Pages

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Donie's Ireland daily news BLOG.

Almost 50% of speeding drivers in Ireland escape court appearance as summons not served

GARDAÍ PROBE AS NEARLY HALF OF ALL CASES THROWN OUT.

Image result for Almost 50% of speeding drivers in Ireland escape court appearance as summons not served  Image result for Almost 50% of speeding drivers in Ireland escape court appearance as summons not served   Image result for Almost 50% of speeding drivers in Ireland escape court appearance as summons not served

ALMOST HALF OF SUMMONSES FOR SPEEDING MOTORISTS TO APPEAR IN COURT WERE NOT SERVED IN THE PAST TWO YEARS

Almost half of summonses for speeding motorists to appear in court were not served in the past two years, shock new figures has revealed.
The scale of the problem is so big that Garda management has been forced to set up a group to examine the issue.
The force says several issues, including inaccurate address information, are contributing to the issue.
Courts Service data shows that of 66,800 speeding cases listed in the courts between January 2015 and October 2016, some 30,600 or 45.8% -were struck out as summonses were never served on the defendants.
The problem was most acute in the Manorhamilton area in Co Leitrim, where 84 out of 99 summonses were not served.
In Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, 248 out of 391 summonses and some 63% went unserved.
Other summons service ‘blackspots’ included Killarney, Co Kerry, where 558 of 910 summonses went unserved, and Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, where 24 out of 39 summonses were not served.
At county level, the issue was most prevalent in Monaghan and Kerry, where 61%c and 59% of summons respectively were not served.
The best performing county was Wexford, but even there 30% of summonses went unserved.
The data on non-served summons was released by Tánaiste and Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald following questions from Independent TD Tommy Broughan.
Ms Fitzgerald said her officials were seeking clarification on the “significant percentage” of cases being struck out for non-service.
She revealed a working group had been set up in An Garda Síochána to examine how the service rate can be improved and to monitor the level of service around the country.
Ms Fitzgerald said there were challenges to serving summonses in certain circumstances.
These included situations where there was “inaccurate address data, persons moving address, or living in multi occupancy dwellings or other settings which make service difficult”.
“In addition, certain persons will take steps to evade service. Similar difficulties are experienced by many other police forces,” she added.
The PARC Road Safety Group, which has carried out an analysis of the data, said urgent action was needed as the non-service rate was inexplicably high.
Other Courts Service data released by Ms Fitzgerald indicated many motorists who were convicted of speeding offences may have avoided penalty points by not producing their licence in court.
Although it is an offence to not to produce your licence, it has not been regularly enforced and there have been difficulties securing prosecutions.
A new Road Traffic Bill is expected to include measures to ensure drivers produce their licences in court, while the wording of summonses is to be changed so Gardaí can prosecute those who fail to produce their licence.
In counties such as Sligo and Kildare, the rate of recording of licence numbers in court between January 2015 and October 2016 was just 22%.
However, this does not mean everyone who failed to produce a licence escaped penalty points.
All convictions for penalty points offences, whether the driver licence number is produced in court or not, are provided electronically to the Transport Department.
Where a driving licence number is not provided, the Road Safety Authority undertakes a matching exercise to match the conviction with a specific driving licence.
Matching takes place on the National Vehicle Driver File, where other available information makes this possible.

DNA screening of taxi drivers in rape case is welcomed as long as a balanced approach is taken?

THE DUBLIN RAPE CRISIS CENTRE HAS WELCOMED THE GARDA INITIATIVE WHICH AIMS TO SOLVE THE 2015 CASE.

Image result for DNA screening of taxi drivers in rape case is welcomed as long as a balanced approach is taken?   Image result for DNA screening of taxi drivers in rape case is welcomed as long as a balanced approach is taken?
THE (DRCC) has welcomed reports of mass DNA screening being used by Gardaí in an effort to solve an alleged sexual assault case, but cautioned that a balanced approach must be taken.
Reports say that 84 taxi drivers in Dublin will be requested to provide DNA samples in an effort to track down the perpetrator of an attack which took place in December 2015.
The paper reports that the search was narrowed down to drivers of a particular make and model of car through analysis of CCTV footage.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, chief executive of the DRCC Noeleen Blackwell said it is crucial that a serious crime like this is investigated fully, adding that it is important for the victim to see that work is being carried out to solve the case.
However she cautioned that nobody’s rights can be improved by infringing on other’s.
“The rights of victims must be properly pursued, and they must be pursued in a legitimate way.”
We’re heartened to see that the case is being investigated but it will be a matter to ensure the rights of all those suspected of the crime are preserved.
Under the legislation being used to authorise the mass DNA screenings, people cannot be compelled to provide a sample.
“We recognise the right of someone not to hand over any evidence,” Blackwell said. “So it’s a question of keeping that balance, and that’s very much a question for how the guards go about it.
They have to take great care that they’re not requiring innocent people who are out earning their living to account for their movements.
The aim of the database, which became active in 2015, is to assist gardaí in tackling crime by being able to link cases and identify suspects. It also means that the Irish justice system will be able to search and be searchable in other national DNA databases.
Not only will it benefit criminal investigations, the database will also be able to identify missing and unknown persons, including unidentified human remains.
If a person is on the sex register, their DNA can be kept indefinitely.

Only eighty nurses register to attend HSE three-day recruitment fair in Dublin

EVENT TARGETING NURSES HOME FOR CHRISTMAS OR GOING BACK TO WORK AFTER SOME TIME AWAY

Image result for Only eighty nurses register to attend HSE three-day recruitment fair in Dublin Image result for HSE three-day recruitment  Image result for Only eighty nurses register to attend HSE three-day recruitment fair in Dublin

ROSARII MANNION THE HSE NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES: “A LOT OF THE NEGATIVE MESSAGES THAT HAVE GONE OUT HAVE INHIBITED RELOCATION BUT WE WANT TO CHANGE THAT NARRATIVE.”

Only Eighty nurses have so far registered to attend a three-day recruitment fair taking place over the holiday period at the Health Service Executive headquarters in Dublin.
Yesterday, the first day of the event, 36 nurses had turned up at Dr Steevens’s Hospital to express an interest in working in the public health service. Some 28 were interviewed and 19 were successful and will be offered posts. However the HSE said this was only the first of a series of career events it planned to hold over the coming months.
Minister for Health Simon Harris, who plans to visit the jobs fair today, said: “One of the things I want to do is significantly overhaul the recruitment process for nurses.

RECRUITMENT

“It needs to be more streamlined; it needs to be more accessible in terms of information for nurses.
“It is going to be a priority for 2017. Recruitment is a challenge in terms of nurses. There is global competition for nurses and therefore Ireland needs to make sure that nurses applying for jobs in a hospital here that the process is as straightforward as possible.” Mr Harris said one of the issues for nurses had been a lack of information and assistance when applying for positions in the health services.
One of the possibilities being examined is establishing a new information helpline to assist them with the process. The Minister refused to be drawn on new or enhanced payments to nurses, claiming this was a matter for Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe. Many of those attending yesterday were interviewed on the spot while others with a more tentative interest were provided with information on a range of jobs.
The event is predominantly targeting Irish nurses who are home from overseas for Christmas and who are thinking of coming back here to work. Others who turned up were thinking of returning to the workforce after time away from work or were considering switching from the nursing home sector to hospital-based work.

‘LOST GRADUATES’

“We are very keen on changing the narrative around the nursing profession in Ireland,” said Rosarii Mannion, HSE national director of human resources. “For years, we lost graduates because we were not in a position to offer permanent positions, but that has changed now.”
As well as permanent jobs, she highlighted the “very good” pension scheme, an abundance of education and training opportunities and flexible working hours as the positive factors of working for the HSE.
Nurses returning from abroad may also qualify for a €1,500 relocation allowance.
Susan Leahy, a midwife from Limerick who left for Britain after qualifying in 2009, said she was attending because “it is time to come home”. “At the time, there weren’t a lot of positions available, so I went for the experience.”

Exiles and entrepreneur’s the target of Sligo’s new digital hub block

Image result for Exiles and entrepreneur’s the target of Sligo's new digital hub block   Image result for Exiles and entrepreneur’s the target of Sligo's new digital hub block

EXILES AND ENTREPRENEUR’S ARE AMONG THE TARGET AUDIENCE FOR A SPECIAL OPEN DAY TO TAKE A SNEAK PEEK INSIDE A DIGITAL WORKING HUB.

The Building Block in Sligo will show would-be tenants including startups around a purpose-designed facility – one of the largest in Ireland – which opens for business in January.

LOCATION

Uniquely located right in the centre of Sligo town, overlooking Sligo’s main waterway and at the centre of a regeneration quarter. The building features spectacular views on every side.

5 Minute walk from Sligo’s main train and bus station, with direct Dublin links, 3-4 times daily. 10 minute drive from spectacular beaches popular for walks and surfing.
The Building Block is a co-working space providing desks, and private office suites for startups and small businesses, and will open its doors officially in early 2017.
The 20.000 sq. ft. building has lain largely empty for ten years but is now being totally renovated and repurposed with stylish interiors inspired by Sligo’s coastal heritage – including purpose-built ‘beach hut’ meeting rooms.
It will feature lightning-fast, fibre optic broadband, providing 1 Gigabit (1G) connectivity with state-of-the art working spaces including ground-floor hot-desks, dedicated desks, private office suites as well as large social spaces, canteens and presentation areas.
On the ground floor, there will be a focus on attracting potential tenants from across the creative Industries: design, media, marketing, digital, web and startups. The building will host events and guest speakers, pitching nights and networking opportunities.
With stunning river views and offices flooded with natural light, the idea behind The Building Block is that businesses and start-ups move in to the first floor and move up through the floors to both serviced and non-serviced private office suites as they grow and develop. International companies will also be provided for through IDA Ireland.
The Building Block is taking part in the #homeforwork initiative organised by HR amd recruitment specialist Collins McNicholas which is hosting its event at the Glasshouse Hotel in Sligo from 10am until 2pm.
In tandem with this event, The Building Block, situated on the riverbank at Stephen Street car park, will open its doors to the public for the first time.
The open day provides an opportunity for those coming home to Sligo and the North West over the Christmas holidays to see and hear about this new space, the first of its kind in the region.
Sligo-based business woman Denise Rushe worked with local architect John Monohan of NOJI Architects to push the idea of The Building Block with building owner Martin Doran, a Sligo businessman who is based in Dublin.
Denise Rushe said: “We will be providing short guided tours of the ground-floor co-working space and answering any questions you might have.”
The Building Block is currently undergoing the final stages of a fit-out on the ground floor which will house the co-working space. Desks will be available from mid to late January.
To register interest, individuals can go to http://www.thebuildingblock.ie

What is Cognitive behavioural therapy and which conditions is CBT used to treat?

IF YOUR DOCTOR HAS MENTIONED CBT, THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT?

Related image   Related image  Image result for What is Cognitive behavioural therapy and which conditions is CBT used to treat?
Living with a mental health condition does not necessarily mean someone has to take daily medication and many people live happy and healthy lives with the help of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) as well.
The aim of cognitive behavioural therapy is to separate a person’s thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions
If you’re unsure about what CBT is, and how it could help you or a loved one, this is what you need to know.

WHAT IS COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY?

CBT is a type of talking therapy, which aims to help people manage their problems by changing the way they think.
The therapy is based on the concept that thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions are all interconnected – and negative thoughts can trap you in a vicious cycle.
During CBT sessions, the therapist will encourage their patient to break their seemingly overwhelming problems into smaller parts.
It deals wholly with current problems, rather than focusing on issues from the patient’s past.
The CBT therapist will look for practical ways for the patient to improve their state of mind on a daily basis.

WHAT CONDITIONS IS COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY USED TO TREAT?

CBT can be used to treat a whole range of mental health conditions either instead of, or alongside, medical treatment.
While Loose Women panellist Denise Welch credits CBT with helping her lose weight and quit smoking.

CBT CAN BE EFFECTIVE IN TREATING:

  1. Depression
  2. Anxiety
  3. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
  4. Panic disorders
  5. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  6. Phobias
  7. Eating disorders (such as anorexia and bulimia)
  8. Insomnia
  9. Alcohol misuse
In addition to these mental health problems, CBT can also help with long-term conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic fatigue symptoms (CFS).
Although it won’t cure the physical symptoms of these conditions, CBT can help people cope better.
What happens during Cognitive behavioural therapy sessions?
CBT is normally broken down in between five and 20 sessions, each lasting between half an hour and one hour.
During each session, you will work with your therapist to break down your problems into separate parts – and distinguish between your thoughts, physical feelings and actions.
The therapist will then help working out if these thoughts, feelings and actions are unrealistic or unhelpful, and what effect they have.
After working out what could be changed, the therapist will ask you to practice putting these processes into action.
The aim is to learn to manage your problems and stop them having a negative impact on your daily life.
The steps learnt in CBT can then be used throughout the patient’s daily life, even after they finish their sessions.

The Cheetah is much more vulnerable than previously thought

URGENT ACTION NEEDED TO SAVE THE FASTEST LAND ANIMAL IN THE WORLD FROM EXTINCTION

Image result for The Cheetah is much more vulnerable than previously thought  Image result for The Cheetah is much more vulnerable than previously thought  Image result for The Cheetah is much more vulnerable than previously thought

SCIENTISTS NOW ESTIMATE THAT JUST 7,100 OF THE FLEET-FOOTED CATS REMAIN IN THE WILD, OCCUPYING JUST 9% OF THE TERRITORY THEY ONCE LIVED IN.

Urgent action is needed to stop the cheetah which is the world’s fastest land animal sprinting to extinction, experts have warned.
Scientists estimate that just 7,100 of the fleet-footed cats remain in the wild, occupying just 9% of the territory they once lived in.
Asiatic populations have been hit the hardest with fewer than 50 individuals surviving in Iran, according to a new investigation led by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).
In Zimbabwe, cheetah numbers have plummeted by 85% in little more than a decade.
The cheetah’s dramatic decline has now prompted calls for the animal’s status to be upgraded from “vulnerable” to “endangered” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of threatened species.
Dr Sarah Durant, from ZSL and WCS, project leader for the Rangewide Conservation Programme for Cheetah and African Wild Dog, said: “This study represents the most comprehensive analysis of cheetah status to date.
“Given the secretive nature of this elusive cat, it has been difficult to gather hard information on the species, leading to its plight being overlooked. Our findings show that the large space requirements for cheetah, coupled with the complex range of threats faced by the species in the wild, mean that it is likely to be much more vulnerable to extinction than was previously thought.”
The cheetah is one of the world’s most wide-ranging carnivores and needs a lot of space. Partly because of this, 77% of its remaining habitat falls outside protected areas, leaving the animal especially vulnerable to human impacts.
Even within well-managed parks and reserves the cats have suffered as a result of humans hunting their prey, habitat loss, illegal trafficking of cheetah parts, and the exotic pet trade, say the researchers writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
In Zimbabwe these pressures have seen the cheetah population plunge from 1,200 to a maximum of only 170 animals in 16 years, a decline of 85%.
The experts want to see a completely new approach to cheetah conservation focusing on the landscape that transcends national borders and incorporates co-ordinated regional strategies.
It would involve motivating both governments and local communities to protect the cheetah and promoting the sustainable co-existence of humans and wildlife.
Dr Kim Young-Overton, from the wild cat conservation organisation Panthera, said: “We’ve just hit the reset button in our understanding of how close cheetahs are to extinction.
“The take-away from this pinnacle study is that securing protected areas alone is not enough. We must think bigger, conserving across the mosaic of protected and unprotected landscapes that these far-reaching cats inhabit, If we are to avert the otherwise certain loss of the cheetah forever.”                     

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Donie's Ireland daily news BLOG

Former Apollo House owner supports aims of occupation by Home Sweet Home

LIAM Ó MAONLAÍ, GLEN HANSARD, HOZIER AND CHRISTY DIGNAM PERFORM AT SUPPORT GIG

Image result for Former Apollo House owner supports aims of occupation by Home Sweet Home   Image result for Former Apollo House owner supports aims of occupation by Home Sweet Home  Image result for Former Apollo House owner supports aims of occupation by Home Sweet Home

GLEN HANSARD AND CHRISTY DIGNAM PLAYED IN SUPPORT OF APOLLO HOUSE THAT IS BEING OCCUPIED BY HOUSING ACTIVISTS AND HOMELESS PEOPLE.

The former owner of Apollo House says he supports the aims of Home Sweet Home, a group of housing activist who have occupied the vacant office building since Thursday, to accommodate rough sleepers. Property developer Garrett Kelleher controlled Shelbourne Developments which included the building in its portfolio of loans until 2014.
He said “nobody” should be homeless this Christmas and it was “heartwarming that so many people really care” about the homelessness crisis. “People have been squatting in vacant property for generations,” he said. “The receivers for Apollo and Nama should seek to immediately do what they can to help, not allow this to become a political football but actually help, have their lawyers down tools and do the right thing.”
Mr Kelleher, who is based in Chicago, said he became aware of the occupation through the media. He said he had not been in the building for three years.
Thirty-five people slept in the building on Monday night, according to Home Sweet Home spokeswoman Rosi Leonard. She rejected suggestions that the group had refused to meet receivers Mazars, saying they wanted to co-operate. Another spokesman said “solicitors” were in communication and a meeting was expected later this week.
There were now two fully-fitted kitchens and showers had been installed in the building, where they planned to be over Christmas, Ms Leonard said.
Up to 1,000 people gathered for a free gig in support of Home Sweet Home at Apollo House on Tuesday. Gardaí closed off the small street shortly before 1pm as singers Glen Hansard, Hozier, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Christy Dignam and the band Kodaline arrived at the building.
Hansard sang first from a small raised platform on the street, in front of the side gate into Apollo House, performing Woody Guthrie’s This Land Is your Land before being joined by Christy Dignam who delivered a performance of his band Aslan’s Crazy World. A number of former rough sleepers, who spent Monday night in Apollo House, watched from a roof above the ground floor over the car park.
Director Jim Sheridan joined in a performance of The Auld Triangle, followed by Kodaline singing Bob Dylan’s The Times They are a-Changing and their own tracks, High Hopes and All I Want. Hozier performed his hit Take Me To Church.
Volunteers passed through the crowd with buckets seeking donations towards the running costs of the project.
During the gig, Dean Scurry of the Home Sweet Home project, spoke of the need to end poverty and homelessness, with “people plus love”. He said Home Sweet Home and Apollo House were symbols of “freedom, hope, love, nourishment and respect”.
Among those present for the impromptu concert was Martina Balfe, who works in the GPO. She said she had come to “show support to the homeless”, adding “it’s a duty of everyone to be concerned about this”.
Julia Woods, Steve Woods and Shirley Kenny travelled from Athlone. “It’s a great cause and it’s really important to show solidarity and support,” said Mr Woods. Éanna Gordon, a student, said he was pleased to see the “movement” was “popular and growing”. “This has two purposes – a practical one to give shelter to homeless people and as well to draw attention to the issue. That’s a good thing,” he said.

Incentives to Bank staff  to increase lending undermined the quality of the product?

CENTRAL BANK SAYS IT ACTED TO STOP USE OF LEAGUE TABLES TO ACHIEVE NEW FINANCIAL TARGETS

Image result for Incentives to Irish Bank staff  to increase lending undermined the quality of the product?  Image result for The Central Bank told the Oireachtas finance committee that more oversight of retail banks by boards of directors and by shareholders was needed   Image result for The Central Bank told the Oireachtas finance committee that more oversight of retail banks by boards of directors and by shareholders was needed

THE CENTRAL BANK TOLD THE OIREACHTAS FINANCE COMMITTEE THAT MORE OVERSIGHT OF RETAIL BANKS BY BOARDS OF DIRECTORS AND BY SHAREHOLDERS WAS NEEDED?

Irish retail banks have been using league tables to incentivise staff in driving new lending without giving proper consideration to quality, the Governor of the Central Bank Philip Lane told the Oireachtas finance committee on Tuesday.
Image result for The Central Bank told the Oireachtas finance committee that more oversight of retail banks by boards of directors and by shareholders was needed Mr Lane said this emerged in recent inspections by the regulator of the Irish retail banks.
Other weaknesses identified included a need for “better oversight and challenge” from boards in relation to the risk appetites of banks, which are used to govern and quantify lending decisions across sectors and borrower types.
It also included strategies focused on driving increased volumes without sufficient consideration of the risks associated with long-term lending, and the use of the league tables to incentivise staff to push lending volumes without due consideration to quality.
It is not clear which banks were using the league tables but it is understood that the they were operated informally and their use has stopped after interventions from the Central Bank.
Mr Lane said the culture within Irish banks also needs to change so that they “truly put the customer first”. He called for more oversight by boards of directors and by shareholders.
Separately, Mr Lane said “significant risks” remain on the horizon for the domestic Irish banks, in spite of the measures that have taken place to repair their businesses. “All have relatively concentrated business models, focused primarily on Ireland and to some extent the UK,” he said. “This makes them especially vulnerable to any shocks affecting the Irish economy.”
Mr Lane said that while Irish banks continue to work out their non-performing loans (NPLs), they still “remain high” both in absolute and relative terms. In absolute terms, NPLs have declined by just more than €48.5 billion or 57 percent since their peak in 2013, and now represent 17.3 per cent of all loans.
On the Central Bank’s view of it being given powers to regulate standard variable interest rates, Mr Lane said there were “many downsides” to this but it was ultimately a matter for the Oireachtas to decide.
In the absence of new lenders to the Irish market, Mr Lane encouraged mortgage customers to consider switching their home loan to another lender or transferring to a lower-cost product with their existing bank.
“More can be done to encourage switching,” he said, adding that the incidence of switching here was currently “too low”.
Mr Lane said Brexit presented a “significant challenge” for the domestic banking sector. “Depending on the outcome [of negotiations], the UK’s exit from the EU could have long-term structural consequences for those Irish banks with a significant presence there. This will become clearer during the next two years, as the elements of the EU-UK relationship take shape.”
He said Dublin was “in the mix” with other EU cities in terms of where London-based financial institutions might relocate their activities, adding that the Central Bank had a “neutral” view on this matter and would consider any applications by firms on their merits.

Christmas showdown as SuperValu and Dunnes go to battle for Irish consumers

Image result for Christmas showdown as SuperValu and Dunnes go to battle for Irish consumers  Image result for Christmas showdown as SuperValu and Dunnes go to battle for Irish consumers  Related image

DUNNES STORES SNATCHED THE TITLE OF THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST GROCERY RETAILER LAST MONTH FROM SUPERVALU.

Dunnes Stores and SuperValu now hold an equal share of Ireland’s multi-billion euro grocery market, as the pair battle it out for supremacy among consumers over Christmas.
New figures from research group Kantar Worldpanel show the retailers each have a 22.5% share of the market.
Dunnes Stores, headed by Margaret Heffernan and Frank Dunne, snatched the title of the country’s largest grocery retailer last month from SuperValu. It was the first time in over a decade that Dunnes had secured the top spot.
But SuperValu, under managing director Martin Kelleher, which is controlled by the Cork-based Musgrave group, will be vying to reclaim the title.
And with shoppers now in the final week before Christmas, there are intense efforts by all the chains to lure customers who are splashing out for the festive season.
Previous figures from Kantar Worldpanel showed that Dunnes Stores had a 22.6% share of the grocery market during the 12 weeks to the end of November 6. SuperValu had 22.4%.
The latest figures, for the 12 weeks ended December 4, show that the two retailers now share the number one position, while Tesco has a 21.8% share.
Dunnes’ share, in value terms, rose by 4.8%, while SuperValu’s was 1% higher. Grocery inflation in the period stood at 0.6%.
Tesco has been focusing on cutting prices to attract more customers. That hits the value of its sales – the figure that Kantar Worldpanel reports on. But the value of its sales was still 1% higher in the latest period.
David Berry, director at Kantar Worldpanel, said the latest figures are a “real testament” to how competitive the grocery market is.
“Just 0.7 percentage points now separate the three largest retailers as we enter the all-important festive period,” he said.
He added that evidence of Tesco’s turnaround has been seen in the last quarter. Mr Berry said that the chain’s sales have shown positive growth for the first time since March.
“An additional 10,000 households have chosen to shop with Tesco in 2016 and are returning to the retailer more frequently – a clear positive sign for the grocer,” he said.
Dunnes Stores has built its loyalty through its ‘Shop and Save’ campaign, a discounting ploy that has cost it tens of millions of euro.
But it has been also developing its product lines and acquiring businesses, moves designed to help it improve its overall offer to consumers.
Almost 64pc of households visited Dunnes Stores in the latest reported period, spending an average of €39.50 a visit. That’s a €3 increase per trip compared to the corresponding period last year.
Mr Berry said that Dunnes Stores has also seen more shoppers opt to buy branded goods – the only retailer to experience that in the latest period. Branded sales at the chain rose 5.7%, while own-label goods sales were up 3.3%.
Lidl increased its share of the market by 4.3% to 11.1%. Aldi’s rose by 6.1%, also to 11.1%.
Grocery chains are facing increased pressure this Christmas following the decline in Sterling after the UK’s June Brexit vote.
A report yesterday from credit risk analyst firm Vision-net.ie showed that 24% of Irish shoppers intend to travel across the border to avail of weaker Sterling. “Irish consumers are cognisant of the impact of Brexit and a weakened Sterling, and plan to avail of the knock-on benefits this Christmas,” said Christine Cullen, managing director of Vision-net.ie.

Smartphones could soon come with software signal blocker for driving?

Image result for Smartphones could soon come with software signal blocker for driving?   Image result for Smartphones could soon come with software signal blocker for driving?

THE MOBILE PHONE INDUSTRY IS UNDER PRESSURE TO INTRODUCE SOFTWARE ON PHONES TO PREVENT DRIVERS BEING DISTRACTED BY NOTIFICATIONS.

According to The Guardian, an informal government meeting is due to take place early next year at which ministers will tell phone manufacturers and network providers that software similar to airplane mode should be built into phones to block the data signal while the owner is driving.
The report said that ministers want a basic software to become standard, with suggestions it could be triggered using GPS technology to detect when certain speeds are reached.
The software would also differ from airplane mode in that it would still allow emergency calls or to accept calls from designated contacts.
From next spring the fixed penalty charge for using a mobile phone that isn’t hands-free while driving will double to £200, with the fixed penalty notice also set to double from three points to six.
It is hoped the new software could add further discouragement to drivers who still use a phone while at the wheel.
According to the RAC annual motoring report, which was published in September, the number of drivers who admitted using a phone in their hands while driving has risen from 8% in 2014 to 31% this year.

Eating leafy greens is good for your brain says researchers?

Image result for Eating leafy greens is good for your brain says researchers?   Related image   Image result for Eating leafy greens is good for your brain says researchers?

RESEARCHERS HAVE IDENTIFIED AN IMPORTANT LINK BETWEEN THE CONSUMPTION OF LUTEIN-RICH FOODS AND BRAIN HEALTH IN OLDER ADULTS.

While most kids are told to eat their spinach and broccoli so they grow up strong, a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience suggests that these greens can significantly affect basic brain functions and intelligence later on.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have identified an important link between the consumption of lutein-rich foods and brain health in older adults. Lutein, a plant pigment prevalent in leafy green vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, accumulates in the brain over time, embedding in cell membranes and influencing certain neurological functions.
According to Marta Zamroziewicz, a University of Illinois graduate student who led the study, lutein plays “a neuroprotective role,” and can be “linked to cognitive performance across the lifespan.” While previous research has shown that lutein gathers in the gray matter of the brain “known to underlie the preservation of cognitive function in healthy brain aging,” Zamroziewicz set out to determine the specific cognitive elements most affected by the plant pigment.
A test group of 122 healthy adults aged 65-75 were asked to solve problems and answer questions that reflected “crystallized intelligence,” or the ability to effectively use the knowledge and skills acquired over a lifetime. Researchers also collected blood from each participant to test for blood serum levels of lutein, and performed MRI imagery on each of the test subjects’ brains to measure for the volumes of various structures.
After evaluating each participant’s brain make-up and test results, the researchers determined that adults with higher blood serum levels of lutein performed better on the crystallized intelligence tests. Zamroziewicz noted that while serum levels primarily reflect recent dietary intake, they have also been associated with long-term dietary intake in older adults.
Those with higher lutein levels in their blood also tended to have a greater volume of gray matter in their parahippocampal cortex, a focal region imperative for healthy aging. According to Aron Barbey, Illinois psychology professor and co-lead of the study, the “gray-matter volume of the parahippocampal cortex on the right side of the brain accounts for the relationship between lutein and crystallized intelligence.” This new-found data offers “the first clue as to which brain regions specifically play a role in the preservation of crystallized intelligence, and how factors such as diet may contribute to that relationship.”
Though Zamroziewicz notes that further testing will be needed to further determine how lutein in the diet specifically affects long-term brain structure, it’s clear that an extra helping of kale salad at dinner could pay off big time down the line.

Pregnancy may spur changes in a Woman’s brain?

IMAGING SHOWS ADAPTATIONS IN GRAY MATTER, BUT NO SIGN THAT MEMORY IS AFFECTED.

Image result for Pregnancy may spur changes in a Woman's brain?   Surface-based measures.

NEW MOTHERS OFTEN REMARK THAT THEY’VE GOT “BABY BRAIN,” A NEW WAY OF THINKING THAT SEEMS TO ACCOMPANY PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH.

NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS THEY’RE RIGHT.

Pregnancy causes long-term changes in a woman’s brain that probably evolved to improve her ability to protect and nurture her child, Spanish researchers report.
The investigators used MRI scans to compare the brain structures of 25 women before and after their first pregnancies.
After giving birth, the women had significant reductions of gray matter in areas of the brain associated with social interactions, the findings showed. Those brain regions overlapped with ones that activated when mothers watched images of their own babies.
The “changes concern brain areas associated with functions necessary to manage the challenges of motherhood,” study co-lead author Erika Barba said in a news release from the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
Though some expectant moms complain of fuzzy thinking — the downside of “baby brain” — researchers reported the women had no changes in memory or other thinking functions during pregnancy. That means the loss of gray matter does not lead to problems in those areas.
The brain changes, which lasted for at least two years after the women gave birth, probably help them adapt to motherhood, the study authors suggested.
According to study co-director Oscar Vilarroya: “The findings point to an adaptive process related to the benefits of better detecting the needs of the child, such as identifying the newborn’s emotional state. Moreover, they provide primary clues regarding the neural basis of motherhood, perinatal mental health and brain plasticity in general.”
Study co-lead author Elseline Hoekzema said in the news release that the changes “may reflect, at least in part, a mechanism of synaptic pruning … where weak synapses are eliminated giving way to more efficient and specialized neural networks.”
The researchers also found that they were able to use these brain changes to predict a mother’s attachment to her baby, according to the study published Dec. 19 in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
The changes were similar whether women got pregnant naturally or through fertility treatments.