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3rd August 2020

EXTENSION OF VALIDITY OF DRIVING LICENSES BEING

CONSIDEREDLocal Fine Gael TD Emer Higgins has welcomed confirmation that an extension of the validity of driving licences for a further period due to Covid-19 is now being considered.

The Dublin Mid West representative submitted a parliamentary question to the Minister for Climate Action, C o m m u n i c a t i o n Networks and Transport, Eamon Ryan, TD recently after

receiving complaints from concerned motorists who cannot get a renewal of their driving license due to Covid-19 measures.

Deputy Higgins who represents the areas of Lucan, Clondalkin, Rathcoole, Saggart and Newcastle said, “I welcome the fact that Minister Ryan is now considering my proposal to extend the further validity of driving licenses. “Many motorists who need a driving license to

attend work, including frontline medical staff, have contacted me in recent weeks. “The previous Minister extended validity of driving licenses to the 30th June as a result of the inability to produce new licenses during the lockdown period.

“However, a large backlog has built up in that time and social distancing has reduced the capacity of staff to produce licenses. “Through no fault of the staff or those

applying for licenses, it is now impossible to renew a drivers’ license in a timely manner. “Nobody’s livelihood should be put at risk as a result of this delay. This is a common sense solution to overcome an unforeseen crisis.

“Earlier this year driving licences and learner permits, which were due to expire from 1 March to 30 June 2020, were extended for a four-month period from their expiry date.“NDLS offices are unable to facilitate any walk-ins due to social distancing requirements and in the interest of protecting staff and customers. All appointments must now be booked in advance which has led to an increase in the demand for appointments.

“If it made sense for Minister Ross to extend driving licenses earlier in the year, it makes just as much sense for Minister Ryan to extend them now. “I am urging Minister Ryan to act quickly and decisively so that motorists can continue to legally travel to work,” Deputy Higgins concluded.

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2

HELLFIRE VISITOR CENTRE DEVELOPMENT UPDATE JULY 2020At the recent South Dublin County Council meeting, a headed Item came before councillors detailing the decision of An Bord Pleanála (ABP) and the proposal to move on to procure a detailed design team to begin work. In terms of costing, the last costing done in 2017 was at €15million, €5 million of which to come from Failte Ireland.

Local Councillor Alan Edge commented “We are told these costings will be checked at the design stage, that the team will be on board by the end of this year with construction to begin next year to complete in Spring 2023. I had attempted to put down

a suspensory motion calling for the suspension of work pending a review of capital spending in light of covid which was denied, wrongly in my view. I will raise this matter again at our September meeting.”

Edge continued “ I made clear that I had no objection either to improved car parking or to the turning over of Coillte land to recreational use and deciduous forest. The Visitor Centre is a separate proposition. I dispute that what I term an ‘interpretative restaurant’ is either necessary or desirable. However, I stressed that there should be common ground even with those who disagree

with that point of view on the basis of the need, in light of an unprecedented economic crisis, to review capital spending on this project.

Accepting that this has been budgeted for over a number of years and that money set aside for it cannot simply be deployed elsewhere in an instant, we are still trying to establish where the shortfalls will be arising from the pandemic. We know belts will have to be tightened and we as elected representatives have a duty to the people of South Dublin County to look again at this project before spending another cent of public money on it.”

The Firhouse-Bohernabreena Councillor concluded “I welcomed the Council’s commitment to consult with residents but queried to what extent this will be a meaningful consultation. When pressed, the Manager anticipated that these consultations would be happening throughout the process. Cllr Johanssen made the point

that it has been several years since councillors took a vote and it’s right that new councillors have their voices heard and she cited the folding of the Happy Pear branch in Clondalkin pointing to the uncertainty around tourism in the county in light of the pandemic.

Cllr Bailey viewed the

change from commercial to CCF as a ‘game-changer’ and said that the increased focus on biodiversity was at odds with a plan to bring 300k tourists p.a. to the area. And Cllr O’Hara supported the project wished it every success on behalf of all of the Fine Gael councillors.” The Save The Hellfire group have expressed their

disappointment on the recent ABP decision are now considering the implications of the decision and are seeking legal advice.

They are asking for contributions however how small to help fund their campaign which can be found at www.idonate.ie/4042_save-the-hellfire.html.

SDCC NEEDS DO SOMETHING ON ROAD SAFETY

Cllr Timmons says ‘’ I am calling on SDCC to do an immediate safety audit on Newcastle roads, Residents are raising why Main St should be classified as a primary route by SDCC? They realise Greenogue is adjacent to Newcastle but request that surely hgv’s should be encouraged to use N7, M50, M4 rather than shortcutting through the village to save time heading west. Many think since lockdown began everyone has appreciated the quieter roads and can see there is a better way?

Cllr Timmons says ‘’ Residents ask after several near misses that a full traffic assessment is required in Newcastle prior to schools re opening they are afraid that a child will be killed on the roads , there is also huge concern re HGVs driving through

Newcastle which many feel is putting their children at real danger’’

Cllr Timmons says ‘’ Residents are begging for something to be done by SDCC , They need something done about speeding in and out of Newcastle village – They say cars speeding have no regard for the safety of families out walking that road - Only a matter of time before someone is killed. They feel the speed limit should be 30kph as it’s a residential area and with another 500+ houses !!!! – and at the very least that should be done is a survey of the speed and traffic levels on the road - I reckon 70% of traffic is exceeding the current 50kph , its very dangerous and residents feel SDCC is ignoring there issues in regards to constant speed at entrances to Newcastle’’

3

JOE BELL CELEBRATES 100TH BIRTHDAYPictured with staff and housemates is Joe Bell, a resident of Cheeverstown, on his recent 100th birthday. Cheeverstown celebrated his centenary with a party attended by residents, friends and staff. Joe has elected not to communicate verbally over the years but has instead chosen to communicate with others through his love of art. Joe has been supported by Cheeverstown intellectual disability services since 1987. Observing the enjoyment that Joe obtained from art, he received a gift of oil paints, brushes and

OAKFIELD TRUST DONATES €130,000 TO HELP LOCAL FAMILIESIn response to the hardship caused by the pandemic Oakfield Trust, a Clondalkin based social enterprise, has donated to several local projects in Clondalkin & Tallaght and two national Government match funded initiatives. In the area for more than 20 years, Oakfield provides a range of property-based services and related supports to local communities and projects. The company acquires and leases properties which it tailor-fits to the needs of local organisations that work with marginalised groups and socially excluded communities.

Oakfield Trust has donated €130,000 in funding to initiatives working to combat the impact of Covid-19. The organisation was fortunate to have a surplus in its Risk Reserve Fund which enabled them to support a number of projects during the pandemic which has posed a huge challenge for many organisations. In order to donate as much as possible, Oakfield Trust selected initiatives with Government match funding

– contributing €45,000 to The Children’s Rights Alliance Emergency Food Provision Scheme aimed at addressing food poverty and €75,000 to Rethink Ireland’s Social Innovation Fund which offers extensive wraparound supports to vulnerable social and community enterprises. In addition to these funding schemes Oakfield Trust has also donated one- off funding grants to food charities in Neilstown and Killinarden as well as Saoirse Women’s Refuge Tallaght and Beacon of Light Counselling Services Clondalkin.

Marie Duffin, Manager of Oakfield Trust, said: “It has been a really difficult time for the whole community during this pandemic. These funding donations will help and support local people and projects – with funding allocated where it is needed the most. We believe that now is the time for our fantastic community to come together and help each other recover from the Covid-19 crisis and build strong links for the future.”

The Children’s Rights Alliance established the Emergency Food Provision Scheme recently to support the nutritional needs for children under 6 experiencing poverty and deprivation during Covid-19 and the Children and Young People Services Committees (CYPSC) played a key role in

the delivery of the scheme by assisting organisations serving those with the greatest need to apply for funding.

Rethink Ireland provides cash grants and business supports to social innovations that directly address the current crisis

and can make a real difference. Marie added: “These initiatives are doing excellent work and we are fortunate to be in a position at this time of crisis to be part of their efforts by helping to fund their projects. Indeed, we believe their work will have a huge supportive

impact on the lives of children and families within our own community and, through shared learning and other collaborations, on communities around the country.”

For more information visit the website www.oakfieldtrust.ie.

an easel from staff for his 70th birthday. That same birthday weekend was the first time that Joe ever flew on an aeroplane; he took a short flight from Dublin to Shannon, returning by train where he enjoyed a ‘wee

dram’ of his favourite tipple, Irish whiskey. A new chapter in Joe’s life had begun. He became recognised as a talented artist in his own right. In 2005, a book was published to share Joe’s talented work and a

permanent art exhibition was commissioned to showcase his art in Cheeverstown. Joe is truly an extraordinary gentleman and an inspiration to those who meet him.PIC: Dave Meehan

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First Tech Credit Union, a Credit Union for workers in the ICT sector has launched a fully automated, compliant, and digitised solution to allow new members to sign-up and avail of its innovative financial services

nationwide. Adjusting to face-to-face restrictions due to Covid 19 and enabling remote onboarding of members regardless of their location, First Tech Credit Union is continually striving to deliver a better

FIRST-TECH CREDIT UNION LAUNCHES DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP ON BOARDING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ID-PAL AND SOLUTION CENTRE

experience for its members and make it as easy as possible for them to engage with their Credit Union. Digitising the onboarding and engagement experience is very positively accepted and welcomed by their tech-savvy customers, who require a secure, convenient, and accessible solution to meet their financial needs.

“Applicants can sign up to our services completely online and the implemented solution will ensure that satisfying CBI / AML needs is an easy and seamless experience. It will capture and validate member identities as well as allow us to manage members’ details within our core banking systems. We have explored many different solutions and were pleasantly surprised with the speed and ease at which the ID-Pal Identity Verification solution was live. We were set up within days, with no effort from our technology resources. This solution is embedded on our website, which is a

crucial medium for engaging and communicating with our members, who live and work throughout the country.” – Brendan Synnott, CEO, First Tech Credit Union.

“ID-Pal is delighted to work with First Tech Credit Union and be a part of this important and innovative digital shift. Working with numerous Community and National Credit Unions throughout Ireland, UK and US, our solution is designed to focus on the core competencies of Identity Verification, delivering a robust compliance solution that is also user-friendly and seamless for the Credit Union members. The ID-Pal platform is ISO27001 accredited which guarantees the highest quality security. We have significant interest in and use of our solution from Credit Unions as they look to adapt to the changing landscape of Covid 19 whilst maintaining unwavering focus on the security of member data in compliance with CBI. We are excited

to work with First Tech and the Solution Centre for this important digital initiative that will benefit both the business and its members.” – Richard Coady, Head of Sales at ID-Pal.

Solution Centre have created customer journeys for credit unions that give a seamless experience to potential borrowers and membership applicants that are helping loan book growth by putting credit unions on an even technological playing field with other lenders.

“We’re creating journeys that put the customer first. The pandemic has put some impetuous on making sure they can get the service they expect from online

platforms. While it was necessary before the crisis, virtualisation of these processes will be entirely essential to maintain credit union competitiveness in the future” – Kevin Johnson CEO, Solution Centre

First Tech Credit Union joins a growing stable of credit unions now offering remote onboarding using both Solution Centre customer journeys and ID Pal’s identity verification platform. Growing the lending area of the business is a key strategic goal of the credit union and the first step to reaching this goal is to make the joining process as frictionless as possible.

For more information see www.firsttech.ie

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CURVES KNOCKLYON MEMBERS THE PURPLE COMMUNITY SQUADCurves Knocklyon based in Woodstown Shopping Centre is back open and they can’t wait to see you!

Owner Liza Sales is delighted to welcome new members to join at any time. “I am delighted to help you to begin a new adventure as part of our Curves community and welcome you to Curves Fitness and weight loss programme. As a member we believe you will see great results if you follow the plan. By giving a commitment of full body 30 minutes circuit training workouts a week we are sure you will reach your goals before you know it!”

Liza adds “My main passion and ambition is helping women in my community to realise their true potential. No matter what your goal may be, I can help you achieve it - from weight loss to muscle tone, exercise rehabilitation, or getting rid of that

post pregnancy weight - anything is achievable with hard work, dedication and little bit of help from me and my amazing Curves Team. I consider myself to be a very lucky person, not only do I have a job that I am passionate about, but I get to laugh, have fun and train with the most amazing people all day long.

I have the pleasure to work in the Curves Knocklyon location and when I’m not instructing clients, I get to teach a variety of body basic classes, that I love with great banter and loads of energetic music you - burn loads of calories at each workout. Over the years I have helped and supported thousands of women to lose weight, tone up, improve strength, flexibility, get fit, train for a race or improve your sporting performance I will be there to ensure you can achieve your goals.” The very dedicated Liza says “A huge amount of women

do not feel confident or comfortable enough to go to traditional gyms and this is where Curves comes in, we provide one to one support for women on every single visit, we ensure each woman has a goal and is working towards it with her own coach and overall we make exercising fun which for a lot of women they never believed could be a reality. Curves Knocklyon is more than just gym, we are all about empowering women of all ages, shapes and sizes.

My dream is to teach women why exercise and strength training is vital part of their lives. If we can teach women to be best version of themselves and continue to educate them on how to take care of themselves in terms of creating a healthy balance with exercise, work, food and life in general, and that’s what exercise should be all about, switching off

for your hectic day and, let face it we are all busy bees these days. So you can see why I love my job whatever your fitness goal we offer classes such as Body Basics and Body Balance within the circuit. These classes offer members an opportunity for more exercises with a mixture of Aerobics, Boxing, Balance and Core these classes are fun and energetic, in these classes we just use your body weight and concentrate on upper, middle, or lower body with our Strength Training

Machines As Our Classes - Combining Cardio, Strength Training & Stretching all in one workout!!”

Liza concluded “It’s our members and our great staff that make this a place where women support each other and achieve their goals. We look forward to helping you achieve yours. Curves is proven effective at helping women lose weight, gain muscle strength and raise metabolism with aerobic activity contributing to healthy bones, muscles and

joints. It’s great to be at Curves!! Hope to see you soon Liza.”

Liza and the team will help keep you focused, help kick start your fitness program on weight loss, toning, loosen Inches all in just 30 minutes a day. All fitness levels welcome. The Knocklyon gym is open Monday to Saturday with flexible times to suit everyone. Contact Liza today on 01-4938117 or email: curvesknocklyon@gmail.com for more information.

Pictured Liza Roque Sales

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DEPUTY MAYOR URGES COUNCIL ACTION ON ‘ENORMOUS DANGEROUS’ TREES

Councillor David McManus (Fine Gael) has called on South Dublin County Council to urgently change its tree management policy after a car was recently damaged by a fallen branch in Rathfarnham. The vehicle was parked on a public road near trees that are ‘twice the height of nearby family homes’ according to Councillor McManus. The large branch fell on to the roof of a family car, smashing the rear window.

The recently elected Deputy Mayor for South Dublin commented ‘In this instance, I am relieved that no one was seriously injured or even killed by this enormous, dangerous tree. This car will cost thousands of euros to be repaired – a cost that could have been avoided if this tree were maintained. The areas of Rathfarnham and Templeogue that I represent have massive trees that are unsuitable to the area. Residents are contacting me every week as these trees grow to exceptional heights

and have deep roots that can create trip hazards on public footpaths and disrupt underground utilities.’

Councillor McManus continued ‘I believe council policy is too rigid and needs to be more flexible to ensure dangerous trees are addressed. I feel the council are pandering to tree huggers that are only a vocal minority and will always complain any time a tree is pruned or removed for being diseased or dead.

We have to use common sense in how we manage trees.’

South Dublin County Council previously revealed that a review of claims since 2015 showed €21,500 in costs for eight cases where property damage only was claimed and where a tree was mentioned in the circumstances. These figures do not include accidents involving trees which have occurred in storm conditions.

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DEVELOPMENT PLAN SCHEDULE WELCOMED

Local Councillor, Charlie O’Connor, has welcomed confirmation from South Dublin County Council of the initial schedule for the review of the County Development Plans. The Council told Charlie O’Connor that: “ The review of the Development Plan is starting on 31st July.There will be a dedicated website which can be accessed through the SDCC website with all of the information on it. A newspaper notice will also be published. The public consultation will run from 31st July to 28th September inclusive. We will run a number

of events and updates on social media to get people engaged including two webinars for the public. We intend to hold drop-in sessions in county hall but they will be by appointment due to the covid restrictions. We will also distribute hard copy issues booklets around the county, in libraries and post offices/shops if they will take them for us.” According to Charlie O’Connor it is vital that the public engage in this important process and he also encouraged Organisations and Associations to become involved.

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8

BIFE Looking forward to working with new higher Education Government Minister

Bray Institute of Further Eduction are delighted to hear of the appointment of Simon Harris to the role of Minister of Higher Education, Innovation and Science. “We wish him well in this new and exciting post and look forward to working closely with him in our efforts to bring full-time higher education to Wicklow” says Gabriel Allen, Deputy Principal.

“Simon has been a great supporter of Bray Institute and was on our Board of Management for a number of years”. For the past thirty years Bray Institute of Further Education has been a centre of excellence in the field of Further and Higher Education. At present the Institute has over one thousand full-time students studying at Degree, Diploma and Certificate level and

over one thousand learners on part-time courses. The Institute has a national profile attracting learners from all over Ireland and abroad.

It is located on Novara Avenue, on a six-acre site, only 150 metres from the town centre. The campus is also within walking distance of the Dart Station and consistently innovative and flexible in its approach, BIFE is in the ideal position to expand the provision of higher level courses to the people of Wicklow.

Projects currently planned by BIFE under their vision document “BIFE the 2020 Vision and Beyond” are: To develop an Animal Hospital & Health School on the grounds of BIFE, catering for the Health Sciences such as Nursing, Food Science and

Social Sciences and Animal Science.

To develop a new Media Centre for Film and TV consisting of TV studios, editing facilities and performance areas. This Media Centre will also include studios for sound, music and their various performing arts studios such as Dance and Theatre. It will feed into their already dynamic Film, TV and Music facilities and will support the future growth of the Irish Film, TV and Music Industry in the area

To develop sports facilities to include a new sports centre and an Astro turf all-weather pitch with both Gaelic and Soccer dimensions to cater for BIFE’s Sports Department, one of the fastest growing departments in

EDUCATION FEATURE

the Institute, facilities which would also cater for the local sporting and community needs.

Applications for September 2020 Courses are now open. Apply on-line at www.bife.ie or call the Institute any

day during office hours on 01-2829668 for further information between 9am and 1pm.

Pictured Ray Tedders, Principal BIFE and Simon Harris TD, Minister for Higher Education

ADULT EDUCATION COURSES AT GREENHILLS COMMUNITY COLLEGEGreenhills Community College offers over 20 courses in a wide variety of subject areas including Art, Business, Childcare, Computing, Engineering, Healthcare, Science and Nursing. All their courses are certified by QQI and run at levels 3, 4, 5 or 6. Online application for courses is now open at www.greenhillscollege.ie with all courses starting in September 2020. New courses on offer this year include Pre-University Science with Nutrition, Part-time Cyber Security and Part-time Healthcare.

What do past students have to say?

Yvonne from the class of 2020 said “I would highly recommend anyone young or mature to consider studying Art & Portfolio Preparation in Greenhills College of Further Education. The course is structured in such a way that one is constantly building one’s skills and expanding one’s knowledge. The Course Tutor offers excellent support, direction and instruction making it a very inclusive and relaxed learning environment. The Course tutor is always on hand to

offer guidance and encouragement. I was offered a place in NCAD, TU Dublin and IADT as a result of the work I did on developing my portfolio. I would not have received these offers had I not completed the course”. (Yvonne Hickey, QQI Level 5 Art & Portfolio Preparation student).

After completing a course, students progress onto further studies at Third Level/Further Education or directly into work. Greenhills College has links with many Third Level Universities and ITs including University College Dublin (UCD) and Technological University Dublin (TUDublin), as well as a wide range of employers and recruitment companies.

Many of their students have been out of education for a number of years while other students have just completed their Leaving Certificate. All students enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the College, while gaining an internationally recognised qualification. Their teachers are excellent and help their students in every way they can.

Further details on Further Education courses are available at www.greenhillscollege.ie

Pic Credit: DAK Photography

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CRUMLIN COLLEGE OF FURTHER EDUCATION - APPLICATIONS NOW INVITED FOR 2020/2021

Planning to defer your CAO application until 2021 or hoping to return to full time education? If so, look no further than Crumlin College of Further Education. Ideally located on Crumlin Road and within easy access of the city centre, there is a network of Dublin Bus routes literally on its doorstep and the Red Luas line is just a few minutes’ walk away.

The college offers a broad range of courses at QQI Levels 5 and 6 and a number of courses offer additional

accreditation by ITEC, CIDESCO and ATI. In addition to new courses being offered for 2020/2021: Pre-Degree Computing and Business Studies with Sports and Fitness, there is a large range of existing established courses on offer insuring that there is something there to meet everybody’s needs and projected career plans. Post-Leaving Certificate courses offer excellent opportunities either directly through entry into the jobs market or through progression onto Higher Level courses.

Small class sizes delivered by highly experienced staff results in students acquiring valuable life and academic skills. Here is just a taste of some of the courses on offer:

Reception & Office Administration

A course designed to equip students with the skills necessary to work as a receptionist or office administrator in a variety of organisations.

Sales & Marketing

A course that prepares students for careers such as customer service provider or company sales representative. Students gain an extensive knowledge of selling techniques, marketing theory and practice, information technology and the business environment in which the industry operates.

Tourism

As one of the largest service industries in Ireland, the Tourism Industry will be vitally important in helping

the country emerge from the economic fallout created by COVID-19. As such, it is important to have a suitably qualified workforce to meet that challenge. Crumlin College of Further Education prides itself on its tourism courses on offer;

Travel Agency Skills and Event Planning

This course explores the core tourism subjects associated with the travel agency, tour operator and event management industries. Students gain practical experience and explore tourism topics, trends, and issues of the day.Students who successfully complete the course can progress to further or higher education courses or may seek employment directly with travel agencies, tour operators or tourism offices.

Hospitality with TourismThis course specialises in the hospitality sector of the tourism industry. Students

gain practical, hands-on experience involving elements of accommodation and food preparation areas. Students who successfully complete the course can hope to further their studies or secure employment in the hospitality sector.

The website will also provide information on any live virtual events happening during the summer.

Crumlin College of Further Education may not be accessible to the public right now but applications for all courses are invited online right throughout the summer. If you have any queries, you may contact the college by email at enrol@ccfe.cdetb.ie or through Facebook at www.facebook.com/officialcrumlincollege.

Updates on what is happening at the college are also accessible at tw i t ter. com/Cruml inC or instagram.com/crumlincollege

TO ADVERTISE IN OUR EDUCATION FEATURE,

CONTACT SIOBHAN TODAY!

Phone: 01 451 9000Mobile: 085 289 7151

or Email:siobhan@newsgroup.ie

Visit www.newsgroup.ie to view our latest editions

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Citywise Education is among the 116 projects to receive support from Bank of Ireland’s Begin Together Fund.The financial support will help local community groups and non-profit organisations continue to serve their communities through the COVID-19 pandemic. Jobstown-based Citywise works with young people aged between 8-21 and aims to raise their personal and educational aspirations and support them to achieve their goals.

Citywise will receive up to €5,000 for supporting financial wellbeing through its ‘Citywise Means Business’ initiative which will provide support to over 120 young people. Supports will include interactive games and workshops on topics including budgeting and personal finances.

The participants will be involved in the design and organisation of the

programme. Bank of Ireland is working with The Community Foundation for Ireland, which is administering the Begin Together Fund, and a number of expert partners – the Society of St Vincent de Paul, Sport Ireland, Action Mental Health and Sport NI – who assisted in developing the fund’s focus and social impact objectives.

Commenting on the announcement, Laura Henry, Head of Bank of Ireland for Dublin South, said: “The aim of the Begin Together Fund, launched back in February which seems a lifetime ago now, is to support charities and community organisations that are making a real difference to the financial, physical and mental wellbeing of their communities.

As society begins to open up again it’s important to remember that charities and community groups have

seen their income severely impacted by COVID-19 but the work they do is more important than ever. For that reason I’m delighted that the Begin Together Fund is providing this timely support for the Citywise Education project.”

Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of the Community Foundation for Ireland, said:

“The COVID-19 Pandemic, its economic impact and recovery is causing great uncertainty for people, families and communities across the country. Bank of Ireland’s Begin Together Fund, administered by The Community Foundation for Ireland, is a perfect example of partnership which can deliver real supports for people who have seen their home and work lives severely impacted by COVID-19.

While this is a period of huge challenge, The

CITYWISE EDUCATION ANNOUNCED AS BANK OF IRELAND BENEFICIARY OF THE BEGIN TOGETHER FUND

Pictured are Henry Dummer, Chief Marketing Officer, Bank of Ireland with Aaron Duke and Ellie Iveagh aged 16 from Citywise Education and Angelica Santander from Clowns Without Borders Ireland, a fund grantee. Pic credit: Conor McCabe Photography.

Community Foundation for Ireland remains absolutely

committed to working with its partners for a fair, caring

and vibrant Ireland with thriving communities.”

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Home cooking

and baking

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Carpaccio of Taro (Neplaese Pidaalu)Carpaccio of double cooked Taro, dressed with salsa of shallot, dill,

plum tomato, lime and black salt.Ingredients:

4 pcs medium whole peeled Taro2 bay leaves1 small pcs crushed ginger1 clove crushed garlic1 tbsp chopped dried Taro leaves¼ tsp ground turmericSalt to taste2 ltr water

Ingredients for Tomato and fresh dill salsa:

2 tbsp chopped tomato concasse2 tbsp chopped shallot1 tbsp fresh fine chopped dill1 tbsp lime juice2 tbsp rapeseed oil1 tbsp ground cumin1/3 tsp black salt

Method :

· Combine all ingredients into a deep sauce pot with the 2 Ltr water and boil for about 20 minutes or until just cooked but not too soft. Remove the taro from the pot carefully and leave aside for cooling.

· Heat 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil in a frying pan medium to high heat. Gently add pre-cooked Taro in the pan and fry for about 5 minutes until slightly golden brown.

· Add freshly chopped dill, lime juice and season with black salt. Quickly stir, remove from pan and leave on tea towel.

· Thinly slice a Taro tubes carefully with a sharp knife and arrange on a suitable clean serving plate. Garnish the sliced Taro with tomato and fresh dill salsa and black salt.

· Tomato and fresh dill salsa; Combine all ingredients in a salad bowl and mix it well with spoon. Our salsa is ready for any salad dish.

Pictured Bal Krishna Shrestha

Apple SpongeIngredients :

70g Stork Margarine90g Caster Sugar140g Plain Flour 2 Eggs1 Tsp Baking Powder1 Tsp Vanilla extract1 Tsp Cinnamon Sugar3 Eating Apples

Method :

Pre heat oven 180c Grease an 20cm tin ( I used a square tin )Beat together the marg and sugar until light and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time make sure the egg is well combined before adding the second egg then add the vanilla.

Fold in the baking powder and plain flour. Peel and core the apples and chop into bite size pieces, fold into the mixture. Spoon into the tin and level with the back of the spoon and bake for 25 - 30 minutes. When it’s cooked sprinkle with a teaspoon of cinnamon sugar or a teaspoon of caster sugar.

To make cinnamon sugar just add ground cinnamon to granulated sugar, I like to make a jar full to have on hand for other recipes. Half a cup of granulated sugar and approximately 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon depending on your taste mix together and store in a glass jar with a tight lid.

17

AMAZING WEIGHT LOSS WITH NOELEEN FROM SLIMMING WORLD

Orla Coffey was so delighted to talk to Newsgroup about her weight loss journey with the help of consultant Noeleen Herbage. Orla

explained her struggles since she was a teenager “I have Multiple Sclerosis since I was 15. I was pretty bad for few years, but it

Orla before and after

BE YOUR OWN BEST FRIENDBy Brónagh Lyons

Brónagh Lyons is an inner-leadership coach, author and cofounder of Epic Hearts Club, the low-cost, high-value online coaching hub. Brónagh is passionate to provide incredible coaching content and information to everyone who wants and needs it, regardless of their circumstances. Brónagh is a regular contributor to Newsgroup.

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine a situation where your best friend has come to you with tears down their face. Someone has just said something rude to them. She has just made a mistake in work. He has just realised he has gained some weight and

is so disappointed with himself. How do you react? What do you say to them to console them? Think about it.

Now imagine these scenarios. Someone has just insulted you. They have told you that you are a failure and that you will never amount to anything... Imagine you are in

work and you realise that you have just made a mistake that has cost the company a lot of money... Imagine that you are getting ready for an event and you take out your favourite outfit and no matter how hard you try you cannot get the zip to close. How

do you react? What do you say to yourself in these situations? Close your eyes and think about it.

Did you notice a difference? Most of us say things to ourselves that we would never say to our closest friends and family. We can be our own worst critic.

THIS is what I mean by being your own best friend.

I urge you all to pay special attention to the words you use when speaking to yourself. Become intentional about your thoughts. When you are in a difficult situation,

question if you would speak your words to someone you love.

went into a deep remission in my twenties and lived a full and energetic life. Happiest of all was when I met my incredible husband and we lived a life of fun and adventure.

However, it was not to be. In 2012, 7 weeks before our wedding, I suffered a catastrophic accident that left me with such severe eye and facial pain, I was unable to go near wind/moving air. An outdoors person, who walked a minimum of 40 minutes a day, I became trapped indoors. Over the next few years, on medication, and suffering with severe nerve pain, PTSD and depression. I put on a piano-sized piece of weight - I ballooned by ten stone. I was in a very bad place and this endured.”

Then Orla found Slimming World and began her weight loss journey but the

reality of lockdown due to Covid-19 happened, she said “A big changer for me was Slimming World but particularly my amazing consultant Noeleen. The programme is easy to understand and with the guidance of Noeleen plus the support of my lovely group, my weight started to shift. By the time of lock-down, I had relieved myself of four stone. At the date of lockdown, when all the world was falling apart and I became unable to visit my fabulous family who are my main support, I became anxious that I would inflate again.”

As the Covid-19 pandemic developed, Noeleen moved her groups online, Orla commented “Thankfully, putting weight back on was not on the cards. Instead,

the unreal Noeleen, putting client safety front and centre, cancelled our Slimming World face-to-face groups and she immediately mobilized. She, almost instantaneously, started a weekly Zoom session.With this, Slimming World and Noeleen gave us consistency and comfort - we got all the relevant food and slimming information whilst also, even more importantly, in my opinion, they gave us support. Even as we all sat individually in our homes, we were very much part of Noeleen and Slimming World’s Community.”

The online group really helped Orla to stick to the plan, Orla concluded “The online group support had emotional benefits and I’m very happy to report that

my weight-loss accelerated during the lockdown. I had the support, I had something positive to focus on and consequently, I deflated. At the moment, I have lost seven stone to date and I am feeling very confident and excited that my ten stone award and sticker will be mine in the near future. I laugh when I think of how I’ll look back at the awful year of 2020 that we’ve all been through. It has been a never-ending horror show but I will hopefully look back with gratitude for the progress I managed to make in one vital, important and esteem-building arena. Thank you Noeleen and Slimming World!”

For more information or to join Slimming World contact Noeleen on 085 7499296 or www.slimmingworld.ie

GROUPS CLEANING UP DUBLIN UPLANDS

Recently there has been an increase in dumping in rural areas. Cllr. Alan Edge said “We had a spate of illegal dumping recently in Glenasmole. The vile behaviour of a small few who abuse the countryside really tests your faith in humanity but the amazing generosity of volunteers is heartwarming. Veteran litter-pickers John Kiberd, Caragh Coote and Wladek Gaj didn’t hesitate to give up their time to help out. Joined by Donie Anderson and Jess, who carried on cleaning up well into the evening with Martin Dunne and Christopher Collins (9) and Mum Mary. Christopher is an amazing ambassador for the environment and local area. He and his Mum do clean-ups of the local area each week and gives us hope for the future”.

In 2019, Pure recorded its lowest amount of illegal dumping collected from Wicklow/Dublin Uplands however dumping continues to be a serious problem. Pure removed 150 tonnes of dumping in 2019 when compared to 2009, they removed 344 tonnes, a 56% reduction. A significant

amount of the rubbish removed was done so by numerous volunteers.

These volunteers are participating in the Pure Mile Project and this year there are over 550 miles of roads, mountains, woodlands, valleys, and uplands being adopted, with hundreds of litter picks and cleanups having already taken place. The recent fine weather, coupled with the easing of travel restrictions, has seen an increase of visitors to the Dublin Uplands resulting in many of the mountain areas having an increases in litter. One area continually affected by litter and dumping is the beautiful valley of Glenasmole and

Piperstown. A recent litter pick by the Atha Cliath Pure Mile Group with over 20 volunteers, resulted in the removal of over 1,000kg of rubbish and waste from the roads. The Pure truck concentrated on removing the larger dumped rubbish.

Pure Manager, Ian Davis, commented ‘The South Dublin Uplands is a unique landscape and environment, attracting thousands of visitors annually, now part of the Wicklow Mountains National Park. An area of International significance and protected under the European Habitats Directive as a Special Area of Conservation.” To report dumping call 1850 365 121.

18

MOTORING LIFE WITH

Suzuki Motor Corporation unveiled the new Swift for Europe at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show as its all-new global compact supermini. The new Swift represents an automotive advancement aimed at uplifting the driver through succession, evolution and innovation. Initially offered in petrol engine guise, the new Suzuki Swift is now available with Hybrid technology across all trim levels. With global Swift sales of 6.9 million units since 2005, the latest generation Swift is a hugely important car for Suzuki.

The new Suzuki Swift benefits from completely new styling, and a performance-enhancing extremely light body with advanced safety technologies. The result is exterior European flair complemented by a sporty and functional interior, nimble and agile driving, and enhanced peace of mind. In addition to its stylish exterior design in a compact size of just 3,840mm long, the new Swift features excellent visibility, a spacious cabin and ample luggage space. With the rear seat backs in place, the boot can accommodate 265-litres of space, but this can be expanded to 579-litres when the rear seat backs are folded.

New-generation platform ‘HEARTECT’;

Under the ‘SUZUKI NEXT 100’ plan announced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2015, Suzuki developed a new platform strategy for its future models and the Swift is now the third model (following Baleno and IGNIS) to adopt this new generation platform and be introduced in Europe. The new Swift rests on a new-generation platform “HEARTECT” that delivers enhanced fundamental vehicle performance due to being light and highly rigid. A comprehensive overhaul of the underbody’s structure and component layout resulted in the adoption of a highly rigid frame that enhances collision safety and has a continuous, smooth and curving form that better helps disperse energy. This has led to a reduction in reinforcements, and greatly contributes to lower fuel consumption and vast improvements in the fundamental vehicle functions of running, turning and braking.

Trim Levels;

There are three trim levels in the new Suzuki Swift – SZ3, SZ-T and range-topping SZ5, with six airbags, air conditioning, DAB radio,

privacy glass, LED daytime running lights and Bluetooth fitted as standard on all new Swift models. SZ-T adds smartphone link display audio, rear view camera, front fog lamps and 16-inch alloy wheels, while SZ5 adds automatic air conditioning, satellite navigation, LED headlamps, polished 16-inch alloy wheels, rear electric windows, Dual Sensor Brake Support and Adaptive Cruise Control. With a choice of 10 paint colours (one solid colour, six metallic colours, and three dual-tone metallic colours), and with full personalisation options available for both the exterior and interior trims, the new Swift can be as individual as the person who drives it.

Aspects of Styling Innovation;

While resolute efforts were made so that the new Swift would inherit the model’s characteristic styling, elements that needed refreshing were boldly transformed to innovatively evolve the new car. Enhanced carry-over elements include strong shoulders, blacked-out A-pillars and vertically arranged front and rear lamps. The Swift now offers a more emotional appearance together with a muscular and well-

Suzuki Swift Gains Hybrid Technology

grounded look. The body is shorter, lower and wider, while a wide and aggressive front grille, and supporting bumper grille character lines all express strength.

Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki (SHVS);

The SHVS mild hybrid system is a compact and lightweight system that incorporates an Integrated Starter Generator (known as ISG) which acts as both a generator and starter motor, the ISG is belt driven and assists the engine during vehicle take off and acceleration and also generates electricity through regenerative braking. In the new Swift, SHVS is available together with Boosterjet for the first time and results in CO2 emissions as low as 97g/km.

The system also uses a compact high performance 12V lithium-ion battery placed under the front passenger seat to store energy and incorporates an

idle stop function operated via the Integrated Start Generator.

Test Car;

My test car was a 2020 Suzuki Swift 1.2 SZ-T SHVS, and was finished in Burning Red Pearl Metallic paintwork for maximum impact. A power output of 89bhp offered by the naturally aspirated 1.2-litre engine sounds small by modern standards, but the Swift’s light weight means that it feels anything but sluggish. The lack of a turbo means that it’s down on torque though, so be prepared to work the slick and smooth five-speed manual gearbox to get the best out of the engine. The 0-100km/h sprint can be completed in 12.6-seconds, while fuel consumption as low as 5.01l/100km (56.4mpg) is achieveable on a combined driving cycle, with annual road tax for my test car costing just €180. The Swift’s steering wheel communicates well with the front wheels, as it is nicely

weighted and consistent, making it relatively easy to place the Swift in corners. The Swift is happy to change direction quickly and it stays admirably flat in corners. Unique to the class is the AllGrip all-wheel drive system available on some models, which offers extra traction and security. However, the standard front-wheel-drive set-up in my test car will be the drivetrain of choice for the vast majority of Swift buyers.

Verdict, Pricing & Warranty;

Overall, the new Suzuki Swift SHVS is a competent, efficient and enjoyable car to drive, and it can hold its head high in the crowded supermini car segment. Pricing for the new Swift SHVS starts at just €16,025, with my test car specification priced from just €17,025. All Suzuki passengers cars come with a 3-year/100,000km warranty as standard.

By Breda Corrigan

19

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20

Helsinki Coner Sofa

Richmond Table

Sylvia Table

Allure Extending Table

Miley ChairAvailable in 4 colours