Jellyfish had a bad press this time last year. UTV put out a warning on the 13th June that the venomous Lions Mane jellyfish was washed ashore at Banna Strand and that this could prove fatal if someone receives a lot of stings. Many jellyfish were also coming ashore as far apart as Dublin, Galway and Donegal. On the 15th, RTE News reported that 3 people had been hospitalised at St. Michael's Hospital in Dun Laoighaire after being stung by jellyfish. Dun Loighaire/Rathdown County Council subsequently closed the bathing areas at Seapoint, Sandycove, the Forty Foot and Killiny and erected signs to warn bathers of the dangers of jellyfish. Unidentified Jellyfish have been also seen on the Waterford coast.

The jellyfish sting brings a reaction 1-24 hours after contact with the animal in the water. Those who have been previously stung may have an immediate stinging sensation like severe nettle sting. Some people then feel lik...
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Living faith church Worldwide
A.k.a Winners Chapel Intl. Ireland. The Winners Satellite Fellowship Waterford; creating a forum for a caring christian fellowship takes place every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month at 5pm to 6.15pm. Contact 087-6438788 for further details.

Summer Mass
The annual summer mass in St. Mary's Cemetery, Ballygunner, will take place on Thursday 19th June at 7.30pm.

Waterford Garden Plant Society
Thursday 26th June 2008. "New Ross". Meet at 7:00 pm at Ferrybank Grotto where directions for the visits will be distributed. First to Pat & Angela Power's small, but very colourful garden at Forristalstown Glenmore. Then on to Woodville gardens near New Ross. Members Euro 3.00. Non members Euro 6.00. For further information on the Society please ring Ann on 051-857856 or Margaret on 051-851111 or Tom on 051-873937.

Government gets...
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Question: What entitlement do I have to a redundancy payment if I am laid off?
Answer: If you lose your job due to redundancy you may be legally entitled to a statutory redundancy payment. This is the minimum entitlement; your employer may agree to pay you more than this or to pay employees who do not have an entitlement to statutory redundancy.

The payment is a lump sum that depends on your pay and the length of time you have worked for your employer. You must have worked for your employer for at least two years and be aged over 16 years to be eligible.

All eligible employees are entitled to two weeks' pay for every year of service plus one further weeks' pay. Pay refers to your current normal weekly pay, before tax and PRSI deductions, up to a maximum of €600 per week. The statutory redundancy payment is tax free.

Your period of service that is taken into account will not ...
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The government is being urged to tap into EU funding and install energy saving street lights and traffic lights throughout towns and cites. €3.4 billion has been set aside under the EU's cohesion policy for investment in energy efficiency between now and 2013.

Fine Gael MEPs have investigated the various spending areas within the fund, and say public lighting falls within the category of 'integrated projects for rural and urban regeneration'.

'Ireland must take advantage of this money to provide low-energy light bulbs for public lighting,' said Ireland South MEP Colm Burke. 'Energy-saving street lights are positive from a cost and environmental point of view. If all 27 EU countries adopted this measure we would see a saving of some €1 billion euro as well as a reduction in carbon emissions.'  

The bill for powering public lighting is enormous - in Dublin for example, which has 47,000 ...
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Forty carers from across Munster travelled to Brussels this week to participate in the second annual meeting of an EU Interest Group on Carers at the European Parliament.

The trip coincided with National Carers' Week, a five-day nationwide event comprising information evenings, gala receptions and a host of other activities to celebrate the work of those who care for others.

The Irish delegates travelled as guests of Independent MEP Kathy Sinnott, founder of the EU Interest Group. During the trip, they met with carers' representatives, NGOs and MEPs from all over Europe, to draft potential next steps for EU level action. Four members of the group also took part in a Mental Health Conference at the European Commission. They were: UCC Professor Eileen O'Leary, Fr Jean Marie Pilon, Tom Naughton, and John McCarthy, founder of Mad Pride.

Speaking from Brussels, MEP Sinnott said her particular aim was...
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Of these, 15 are full-time students while the remaining 78 study part time. And almost two third of students aged 60 or over are female, the registration information from WIT shows.

Prof Kieran R. Byrne, Director, Waterford Institute of Technology said the Institute has always been keen to support life-long learning and added that the growing numbers of retirees in particular going back to college bodes well for the future.

"Data from the Higher Education Authority shows that a growing number of retired people are taking up third level courses and this is certainly reflected here in Waterford and the southeas...
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Aries – March 21st – April 20th
There is a trip to a particular hotel, maybe one of the local Waterford establishments, that could have (almost by accident) important ramifications for you. But you need to wake up to the potential and keep your eyes wide so as not to miss the moment. There is also the sense that some of your more eccentric characteristics could be of use to you.

Taurus – April 21st – May 21st
It could be that amid the rush and tumble and turmoil of the next few days, you might forget a very important birthday and need to hurry into the shops to get a more expensive present than you may have originally anticipated - and a belated birthday card as well. An airmail letter could bring fairly glad tidings. You might need to find time to explore scientific stuff, which for a technophobe like me, is beyond the understanding of. But you wil...
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Waterford news The war years 1939-46 Change in ownership of leading waterford firm
One of Waterford's leading business enterprises, the almost century old drapery firm of Messrs. Robertson, Ledlie, Ferguson & Co., the Quay, has changed hands. The official announcement was made today that the business has been sold to Messrs. Shaw & Sons, Ltd, who already control business of a similar character in Maryborough, Mountmellic and Athy.

The "News" is informed that the same progressive policy hitherto adopted will be continued by the new proprietors. As regards reported rumours of staff changes, we learn that with the exception of Mr. Ml. Lynch, Manager since 1914, and one of the oldest members of the firm, who is about to retire, the present entire personnel will be retained under the new management.

The present firm of Messrs. Robertson, Ledlie and Co., was established as far back ...
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Results of the Pfizer health screening at the Bloom garden festival Results of the Pfizer health screening at the Bloom garden festival over the June bank holiday have revealed that a large proportion of Ireland's adults are at risk of serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and respiratory illness. In total, 1,260 people availed of the screenings over the bank holiday weekend at Ireland's leading gardening event. Of the 724 people that received cardiovascular screening, over 38% have elevated total cholesterol levels and almost half (49%) required onward referral to their GP.

When compared to last year's health screening at Bloom, the number of people with high blood pressure has almost doubled from 11% in 2007 to 21% in 2008. In Ireland it...
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) has stated that contrary to recent public statements by the IMPACT Union leadership, there is no embargo on recruitment in place within the public health service. Since January 2008, over 3,400 posts have been approved to be filled which will bring the total number of staff employed across the HSE, Voluntary Hospitals and Voluntary Agencies to 128,000.

In short, recruitment continues to happen - with a large number of important Medical Consultant posts approved and advertised every week.  With regard to other recent claims by IMPACT, since last September (when the temporary recruitment pause was introduced until the end of 2007), the number of Speech & Language Therapists and Occupation Therapists employed has, in fact, increased.  This is further evidence that there is no recruitment embargo in place and demonstrates the HSE's commitment to improving front-line services.

Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII), the IBEC group that represents the food and drink sector, have announced the launch of a major communication campaign aimed at helping consumers make more informed food choices.

As some consumers have found food labels confusing in the past, the food industry has developed an 'at a glance' system called the GDA (Guideline Daily Amount) guide to help consumers balance their daily diets. It is a guide to how much energy (calories) and key nutrients (sugars, fat, saturates and salt) the average healthy person needs to have a balanced diet.

Seventeen of the top food and drink companies have invested €400,000 to promote the GDA guide and explain to consumers how to use it effectively. The initial phase of the campaign, which has just begun, includes radio, press and on-line advertisements. A consumer website has been developed (www.gdaguide.ie) to support the campaign,...
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Flora has announced details of their new Cooking with Schools programme which aims to get primary school children all over Ireland both cooking and learning about healthy food. Flora is on a mission to make the world's hearts healthier and diet is a great place to start.

The aim of this latest schools campaign is to start education about healthy nutrition early and help children to understand the importance of a healthy balanced diet. Many children struggle to eat a healthy diet and increasing numbers of children are leaving school without learning how to choose and prepare healthy food.

Speaking at the launch, well known Chef Kevin Dundon commented, "I am passionate about the importance of teaching kids all about good nutrition and cooking, not only as a Chef but as a Dad. The Flora Cooking with Schools programme gives schools the opportunity to get kids excited about healthy food and cooking from an earl...
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Talk to a trained medical professional, do research, do a bit of soul searching and consider other options are four pieces of advice in a new booklet from The Harley Medical Group, Ireland's leading cosmetic surgery provider.

The booklet, entitled "Choosing a cosmetic surgery provider", advises people considering cosmetic surgery to have a list of questions when phoning a cosmetic surgery clinic or going in for an initial consultation.
Don't ever be shy of asking the surgeon personal questions, such as:
'What qualifications do you have?'
'How long since your training in this treatment?'
'How many procedures/treatments have you performed?'

On the treatment itself, The Harley Medical Group booklet suggests the following questions:
'Is the treatment painful and if so what form of anaesthesia is used?'
'Is all the equipment used ster...
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The wait is finally over and Ireland's Favourite Hairdresser can now be revealed! It's Annie Power, from New Images Salon in Dungarvan, Co Waterford. She has been chosen as the Ireland winner in the Nation's Favourite Hairdresser Awards, sponsored by head & shoulders.

Hundreds of hairstylists throughout the country were nominated by grateful clients and a panel of expert judges including Mellissa Brown, the head & shoulders brand ambassador who also lists Take That, Dannii Minogue and Davina MCCall as her clients whittled down the numbers to five Ireland finalists.

She beat off tough competition from hairstylists from Donegal, Dublin and Cork in a public vote that decided who would be the winner of the Ireland title. The Nation's Favourite Hairdresser Award is an Ireland and UK competition designed as a thank you from clients to the man or woman who acts as a hair expert and trusted confidante givin...
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