Kerry Today

Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee of Fine Gael is in Killarney for the Joint Managerial Body (JMB) conference which is taking place in the Europe Hotel. JMB represents voluntary secondary schools. Jerry asked her about current issues in education. He also asked her the decision by NAMA chief Brendan McDonagh from Killorglin who no longer wishes to be considered for the role of CEO of the Government's new Housing Activation Office, the so-called housing tsar role. The opposition has been critical of reports that had he taken up the position, he would still retain his NAMA salary of around €430,000

John Downing of the Irish Independent reviews the week in politics.

The extent of flooding that occurred in Listowel last November is unlikely to happen again for another 150 years.

That’s according to MWP Ireland engineering consultants who were commissioned by Kerry County Council to investigate the flood which hit parts of Listowel and the surrounding area on November 23rd last year.

The consultants recommend an early warning system be installed as a short-term mitigation.

Jerry spoke to Radio Kerry news editor Treasa Murphy who read the report and he got the reaction of Fine Gael senator Mike Kennelly from Listowel.

Jerry spoke to Paul Moore, climatologist with Met Éireann, about April’s record-breaking temperatures. The temperature on Valentia Island reached 24.7 degrees last month, breaking the previous April record of 24 degrees from 1984.

It’s going to be a very busy bank holiday weekend in Killarney with the Rally of the Lakes and the Munster football final among the events being held. Jerry spoke to Inspector Gary Carroll who is in charge of roads policing in the county.

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan is rejecting the view that the government’s new asylum process is cruel. Women and children were among 39 people who were deported to Georgia last night. John Lannon is CEO of Doras which works to support and promote the rights of migrants.

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy is calling for zones where SUVs are banned following the publication of research which indicates that people are more likely to die if they are hit by an SUV when compared to a standard car. The analysis was carried out by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Imperial College London. The study found that children are 82 per cent more likely to die if they are struck by an SUV. Pedestrians and cyclists are 44 per cent more likely to die if hit by an SUV than if they were stuck by a traditional car. Anluan Dunne from Tralee is a cyclist and environmentalist.

This morning marks six weeks since Kenmare farmer Mike Gaine was last seen. Yesterday, gardaí released a video of Mike Gaine’s wife Janice and his sister Noreen O’Regan in which they appealed to people with information about Mike’s disappearance to contact gardaí. Radio Kerry journalist Amber Galwey attended the garda press conference in Kenmare yesterday. Listeners contacted Jerry to express their horror at the nasty comments posted online about the case. Jerry spoke to Cllr Dan McCarthy from Kenmare who’s a friend of Mike’s. He asked people not to post hurtful or speculative comments and to leave the investigation to gardaí. Mike Gaine’s disappearance has been upgraded to a homicide. Anyone with information may contact Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any garda station.

Every Wednesday, Tony gives his perspective on listeners’ dilemmas.

The Skellig Coast Tourism Network (SCTN), which represents more than 120 tourism businesses in South Kerry, has called for immediate action on the delay to issuing landing permits for Skellig Michael/ Sceilg Mhichíl. Jerry spoke to James Murphy, chairperson of Skellig Coast Tourism Network.