A ‘cloud of darkness’ will hang over Louth and neighbouring counties this Christmas after the “tsunami of grief” which hit the region in the last few months, according to a local councillor.

Cllr. John Sheridan brought the December meeting of Ardee Municipal District to a close with a reflection on the impact of a series of tragedies in the area.

He said there was “a feeling from everyone you meet” that communities had not recovered from devastating events in the mid-Louth area.

Cllr. Sheridan also said that since September, you could only call it a tsunami of grief and that with Christmas coming, for the family and friends of the bereaved, he can’t imagine what they are facing.

Councillor Sheridan joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

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We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Sinn Fein TD for Louth, Ruairi Ó Murchú, who spoke to us about how he is going to raise questions over the flooding in Blackrock Village over the past 24 hours, in order to ensure that it cannot happen again. 

Deputy Ó Murchú also told us about a memorial event to mark 50 years since the Dundalk bombing, which happened on the 19th of December 1975.

Dundalk lost Hugh Watters, who was a local tailor and a well-respected man, and Jack Rooney, a fireman and a man who worked for the council. Obviously, this was devastating for their families. A memorial event has been organised by the families. It is going to happen near the courthouse, where there is a plaque, at 6.15 p.m. on Friday, 19 December. 

We also heard bout the announcement this week of the targeted reforms to improve the Assessment of Need process for children and their families.

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ESB crews are out across the country this morning to reconnect those still without power following Storm Bram.

Cleanup operations are also underway after the country was battered by violent winds. 

Many areas suffered bad flooding, including locally here in Blackrock in Louth.

We were joined on The Agenda this morning by local Fianna Fail Councillor in Blackrock, Shane McGuinness, who spoke to us some more about this. 

We were also joined by some local business owners, who told us about how their businesses were affected by the flooding and about their firustrations that the road wasn't closed sooner to prevent and avoid further chaos

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Court action against the expansion of the DART to county Louth has been lifted, paving the way for the project.

It will involve the electrification of the railway line between Malahide and Drogheda, increasing capacity and frequency.

Iarnród Eireann has confirmed judicial review proceedings against DART plus Coastal North were struck out at the High Court yesterday, with an agreement reached outside court.

Jane Cregan, Corporate Communications Executive with Irish Rail, joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

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Louth TD, Paula Butterly, has said that the Government’s Accelerating Infrastructure Action Plan will deliver more homes, better transport as well as the critical infrastructure Ireland’s growing population needs.

Deputy Butterly told the Dundalk Democrat that "these reforms mark a turning point in cutting delays, streamlining planning approvals and ensuring that major infrastructure projects the country needs don’t stay on paper.

“Families need homes, commuters need better transport, while businesses need certainty. This plan will deliver on all three.”

The plan, which was published this week, has 30 time-bound actions that the Deputy Butterly said will cut red tape, reduce regulations, and remove barriers, and Deputy Butterly joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

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Wage rises and competition for staff may be a tipping point for some smaller nursing homes next year, a new recruitment agency analysis warns.

Excel Healthcare 2026 Salary Guide said costs for private nursing homes are increasing by 10pc.

Pay alone is not enough to attract and retain staff, and sign-on bonuses and recognition that more want greater work-life balance will be features for employers next year, the report said.

Martina Young, director of Excel Healthcare, said: “Several smaller homes have closed in recent years due to the Fair Deal Scheme’s failure to keep pace with inflation.

“The ESRI has projected a requirement for 60pc more long-term care beds and home support hours by 2040.”

Chief Executive of Nursing Homes Ireland, Tadhg Daly, joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

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We were joined on The Agenda this morning by Labour Health spokesperson Marie Sherlock said the overcrowded Irish health system is now facing a major flu crisis.

Speaking today, Deputy Sherlock said:

“We understand that some hospitalisations could have been prevented if the enhanced flu vaccine had been made available. The Minister of Health must account for this appalling penny pinching which will have a serious cost to life, quality of life and to scheduled care within hospitals.

“Across a series of studies, the enhanced flu vaccine outperforms the standard vaccine. In one sample of 512 persons, the enhanced vaccine was assessed to be 59.2% more effective on average.

“The serious rise in the incidence of flu this winter will play havoc with the health service in terms of in-patient bed days, GP vists, medication and on the length of recovery. HIQA tell us that, based on 2010-2022 data, the average number of bed days for an older person with influenza was 9 days,"

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The number of people over 65 who are renting their homes has doubled since 2011, sparking new concerns about their financial security.

There has been a big increase as well in the number of people in their 40s and 50s who are renting, analysis of the rental market by life insurance and pensions firm Royal London Ireland has found.

The findings reveal the stark reality behind the housing crisis.

Having so many older people renting is a ticking timebomb as most renters have little security of tenure and soaring rents leave them vulnerable to losing their tenancies.

The study showed that soaring rents and the increase in older renters is leaving an increasing number of Irish households exposed in the event of a hit to their personal finances.

Assistant professor in social policy at UCD, and member of UCD’s Ageing Network , Nat O’Connor, joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

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There have been more than double the number of deportation orders signed this year than confirmed departures from the State by failed asylum seekers.

Junior immigration minister Colm Brophy has also confirmed just 28 of 267 people detained in prison before being deported from the State had criminal convictions.

The details were provided in response to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fáil’s Cork North-Central TD Pádraig O’Sullivan, who questioned where those who had been detained were held.

In response, Mr Brophy confirmed 344 people had been the subject of an “enforced deportation”.

We wre joined on The Agenda this morning by CEO of Doras, John Lannon, who gave us his thoughts on this.

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Sinn Féin TD for Meath East, Darren O'Rourke, has called on the government to act decisively to address the severe shortage of GPs in Meath following analysis of new HSE figures was reported today and showed many parts of Meath are very poorly serviced including in East Meath which has 1 GP for a population of 5,090 people - the highest in the state.

Teachta O'Rourke said; 

"In Meath, the picture is very bleak, there is a severe shortage of GPs. The ratio of population to GPs is 2,676:1 in south-west Meath; 2,518:1 in central Meath; 2,272 in North Meath and, incredibly, 5,090:1 in east Meath. Communities feel the impact of this crisis directly. Many families struggle to register with a GP, face long waits for appointments, and see practices closing their lists. This forces people towards already overwhelmed emergency departments, exacerbating the crisis in our hospitals”.

Deputy O’Rourke joined us on The Agenda this morning to talk to us some more about this.

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