Munster Express Online » Local News

Wyse: ‘Education key in countering suicide’

Dermot Keyes — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:26:51 +0000

Education is the key to tackling the alarming rise in suicide numbers across the city and county: that’s the view of Waterford City Councillor Gary Wyse.

Cllr Wyse, who has seen the devastation caused by suicide at close hand in recent weeks, echoed concerns raised by Oireachtas members Ciara Conway, Paudie Conway and David Cullinane in these pages last week.

Clash of the Ash at WRH with no-smoke zone

Michelle Clancy — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:23:46 +0000

The grounds of Waterford Regional Hospital will be a smoke-free zone from Ash Wednesday.

In a move that is likely to invoke fierce criticism from smokers, any patients, staff or relatives who want to ‘light up’ will be requested to leave the grounds of WRH from 22

nd February onwards.

Local man shoots Oscar-tipped film

The Munster Express — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:21:57 +0000

Waterford native Patrick (Paddy) Jordan was in exuberant form this week as he planned his trip to the 84 Angeles.

The former Newtown School student was the Director of Photography on Pentecost, the Irish Film Board-funded short film nominated in the Best Live Action Short category of the 2012 Awards.

Outer Ring Road 80kph limit is recommended

Dermot Keyes — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:16:48 +0000

A 20 kilometre per hour increase on Waterford city’s Outer Ring Road looks increasingly likely after the City Council’s Transport Special Policy Committee (SPC) recommended a new limit of 80kph for the route.

The recommendation, made on Wednesday last, will be widely welcomed by regular users of the road, as well as campaigners who have lobbied for several years for a change in the speed limit.

Daniels calls for smart move over WiFi for city

John O' Connor — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:14:29 +0000

A Waterford councillor is calling on the City Council to follow the example of Dublin, London, Bilbao and Paris and make Waterford city a free WiFi area.

Councillor Davy Daniels said such a move would be a major boost for home and foreign tourism and would also have many positive applications for the City Council itself.

Low ranking for planning department

The Munster Express — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:19:18 +0000

WATERFORD City Council ranks among the lowest performing local authorities in a number of key planning related areas.

In 2010, the department had among the lowest number of planning office opening hours; held the smallest number of preplanning consultation meetings; and conducted no fire and health and safety inspections on new properties.

Halligan furious at ‘watered down’ university plan

Michelle Clancy — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:17:53 +0000

Waterford and Carlow IT’s bid for technological university status will be one of at least three and possibly more similar applications this year, it emerged this week.

Five institutes of technology in the Border, Midlands and West (BMW) region have confirmed they were at “advanced stage” discussions regarding the establishment of a technological university, fuelling further criticism that the mooted Technological University of the South East’s status will be that of a watered down traditional university.

County Council grants planning changes at WIT sports facility

Michael Quinn — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:11:24 +0000

Waterford County Council has granted permission to Campus Services for major changes in their grant of planning for a proposed new multi-purpose sports hall for WIT in order to incorporate teaching rooms for students.

The planning amendment includes the provision of a two-storey educational block over increased ground floor. The new facilities will include a storage area and kitchen.

The amended plans also envisage the provision of three lantern type lights and modifications to all proposed elevations and service roads.

‘Time for HSE to end the spin over WRH cuts’

Dermot Keyes — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:07:39 +0000

An angry Senator David Cullinane has described the proposed cuts to services at Waterford Regional Hospital (WRH) as ‘shameful’.

“Let’s call a spade a spade here,” he told this newspaper when referring to the 2012 budgeting proposals obtained by The Munster Express in recent days.

“Less funding for Waterford Regional Hospital means less services, full stop. The hospital is going to be dealing with at least 2,000 less patients a year because of what the HSE likes to describe as ‘efficiencies’ when they’re actually referring to cuts.

Kill Post Office closure threat campaign heats up

Michelle Clancy — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:51:15 +0000

Over 150 people turned out at Kill’s Community Centre on Monday night to voice their concerns over the permanent closure of the village’s post office.

Kill postmaster Anton Lennon retired last year, following a raid at the post office. Since then, An Post has decided not to reopen the post office but members of the close-knit community say this is not good enough.

At Monday’s meeting, locals described to TDs Paudie Coffey, Ciara Conway and John Halligan and Senator David Cullinane the impact that the long-term closure of the local post office was having on people.