 3.45 and the meeting point is the local secondary school school where that is on St Orange Road in Bond Cranagh and there's something about it isn't it the literally beginning into darkness and the walk through light it's a great way also to show support for all those affected and it's those that have lost people as well there can be a great unity there Absolutely, I mean I've been involved in it for about the last 5 years initially as a walker myself and then just being really inspired to get involved as a volunteer we are very fortunate in Bond Cranagh that where we start we walk along the shorefront myself and the other organiser will be out lighting that all up from 2 o'clock in the morning it looks absolutely beautiful and that moment where you go from darkness into light it's really quite inspiring and everybody comes away with this great sense of I'm so glad I get up I'm so glad I was involved in that because it's a real community spur on the night How long is the walk about obviously it's up to people to turn whenever they wish but to complete it all Angela Absolutely, so it's 5 kilometres we go along the shorefront path and we then head kind of through the town and we are well used to the routes and we have it marshaled as well it's all flat, it's wheelchair accessible it's accessible for anyone of any fitness level and really it's a bit of a gander it's an opportunity for people to reflect for people to maybe have a chat we also have the option of people coming along on their own and there's a meeting point that you can meet up with other people if they want to do the walk because not everybody has a body that wants to get up with them it's very inclusive and we encourage everyone to come along I'm doing an event here in the show medical tomorrow where people can come and do cash registration because in the past we have been given the feedback that sometimes having to do online isn't for everybody so people can come along here I'm based in initial medical we're in our driving square in Bunkrana and I'll be here from half past 12 to half past 2 tomorrow for people to do the face-to-face registration and the same as letter Kenny if people just take an ocean in the night because they suddenly wake up at 3 o'clock in the morning as often some of us do then they're so welcome to come down and just do a registration there and then or to register in the week after the event so it's very much the more the barrier obviously the event has a certain significance in terms of standing and solidarity with people impacted by suicide and self-harm and to do the fundraising for to get a house that's doing amazing work but the reality is most people will leave the event thinking yeah I'm really glad I was involved in that so just remind us one more time the start time and location in the early hours of Saturday morning yeah so we are at school Wara which is on St Orange Road in Bunkrana we will be gathering from 3.45 there'll be a warm-up just a little sun but a warm-up with one of our local instructors around 4.10 and then we'll all set up at 4.15 for our sunrise so looking forward to seeing everybody and if you've any apprehensions then please come along we're a really friendly team and we will send you a welcome body and you'll have a really positive experience thank you Angela and best of luck with that okay we're going now to Francis Ann hi Francis hi Greg how are you? I'm good thank you right now a special event to being organised and inviting people to take part in talk to us about it location start time again this is our first year having a walk we're going to be gathering down at the boardwalk in Carragart so we're really looking forward to getting this event up and running after many years of cancellations as Covid so it's quite past 4 at the boardwalk down in Carragart and this is a particularly nice walk they all are nice but you're kind of walking to the sunrise as well with that walk aren't you? yes our walk is going to entail a beach walk so we'll be starting off on the boardwalk slipping onto the beach round the point along the beach and back up the boardwalk again finishing up at Hookt now you also have a second route for those with mobility yes user in a wheelchair or pram users yes anybody that has a mobility issue pram wheelchair we will accommodate them as well rather than going full walk along the beach more than welcome just to walk along the boardwalk itself and still get the sunrise sorry at the end of the boardwalk anybody that has any mobility issues that they just let one of the committee members know then we can accommodate them 100% ok loads of parking, lovely walk darkness into light dot i e if you want to register and click the meve darkness into light walk on the boardwalk or again if people take a notion in the early hours saturday morning francesan they won't be turned away again on the morning we will have a registration there so everybody is more than welcome if they decide on the morning it's lovely morning to come out and join us they're more than welcome more than area and this is your first one as well is it francesan this is our first walk yes the committee is a bit nervous but we'll learn onwards and upwards from here on in and we're delighted that we can actually have it in the area because it's just such a beautiful event such a wonderful community event so it's great to have a community come out and support and know that people aren't alone oh yeah and it'll be a big turn out because every community is affected by the issues we're talking about thanks francesan enjoy it no bother thanks very much Greg take care bye bye nice to have you on the program Michael Daharty is with us now hi Michael I'm doing fantastic right this is slightly longer walk we're talking about here longer we left Muzzin Head on Sunday we're doing a Muzzin to Mallon Head an area up here at the house and I'm sitting on the show in Montcran we started on Sunday I left there and there's actually more of us involved in it yeah there's you Michael Daharty there's Patrick Daharty from Clunta Gareth Monagall from Mallon Town Liam Douglas from Cull Daff and yourself of course that's correct yeah we're doing probably close to 90 mile a day split between forward it's roughly over 22 miles a day we're just I'm just actually outside here going down going down into the dry arch here alright so anyone passing give you is a toot how's it been going it's a long walk even doing it in legs so we're starting to find a few blasters here and a few eggs contained we're going to have to go all there this morning they seem to kind of leave us we've got a great blaster it's exciting we know that it's coming close now to the end of the walk and it'll be good to get into the hometown this evening now we're hoping to be approximately we'll be in Montcran this evening between 2 and 3 o'clock and Clon Mamay this evening around 6 o'clock okay so we want a big welcome for yous coming home we take a huge undertaking coming from Misen to Malin and how can people support you and help raise these funds for Pieta and Saitini Shon there is a GoFundMe page set up there Greg so there is a Misenhead to Malinhead 2022 as our GoFundMe page there is some sponsorships around the local businesses there as well and we'll have Vodka Collectors and the town of Montcran and Clon Mamay this evening as well so that people can come out and give us a clap and a few quid between 2 and 3 this evening we'll be having Montcran and 6 o'clock and Clon Mamay brilliant stuff listen well done Michael Patrick, Gareth and Liam it's a brilliant undertaking great Saitini Shon included in that as well but obviously being of the Aries would know the great work it does and what needs its support well done Greg could I give a big shout out to all the sponsors as well and of course and all the sponsors all the sponsors all the committee all the committee that got the whole thing up and running our support team here as well and anybody doing it so far that's nothing we're doing the darkness and the light as well that's Saturday morning we will be at the Star of the Sea church in Malinhead at 4 o'clock leaving 4 o'clock the tower in Malinhead that's Saturday morning and there'll be shuttle buses laid on for people coming back again to the church in Malinhead ok love that's literally something you can do in your sleep after walking from mizzen listen well done Michael best wishes to the lads as well Patrick, Gareth and Liam it's a great achievement thank you so much for joining us thanks for the time Greg well done to you well done ok thank you so much indeed right over to the east of the county now Balabuffaestranour, Lea Furman joins us hi Lea, note Lea's gone line 3 we'll get to that in a moment ok if you have anything else you want included in this item I'll wait 60, 25,000 we'll get Lea back on but in the meantime we're going to go to Ayman, darkness into light Guidor, good morning to you Ayman how's the farm Greg? I'm doing good it's good to get back out being able to do this figure physically with other people as well because you know there's an awful lot of people that would have found what we've been through for the last couple of years mentally challenging and maybe this will be the event that they come together with their fellow men and women in the community yeah but the normality back in it and we only got to run the once in 2019 it was going to cancel since you know people are doing their own thing but yeah it's good to get it back together now people can register online as you can for all of these events or you can call into Inedneve Podrig as well on Friday between 2pm and 4pm so talk to us about the start point the start time and what the walk entails Ayman yeah well tomorrow up at the community centre I'll be up Mary and Anneline's up there if anyone wants help getting registered and the starting point we're meeting at the Erequen and Guidor like the walks are so qualified for but to be there we would early you know there's tea and there's a couple of different things and we're heading down heading for the main road or the face of Chinogh's pub and a couple of hundred yards down the road then up Kargijasken and it goes up through the back of the industrial state where there's a wee park walk we're including that this year and just out top of the industrial state turn right then down the drain and you're coming back to the Erequen over through Guidor and the sun rays then beautiful now the sun won't wait so we do have to be on time Ayman isn't that right yeah we have to be on time we'd be there good and early like we only ran at the once and when we did like there was a good gang you know together and chatting and whatever was it nice experience that element in the middle of the night that shared interest out for something that's important out for something that we've all been either directly or by one or two degrees of separation directed affected by and I'm talking about you know mental health and suicide there's something special about people gathering making that effort getting out of bed and being together Ayman yeah everyone's there for their own reasons you know and there's a lot of families around here that was affected by or people that know you know yourself yes yes yeah it's all different reasons for everyone to be there and no it's nice it's nice atmosphere and you know yourself well done Ayman done a great job there register online or call in to you'll actually be there yourself with the team at Nipodwig tomorrow between 2pm and 4pm to register for that walk in the early hours of Saturday morning well done to you thank you very much indeed now we do have Leah back hi Leah hi Greg how you doing I'm doing good right the count down on to this year's darkness into light is well and truly on and am I right in saying and I'm surprised by this this is the first time it's being held in Ballet Buffet St. here from everybody else this morning we've been so focused on our own event you know you kind of forget that there's this big wider world of darkness and delight in Donegal in Ireland and internationally and it's such a fantastic movement we're delighted to have it in the towns this year yeah now the start point the gathering point and again this is great because there's a good access good parking is the Finn Valley Centre the walk starting at 4.15 so you'd want people to arrive a little bit earlier than that talk to us a little bit about the route Leah yeah absolutely we're delighted that the Finn Valley Centre have allowed us to start the event there it's a great spot really important to say and for everybody there's no parking around the Finn Valley Centre or in Ard McCool or in the railway road which is the road between the Chapel and Finn Valley Centre and that's just because of the residents locally and for health and safety okay my bad so where do people park there's loads of parking around the Balboffay St. Orler as everybody knows so there's the main car parks in Balboffay St. Orler there's on the access road coming in from Letterkenny around the doctor's surgery there in St. Orler so lots of places around there just don't come too close to the venue because there's we've got over 650 people registered so far so there's going to be a lot of activity down there that's a huge number Leah isn't it has that exceeded the organisers expectations it's around about where we expected and the reason why is because as you mentioned with your last caller and a few of your callers it's such an emotive issue and it's affected so many people and you know even in the Finn Valley in the last you know 12 months but I think also because of Covid and we haven't been out as a community in so long people are grabbing it as an opportunity to come out and be with our community and see friends and neighbours and you know it has that lovely community social vibe as well of people just you know getting a chance to stop and chat and see each other again. Alright so yep people can register online again or what alternatives are there for those that can't register online or choose not to or might just make a last minute decision Leah yeah absolutely register online we also have a team there in the base in Mr Norler tomorrow somebody wants to come down and pre-register and then come on the morning and we will have a small obviously we've got an amazing team of volunteers and a great committee but we'll only have a few available in the morning to take registration so we really want to encourage people to register in advance if they can and just one other we know we've got a lovely reflective kilometre for the walk is through Trumbull Woods which is going to be beautiful but remind everybody to bring a torch or a light of some description we'll have it lit up but just bring that little bit of personal light for your own walk just so you can check your footing of course that makes sense. Listen Leah thank you very much for that that's darkness into light Balaba Faist or Norler the first one they've held there and already a huge interest you can register online for all of these events go on to the darkness into light website select your area select your region and register and we'll be releasing funds for for Pieta right I think we're going to Port Nou now is it Bernadine Hello Greg yes it's Bernadine here Good morning and tell us about what's happening in Port Nou this weekend Okay so this will be our first darkness into light walk in yarn and Port Nou due to Covid and all that we applied for three years ago so this will be our first darkness into light walk so we'll thank everybody in yarn Port Nou areas looking forward to have a meeting great and talking to people again and out and about which is great and what a spectacular walk you have lined up talk to us about it Okay yeah Greg we're starting from the Dallman centre in Port Nou here in Kilkenny so we leave the Dallman centre and we walk in towards Hanoes pub and we walk over to Port Nou to the church and then hopefully we'll get back into the Dallman centre and obviously as I've mentioned I'm repeating myself a little bit here but it's important people can register online any other options locally Bernadine or is that your preference that people register online Yeah it's recommended Greg that everybody to register online so we do have a small window between 3.30-3.45 for people to register at the Dallman centre that morning for people who have difficulties maybe of registering online and things like that just to help everybody out to give everybody a chance Brilliant okay sounds lovely it's the first one hopefully there's a huge turnout I'm sure there will and I can't wait for all the pictures on Saturday morning it's lovely do you know when you start seeing people fill their social medias with these beautiful pictures hopefully the weather plays its part but nonetheless they're always really really striking and it's really meaningful Bernadine thanks Anything else you want to add before we go No that's it just looking forward to our first walk now in yarn on Saturday morning which will be great Okay and the meeting point and time again one more time Bernadine So the meeting point is at the Dallman centre and meeting point leaving the Dallman centre at 4.15am Leaving at 4.15am okay Leaving at 4.15am Bernadine Boyle thank you so much lovely to chat to you thank you very much indeed now obviously everyone is you know people feel differently and sometimes when we talk about things like this it can have you know when everyone else is sort of feeling inspired and enthused depending on where people are in their life or where they feel it can have a different effect where it can make them feel maybe a little bit worse or a little bit down and that's understandable too but the most important thing whenever you feel in a space where you think you need help or you think you need to talk to someone you do it some irritants are there for you always so if you listen to this conversation you go I'm not where everyone else is you know this won't do it for me or this makes me feel a little bit worse and it's not the fault by the way of the event or anyone talking about it but I just understand that sometimes maybe these conversations can make people feel worse so there's numbers here and help for you 116123 it'll do no harm if you don't feel great just to speak to someone and have a chat tease out the conversation see how that works for you 116123 that's the Samaritans completely and utterly confidential of course they are there to help you at any time day or night and also if you go to the website you can chat to them online because it may be the step to talk to someone face to face over the phone but you know what I mean might be a bridge too far just at this time you can use this web chat available for you or you can even email them or write a letter so there's lots of ways to have a conversation if you're just feeling different to how you think maybe other people are feeling and the Samaritans and other organisations are there for you as well COVID-19 can still cause serious illness especially in people at higher risk we need to keep protecting each other so stay home if you have symptoms in health care settings, public transport and busy places let fresh air in if you're meeting indoors keep hands clean and get a COVID-19 vaccine and booster let's keep looking out for each other from the HSC for us all you can do pretty much anything in just a few taps buy a car book a holiday and now you can even apply for a permanent tsp digital current account app in minutes it's quick, it's mobile it's the start of making your everyday banking easier now that's permanent support application in your sole name for over 18 personal customers in residents of the Republic of Ireland only qualifying criteria terms and conditions apply permanent tsp 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But to make the decider, they'll first have to overcome cabin. Join Oshin Kelly and Brendan Kilcoin for the build-up and full live match commentary from St Tarnock's Park on Sunday afternoon. Donegal Action in the Ulster Championship is brought to you by Highland Motors letter Kemi. Your main Renault and Dacia dealer in Donegal with the iconic Dacia Duster. The family SUV for all your adventures available in diesel and petrol from just 189 euro per month. Order yours today vending terms and conditions apply see Renault.ie. Okay welcoming in to studio now Paul McLaughlin of Balakdur Garden Centre. Actually Paul I'll come to you I just have one more quick outbreak to take. Paul's joining us in about two minutes right? Get your questions in if you want them answered and we'll have a proper chat with Paul after we take these messages. It's the right price tiles on wood flooring half price sale get up to 50% off everything in store all kitchen and bathroom tiles all wood flooring all bathware all cladding everything's reduced it's our biggest ever sale the right price tiles and wood flooring half price sale stores nationwide sale extended until Sunday sportswear for women at Bramnacormic Sports and Leisure in fresh new colors and styles Nike pro tees and vests with matching shorts and fitness tights perfect for working out are just for that leisure look under armor offers new colors quarter zip tops t-shirts with matching shorts in different lengths complete your fitness look with the latest footwear from Nike Asics and Brooks look the part play the part in store or online click and collect on bmcsports.ie as we move into spring it's time that we look after what is precious to us are you struggling with your hearing your hearing is an essential part of your everyday living hearing is our social sense and connects you to friends and family at connect hearing we are here for you with our clinics at courtyard shopping center letter Kenny and Joyce's Sorobity Clinic in Dunlop our centers are open Monday to Friday where you can avail of our hearing test wax removal and repair services connect hearing connecting you to life if you are 65 or over or you have a weak immune system you can now get your second COVID-19 booster vaccine your vaccine is due four months after your last vaccine it will improve your protection from COVID-19 you can book a vaccination center appointment on hsc.ie or contact a participating GP or pharmacy for more information on your second booster or to book an appointment visit hsc.ie or call our team in hsc live on 1800 700 700 from the hsc you are welcome back to the program and welcoming properly on to it now Paul McLaughlin from Ballard door garden center letter Kenny good morning Paul good morning hi Greg it's amazing how nature it's somewhat predictable but since we spoke last everything seems to have exploded into into growth yes growth really kicked off now so those we dry spell there and then Saturdays but a rain came along was much needed started to get growth going everything you just see everything's just bursting into life at the moment yeah there's a difference of opinion vert whether you go in terms of gardening sense or other senses as to when summer starts from your perspective are we in summer now pretty much I may would really the start of me really is our kicking off time like we should be crazy busy through the month of May so we should just sort of bed and plant season wherever it's just whatever he's getting out and about and getting enthusiastic about their gardens yeah is it time to start looking at your window boxes your flower pots your bedding plants more generally pretty much I would say maybe another week be no harm there actually no frost forecast this week but we'll see what next week but once you get past next week definitely you should be good to go and in terms of the grass growth you know people might be going out doing the first cut if they're lucky enough to have a lawn not really happy with what they see maybe a bit mossy a bit patchy or you know it's now a good time to feed the lawn or feed your grass yet now's a perfect time like I say after the weekends rain there the growth is really kicked off so whenever a lawn's actively grown as probably the best time to feed it so generally fair pleasure and if it's a good time as well if you want to do some sort of mass treatment on your garden all right hardening off tender vegetables what are we talking about there yes pretty much vegetables have been grown on the inside in a greenhouse actually your cabbages cauliflower that sort of stuff is ready to go out now but they're not particularly frost tolerant so what people do they're your season gardeners they take them from the greenhouse every morning put them outside and let them basically get a custom acclimatized to outside put them in the evening for any risk of frost and then after a bit a week of that they're acclimatized to outside and they're ready to go are you starting to see people being more say generally considerate of nature of the environment and how they garden like is a bit of a shift over the last number of years yeah the last couple years people are very much becoming more aware of the important importance of gardening with nature in mind and the waste garden for pollinators that sort of stuff what does that mean if someone wants to get involved in that from somebody wants to get involved that they're actually a great website called pollinators.ai it's a government sponsored thing which gives you great hints and tips on how to do it even from some of the symbols not mowing your grasses after leaving a wee bit untidy here where the native plants can sort of sprout and actually provide food and sustenance for pollinating insects through this period. And is there a way to do that in that it looks organized if you know what I mean because obviously you know people go to the bother of putting down the top soil and sowing it and it's at the frontal side of the house and you cut it and it looks lovely do you know what I'm on about so you have to sacrifice that to some extent to become a more considerate gardener then do you to an extent but if you're actually if you actually make sort of different plant choices that can be as ornamental of plants but just suit better for the more native environment that we have stuff like any sort of stuff bred over the last few years autumn's bred for the show of the flower and a lot of them are classes double flowers which means they've almost a flower inside the flower and what that does is prevents an insect getting inside it. Yes the sense centers too dense so if you make make sort of more sort of informed plant choices all the time you can get that manicured look why they're organized chaos okay now as I say and I always say you know not everyone has a garden but people want to do their bit you don't actually have to have a lawn or a big garden to do your bit for the pollinators. Absolutely not no a lot of the time it's providing food for them is a great thing but actually providing shelter as well so you might have an area where you could actually put up a bee hotel you get sort of ideas how to make them and internet and that sort of thing but it's just like almost like a wee birdhouse but it's just inside set up differently and even by putting out a window box or a pot at the back door or something like that they're even herbs are perfect actually they have great flower for pollinators so even that they're like on a very small scale you're doing your bit to help. Yeah and everyone's doing the right so talk to me then if I wanted to make a pot at the back of the house or on a windowsill what and I've obviously limited space what's the best way to say right I'm really doing something here what would you what size would it be how would you make it what would you put in it pretty much for a pot for a decent size pot you're chatting with someone say 50 centimetres cross which is about about a foot and a half so a decent size pot obviously whatever space you have available followed with compost basically you can go peat free if you want if you're on a particularly multi-purpose ground too and then actually herbs is quite good. Do you need to put anything at the bottom look I often see people put stones at the bottom of these pots. It does help with drainage and our claim as well putting stones the bottom pot helps a lot in the sense that it makes the bottom heavier it lowers the center of gravity. But it doesn't have to be any particular stone does it? No, anything heavy lowers the center of gravity and actually stops the pot blowing over in the wind. Okay so fill it then with your soil or compost of choice. Yes. Plant what? Plant if you're going for ornamental sort of stuff there are plant called biddens there's wee bedding plants like a trillion plant very very good for pollinators that sort of stuff. Cosmos is very good as well it's not a native plant but it actually is very good the pollinators seem to react very well too and if you want to go sort of more edible if you're having the back door herbs is perfect. Yeah it didn't associate herbs with pollination. Yeah the likes of rosemary there time that sort of stuff all we sort of flowers on it and they're all highly centered so they attract the pollinators very well. Today then if people a lot of people are afraid of the buzzing and stuff you do that you all are going to attract a bit of that but that's nature isn't it? You have to live with it. Nature exactly and the whole thing about a bee is like if you generally if you don't can hear the bee it's not going to come near you. That's what dad used to say but I don't trust that I don't believe that. Yeah now it seems to work out alright last sort of in August, September can be a different story altogether. They're getting a bit cranky or crabbing. All right that's just a run through some of the stuff you could be looking at the moment 08 660 25000 if you've more specific questions for Paul 08 660 25000. I have an old stone building I want to convert into an apartment it has had ivy on it for a number of years I can't pull it off because it is attached to the stonework how would I remove it? Probably ivy in an old stone building like that a lot of time give us a building character yeah quite nice on it but obviously if you don't want to interfere in the stonework the best thing to do is just time cut it off at the bottom of the stem and actually just leave it like cut a six inch section out of it so it can't rejoin itself and that'll actually weaken the whole plant. So when it's attached to the stone it's not feeding off that that's just it gripping to it its food source is coming from the base. It's coming from the base it does take a certain amount of moisture out of the stone but not for the most part it's going from the base so if you cut it at the base and leave it then maybe nine months or a year it actually sort of holds it and loosens the grip basically. Yeah and make it much easier to take off yeah okay and people if you ever see ivy straying on a tree that's people generally just cut the ivy, let it die back for a while and then remove it. And that's not it's more of a structural question than a gardening question but does it damage block work or if you heard stories of it I mean how deep into the block work might it go? To be honest actually the front of my house is covered in ivy so it is and it doesn't seem to do a lot bigger fear a lot of people have if it's getting around windows and stuff it's actually spiders coming in if you had the windows open and that sort of thing but now like say ivy in front of my house. Houses are full of spiders anyway I mean those webs aren't being cast themselves in the middle of the night are they? No possibly. Oh I don't know I suspect there's little ones living in the house. Is it too early to leave in hanging baskets to be refilled thanks Eilings is it too early to leave in hanging baskets to be refilled are they talking maybe about replacing the... Pretty much most garden centers ourselves included we take in people leave up their pots at this time of year get us to refill them like rather than buying the plants and taking away and we provide that service and now is a perfect time. That's a good idea. I had a random plant pot plant that I didn't take down and it flowered all summer right flowered through the winter yeah and croaked it there last week right a lot of plants like that there are classes annual so they have a cycle okay generally they go through their cycle and in a mild winter the will survive on through but a lot of time then they drop seeds and you'll probably get another one coming up next year on this place okay we shall wait and see the garden's full of moss is it better to re-sow the garden or use chemicals to get rid of the moss probably depends on how bad when it's full of moss I think yeah I think it's probably like walking on carpet if I'm in an extreme case sometimes it is as well to re-sow the garden but you can use the chemical fertilizers which will help knock it back and if you didn't mind about a moss sort of if you did a bit this year in a bit next year you should hopefully knock it back if you didn't want to go to the drastic step or reseeding do you have to have this notion of you casting the seed and it just blowing around the place do you have to do anything to the ground to make it more receptive to the seeding pretty much a lot of the time people would if you're actually if moss is the problem you'd be better to hire someone like a scarifier it's the machine that rips up the ground a bit but by scarifying you're creating weed trenches and the surface the so then that's a perfect actually place for the seed to go sort of down until we hold all right an ash tree on a farm is dying tree out on its own and the leaves are dying could that be part of the disease we've talked about on the show previously yes unfortunately that sounds like ash day back it really is becoming a huge problem around here you can see it in sort of trees long roads now are starting to die off but it seems to be nationwide and there is no real answer to it yeah well and I think you know especially the ESB might have quite an eye on this you know that's gonna require a bit of an audit and looking after I'd imagine from the council whomever is responsible very much so funny they're actually an uncle mine's down Cork is an agricultural contractor and he says the last year has just been more or less cut down on ash trees because they've had it quicker than we have what does that mean I mean if can you regrow them or not pretty much the likes are at the minute they're trying to work on them genetically to see if they can find a plant that is actual action resistant to the disease yeah the last 200 plants we had we actually sent up to UCD okay using them to experiment on to see if they could find to see if we can more or less save the species can you ask Paul what's good and fast growing hedge and when's the best time of the year to plant it thanks a million probably our most popular heads down there for this climate around here is gristlinia which is salami sort of waxy green leaf and it's very good for seaside areas and areas of exposure and forms into nice dents what size do you plant it at generally about buying plants you're chatting about sort of 18 inches to feed high and how soon before you maybe have a four pretty much within three years you should have a decent size really okay and it feels out quite well it does all right I have azaleas how do I feed them feed them you get actual beyond the miracle grow brand but there is specific as a commedia roti dendron food okay is it too late to plant vegetables if it's not too late what can you plant in May June thank you yeah certain vests will shoot them in the ground such as your onions or stuff but if you want to grow lex cabbages stuff like that there now is perfect time even let us spring onions all year round well if you try to plant an onion now what like what's the consequences of it it'll still it'll still come but the fact of the matter is ideally you want your onion sort of put them in February March to harvest them in August you can then store them for the winter if you put them in now they'll probably not get the full size by the harvest and season I get you but what you can do as you pick them and use them like you'd still be in barbecue season you can just pick them use them immediately lovely so any particular advice or what's your best advice for an inexperienced gardener in regards to planting vegetables and I get this and I think I've asked you this a couple of times before because some of this stuff you have aspirations and you'd love to do but you go well where do I start like where do if I want to plant some vegetables maybe it's a little bit late now but you talked about some that you could what's the the simplest best advice you could give someone's first thing is actually plant what you're going to eat because even the first first year ever plant anything and a load of radishes which is great brought them home and every turned on the rules up at them didn't actually want them but start with someone quite easy sort of salad crop is very easy let us bring onions any that sort of stuff and sort of build up from there but most of the thing most likes a salad crop that is just water there is no real other maintenance to them and they're quite quick to so it keeps the interest I mean could you scrape off a bit of the the lawn if you like and just plant it in there or do you have to create you know like yeah I mean you can just start as simply as that scrape off the table a lot give it a dig over and set stuff directly into the ground okay a lot of people are certain at the moment is called zero dig gardening where they actually cover the ground in cardboard steves even taking the top off putting a wee bit of extra soil on top of it say six inches yeah plant into that and as the cardboard is such a great so for the year that actually brings the soil into play below it wow okay that's interesting that's a bit of a longer game that's not actually surprisingly effective quite quickly okay you mentioned bedding plants it's a week too early did you say around that alright guys would just sort of this week's to be ground for frost but you can't sort of guarantee what's coming next week alright re your famous chicken manure pellets as this caller can you put on too much of them in your shrubs and bedding plants does does too much force the plants to grow too quickly actually the pulter manure wouldn't actually do that in the sense of what I draw eyes and relies on bacteria in the ground to break it down so they actually break it down at a given speed so by putting on too much you're unlikely to do much harm but what you could do is you're sort of effectively wasting it because it's not it's not doing the job it should all right camellia I've had it for several years no flowers yeah once again that comes back to your sort of azalea rhododendron food fertilized this time year you won't get flowers this year but hopefully you would get next year would you ask Paul what can I do the garden is full every night with rabbits rabbits right a couple of things if you want to go the organic way to get rid of them rabbits hate human hair mm-hmm so it actually it gets mixed up in their fur and they just don't like to go to your local addresses go to the barbers and get whatever the sweep off the floor and scattered around you can see the sort of runs where they go yeah put it there where they're entering your garden and hopefully should discourage them in other words send them to your neighbors pretty much the other thing is cayenne pepper yeah okay hair's cheaper hi Greg would you ask Paul about last year's compost of have I have big containers that I put fresh compost into last year do I have to change it all this year or do I just put it onto the garden if I do if they're very big containers you can get away with leaving but a third of it in the pot yeah so you can't the only thing you have to be very careful is give we check for slug eggs or something like that first sometimes over the winter they can actually lay them lay eggs in pots is there any natural non-chemical way to kill weeds on concrete now I've seen and I think you're gonna give us a recipe here this stuff and what you know on YouTube time-lapse and it seems to be really really effective yeah various concoctions so what's your suggestion very much if you're going to organic sort of way you have your traditional sort of non-chemical and you mix up using vinegar epsom salt and very liquid basically the very liquid is just there to stick to the plant and the vinegar sort of the acidity kills off the plant it's effective you have to use it quite often yeah the other side does that go down to the roots or does that just kill off what's above the ground okay a lot of people use actually boiling water on them and that's the fact of getting rid of seeds to just gonna come up in the future okay but that's something for a small area have you seen the price of electricity get a kettle in the camper right listen Paul that's all we have time for people can call down and see you the rest of the team presumably at Balakdur garden center that are Kenny all garden centers are very welcoming places I think they're not intimidating yeah but you know like sometimes you go I might I don't know anything and I might look silly or it's not like that you get on you guys are you love what you do and love talking about it as well and sorting people out and now people in garden centers tend to be passionate about plants when they're too happy sorry Paul have another appointment come here listen Paul McLaughlin thank you very much indeed back with more after these is your water safe to drink if your water tastes unpleasant or has a foul smell it may be a sign that something is in your water brothers tech Dunygol provide a complete private well water treatment service using the best water treatment equipment to meet your needs or maybe you drill the new well and the water isn't satisfactory at brothers tech their expert team will also service existing problematic systems if you're concerned about the quality of your water called brothers tech on 087 638 7057 the hilarious three hill Mary's is coming to letter Kenny Mary how will we go to keep in touch I know Mary I know send me a twist see three hill Mary's at on grain on theater letter Kenny for one night only Friday May 13th see on grain on.com or call 07 4 912 0777 farmers to be paid 100 euro per hectare for silage and hay for more in this week's Irish farmers journal is Paul Mooney we have all the details of the new silage scheme targeting beef and sheep farmers major chuggers you turn and suckler beef advice the beef trade is booming we reveal the reasons why and will it last and find out how you could save thousands by switching mortgage provider plus don't miss our bailed silage special only inside this week's Irish farmers journal you cannot afford to miss it. At Creasley supermarket we offer daily specials at our deli with fresh and delicious food to go available butchers weekly specials or choose from a range of healthy options and pre-packed meals plus many more offers in store we're open seven days for your convenience Creasley supermarket where quality and value is assured. Highland radio weather updates with Ireland West Airport get ready to hit the beach and soak up the sun by choosing flights to Alicante, Barcelona, Faro, Mallorca, Malaga and Milan this summer with Ryanair. Ireland West Airport you're flying. So sherry rain will extend across the region during the afternoon and evening but amounts will be rather small sunny intervals will develop too as the day goes on highs temperatures of 13 to 16 degrees winds mostly light. Now you would have heard during the news that figures released by the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly show 495 patients awaiting a gynecology appointment at Lerickhenny University Hospital. The average wait time for an outpatient appointment is 98 days. Now in other hospitals I think particularly in the capital the number is understandably greater and the waiting time longer. Martin Varley is Secretary General with the Irish Hospital Consultants Association and he joins us now. Martin these are our concerning figures and unfortunately it seems the way things are panning out and what has gone before things might get much worse before they get any better. Yes good morning Greg there's a major concern with regard to the waitingness which we're seeing for gynecological procedures there are over 30,000 outpatients waiting for such appointments nationally and nearly 6,000 for inpatient and day case and you've already referred to the waiting list in Lerickhenny. Similar waiting lists exist in Sligo as well so the whole north north west of the country is facing major problems for two main reasons firstly we're finding it more and more difficult to fill approved consultant posts and that's partly due to government not acting to ensure we're competitive and secondly our hospitals in the west and the north west haven't actually seen the increase in the bed capacity in theater capacity that they need despite the fact there have been some increase in the last two years largely driven by the realisation we didn't have capacity in our hospitals so these are major concerns their concerns obviously a particular for the patients who are left waiting our consultants on the ground are concerned that delays of this nature delay early detection of cancer which is never good you're better off to let detecting these things early and secondly lots of women are left waiting months in pain and stress has resulted in anxiety as to when they will get in to get their appointments and get their treatment so this is not what we need we need quite the opposite we need early time we care that people can access yeah and you talked about issues with recruitment that varies from hospital to hospital and region to region and we know when Lerickhenny can be a particular challenge absolutely and in Lerickhenny for example in obstetrics and gynecology there are six permanent approved posts there are only three permanent appointees so only half of the approved posts are appointed on a permanent basis there are two locals in position and is one post absolutely vacant so it's reflecting the fact that it is quite difficult to recruit nationally it's even more difficult to recruit in the north and north west it's partly distance and not a matter but what we're saying to the government you can actually write this you have to reverse some decisions you took a decade ago which made us less competitive discriminate against new consultants and that's driving them abroad yeah we need we need them here in the country to train in the country they would stay if they were treated on an equitable basis so that's obstetrics same applies to what especially is in Lerickhenny about a third of all the consultant posts Lerickhenny the permanent posts are not filled on a permanent basis and of course people want to work in a good environment and the further back you fall the less attractive a proposition you know going to a particular hospital might be are the other government bound in any way through pay agreements or deals with unions or could they say right no there's a particular problem here we can change the terms here without having a knock on effect into other sectors because that's often an excuse you might hear absolutely it is an excuse but it's not an excuse that stands up in this situation unfortunately they made a very unwise decision in 2012 which was to cut the pay to new consultants by 30% in addition to all the other cuts that it occurred because of the financial crisis salaries were cut by 23% anyways was increased taxation etc so loading on an x in addition to made no sense every new at the time this was going to cause problems and the problems unfortunately are that is giving rise to bigger and bigger waiting lists we talked about the gynecological waiting list we look at waiting lists generally in the country and this is our relevance as well in the northwest and in Lerickhenny there are almost a million people waiting for various procedures and the approach of the government seems to be we spend money on outsourcing it yeah but what I find frustrating about this is we spend money on outsourcing of course but also with later diagnosis maybe more complex treatments we end up not only primarily people's health and outcomes being being harmed but also we have to spend more money so if we front load it as again as I say time and time again it's the same story if we were to front load this and make it a more attractive proposition to work here we get to see people earlier we have earlier intervention better outcomes and it would cost us less money like it seems to me like a no-brainer I get very frustrated because no one can explain why we don't do that because it's the logical thing to do if I were running a private company it's precisely what I do because I'd be looking to be more efficient and to save money and to have a happier workforce it's so basic like I must be missing something is well unfortunately you're not missing anything you assist the problem accurately it's a very simple solution really we need to invest in our public hospitals outsourcing when you hit crisis after crisis after crisis nothing but a sticking plaster approach in fact the private hospitals don't have the capacity to provide this care so on the one hand the government is saying we'll outsource it or else we'll ask our consultants to work extra hours etc and in fairness consultants are doing that across the country but they can only do so much for example the letter Kenny they're running extra outpatient clinics on Wednesday evening when Wednesday evenings and again all day Saturday but you know it's just chipping away at a big big problem we need a sustainable solution sustainable solutions mean fill your consultant posts in your public hospitals make it attractive enough to fill the posts everywhere in the country and as a former leader of a government in 60s said the rising tide lifts all boats and shake that money tree which we were told didn't exist but quite clearly it does Martin thank you for your time this morning thank you very much all right take care of yourself that is Martin Varley secretary general with the Irish Hospital Consultants Association that is where we have to leave it on the program today just to let you know that John Bresen's broadcasting from letter Kenny Main Street just outside Dylan's hotel in the lead up to the County flower the cantees flower make a welcome return all over Ireland in the coming weeks after two years of lockdown restrictions the letter Kenny branch of the the the flower are hosting the Donegal flower this coming weekend at the Celtus is holding the Donegal flower this coming weekend from Friday through to Sunday you'll get to hear some of that music and some of the crack and what have you with John after the news at 12 we're back tomorrow morning with the Friday panel and all the usual stuff Leo for our car will be joining us on the program as well all that from nine o'clock tomorrow have a good day since she got her free hearing aids with her PRSI at spec savers Roshin is a changed one music has never sounded better and that makes her dance and dance and dance her singing though yeah well free hearing aids with PRSI at spec