Hi °C | Lo °C Drink drive proposal shows contempt
I THOUGHT it was some sort of tasteless joke to learn of the motion carried at Kerry County Council last week that members will lobby the Minister for Justice to grant permits to rural dwellers to drink and drive.
Drink drive proposal shows contempt
ITHOUGHT it was some sort of tasteless joke to learn of the motion carried at Kerry County Council last week that members will lobby the Minister for Justice to grant permits to rural dwellers to drink and drive. I am simply appalled that any self respecting public representative would propose such a thing and even more shocked that publican, namely Cllr. Danny Healy-Rae would think it a wise move. The Healy-Raes have always been very successful at headline grabbing and this week is no different. There are a hundred different opinions on his argument that those living in isolated areas should be permitted to drink two or three pints and drive home. This in itself shows utter contempt to so many families in Ireland who have lost loved ones on the roads to the scourge of drunk driving.
Councillors, nurses and just wages
'THE LABOURER deserves his wages' is a familiar phrase from the Gospels that was uttered by Christ and repeated by St Paul in his letters. Those five words stand as the foundation of Catholic Social Teaching, and I remember well being lectured about it in college, and hearing about Pope Leo XIII's encyclical Rerum Novarum, and Pope John Paul II's 1991 encyclical Centesimus Annus.
No mercy shown to slain Garda
THE KILLERS of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe showed no mercy when they shot the father-of-two at close range. Senior officers say the armed robbers, who gunned him down in cold blood with a shotgun, were intent on murdering him as he approached them at the Lordship Credit Union outside Dundalk.
Horse meat, what if it had been dogs?
Thursday: The young lad wanted to talk about religion today.
Forgiveness is all about letting go
Ihad lunch with a friend the other day, and we got talking about forgiveness for some reason. We ended up discussing the many situations where people don't forgive. Sometimes it's among family members or friends, where someone might hold a grudge for years or maybe forever! Sometimes it's when we as a society fail to show forgiveness, and sometimes it's even when we won't forgive ourselves.
Know your options when wishing to access your personal pension early
Q . I am a self employed sole trader, just turned 62. Whilst I have no wish to retire anytime soon I would like to work fewer hours. Being self employed for over 40 years, I have a reasonable level of savings built up in my Personal Pension. Do I have to 'fully retire' in order to access my Personal Pension? A . Congratulations on successfully running your business for the past 40 years. Like many self employed people you do not wish to retire completely but instead would like to slowly reduce your working hours over the next few years. However, this reduced working time will may also involve a reduction in income for you.
Forgiveness is all about letting go
ARRYING FEELINGS of resentment and anger can give us some solace in the period immediately following the initial hurt, it strengthens our resolve somewhat, that we won't let ourselves be treated that way again. It helps us to learn that life can be cruel and that we do need to protect ourselves and not be vulnerable. But the longer it goes on, those feelings and emotions become deep-seated and start to consume us. Being unforgiving can lead to a much higher price to be paid; we might start bringing those feelings into every relationship and new experience, we could run the risk of becoming a 'bitter person'; and our lives might become so obsessed with the wrong done in the past, that we can't enjoy the present.
Protecting all our children
Seventy five years have passed since the Constitution was adopted by the people.
Homophobia is still alive and well
TWO SEPARATE incidents in Ireland this week have sadly shown that homophobia is still alive and well in Ireland.
The notion of women proposing to men is not in the natural order of things
LOTS OF talk last week about it being a Leap Year and therefore an opportunity for women to get down on one knee and propose to their significant other. My immediate reaction was, "if he hasn't bothered his backside to do the deed Himself why would you want to marry him?" but obviously some women are not as sensible as me!
Poll amounts to vote of no confidence
BURIED AMONG the findings of a major opinion poll published at the weekend was a damning verdict on the government's willingness, or ability ,to live up to one of its key election promises to fight for a restructuring of the bank debt repayments that are crippling the country's economy.
I have been reminded how you can not live without a dishwasher
IT HASN'T been a good week.
Ireland's tourism potential needs to be fully harnessed
DURING THE years of the socalled Celtic Tiger, as a nation we were content on creating an economy dependant on house prices and on selling property to each other.
Parents struggling with cost of college education
EDUCATIONAL loans for parents and students grappling with bills as they face into another academic year are available from Malahide Credit Union.
Nursing homes given a bad name
IT MADE me sick to learn this week that HIQA inspectors were left with no option but to go out and buy food for elderly residents in a Co Kilkenny nursing home
Tibetans have deep respect for religion
I WAS reading recently about a new book that has just been published about the Dalia Lama, the 76 year old exiled spiritual leader of the Tibetan people.
News
Gardaí commended for efforts to curb crime
GENERAL crime levels across Fingal are falling with significant drops in the scourge of burglaries across the region, according to latest figures released by Gardai.
30% drop in burglaries in Swords and Malahide
BURGLARIES are significantly down in the Swords and Malahide areas with Gardai recording a 30% drop in the first quarter of this year, according to new figures just released.
Grieving family reaches out to help sick children
IF a life is measured not in years but in its impact, then Laura Brennan's life was immense and her legacy is an extraordinary one that continues to make important changes to the lives of sick children from her native Malahide and beyond.
Woman claimed €15k using cousin's identity
A mother of four who defrauded the State out of over €15,000 in order to pay off her husband's drug debt has been sentenced to two years with the final 15 months suspended.
Almost €50,000 missing at Malahide garda station
A THIRD sum of money has gone missing from a Fingal Garda Station, this time in Malahide where close to €50,000 has disappeared.
Life's a beach as trouble stays away from shore
THERE was no repeat over the weekend of the ugly scenes that ruined the June bank holiday weekend on Portmarnock beach.
Increase in Aer Lingus passengers
Aer Lingus has reported that its total flown passenger numbers, including its Aer Lingus Regional operations, increased by 5.3 per cent to 1.02 million in May from the previous year.
Decision will 'not be taken lying down'
RESIDENTS in Portmarnock and Malahide will be concerned that the outfall from the controversial giant regional sewage plant bound for Clonshaugh will pour into the sea off their coastline, north of Ireland's Eye.
Relief over sewage plant
THE community group set up to oppose the siting of Fingal's planned giant sewage plant in Lusk says it is 'feeling a great sense of relief' that its community has been spared the development but says no community should have to 'suffer' the project.
Man accused of animal cruelty
A MAN has been charged with animal crueltyafter he allegedly neglected a cat, resulting in it being put down, Swords District Court has heard.
