Inclusion Ireland to run Communication and Skills Course in Dundalk

Inclusion Ireland, the national association for people with an Intellectual Disability are offering a  Communication and Skills Course in Dundalk commencing in April . The course will run on April9,16,23,30 and on  May 7, 14, 24.
The location for the course is:
Partnership Court, Park Street, Dundalk

This exciting course aims to empower parents and to encourage them to be as effective as possible for the challenges they meet. The work is centred on the considerable expertise of parents, and involves parents in a series of workshops.

The Course will take place for two hours, (10am-3pm)  one day a week, over seven weeks. Cost to register is 30 euro which will be refunded on completion of the course.

The course is based around a book called 'People Skills' by Robert Bolton. The main elements of the course are;

• Self care to prevent burnout.
  
• Stress management as a means of reducing stress.
  
• Mutual support for accessing support for self and others.
  
• Networking and learning from other parents.
  
• Listening skills as a means of enhancing relationships (both within the family and with service providers).
  
• Assertive skills as a way of claiming rights and having needs met.
  
• Information to ensure awareness and confidence.

Contents of the Sessions will include:

Setting the scene; Introductions, overview of the session; sharing family details; dealing with stress and caring for oneself.

Reactions and feelings of parents to the diagnosis of disability; sharing experiences; approaches to mutual support.

Developing assertion skills as a means of advocating for oneself, one's family and others.

Revision and integration of the skills of the sessions.

There is some role play but that is always fun. Parents are never overwhelmed by the course.

Parents who have attended this course have said: "you have changed my life, I wish I had done this years ago" and "I wish this course could go on, I have learned so much".

The other important part of the course is that it is run by parents, Frieda Finlay and Anne Lawlor. Frieda and Anne are trained as facilitators and have all the experiences and empathy as parents themselves.
 
APPLICATION FORM

Registered Office: Unit C2, The Steelworks, Foley Street, Dublin 1. Tel: 01 8559891 Fax: 01 8559904 Email: info@inclusionireland.ie

Gender equality amendment in Education and Training Bill

I was delighted to put forward an amendment, along with Senator Ivana Bacik, on the Education and Training Bill before the Seanad this week . The amendment, which was accepted by the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn TD will ensure that there will be gender equality in the new education and training boards for those members who are elected from local authorities. As Labour Seanad spokesperson on Equality I continue to emphasise the importance of ensuring gender equality in all areas and particularly in Education.

Urgent resolution needed for victims of Michael Neary

At a  Press Conference in Dublin on Thursday last  by the Patient Focus Group , Senator Mary Moran expressed her disappointment and frustration at the ongoing  delay in resolving the situation for the thirty five women who were excluded from  the original Lourdes Hospital Redress Scheme which was designed to compensate the  victims of Michael Neary following unnecessary hysterectomies and oophorectomies.

“Over the past two years I have   met many of these innocent women who have suffered dreadfully as a result of the consequences of these unnecessary operations. I feel their sufferings have been doubly compounded by the delay in resolving their situation. I have supported these women since my appointment to the Seanad but have been frustrated by the repeated answers I receive from the Minister for Health that the matter is on-going.

I am pleased at the Minister’s announcement following the press conference that he will bring proposals to resolve the issue for the women to Cabinet before the summer recess.  I will be working hard to ensure that the Minister Reilly will keep his word on this.

The specific inclusion of these women’s cases is in the programme for Government as a result of the commitment of the Labour Party. These women have suffered too long and it is time that their suffering is acknowledged and recognised in a proper way”

Disappointed at lack of progress on the Walsh report on Symphysiotomy

Senator Mary Moran today expressed her disappointment at the lack of progress to date with the long awaited publication of the Oonagh Walsh report into the practice of Symphysiotomy.  It is estimated that 1,500 Irish women unknowingly and without consent underwent symphysiotomies during childbirth.

“I have been asking on a weekly basis about this report which was promised months ago. I was extremely disappointed to receive a reply again last week from Minister Reilly’s department that in fact the Department does not as yet have the report to hand.

Time is not on the side of these ladies. Many are now in their eighties and their suffering is certainly compounded by the lack of a satisfactory resolution for them. This delay adds unnecessarily to the hurt and despair to the one hundred and fifty known survivors and their families. Many of these survivors have been left permanently disabled, incontinent and in pain.

I am calling on the Minister for Health to make a statement on the matter as a matter of urgency and to give a definitive time when this long overdue report will be published”.

 

RTE documentary looks at paediatric palliative care through the eyes of four families.

Tune in to RTE 1 on Monday March 24th at 9.35pm to see a documentary made by RTE called
"No Time To Die". The programme looks at paediatric palliative care through the eyes of four families, offering a rare insight into the realities of life caring for a dying child. In this special, one-off documentary, we glimpse the dignity and courage of families as they make the most of short and precious lives, where milestones are measured in days rather than in years.
Over six months the programme makers got to know the families of LauraLynn House, Ireland's only paediatric hospice and the families who care for their children in hospital and community settings. There are powerful, intimate portrayals of families who have made LauraLynn a home away from home and those who care for their children in hospital at home.  There is a family who is caring for their child with the support of Crumlin Hospital's Transitional Care Unit and another family who is reliant on support from community nurses and the Jack and Jill Foundation. We see the daily struggles as parents become round the clock caregivers, administering medications while trying to maintain a quality of life for their child.
 Two of the young children  have inoperable cardiac conditions, while another has Lissencephaly, a condition that causes abnormal development in the brain. The fourth featured family are Brian and Sharon Thompson from Donegal, who lost their little baby girl Victoria at nine-months-old to a rare degenerative genetic condition.
The documentary offers a profound exploration of a very difficult and emotive subject. Children are not supposed to die. That is not the natural order of things. Parents should not outlive their children. However, there are approximately 1, 400 children living with a life limiting condition in Ireland at any one time and in the region of 350 childhood deaths occur every year from these conditions.
This film is a moving and evocative portrait of lives lived out against the backdrop of palliative care home visits, of bustling hospital corridors and wards, of night shifts, of consultations, of quiet family moments and the inexorable sound of the ticking clock. Ultimately, No Time To Die is a reflection on life, love and loss.
No Time To Die is produced for RTÉ by Motive Television. The documentary is directed by award-winner Garry Keane, produced byJamie D'Alton and edited by Paul Giles. DOP for the production is Michael O'Donovan, associate producer is Mairead Tucker and Anne McLoughlin is executive producer.
You can see a preview of the programme here: http://youtu.be/wuwIDrNP3j0

St Patrick's day in Dundalk and Blackrock

A fantastic parade in Dundalk on St Patrick's Day. The Grand Marshall was Oliver Callan and he did a wonderful job.

Congratulations to everyone who took part and provided great colour and entertainment for the people of Dundalk who came out in their thousands to enjoy the spectacle.

The fabulous Dance Kids

Dundalk RFC who won the Best Visual Impact Prize.

Tim Mullins and the Tain Summerfest float

 

 

And now to Blackrock, for their first ever St Patrick's Day Parade.

 

With Grand Marshall Tom Gaskin

 

Launch of the Gathering History Project in Dundalk County Museum

I was delighted to receive an invitation to attend the launch of the Gathering History Project in the County Museum, Dundalk on Thursday night last.

Harry Lee was in charge of the proceedings and as usual he did a fantastic job.

Jason McGee, Mary and Harry Lee.


The film director John Moore who grew up in Dundalk can be seen in this clip reminiscing about growing up in the town and the influence his teacher Tom Murphy in the Redeemer Boys' School had on his career.

http://youtu.be/w-UNx-Pb4lg      John Moore


Delores Gover speaks with Harry about growing up in Dundalk and then moving to England in the 1960s to find employment.
http://youtu.be/4oRfMuJZMX0    Delores Gover


Harry interviews Jim Corr about how the Corrs began their musical career and subsequently became world-famous.

http://youtu.be/Xx05nOvtf7E     Jim Corr

Speaking on the urgent need for an update on the Walsh Report and the Report on the Neary Women

I spoke in the Order of Business in the Seanad on Thursday. I began by welcoming the election of Pope Francis 1st and then went on to request the Minister for Health, James Reilly to give an urgent update on the Walsh Report into Symphysiotomy. I also requested an update on the long-awaited report into the Neary women who were excluded from the original redress scheme.

An Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030

Speaking in the Seanad today on the Twenty Year Strategy for the Irish Language.

Young visitors from Dundalk in Leinster House

Delighted to welcome students and staff from St Vincent's Secondary School Dundalk to Leinster House this week.

Employment Equality Amendment Bill

Labour Senators today introduced the Employment Equality (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2013 in the Seanad. The Bill will amend Section 37 of the Employment Equality Act, to ensure that religious-run, or controlled, schools or hospitals, can no longer opt out of anti-discrimination laws.

The Bill will provide that employees of such institutions, where they are state-funded, can no longer face discrimination, or dismissal, on the grounds that they are ‘undermining the ethos’ of their employer. This will act as an important safeguard for LGBT employees, single parents, and others who currently face potential discrimination under section 37.

Senator Ivana Bacik, Labour group leader and spokesperson on Justice in the Seanad, proposed this Bill and I. as spokesperson on Education in the Seanad, was delighted to second it.

 

Highlighting the need to preserve conditions in children's hospitals while we await construction of new children's hospital.

Speaking in the Seanad today on my recent experience in a hospital for sick children.

Celebrating International Women's Day on Dundalk FM100

Delighted to be invited to take part in a special programme broadcast on Dundalk FM 100 this morning to celebrate International Women's Day. Caroline McElroy, Jacinta Dempsey, Frances Taylor and myself joined Edel McMullen on her programme where we discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to women. The conversation was very lively and stimulating and there were lots of callers who phoned and texted in to add their comments. Congratulations to Edel on putting the show together and let's hope there are many other such programmes in the future where women can have their say on what is important to them.
The show will be repeated on Dundalk FM 100  at 10pm tonight, Friday.

Speaking on the benefits of early childhood education and intervention

Speaking in the Seanad on Wednesday of this week

Launch of LauraLynn Mini Marathon campaign

The ladies in Leinster House got their running gear on this week to support Team LauraLynn at the launch of their MiniMarathon Campaign. Plenty of time to start training!

Speaking in the Seanad on Tuesday March 5th

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-zVD6uEgo3wR3lDZjB6OFA2S2c/edit?usp=sharing

Speaking in the Seanad on the need for discussion on the future of the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant and also on the subject of retired teachers working in schools.

Portuguese Embassy meets with Dundalk companies

          

 

Dundalk Chamber hosted another very successful Embassy visit when The Portuguese Embassy came to Dundalk to meet local companies in order to forge business links.

Mr Jose Ramos, Economic Attaché of The Portuguese Embassy visited Dundalk recently for a series of one-to-one meetings with various companies from around the North-East.
This is just one in a series of many visits which Dundalk Chamber has organized. The meetings took place in Oriel Shared Services in the Finnabair Business Park.
Mr Ramos was delighted with the number and variety of contacts and was sure that the visit would enhance trade in both directions.
Mr Ramos stated ‘..that although Portugal is suffering economically in the same way Ireland is there is signs of growth in the Portuguese economy creating many opportunities for foreign investment. The cost of doing business is still cheaper in Portugal and they have a highly skilled workforce ...like Ireland’.
“This is just another example of the Chamber creating new links for local companies. Due to the success of the meetings, Dundalk Chamber will play host to more Embassies in the near future, including both The Spanish and U.S. Embassy details of which can be found on www.dundalk.ie
If your company would like to attend one of these free meetings please call Kathleen in Dundalk Chamber on 042 9336343 or email admin@dundalk.ie