At a referral seminar, I heard about an interesting business concept, where you could hire a handyman for a day. I emailed the owner afterwards, asking had he ever considered sending a press release to the media, as journalists are always keen for stories of innovative businesses. He said he had been approached to be included in a feature article for a national broadsheet, but turned it down because he felt his business would not be portrayed in the way he originally intended. As a result, he lost out on an opportunity to gain free nationwide publicity. It can be disconcerting to see your press releases drastically changed, or used in what seems like a completely different story. It’s a little like looking at yourself in a photograph or listening to your own voice. ‘I don’t look... Similar posts

Interesting reading from the ESRI about their predictions for the future in Ireland in their release today: Recovery Scenarios for Ireland. I hope the High Growth scenario is a prophecy for the future, with the ESRI saying that we could return to pre-2009 employment leves as early as 2015. The press release and full report are here: http://www.esri.ie/news_events/latest_press_releases/recovery_scenarios_for_ir_1/index.xml. If anyone has any thoughts, I'd be delighted to hear them here or if you want to email me offline.... Similar posts

Fine Gael Frontbench Spokesperson on Innovation & Research, Deirdre Clune TD, has welcomed the Government’s announcement of the €359 million investment in third level research and innovation. However, Deputy Clune called for the funds to be invested in a focused manner in order to have the greatest possible impact on economic recovery. The announcement of €359 million for research and innovation in the third level sector is welcome news. It is important that such critical investment in the area continues even in the difficult economic conditions that have been allowed to develop. Supporting and encouraging research and innovation in our third level sector is crucial to help Ireland recover from our current economic troubles, and also to be recognised as a country committed to... Similar posts

Fine Gael Spokesperson on Innovation & Research, Deirdre Clune TD, believes there are lessons to be learned from today’s positive jobs announcement from Eli Lily that they will create 100 jobs in Cork. Today’s announcement by Eli Lily that it will recruit 100 people for jobs in its financial services centre in Cork is welcome news on the jobs front at a time when we desperately need such positive news. Eli Lily is a pharmaceutical company with a proven track record in the Cork region and today’s announcement is a further underpinning of its investment in Ireland. The message from this jobs announcement is that a skilled and well educated workforce with language skills is a major advantage when seeking to attract investment and jobs. Our third level education sector must be... Similar posts

Local Cork TD Deirdre Clune has highlighted that the N28 Cork-Ringskiddy upgrade and the N25 flyovers at the Bandon Road and Sarsfield Road roundabouts could be put at risk if the Government proceed with cutting funding to road and rail projects. Just last week Cork Chamber launched an economic assessment which concluded the N28 upgrade deserved priority status because of the economic benefits and increased connectivity it would provide for the Cork region. Now the N28 upgrade has appeared in a list of projects that are expected to be suspended by the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey TD. These cuts could also see the proposed N25 flyovers at the Bandon Road and Sarsfield Road roundabouts also put at risk. The NRA has confirmed to me that the flyover projects are “subject to funding... Similar posts

“There is no forgiveness in Ireland for business people who try hard to succeed but end up having to file for bankruptcy,” according to Fine Gael Innovation Spokesperson Deirdre Clune TD. Bankruptcy is viewed in Ireland as the result of money mismanagement or fraud. Little thought is given to the people who have worked hard but seen their businesses fail due to the current recession. Our laws take the same view, and severely penalise people for 12 years after the declaration. Currently if a business person is declared bankrupt, they cannot obtain a loan for more than €630 without disclosing their status as bankrupt. Their assets are automatically vested and they risk losing their family home. Their bankruptcy status is not discharged for 12 years. As Fine Gael Innovation... Similar posts

TODAYS news calling for students to apply now for maintenance grants is a welcome sign for all according to Deirdre Clune TD for Cork South Central. Today’s students are the people who will help us get out of the recession in the future so their education needs to be supported for all our benefit. Times are tough right now for everyone and when you are a student in recessionary times, part-time work is hard to come by to support yourself. These grants are undoubtedly essential. To date students have had to wait until August to apply for the grants. The result of this is that there is a large amount of students applying at the one time and because of the embargo on staff in local authorities a backlog of students end up not getting their grant money on time and get into debt. In... Similar posts

New cuts by the HSE to the dental programme will directly affect patient’s health and are not in the best interest of medical card holders. There is a total of 1,352 dentist in the State and a large proportion of their patients hold medical cards. They are now not entitled to basic routine dental treatments such as scale and polish, cleaning, filings and extractions. The new guidelines have been described as ‘unethical, impossible to operate and a retrograde step in dental care for medical card patients’. We have reached the stage where removal of teeth will be the only option available to many dentists. What’s more is that dental experts attempted to engage with the Department and the HSE on the changes they wanted to see implemented but their suggestions were ignored. This is... Similar posts

DEPUTY spokesperson for Enterprise Deirdre Clune TD (FG) has expressed her disappointment at the announcement by Pfizers this afternoon to cut 300 jobs at its plants in Loughbeg and Shanbally. I had heard about the possibility of job losses at Pfizers some time ago and questioned Barry O’Leary, CEO of the IDA. He told me that “in terms of the pharmaceutical industry, from the Cork perspective there will be some pain given the mergers and acquisitions taking place. Its so sad to hear that it has come through so soon for Cork. This fall out is terrible news for the workers but also for their families and their communities. Already we have 44,000 people unemployed in Cork and this news comes as a further blow to the area. What we need is real investment in the area and a commitment... Similar posts

Niall, Lauren and Oxford Reserach CEO Chris Sinclair with the 50+ Oxford Research Staff You have probably noticed that the blog has been a bit quieter than usual in the last couple of weeks and today we can reveal the reason why and that is because we have been off forming a great new partnership with The Oxford Research Agency in the UK that will help to take our little company to the next level. We will analyze what the deal means for us more in the coming days here on the blog but safe to say it will allow us to grow significantly here in Ireland and establish Simply Zesty in the UK. You can see the full press release relating to the deal below… Press Release Dublin, 12th May. The Dublin-based social media agency Simply Zesty has taken an investment of €500,000 for a minority... Similar posts

The renegotiation of the Common Agricultural Policy is the most significant issue facing Irish Agriculture in the near future. 2010 is a vitally important year in the renegotiation process as the core principles of the new CAP will be agreed upon. Local Fine Gael TD Deirdre Clune said: “The Agrifood sector supports 200,000 jobs in rural Ireland and contributed over €7 billion in exports in 2009. Fine Gael believes that the family farm is the best way to maintain a sustainable food industry, support the rural economy and guarantee a clean environment.” “As a party we are embarking on a series of public meetings across the country seeking to engage with farmers about the new CAP negotiations. These meetings will help the Fine Gael Dáil and European Parliament teams form a... Similar posts

Speaking in the Dáil debate on Energy Security this week, Fine Gael Innovation Spokesperson Deirdre Clune TD outlined why security of supply and economic viability must be central to Ireland’s future energy policy. Security of supply and economic viability are not mutually exclusive when developing energy policy. An energy policy that addresses the need for security, and meets any price impact analysis, can make Ireland more energy self-sufficient while also improving Irish competitiveness. The past week has brought home to us all how vulnerable we are as an island nation. We do not want to be exposed to energy shortages. Since we are a nation that is almost entirely dependent on fossil fuels, most of which is imported from overseas, we need to change our strategy. We need to focus... Similar posts

Local TD Deirdre Clune has asked the Irish Film Board and the Arts Council to clarify if funding remained available for opening a dedicated Art-House cinema in Cork now that Cork City Council has confirmed that they can not make such an investment in the current economic climate. The closure of the Kino Cinema late last year left Cork without a dedicated art-house cinema. The management of the Cork Opera House, to their great honour, stepped in and made their Half Moon Theatre available to show art-house films but while the Half Moon Theatre is a good venue that can cater for audiences of up to 150 it is unlikely to be a long term solution. It is unbelievable that a city the size of Cork, the second largest city in the country and a city know for the high quality of its cultural life can... Similar posts

Fine Gael Innovation Spokesperson Deirdre Clune TD has described UCC’s decision to charge students a €65 graduation attendance fee as the wrong way to fund our third level education system. At a protest on the UCC campus organised by UCC Young Fine Gael against the introduction of the new fee, Deputy Clune said: ‘UCC’s decision to introduce a €65 graduation attendance fee is a mistake. The introduction of stealth charges such as this graduation attendance fee or the use of the registration charge as a third level fee by another name is no way to fund our third level system’. UCC and the other third level instructions have been left with a total lack of Government leadership on this issue. The Fianna Fáil/Green Government has completely failed to tackle the issue of how third... Similar posts

Deirdre Clune TD met with Ballinhassig flood victims last night to discuss what can be done now that Ballinhassig will not be part of the OPW’s funding for minor flood projects announced recently. The Owenboy River in Ballinhassig has been allowed to silt up making the river channel incapable of carrying increased volumes of water at times of heavy rain. This along with developments in the area resulted in unprecedented flooding in Ballinhassig and forced a number of local families to abandon their homes last December. The fact that the Minister for the OPW Martin Mansergh failed to include Ballinhassig in his recent announcement of €6.7 million for flood works was a missed opportunity. It would be totally unfair if families in Ballinhassig were to pay the price for the... Similar posts

Cork TD and Fine Gael Innovation Spokesperson Deirdre Clune described the announcement of 300 jobs in Abtran as a positive development for Cork. The announcement from Abtran that it will invest €3.5 million in research and development at its offices at Curraheen Road and the Model Farm Road which will have the potential to create 300 new jobs is a positive development for the Cork area. The jobs that Abtran will create in Cork will be based on investment in business services one of the areas that it is vital that we focus on if we are to lift Ireland out of the current economic problems we face as a country. Cork has been badly hit over the last two years with unemployment in the county jumping from 19,177 in March 2008 to 44,702 in March 2010. The announcement of 300 jobs in Cork is a... Similar posts

Even though inflation fell by 3.1% over the last 12 months, prices controlled or regulated by the Government increased by up to 9.1% in the same period, Fine Gael Innovation Spokesperson Deirdre Clune TD said. Prices across the private sector fell steeply by 3.1% over the last 12 months. But yet again, State sector prices saw sharp rises over the same period as the Government continued to hammer consumers and businesses. The latest CSO figures show that: Energy costs rose by: 9.1% Education costs rose by: 8.1% Transport costs rose by: 5.0% Low competitiveness and high prices have been the Achilles Heel of Ireland’s vital export sector in recent years. Yet a vibrant export sector is exactly what Ireland needs to end this dreadful recession and return to growth. That’s why a plan to... Similar posts

Fine Gael Innovation Spokesperson Deirdre Clune TD has welcomed Education Minister Mary Coughlan’s support for bonus points for Leaving Cert maths but said she is disappointed that any decision is being delayed until yet another report has been issued. Minister Coughlan’s reversal of her own Government’s policy on the introduction of bonus points for maths is a positive move, but I am disappointed that she is postponing a decision on this issue until yet another report has been issued. The Innovation Taskforce’s recent report listed the immediate introduction of bonus points for maths as a key recommendation. There is no need to delay a decision any further. This Government is suffering from the paralysis of analysis. The Taoiseach and his Ministers are unwilling to make any... Similar posts