NEWS ROUND-UP
People look to get hair done across border
Some Sligo people are contacting hair salons across the border in the hope of getting their hair done when hairdressers in the North reopen tomorrow, Friday.
This week a hair salon in County Fermanagh has said that it has experienced an increase in calls for appointments from the Republic, including from Sligo.
Daniel McCrossen, who owns Daniel Anthonys in Enniskillen, told Ocean FM that already about a quarter of his clients would be from south of the border but they have noticed an increase. He said: “I would say about 20% of our clientele would be from the south, quite a few of those were existing clients over a period of time. But I would have seen perhaps an extra 5% over the last couple of weeks or so of new clientele looking to get in.”
But Mr McCrossan said that it was very hard to accomodate everybody who was looking to get an appointment so they were looking after the existing waiting list that they had. “I don’t want to disappoint people who missed out on appointments in the last lockdown,” he said.
‘Emergency investment is needed’
A local councillor has said the government of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the
Green Party must be called on to make an emergency investment in mental health services. Cllr Arthur Gibbons was speaking last week at the meeting of Sligo County Council where he had a motion outlining the need for genuine, proactive work in this area.
“Covid has pushed this crisis to emergency,” he said. “We have seen an increase in isolation, anxiety and depression. Emergency investment is needed to weather this storm.”
“We have to ask the government to fund these services. It is no good to just recognise there is a problem.”
Bank move ‘worrying for Sligo families’
News that the KBC Bank is in negotiation with Bank of Ireland to sell its business to them has been described by a local councillor as “a very worrying time for hundreds of Sligo families”. Cllr Thomas
Healy said: “This means that the KBC Bank will more than likely be following hot on the heels of Ulster Bank in leaving the Irish market.
“Between them, Ulster and KBC have 27% of the mortgage market and so this is a very worrying time for hundreds of Sligo families.
“It also means that, for those hoping to buy a house in a very expensive market, there will be less competition and less choice and therefore less value for money.
“Existing customers need to be reassured that their current terms and conditions are protected.
“The worry is that if you default on your payments then you can have your loan sold to a vulture fund rather than to a bank. Customers need to have themselves and their homes and families protected fully from these vulture funds that are only there to make a quick profit and leave.”
The Sinn Féin councillor said that although the state has the largest shareholding in Bank of Ireland it is still a minority in it.
“Rural Ireland is being decimated by a lack of banking services. We will have two main pillar banks both of whom are closing branches and services in rural areas. “We urgently need to convene a forum on the future of banking involving all stakeholders to discuss the state of the Irish banking sector and to chart a path forward.”
‘Get tested if you develop symptoms’
Dr Anthony Breslin, who is director of public health for Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal, has this week asked people to get tested if they develop Covid-19 symptoms. On Tuesday, he said: “Cases have not decreased as much as expected. Outbreaks are occurring in schools, workplaces and among families.
“If you develop symptoms get tested via your GP and if you are at work or in school leave and get tested. Do not stay on at work or school if you are ill. Please reduce socialising.”
He said those being tested will be required to follow public health measures, including social distancing, not travelling by public transport, practising good personal hygiene and wearing a face-covering throughout the test appointment (including travelling to and from the testing centre). HSE Public Health North West has asked people to continue to follow the Covid guidance.
A spokesperson said: “If you have symptoms of Covid, call your GP or GP out of hours service immediately. The GP will talk to you over the phone and can arrange a free test. Remember you must self-isolate to stop the spread.”
The spokesperson said the HSE is strongly encouraging all members of the public identified as requiring a Covid-19 test to attend for their appointment. The spokesman said: “In this way, we can identify quickly those who will have contracted the virus and take steps to prevent its spread across families and community.”
Benches in public areas to be accessible
Benches in public areas will be installed with disabled access in mind. This was confirmed at a recent meeting of Sligo County Council where Cllr Marie Casserly called for benches in public parks and appropriate spaces elsewhere in the county to be disabled-friendly should funding be sourced.
Cllr Casserly said: “Families and friends often venture to outdoor recreation areas with the specific intent to picnic. Accessible picnic elements facilitate the inclusion of park visitors. The provision of accessible picnic areas should be a consideration for all service providers. “Providing accessible picnic elements such as tables can be an easy process especially since accessible picnic tables come in a variety of shapes and sizes.”
Cllr Casserly cited the Commemorate Tree Avenue in Dublin’s Phoenix
Park as an example of a design which is comfortable, aesthetically pleasing and accessible to people of all ages and varying physical mobility. “We all need to think in terms of the Universal Right of Access and to seek to improve accessibility and usability for everyone. Accessibility for everyone becomes the norm.”
Acting director of services Emer Concannon confirmed that should funding become available, benches will be disabled friendly.
Burglaries were down by 25% last year
The number of burglaries in Sligo and Leitrim last year was down by a quarter on the figure for the previous year. The decrease of 25% was a bit less than the average of 31% for Connacht as a whole and
35% nationwide. Figures published this week by the monitored alarms company PhoneWatch show that almost 11,000 burglaries and other related offences occurred nationwide last year.
Of those, 159 took place in Sligo and Leitrim and there were 800 burglaries throughout Connacht. Galway was the hotspot with 413. Mayo reported the lowest at 105. Nationally, Leinster accounted for 70% of all burglaries. Unsurprisingly the capital, Dublin, has experienced the most break-ins (47%), followed by Cork and Limerick.
Mayo (0.9%) is the county in Ireland with the least number of burglaries in the past 12 months, with Roscommon and Longford reporting low figures too (1%).
Break-ins in commuter counties have dropped significantly too (45%) over the past year, as people travel less and work from home.
Generally the reduction in burglaries is put down to people being at home more due to the lockdowns.
However, PhoneWatch is warning that as restrictions lift and the normality of socialising and being outside of our homes becomes more frequent, homeowners need to remain diligent and when they go out should check windows and doors are locked, outdoor valuables are secured and gates are closed.
People were also warned not to advertise their trips on social media.
Man, 37, back in court on assault charge
A man is to appear in court again tomorrow, Friday, in relation to an alleged serious assault in Sligo on Thursday evening last.
Dean Mahon (37), whose address was given as Kiernan Avenue, Collooney, appeared at a special sitting of Sligo District Court on Friday last. He was charged with assaulting Michael Ryan at Pilkington Terrace, Sligo, on the previous evening, April 15.
The accused, who was represented by solicitor Tom MacSharry, was remanded in custody to appear at Harristown Court
(which is attached to
Castlerea prison) tomorrow,
Friday.