Podcasts about HSE

A campaign group intending to formally object to plans for a new hospital in Limerick say the decision risks continuing "traumatic" experiences for Clare people into the future. The Midwest Hospital Campaign has revealed its intention to take a judicial review against the HSE's proposal to develop a new hospital campus on a 44-acre site in Raheen. It's understood the judicial review will be based on determining whether the decision-making process was fair, evidence-based and transparent. Ennis-based Midwest Hospital Campaign co-founder Hilary Tonge says the people at the coalface of the overcrowding crisis can't be forgotten.

Nicki Killeen discusses why the HSE are warning on the dangers of drug taking this bank holiday weekend.

Cathal Crowe, Fianna Fáil T.D.for Clare, on a new hospital facility in Limerick has been acquired by the HSE for 14 million euro.

Welcome back tribe!Robbie and Veda are back in position this week joined by two special guests.Dr Ralph Hurley O'Dwyer is a public health doctor working for the HSE. Ralph has a background in infectious diseases and global health with a special interest in HIV and minority health. As a gay man, he is passionate about improving LGBTQ+ health and has been involved in queer advocacy both in Ireland and internationally. He leads the CHEMSI study, the first national survey on chemsex in Ireland."Graham Ryall, Senior Addiction Practitioner, Rialto Community Drug Team, Dublin, has thirty years' experience working within the context of what he refers to as "Substance Use, Addiction & Self-medicating.” Graham says that these are all very different and separate themes. Graham has a M.Sc in Drug & Alcohol Policy and a Degree in Addiction Counselling with the majority of his work over the past eleven years primarily focused upon the Club Drugs, Chems and Chemsex scene. Share this episode with anyone you think would find this episode useful.We're here for you Poz Vibers. Love,Veda and Robbie.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Poz Vibe Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Veda⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lady and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Robbie Lawlor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ production. Big thanks to ⁠our sponsors ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dublin Pride ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who make this series possible. We'd also like to thank The Boiler House, Man 2 Man, Gay Health Network and The George for all their help and support.Episodes are produced by Veda and Robbie with production assistance from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Esther O'Moore Donohoe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Video editing, artwork, social media assets and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ all created by Lavender The Queen.⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠

The HSE has bought a 44- acre site two kilometres from the exsisting hospital. For the details our Mid West correspondent, Petula Martyn.

د. عامر الوزان هو مهندس نفط عراقي بأكثر من 30 سنة خبرة بالقطاع النفطي، يشغل حالياً منصب مدير ضمان الانتاج والتدفق في شركة Dragon Oil. ولد في الكوت، درس هندسة البترول في جامعة بغداد، وبدأ رحلة امتدت من اليمن الى ماليزيا الى الولايات المتحدة والإمارات.بهالحلقة من تجارب، نناقش وياه مسيرته من التدريس في معهد الكوت الى العمل بأعماق خليج المكسيك على مشاريع Ultra Deep، ونتعمق بموضوع Flow Assurance وشلون يضمن المهندس استمرار الانتاج بدون مشاكل. نتطرق لأنواع الشركات النفطية والفرق بين كل وحدة، ثقافات العمل بين الدول، وشنو يحتاج المهندس العراقي الشاب حتى ينجح بهالقطاع.نغطي همين رؤيته لمستقبل القطاع النفطي العراقي: كلفة الانتاج المنخفضة وكيفية استغلالها، دور القطاع الخاص والشركات الصغيرة والمتوسطة، القيمة المضافة من تكرير النفط بدل تصديره خام، واستخراج الليثيوم من المياه المنتجة. ونناقش مقترح "بغداد عاصمة الطاقة العربية" وشنو يحتاج العراق حتى يوصل لهالهدف بالطاقات المتجددة والأحفورية.الفصول:0:00 مقدمة1:06 النشأة في الكوت ودراسة هندسة البترول في جامعة بغداد2:05 مغادرة العراق: اليمن، ماليزيا، وبداية رحلة الغربة5:01 جودة التعليم العراقي وقيمة شهادة جامعة بغداد7:12 ليش اختار هندسة البترول تحديداً8:56 مشروع Ultra Deep في خليج المكسيك بعمق 7800 قدم10:35 أنواع الشركات النفطية: المشغل، الخدمات، الهندسة، EPCI14:13 نصيحة للمهندسين: جربوا كل أنواع الشركات17:36 الانتقال الى الولايات المتحدة وتحديات سوق العمل20:34 ثقافة العمل الأمريكية والفروقات مع جنوب شرق آسيا26:09 تجربة العمل في هيوستن قلب الصناعة النفطية32:46 ابتكار تقنية On Fly Pigging ونشر بحث في OTC33:52 أهم الدروس الشخصية: الهدف، الأمل، والتعلم المستمر36:15 هل يشعر بالذنب لمغادرة العراق؟37:22 ما هو Flow Assurance (ضمان التدفق)؟38:33 مشاكل الشمع والهايدريت وكيف تعلق الأنابيب42:21 الأقسام الثلاثة لضمان التدفق44:14 حوادث حقيقية: هايدريت بعد الأعاصير46:22 السلامة HSE بالعراق47:04 كلفة انتاج النفط: مقارنة بين العراق والعالم50:39 كلفة انتاج العراق المنخفضة وكيفية تحسين الكفاءة52:38 الاستثمار بالعقول العراقية والطاقات البشرية54:37 دور الشركات الصغيرة والمتوسطة SMEs بالقطاع النفطي57:57 دور القطاع الخاص وإدارة الحقول1:00:35 عقد هار بن عمر: أول حقل تديره شركة عراقية بالكامل1:02:24 قانون النفط والغاز وجولات التراخيص1:08:39 أزمة الميزانية والاعتماد المفرط على النفط1:09:18 القيمة المضافة: من النفط الخام الى عشرات المنتجات1:11:28 استخراج الليثيوم من المياه المنتجة والطاقة الحرارية1:13:48 الذكاء الاصطناعي والصناعة النفطية1:15:45 تقييم كفاءة الحقول العراقية وتحسين HSE1:16:44 بغداد عاصمة الطاقة العربية: الرؤية الكاملة1:19:18 الطاقة المتجددة بالعراق: الشمس، الرياح، والحرارية1:20:45 لماذا القطاع الخاص متردد بالطاقات المتجددة؟1:24:34 الوقود الأحفوري ومستقبله: COP28 وتقليل الانبعاثات1:28:17 تجربة Dragon Oil بالعراق وحقل الفيحة1:30:02 البيروقراطية والروتين وتأثيرها على الاستثمار1:31:28 دخول الشركات الكبرى والتكاليف المقارنة1:33:04 دروس من الحوادث الكبرى بالقطاع النفطي1:35:36 هل دراسة هندسة النفط ما زالت مجدية؟1:40:04 نصيحة للشباب المقبلين على القطاع1:45:43 ما يتمنى رؤيته بالصناعة النفطية العراقية1:48:14 سرعة اتخاذ القرار وتهيئة الجيل الجديد1:49:39 إعادة زيارة ثقافة العمل والمنظومة الأخلاقية1:51:12 ختام الحلقةتكدرون تشوفون كل حلقاتنا على منصتكم المفضلة عن طريق الرابط: www.tajarib.showارسلولنا اقتراحاتكم للضيوف على الإيميل: hello@tajarib.showللتعاون والرعاية: sponsors@tajarib.show

This International Women's Day episode of the HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing podcast shines a light on the realities of women balancing work, life and care responsibilities across our health service. Host Noreen Turley is joined by Una Rogers, National Nursing and Midwifery SPARK Innovation Fellow and Midwifery Officer with the Department of Health, and Gillian Ledwidge Dunne, Regional Director of People for HSE Dublin and North East.   Together, they share honest and relatable experiences of shift work, “Mom Guilt,” career breaks and leadership, as well as the practical supports that helped them along the way, offering genuine insights and reassurance for anyone trying to "do it all". The key message is simple; reach out early. Talk to your manager or a trusted colleague, and explore the wide range of internal supports available across the HSE, including the confidential Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). Remember, you do not have to wait until you are in crisis to look for support.    Some of the key messages for health service staff include whether you are juggling shift work, caring for others, or simply feeling overwhelmed, there are confidential services, policies and people ready to help you make work and life more sustainable.   For guidance or support, contact diversity.HR@hse.ie, or visit work place Health and Wellbeing.   Produced by GKMedia.ie

On this morning's show... Thomas Conway with Global news in a few moments. We will hear from a mother of two boys with ASD who led a protest on the Main Guard in Clonmel over the weekend. Carrick-on-Suir students from the TY Enterprise programme will join us in studio. We have Drug Education Officer with the HSE, John Leahy with us. Liam Murray is an Irish investment advisor based in Dubai with an insight into living in a Gulf state.

Endlich ist Judith Williams wieder bei uns! Zwischen Ayurveda-Auszeit in Thailand, Retinol-Tipps, Umzugskartons, Wechseljahrs-Glow und plastikfreien Eye-Pads zum Snacken wird gelacht, gecremt und investiert – natürlich nur, wenn's den eigenen Werten entspricht. Es geht um Duft-Overload, Küchengeräte, Eiersalatbrote, Käsekuchen-Konkurrenz mit der Schwiegermutter – und warum man im Leben ruhig Vollgas geben darf. Außerdem gibt uns Judith Williams obendrauf kostenlose Beautytipps, also reinhören!

Two new staff members have been employed by the HSE to carry out assessments of need in Clare. Responding to a query from Shannonbanks Sinn Féin Councillor James Ryan in the newly-formed Regional Health Forum Midwest, HSE Midwest has confirmed two individuals have been hired to expedite the process. Recent figures showed just 25 assessments of need were completed in the county over a nine-month period last year while 73 children remained on the waiting list. Councillor Ryan far more staff are needed to prevent children being "left in limbo".

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is warning consumers against the use of head straps in children's car seats. The product safety warning comes after extensive online market surveillance by the CCPC. Through these searches, the CCPC conducted a sweep of 100 product listings and attempted to obtain the required safety documentation for each product. All 100 listings were removed as the safety of the products could not be demonstrated. The products in question were being sold across five online marketplaces: Amazon, Cdiscount, Joom, Shein and Wish. They may be for sale on other platforms or websites. The head restraint accessory, which is sometimes described as a car seat head strap, a neck protection belt, a head support hugger or a nap aid/sleep holder belt, claims to prevent a child's head from falling forward or sideways if they fall asleep. However, an investigation by the CCPC's product safety team established that these products are dangerous and could cause serious injuries to a child's spine or neck during a collision or suffocation if the strap slips over the child's nose and mouth, or strangulation if the strap moves down to their neck. These products have already been recalled in Malta, Germany and Australia. While the number of products sold in Ireland is unknown, the CCPC is issuing a safety warning about the car seat head straps due to the serious risk they pose. Grainne Griffin, CCPC Director of Communications, said: "Products like this prey on a parent's basic instinct to protect their child. But instead of making a toddler safer, they put the child much more at risk. If the strap slips down over the child's face or neck, there is a serious risk of suffocation or strangulation. "CCPC sweeps have led to the removal of 100 product listings across various platforms. However, we're asking the public to remain vigilant and contact us if they see car seat head straps like these being advertised, be it online or in physical stores." Dr Katharine Harkin, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, HSE Child Health Public Health, said: "Do not place straps across your child's forehead in a car seat. They claim to prevent your child's head from falling forwards or sideways if they fall asleep. There is no evidence that these products are safe to use. "Car seats are designed to keep your child as safe as possible while travelling. The safest approach is always to use a properly fitted, appropriate car seat and do not use any additional products. The HSE's mychild.ie has more advice for parents on keeping their child safe while driving and other areas of child safety." The Road Safety Authority (RSA) does not recommend the use of devices or accessories that are purchased separately from a child's car seat. Christine Hegarty, Road Safety and Education Manager at RSA, said: "Child car seats are highly regulated and vigorously tested and are designed to perform and react in a specific way in the event of a collision. Any device that changes that process is dangerous." Car Seat Safety Advice for Consumers 1. Do not use car seat head straps as they are extremely dangerous. 2. Product add-ons or accessories for car seats should only be used when they have been tested and approved by the car seat manufacturer. 3. Using any other accessories may change the performance of the car seat or introduce other hazards during normal use. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. ...

Smart D8, Dublin's first smart district dedicated to addressing community health and wellbeing needs and located in the heart of Dublin 8, has officially launched its sixth open call for pilot projects. Since October 2020, the Smart D8 partnership has connected innovators with citizen expertise through enterprise, healthcare, academia, government and other areas of the public sector, collectively aiming to address health and wellbeing challenges identified by the local D8 community. Now entering its sixth year, this year's call focuses on innovative pilot projects across three key themes: — Nutrition — Social Connectedness — Workplace Wellbeing Up to three pilot projects will each receive up to €10,000 in funding, but crucially will be supported to validate their innovation with real users. Those selected will have the opportunity to trial new and emerging innovations for illness prevention with a general population to measure and evaluate their population health impacts – demonstrating their potential to positively impact people's lives locally, nationally and internationally. Since its inception, Smart D8 has established strong community connections through outreach with residents, businesses, schools, local organisations and networks to understand health and wellbeing priority areas and needs. Engaging with service providers, innovators and entrepreneurs to trial and test new products, services and ideas, the partnership works to matchmake innovative content and technologies with community networks and demonstrate their impacts on population health to scale. Operating through funded pilot calls and partnerships, the Smart D8 testbed supports access to local knowledge and expertise and facilitates the development of innovative approaches that can enhance health and wellbeing with and in the local community. Through the combined effort of pilot projects, local workshop initiatives and established engagement with existing community networks, Smart D8 has reached over 21,500 citizens living and working in Dublin 8, over 45% of the 45,000-strong population. Smart D8 is led by The Digital Hub, Dublin City Council, St James's Hospital and Smart Dublin. They are joined by Tyndall National Institute, St Patrick's Mental Health Services, Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Translational Medicine Institute, National College of Art & Design, the Guinness Enterprise Centre, Health Innovation Hub Ireland and the HSE in this unique collaborative initiative. Applications will close on Thursday, 26th March at 11 pm. For more information on Smart D8 and to find out how to apply for the latest round of pilot projects, please visit https://smartd8.ie. The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Ray McAdam, said: "I am proud to see our city continue to lead with purpose, placing community wellbeing, innovation and sustainability at the centre of how we shape Dublin's future. Smart D8 represents the very best of civic collaboration, bringing together innovators, researchers, public services and citizens to test ideas that improve everyday life. By grounding innovation in evidence and in lived experience, it is building a model for healthier communities that can be scaled across our capital and beyond. I strongly encourage innovators with bold, practical and evidence-led ideas to step forward and partner with us. Together, we can demonstrate how place-based collaboration delivers real change for Dublin 8 and sets a standard for cities everywhere." Speaking on the opening of pilot applications, Smart D8 Ecosystem Manager, Jack Lehane, said: "As Smart D8 moves into its sixth year, we take great pride in the scale of engagement so far, and are especially motivated by the opportunities that lie ahead. In 2026, we will continue to build on this momentum by focusing on themes that have the greatest potential to identify and validate population health solutions, including nutrition, social connectedness and workplace wellbeing. The partnership provides changemakers w...

Charter Medical Private Hospital (CMPH) Mullingar is pleased to announce on behalf of Alliance Medical the launch of its new state-of-the-art CT scanning service in partnership with Alliance Medical, one of Ireland's leading independent diagnostic providers. The enhanced service, delivered on-site in Mullingar, will provide significantly expanded diagnostic capacity for patients across the Midlands. The investment by Alliance Medical in the delivery of the new CT scanning service further enhances CMPH's role as a key regional healthcare provider, supporting faster diagnosis, earlier intervention, and improved outcomes for both public and private patients. It also serves to strengthen the long-term partnership between CMPG and Alliance Medical and is a clear demonstration of support by Alliance Medical in the development of the hospital's infrastructure, along with the ambitious expansion plans of CMPH. The CT service is fully operational and accepting referrals from GPs, consultants and allied health professionals. It provides access to a comprehensive suite of high-quality imaging services. CMPH patients can now access Neuro CT, Orthopaedic & Musculoskeletal, Vascular CT, CT Angiography, and Oncology CT. Cardiac CT will be added shortly, strengthening CMPH's ability to support rapid diagnosis of cardiovascular conditions. All imaging is carried out on-site by Alliance Medical's specialist radiography team, with reporting completed by RCSI-accredited consultant radiologists, ensuring clinical accuracy and rapid turnaround times. The collaboration with Alliance Medical ensures CMPH can provide a best-in-class diagnostic experience while maintaining seamless integration with its surgical, outpatient and public healthcare services. Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, said: "This investment by Alliance Medical into Charter Medical Private Hospital, Mullingar, is extremely positive for local and regional healthcare. Faster access to diagnostics has a profound impact on patient outcomes, and the expansion of the service here in Mullingar will ease pressure on the wider system. It is encouraging to see continued investment in high-quality services and clinical capacity here in Westmeath. I wish both CMPH and Alliance Medical every success with this important initiative. " Paula Gray, Chief Executive Officer, Charter Medical Private Hospital Mullingar, said: "This development represents a major step forward for patient care in the Midlands. Quick access to accurate diagnostics is critical for early detection, effective treatment and peace of mind. By working closely with Alliance Medical, we can now offer patients the highest standard of imaging locally, without long waiting times or the need to travel. This is an important investment in the health of our community and the future of our hospital." Stephen Sullivan, Alliance Medical Unit Manager, Mullingar: "We have seen a great uptake in referrals in the first few months of the service, and we are very excited to see this grow over the course of the year. To be able to offer patients access to high-quality CT scans without the need to travel long distances is a great benefit for the local area." Charter Medical Private Hospital is a 77-bed acute hospital delivering a broad range of clinical, surgical and diagnostic services to patients across the Midlands. It is part of a wider healthcare network employing over 300 professionals across Dublin and Westmeath. CMPH plays a significant role in supporting the HSE through the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) and Access to Care (ATC) programmes, delivering thousands of procedures in ENT, Ophthalmology, Urology, Dermatology, and General Surgery and minor procedures The hospital is also home to the only public Minor Injuries Unit in the Midlands, treating approximately 10,000 patients per year. CMPH accepts a wide range of insurance providers, including VHI, Laya Healthcare, Irish Life Health, Garda Medical A...

Today on Galway Talks with John Morley:  9am-10am  Government apologises to institutional abuse survivors   SNA protestors gather at city office of Minister Hildegarde Naughton  Over €100 million in expired vaccine doses destroyed by HSE   10am-11am Govt defends rent reforms as major landlord predicts 25% rise in income   Protest at University of Galway over ongoing links to Israeli IT   Ireland Launches First National Maritime Security Strategy Ahead of EU Presidency   11am-12pm CULTURE CORNER - Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble Brings Powerful ‘Peaceline Perspectives' Premiere to Galway   Clifden Could See New Childcare Facilities Under €135m State Scheme   Music Mornings - Jack Reilly 

ZUM INHALT "Wir haben hier ein echtes Kommunikationsproblem.“  Solche Sätze höre ich in Trainings immer wieder. Und ja – Kommunikation ist überall. Deshalb liegt der Verdacht nahe: Wenn es knirscht, dann liegt es eben an der Kommunikation. Aber stimmt das wirklich? In dieser Episode sortiere ich gemeinsam mit dir den großen „Sammeltopf Kommunikationskonflikt" und frage, was dort wirklich reingehört  – und was eigentlich nicht. Du erfährst, - wie hilfreich es ist, zwischen Sach- und Beziehungsebene zu unterscheiden - welche typischen Missverständnisse auf der Sachebene entstehen - warum Beziehungskonflikte oft eine Vorgeschichte haben und - wie du Konflikte diagnostisch sauberer einordnen kannst ... und zwar ohne "persönlich" zu werden. SHOWNOTES **Mehr zur Folge im Blog-Steckbrief** Alle Kernaussagen, die drei Reflexionsübungen als Download, weitere Verweise und Erläuterungen findest du im [Blog-Steckbrief zur Episode](https://susannepetersen.com/podcast-102-kommunikationskonflikte/) Das **Verständlichkeitsmodell **stammt u.a. von Friedemann Schulz von Thun (Langer, Inghard / Schulz von Thun, Friedemann / Tausch, Reinhard) [Mehr dazu auf Wikipedia](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger_Verst%C3%A4ndlichkeitskonzept) Weitere **Podcasts **zu den Konfliktmustern und Rollenkonflikten [Podcast 98:](http://https://susannepetersen.com/podcast-98-konfliktmuster-im-managementsystem-alltag/) Wo Zusammenarbeit an Grenzen stößt: Konfliktmuster im Managementsystem-Alltag [Podcast 99:](https://susannepetersen.com/podcast-99-zwischen-den-stuehlen/) Zwischen den Stühlen – Warum deine Rolle so oft unter Spannung steht [Podcast 100:](https://susannepetersen.com/podcast-100-rollen-klarheit-statt-ja-reflex/) Rollen-Klarheit statt Ja-Reflex – Drei Schritte zur wirksamen Positionierung in HSE, Q & Co. [Podcast 101:](https://susannepetersen.com/podcast-101-keine-zeit-als-tueroeffner/) „Keine Zeit!“ als Türöffner – Wie Prioritäten verhandelbar werden **Kontakt zu mir: ** Als Fachkraft wirksamer werden? Lass uns austauschen, wie ich helfen kann! Hier kommst du zum [Erstgespräch](https://susannepetersen.com/kontakt-und-termine/) Fragen oder Feedback? Immer gern! z.B. über Mail an info@susannepetersen.com Sind wir schon vernetzt? Gern über [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannepetersen/)

A Clare organisation which delivers meals to homes across the county is hopeful a funding boost will mitigate its soaring food costs. After first floating the measure in Budget 2026, the Government has announced a €2 million increase in the HSE funding allocation for Meals on Wheels organisations nationwide. Obair in Newmarket-on-Fergus brings meals to roughly 300 service users each day and has 12 vans traversing the length and breadth of the county. Eimear Murphy, who works with Obair, says it's getting more difficult to cover food bills.

Andrea spoke to ‘Anna' last week about caring for her daughter and how she felt she had no other option but to bring her daughter to A&E and leave her there.Anna joins again to discuss an apology she received from the HSE…

Today on Galway Talks with John Morley:  9am-10am  HSE says elective hospital at Merlin Park proceeding – but denies 200 beds were ever part of the plan - we'll be speaking to the Minister for Education and Galway West FG TD Hildegarde Naughten for further clarity  Anger in Connemara as bus park in Kylemore to go ahead while other plans rejected on environmental grounds 10am-11am CCPC Urges Ireland to Open Taxi Market to Uber and Bolt - but what do taxi drivers think- we'll be finding out  Searches continue after the former Prince Andrew's release from custody in England- we speak to a reporter in London  Finbar Wright is coming to perform on a Galway stage - he'll join us live in studio this morning  11am-12pm Galway Thoughts Panel – Deputy Pete Roche and Cllr Alan Curran to discuss what's been making the headlines this week  We'll also take a look ahead to all the weekend's sporting action with Darren Kelly

€33m belonging to dead or missing patients is being held unclaimed in accounts managed by the HSE. So, how do you find out if you are entitled to any of this?Joining Seán to discuss is Mary Frances Fahy, solicitor and tax consultant at Fahy Neilan Solicitors, in Co. Roscommon…

It's been a while since Dave and Fionnuala had to launch a full-on “song investigation”, but today's mystery is a proper head-melter -sparked by a TikTok from Caoimhe Ryan (@caoimheryan02) about her mum, a piano teacher, who can't place where a certain piece of music is from.The theories fly in: insurance ads, First Dates, the TV licence, the consent ad, even Pixar.But after a flood of messages and some serious detective work, the gang finally track it down… and yes, it brings them right back to COVID and an unforgettable HSE campaign.

A Clare TD has slammed comments by the Health Minister praising a marginal reduction in trolley numbers over the St Brigid's weekend According to the HSE's Trolleygar report, there were 25% fewer patients waiting on trolleys at 8am after the Bank Holiday weekend, compared to same period last year. However, figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation show University Hospital Limerick was actually more overcrowded this year, with 118 patients without a bed, even with the opening of the new 96 bed block. Shannon Sinn Féin Deputy Donna McGettigan has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan the Government should focus on action not back patting.

Laura Hogan, North-East Correspondent, reports on calls for the HSE to make use of a prominent piece of land in the growing village of Ratoath.

It's claimed the people of west and north Clare are suffering due to a lack of access to emergency ambulance care The local authority has called on the National Ambulance Service to provide additional rapid response vehicles to remote parts of the county. In a correspondence issued to Clare TD Joe Cooney this week, the HSE has confirmed that additional 12 hour ambulance shifts will be rolled out in Ennistymon and Kilrush, while new Emergency Medical Technicians are set to be recruited in Ennis. Lisdoonvarna Fine Gael Councillor Joe Garrihy says greater accessibility is key.

Padraig Rice, Chairperson of the Oireachtas Health Committee, on the widening of a HSE review into a paediatric consultant's surgeries.

The HSE is set to review the cases of 62 children who had spinal care at Children's Health Ireland following concerns that some surgeries did not lead to the expected outcome. Speaking to Anton this morning was David Cullinane, Sinn Fein spokesperson for Health and TD for Waterford.

Fergal Bowers, Health Correspondent, reports on the private briefing to take place this morning by the HSE on an independent review conducted by a UK expert into children's spinal operations.

The HSE is set to clinically review 62 children who underwent orthopedic surgery as a ‘precautionary measure.' The move follows an independent report into the service in 2023, commissioned after high rates of post-operative complications and infections came to light. Many parents of children that underwent orthopedic surgeries are still waiting to hear whether their child is one of the 62 under review. Shane was joined by by Una Keightley who is one such parent, and co-lead of the Spina Bifida Paediatric Advocacy Group to react to the news.

Access to local GP services remains a big concern in rural Clare, with recent challenges in Newmarket-on-Fergus and Kilrush highlighting the issue. Alan Morrissey was joined by Newmarket on Fergus Fianna Fail Councillor David Griffin and Kilrush Independent Councillor Ian Lynch. They'll discuss the impact on their communities, the HSE's response, and what more needs to be done to ensure people in rural areas can continue to access vital GP care. Image (C) anyaberkut from Getty Images Pro via Canva

Calls have been made for urgent improvements to home carer working conditions in order to tackle severe recruitment backlogs in Clare. A recent report by Home and Community Care Ireland showed the HSE's homecare waiting lists in this county are proportionally the longest nationwide. Pressure is now coming on the HSE to increase staff pay, improve career progression pathways and introduce enhanced mileage allowances. HSE Regional Health Forum West Member, Doonbeg Fianna Fáil Councillor Rita McInerney says strong action is required.

Smart toothbrushes have gone from novelty gadgets to genuinely sophisticated pieces of technology. They now feature Bluetooth connectivity, AI-powered brushing guidance, pressure sensors and apps that track brushing technique with alarming precision. Top-of-the-range smart toothbrushes can cost around €400, which is roughly the same price as a decent smartphone. The question is: does spending that kind of money on a smart toothbrush actually make sense? The pros and cons of smart dental tech Expensive gadgets that promise to revolutionise mundane tasks are often met with scepticism. Dental tech, however, occupies slightly different territory. Oral health has genuine long-term consequences, and most people are objectively poor at brushing their teeth properly. What you're actually paying for with smart dental tech Premium electric toothbrushes aren't just vibrating sticks with fancy packaging. The technology inside has become genuinely sophisticated. High-end models like Philips Sonicare 9900 DiamondClean Prestige use sonic or ultrasonic vibrations at frequencies that manually brushing simply cannot match. We're talking 30,000+ brush movements per minute creating fluid dynamics that clean between teeth and along the gum line. The smart features include pressure sensors that stop you scrubbing too hard and damaging enamel, timers that ensure you brush for the recommended two minutes, and position tracking that tells you which areas you're neglecting. The apps connect to your phone via Bluetooth, providing real-time feedback and building a picture of your brushing habits over time. The pressure sensor alone justifies the cost Here's something most people don't realise: brushing too hard causes more damage than not brushing enough. Aggressive brushing wears down enamel, causes gum recession, and leads to sensitivity issues that are expensive and unpleasant to fix. A single crown or veneer in Ireland will cost you far more than even the most premium electric toothbrush. Pressure sensors solve this problem elegantly. The brush automatically reduces power or stops entirely when you're pressing too hard, training you to use proper technique. After a few weeks, you naturally adjust your brushing style. It's the kind of feature that seems minor until you realise it's preventing hundreds or thousands of euros in future dental work. The Irish dental cost factor Irish dental care is notoriously expensive compared to much of Europe. A routine hygienist appointment costs €60-80, fillings start around €80-100 and anything more serious quickly runs into hundreds. The HSE covers very limited dental care for adults, meaning most of us are paying out of pocket for everything. In this context, investing in prevention makes financial sense. If a €400 toothbrush helps you avoid even one filling or root canal over its lifetime, it's paid for itself. Most premium electric toothbrushes last 5-10 years with proper care, meaning the daily cost works out to less than 20 cents – cheaper than your morning coffee. Where to find smart electric toothbrushes without the markup Electric toothbrushes carry ridiculous markups in some retailers. Pharmacies and department stores often charge full RRP, and even online retailers frequently inflate prices. Although you can find comprehensive smart dental tech on Notino at significantly better prices than traditional outlets. This matters because the barrier to entry is often price rather than effectiveness. If you can get a quality sonic toothbrush for €100-150 rather than €300+, the value proposition becomes much clearer. You don't necessarily need the absolute top-tier model to see benefits – mid-range options from reputable brands like Oral-B or Philips offer most of the important features at more accessible price points. The app experience varies wildly Bluetooth connectivity and companion apps are standard on premium models now, but the quality varies enormously. Some apps are genuinely useful, providing action...

"We're spending 97% of our health budget on illness and just 3% on wellness". Professor Martin Curley of Maynooth University joins Jess to discuss the impact technology and digital tools could have on our health system, keeping well people well for longer. We also hear about Martin's time working at the HSE and why we need our health leaders to be courageous.

Just 25 Assessments of Needs were completed in Clare over a nine-month period last year. An assessment of need is a statutory process used to determine the health and educational needs of children with disabilities, and the HSE aims to deliver results within a six-month timeframe. According to the latest figures, however, 73 children in this county are overdue an assessment. Shannonbanks Sinn Féin Councillor and HSE Regional Health Forum West member James Ryan says it's nothing short of a disgrace.

Almost three thousand adults are on waiting lists to see an HSE psychologist, and nearly half of those are waiting more than a year. And when it comes to CAMHS, over four thousand children and adolescents are on waiting lists to access their services. Those are just two statistics to tell the story of the many problems in our mental health services. Mary Butler is the Minister of State for Mental Health. She joined Shane and Ciara to discuss how the government plans to address shortcomings in the provision of mental health services.

Treasa spoke to Killarney councillor Marie Moloney about the multi-million euro Killarney Community Nursing Unit, work on which started in 2022 and has been beset by delays. The HSE says it will be shortly submitting its final application for the unit’s registration to HIQA. The Labour councillor also paid tribute to Ruairi O’Flaherty for winning a Grammy.

A campaign group is calling on the HSE to purchase lands suitable for the development of a new hospital in Ennis this month. It follows the publication of a new report by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association which shows 1,991 patients were treated on trolleys in the region's main hospital in January. Although this is a reduction of 11% from January 2024, University Hospital Limerick has remained the most overcrowded facility since the opening of the first 96-bed block. Friends of Ennis Hospital Chairperson Angela Coll says the feeling of urgency to deliver a new hospital will diminish over the summer when trolley numbers inevitably decline.

The Ireland Live Show - tonight at 9pm Join hosts Paul Fitzsimons & Orla Donohoe as they recap and react to the latest Irish news and breaking stories. Tonight, we are speaking to Mary-Jane, a mother who's child has been massively failed by the HSE and care system. Listener discretion is advised.  You can now watch the show on the Gael Force Media website or YouTube page. 

Tá sé tugtha le fios ag an HSE dó go bhfuil deireadh curtha leis an bpróiseas tairisceana a bhí ar siúl acu chun Ionad Cúram Príomhúil a thógáil sa Spidéal, agus go bhfuil siad anois ag breathnú ar shuíomh eile a cheannach i gceantar an Spidéil.

A Clare TD has told the Dáil that her nephew was forced to wait for treatment for hours on a chair at University Hospital Limerick's Emergency Department after a failed suicide attempt. Shannon Deputy Donna McGettigan has made the contribution during a debate on a Sinn Féin motion calling for the Dáil to note a Mental Health Commission report which reveals "international best practice" isn't available in EDs in Ireland. Data recently released to the party by the HSE shows the Midwest doesn't currently have a mental health clinical nurse specialist. Deputy McGettigan says families like hers have felt let down by inadequate mental health services.

It's feared there could be widespread procedure cancellations in the MidWest as a key branch of healthcare personnel have threatened industrial action. Clinical Measurement Physiologists represented by Fórsa are set to meet HSE officials at the Workplace Relations Commission today, in a long-running dispute over pay and conditions. CMPs deliver diagnostic services across cardiac, respiratory, neurophysiology, gastrointestinal and vascular care, and Fórsa claims its members will engage in a work-to-rule from Friday if an agreement can't be reached. Fórsa Secretary Linda Kelly claims there's a myriad of issues.

At 29 most young people are looking forward to building a life and settling down, but for Niamh Ni Hoireabhaird this takes a bit of adjustment. She is newly married, but is living with Friedreich's ataxia which is a rare and progressive neuromuscular condition which is beginning to deteriorate.Niamh was hoping that a new drug which could potentially help her condition and improve her life would be made available, but because this isn't deemed cost-effective those hopes were dashed last month. In a statement, The National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics confirmed that a HSE reimbursement decision has not been made as it is currently in the drug approval process. Niamh Joined Sean to discuss her condition and how access to the drug may help her.

This week on The Baby Tribe, Afif and Anne return after the Christmas “break” (parenting, but with more chocolate) and ease back in with a totally non-controversial topic: home birth and free birth. We start by clearly separating free birth (no medical care, no trained attendant, outside healthcare infrastructure) from planned home birth (full antenatal care, risk assessment, trained midwife support, and an escalation plan). This episode is not about shaming women or taking choice away. It's about risk, and what happens when birth stops being straightforward. We unpack what can go wrong for mothers, including postpartum haemorrhage and sepsis, and why peripartum deterioration can be sudden, making rapid multidisciplinary response crucial. Then we shift to babies, discussing why the initial steps of newborn resuscitation can happen at home, but more advanced interventions cannot, and why that matters when minutes count. We also talk about water birth, why labouring in water is different from delivering in water, and the rare but serious neonatal complications reported in the literature. Finally, we discuss Irish transfer realities using data from a recent audit of the HSE home birth service (2012–2021), including transfer rates and travel times, and why “transfer if needed” is not always the reassurance people think it is. If you'd like to support the podcast, subscribe to HeadStuff Plus for Baby Tribe Shorts, where we break down the science, the headlines, and listener questions. Sponsored by www.happytummy.ie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Urgent clarity is being sought on plans for a primary care centre in North Clare. The HSE first signalled its intentions to deliver a facility in Ennistymon back in 2021, but remained in the planning stages for four years. A tender process to construct the centre was announced last January, however no updates have been provided since. Ennistymon Fianna Fáil Councillor Shane Talty says local residents can't be left in the dark.

2026-01-15 | UPDATES #100 | Sergey Karaganov appears on Tucker Carlson — it's a match made in hell – and they talked about nuclear blackmail, Europe as the enemy, and how the Kremlin may be forced to save humanity and civilisation, by wiping out Europe in a nuclear firestorm. Yes, he said that. Sergey Karaganov — a long-time Moscow foreign-policy heavyweight and nuclear-escalation enthusiast — sat down with Tucker Carlson and did what Kremlin ideologues do best: talk about erasing Ukraine, recasting the war as Russia versus “evil Europe,” and then floated an escalatory ladder that ends in nuclear strikes on European states.And yes, he said the loud bit out even louder: “Europe will be taken away from the map of the humanity.” Let's break down what he threatened, why Karaganov matters, but not in the way that he wants us to believe, and how this fits the Kremlin's intimidation cycle — especially as it comes on the day when Trump (once more) publicly blamed Zelensky for stalled talks while Russia and kept on hitting Ukrainian civilians and energy infrastructure.----------SOURCES: Tucker Carlson interview transcript (The Singju Post, Jan 2026): Karaganov's “map of humanity” line and UK/Germany targeting remarks. upday (UK edition, Jan 15, 2026): summary of Karaganov's threat framing (note: page labels itself AI-generated). Reuters (Jan 15, 2026): Trump says Zelensky is holding up a deal; Zelensky responds reaffirming Ukraine's commitment to peace. Reuters & AP (Jan 15, 2026): Russia expels British diplomat; UK rejects claims as “malicious and baseless.” Reuters (Jan 9, 2026): Russian hypersonic strike near western Ukraine; nuclear-capable signaling context. Karaganov (Russia in Global Affairs, June 13, 2023): nuclear threshold / escalation argument.Carnegie (July 2023): analysis of Karaganov's nuclear-attack advocacy and what it reveals.Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (Aug 2023): critique of Karaganov's nuclear preemption logic.ASPI Strategist (June 2023): discussion of Russia's nuclear rhetoric ecosystem and Karaganov's role in it. HSE staff profile / SVOP context: Karaganov's institutional positioning. ----------Silicon Curtain is a part of the Christmas Tree Trucks 2025 campaign - an ambitious fundraiser led by a group of our wonderful team of information warriors raising 110,000 EUR for the Ukrainian army. https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-silicon-curtainThe Goal of the Campaign for the Silicon Curtain community:- 1 armoured battle-ready pickupWe are sourcing all vehicles around 2010-2017 or newer, mainly Toyota Hilux or Mitsubishi L200, with low mileage and fully serviced. These are some of the greatest and the most reliable pickups possible to be on the frontline in Ukraine. Who will receive the vehicles?https://car4ukraine.com/campaigns/christmas-tree-trucks-2025-silicon-curtain- The 38th Marine Brigade, who alone held Krynki for 124 days, receiving the Military Cross of Honour.- The 1027th Anti-aircraft and artillery regiment. Honoured by NATO as Defender of the Year 2024 and recipient of the Military Cross of Honour.- 104th Separate Brigade, Infantry, who alone held Kherson for 100 days, establishing conditions for the liberation of the city.- 93rd Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar", Black Raven Unmanned Systems Battalion ----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------

Allen and Joel are joined by Pete Andrews, Managing Director at EchoBolt. They discuss the company’s new BoltWave inspection device, the shift from routine retightening to condition-based monitoring, and how ultrasonic technology helps operators manage blade stud and tower bolt integrity throughout the turbine lifecycle. Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly newsletter on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard’s StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on YouTube, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary’s “Engineering with Rosie” YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! Welcome to Uptime Spotlight, shining light on wind. Energy’s brightest innovators. This is the Progress Powering tomorrow. Pete Andrews: Pete, welcome to the program. Good to be back. Yeah. See you face to face. Yeah. Yes. This is wonderful. It’s a really great event to catch it with loads of the. UK innovation that are happening in the supply chain. So it’s, yeah, really nice to be here.  Allen Hall: This is really good to meet in person because we have seen a lot of bolt issues in the us, Canada, Australia, yeah. Uh, all around the world and every time bolt problems come up, I say, have you called Pete Andrews and Echo Bolt and gotten the kit to detect bolt issues? And then who’s Pete? Give me Pete’s phone number. Okay, sure. Uh, but now that we’re here in person, a lot has changed since we first talked to you probably two years ago.[00:01:00] You’re a bootstrap company based in the UK that has global presence, and I, I think it’s a good start to explain what the technology is and why Echo Bolt matters so much in today’s world.  Pete Andrews: Yeah, absolutely. So, um, as you said, we’re a uk, um, SME, there’s a team of 13 of us based here in the uk. Yeah. But we do deliver our services internationally, but really focused on Northern Europe. Yeah. But increasingly we’ve done more in the US and North America, a little bit in Canada. Um, but our big offering really is to help wind turbine operators and owners reduce the need to routinely retire in bulks. So we have a quick and simple inspection technology that people can deploy, find out the status of their bolt connections, and then. Reti them if necessary, but the vast majority of the time we find that they’re static and absolutely fine and can be left [00:02:00] alone. So it’s a real big efficiency boost for wind operators.  Joel Saxum: Well, you’re doing things by prescription now, right? Instead of just blanket cover, we’re gonna do all of this. It’s like, let’s work on the ones that actually need to be worked on. Let’s do the, the work that we actually need to, and instead of lugging, like we’re looking at the kit right here, and I can, you can hold the case in one hand, let alone the tools in a couple of fingers. As opposed to torque tensioning tools that are this big, they weigh a hundred kilos, and those come with all of their own problems. So I know that you guys said you’re, you’re focused here. You do a lot of work, um, in the offshore wind world as well. Yeah. I mean, offshore wind is where you add a zero right? To zeros. Yeah. Everything else is that much more complicated. It costs that much more. It’s you’re transitioning people offshore to the transition pieces. Like there’s so much more HSE risk, dollar risk, all of these different spend things. So. The Echo Bolt systems, these different tools that you have being developed and utilized here first make absolute sense, but now you guys are starting to go to onshore as well.  Pete Andrews: Yeah, that’s right. So I mean, as as you said, that there’s really [00:03:00] three main benefit areas we focus on. The first one is the health and safety of technicians, right? As you said, some of the fasteners used offshore now are up to MA hundred. So a hundred millimeter diameter bolts,  Joel Saxum: four inches for our American friends. Yeah, absolutely.  Pete Andrews: And they probably weigh. 30 kilos plus per bolt. Yeah. Um, so just the physical manual handling of that sort of equipment and the tightening equipment for those bolts is a huge risk for people. If you think 150 bolts lifting or maneuvering, the tooling around on on its own can cause all the problems. So as well as the inherent risk of the hydraulic kit failing. So occasionally we see catastrophic tool failure. Is, which have really high potential severity, you know, sort of tensioner heads ejecting or crush injuries from Tor. So that is really a key focus for our customers, just to [00:04:00] keep their teams safe, but also you have to be the cost effective and the the major cost benefit we allow is that we don’t have to revisit every bolt and every turbine like you’d have to do if you were retyping. So we believe there’s something of the order of a million pounds per installed gigawatt saving. By moving from a routine REIT uh, maintenance strategy to a focused condition based inspection, you significantly reduce the amount of intervention you make and keep your turbines running more and reduce the boots on the ground on the turbine. So three real kind of, um, key. Benefits for people adopting our technology  Allen Hall: because we routinely see tower bolts being reworked or retention depending on who the manufacturer is. And I’m watching this go on. I’m like, why are [00:05:00] we doing this? It seems, or the 10% rule, we’re tighten 10% this year, and they’ll come back and see how it’s going. That’s a little insane, right, because you’re just kind of. Tensioning bolts up to see if one of them has a problem and then you just do more of them and we’re wasting so much time because echo bolts figured this out years ago. You don’t need to do that. You can tell what the tension is in a bolt ultrasonically, which was the original technology, the first gen I’ll call it, uh, that you could tell the length of the bolt. If the length of the bolt is correct within certain parameters, you know that it is tension properly. If it’s shrunk, that probably means it’s not tensioned properly. That’s a huge advantage because you can’t physically see it. And I know I’ve seen technicians go, oh, I could take a hammer and I can tell you which ones are not tensioned properly wrong. Wrong. And I think that’s where equitable comes in because you’re actually applying a a lot of science simply [00:06:00] to a complex problem because the numbers are so big. Pete Andrews: Yeah, I mean that, that, that’s been the real. Driving force between our offering is to simplify it. So ultimately we’re based on a non-destructive testing technique. It’s an ultrasonic thickness checking technique, but when from the non-destructive testing background, it’s crack detection, people have time, they can be, it’s a very precision measurement. People have to be trained in the wind industry. We’re trying to inspect. A thousand, 2000 bolts a day at scale. It’s a completely different, um, ask of the technology and the way the technology has been developed historically has required too much technician expertise, too much configuration and set up time, and hasn’t delivered on the, on the speed that’s needed to be efficient in wind. And that’s where our bolt wave [00:07:00] unit we’ve, that we’ve developed over the last. 18 months, let’s say, where all of our focus has gone to make it as slick and as easy for a client technician to pick up with minimal training. It’s through an iOS interface. Everyone understands it intuitively. Um, it’s a bit like using the camera app on your phone. You know, you’re just hitting measure, measure, measure, measure, measure 10 seconds a bolt as you move the, um, ultrasonic transducer across, and then the data gets moved. Automatically to the cloud, to our bolt platform. And customers can view it in near real time. The engineer in the office can see the inspections happened. They can see if there are any anomalous bolts, and then there can be communication there and then whether an intervention is necessary. So it’s sort of really changed the way our customers think about managing their, um. They’re bolted joints.  Joel Saxum: Well, I think these are, these are the kind of innovations that we love to see, right? Because [00:08:00] we regularly talk about a shortage of technicians, and this isn’t, I was just learning this this week too, like this is not a wind problem. This is a everywhere problem. No matter what industry you’re in. Use are short of technicians. But we’re seeing like a tool like this is developed to be able to scale that workforce as well. Right. You don’t need to be an NDT level three expert to go and do these things. ’cause there’s a very few of those people out there. Right? Right. We know the NDT people, a lot of NDT people, and that’s a hard skillset to come by. Yeah. This can be put in the hands of any technician. Yeah, a quick training course. Just, Hey, this is how you use your iPhone. You can check Instagram, right? Yeah. Okay. You can off figure. Yeah, have fun. See you at lunch. Um, but they can, they can make this happen, right? They can go do these inspections and you’re getting that, that, uh, data collected in the field. Centralized back to an SME that’s looking at it and you don’t have to put that SME in the field and try to scale their ability to go and travel and do all these things. They can be in the office making sure that the, the QA, QC is done correctly. I love it. I think that that’s the way we need to go with a lot of things. [00:09:00]Uh, and you’re making it happen.  Pete Andrews: Yeah. And it’s a real kind of. F change in mindset for us. So originally when we started Ebot, we were using third party hardware. Yeah. Which required a bit of that specialism. Yeah. A bit of care about the setup of the project, getting multiple parameters configured before you got going. And it wasn’t really something we could put in the hands of a customer.  Joel Saxum: Yeah.  Pete Andrews: Which meant Ebot scale was limited to what our own team could go and do, and regionally as well. You know, so we’re UK based. Probably 60% of our customers are uk, but now we have this Northern Europe offshore wind is obviously on our doorstep, but then increasingly we’ve done more and more in North America, so we’ve probably been to five or six sites now in North America and expect that to be a growth market because we can, we can now ship the devices over there, give some virtual training help. Uh, [00:10:00] people set themselves up and then that opens up that market, you know, so it’s been a real change in strategy for us, but has allowed us to have far more impact than we otherwise would just try to be a pure service.  Allen Hall: Well, let’s talk about the big problem in the states of a minute, which are the root bushing or inserts that are loose in some blades. When you lose that pushing, you also lose the tension on the bolt that can be measured. Is that something you’re getting involved with quite a bit now because of just trying to determine how many bolts are affected and, and where we are on the safety scale of can we run this turbine or not? Is that something that EE bolt’s been looking into? Pete Andrews: Yeah, absolutely. So I, I’d say there’s sort of two halves of what we do. There’s the, there’s the bulk wholesale monitoring of. Typically static connections to eliminate this routine retitling where it’s not needed typically, typically. But then we have these edge cases of certain [00:11:00] connections and certain platforms that have known bolt integrity problems, and we are working with clients to really, um, manage those integrity risks. Blade stud is an absolute classic, you know, sort of, I think almost every turbine OEM on some, if not all of their platforms has got. Embedded risk into their blades, pitch bearing connections. Um, so yeah, exactly as you said, our customers are using the technology for two things really. One is to ensure the bolts have been tightened to the preload that was specified or the target window. And quite often we find there is an opportunity to increase the preload and therefore increase the resistance to fatigue failure. So. You know, particularly on older sites where the bolts perhaps not in the condition they were on day one. Well, they definitely won’t be. Um, when people have gone and retti them, they haven’t got back to where they, they should be.[00:12:00] So we can prove that and increase a bit of that resilience, but then also start to look for the segments around the joint where, um, the bolt might start loosening or failures are occurring, and find areas where they can really hone in. And actively manage risk. And that sort of leads to what we’ve decided to do for the next year, particularly with Blade Stud in mind, is evolve this technology. So whilst it’s also measuring the elongation, we will do a defect scan at the same time. So you’ll monitor your blade stu, um, connection and we’re hoping that we can set the device to flag to you there and then. We believe this bulk has got a defect while you’re here, get it changed out before it fails and, and all the knock on problems, um, from there. Joel Saxum: So what you’re just pointing to there is a, is a workflow, right? So to me that is typical [00:13:00] of some of the amazing, innovative companies in the UK that I’ve run into throughout my career. And that is, you’re a group of SMEs, you know, bolted connections. That’s what you do, right? But then you’re like, hey. If there’s a tool, we could make a tool that would make our lives a bit easier, then it’s like, well, we could make the entire industry’s lives a little bit easier as well. So let’s iterate on that. And now you’re able to send these kits around the world to look at these things. Hey, you have a problem with this specific model. We can help you with this because we know the failure mode and we know how to look for it. Let’s do that for you. Also here, you’re doing bolt bulk measurements. We got that for you. But it all kind of flows back to the fact that Echo Bolt is a team. A bolted connection, SMEs that are making tools and being able to also provide consulting if need be. Yeah. Right. Um, to, to an entire industry. And I think that, um, this is my take on it, right? Wind is stop number one. I think you guys are gonna do a fantastic year, but there’s a lot of, uh, opportunity out there in bolted [00:14:00] connections as well. Allen Hall: A tremendous amount blade bolts being broken from defects in the crystalline structure. What appears to be a more. Rapidly developing issue across fleets that I’ve seen. I went to a farm this summer and the number of blade bolts that were there on the table that were broken on the conference room table was And the whiteboard office. Yeah. Yeah. This one,  Joel Saxum: this one.  Allen Hall: Your hard head is not gonna protect you from this one. It’s, it’s, it was this, um, I couldn’t imagine the amount of time they were spending hunting these things down. And of course, the only way they were finding ’em was they were broken. You like to catch ’em before they break because it becomes  Joel Saxum: a safety risk. Just not too long ago we saw an insurance case where there’s an RCA going on and it is pointing at an entire tower came down. Right. And it is pointing at a mid, mid tower section bolted connection. How often do you guys run into those problems? Or are you contacted by insurance companies or anything like that to, to take a peek at those? Pete Andrews: We haven’t done anything directly for insurance [00:15:00]companies, but we have been engaged by. Engineering consultancies that are doing RCA type activities. Okay. Um, things like at the end of defect liability periods mm-hmm. A customer has, has seen, they’ve had a lot of, uh, issues from an OEM, maybe an OE EM has offered a modification or an upgrade, assessing whether that upgrade is actually solved the problem or not. We’ve got involved in, um, but the tower. Issue specifically. It’s actually very rare we find, um, problems with tower connections, but where we do is often where they haven’t achieved good flange flatness, ah, during installation or the bolts have been, let’s say, left out in the elements for a period and lubrication has been, has deteriorated before the bolt’s been installed. So there are cases out there, but what I would say is. [00:16:00] To think about your whole life cycle, so ensure the bolt’s installed correctly and we can help with that with a QA to say, yes, this torque or tightening method has got you to the load that you want. Do some through life monitoring, but often if you install it correctly, it will it’s operational life. You will have very little concern. But then in the UK market, we’re increasingly getting involved again at the end of life, right? Life extension where life extension turbines are 20, 25 years old. How does an operator make a decision to carry on running without replacing all bots? Um, and that’s where increasingly we being asked to use the technologist just to say, actually the joint is fine. The bolts have run in a good, um, operational envelope. Run them on. Don’t replace a hundred percent of them like you might have been recommended to from your, um, yeah. Turbine supplier side. [00:17:00] Allen Hall: So Pete, if someone’s doing a repower where they’re basically putting a new one in the cell on an existing tower, they’re making a lot of assumptions about all the bolts from the ground up that they’re gonna be okay. And I know we’re talking about that. We’re in a lot of installations where. If the turbine has gone through a repowered or two. So now those bolts are 20 years old. Yeah. And trying to get ’em to  Joel Saxum: 30 35. 35  Allen Hall: 40. Yeah. I don’t know what they’re doing. By those bolted connections. Are they just like replacing the bolts? Are they hitting ’em with a hammer again? Is that the, yeah,  Pete Andrews: I mean, they might replace ’em, but you’ve got a problem with the foundation bolts. ’cause they’re obviously often anchor bolts set into concrete, so you have to reuse them and. With the projects, both in wind and in process power industry with the chimney stacks to try and ascertain whether foundation bolts that are set into concrete are still suitable for operations. So look for corrosion losses, look for [00:18:00] defects. Um, so yeah, they’re all things that need thinking about before you just make the snap decision to repower. But I think  Joel Saxum: a lot of that, uh, going back to a couple minutes ago, you were talking about at the commissioning phase, making sure that you have proper qa, QC of how these things were installed day one, and then making sure that before commissioning of a turbine, they’re checked. I think that’s really important. We’re starting to see that in the blade world now too, where we’ve been talking about it for a long time, and now when you talk to operators, they’re like, we’re getting inspections done on the blades before they’re hung. Or at the factory before they’re hung. After they’re hung. Like they want a good foundation baseline. Are you seeing that in the bolted connection world too?  Pete Andrews: Yes. Sort of. It’s just emerging for us. What we’ve found is, so most of our customers are in the operational phase ’cause they are the ones feeling the pain. Yeah. Of the routine retitling work. When they do major components, they sometimes engage us to come and say, can you check [00:19:00] before and after the blade was removed? What was it? Before we took it off from a a bolt load perspective, what is it afterwards? Can you then recheck after 500 hours When we retalk it? And what we’ve seen there often is the initial install hasn’t got them to where they needed to be and they’ve had to go and do the break in maintenance or the 500 hour REIT to get the bolts to the right load. So one of the questions that we have is whether. Some of the defects are actually being initiated very early on in that initial running in period and whether if, if actually you’d taken the time at, at the point of assembly to make sure you were correct, whether that avoids some of the knock on integrity concerns. So yeah, it’s interesting area.  Allen Hall: Well, bolts are what hold wind turbines together and you better know you have the right. Tension and [00:20:00] torque on your bolts to get to the lifetime of the wind turbine and to, and to check it once in a while. And I know there’s a lot of operators I can think of right now in the United States that are sort of doing that job somewhat. I I think they have missed out on opportunities to save a lot of money and to call it echo bolt. How do people get ahold of you? Because that’s one thing I run into all the time. Like, Hey, hey, you gotta talk to Ebol, call Ebol. How do they get ahold of you?  Pete Andrews: So the easiest ways are via our website. Which is echo bolt.com. Um, LinkedIn, you’ll find us at Echo Bolt on LinkedIn. Reach out. Our email would be info@cobolt.com. So any of those route and you’ll, uh, reach me and the team and more than happy to speak to you about any of your faulting concerns or problems. We are, uh, yeah, we’re passionate about your problems.  Allen Hall: Pete, thank you so much for being on this podcast. I, it is great to actually see you in person and see the bolt wave technology. It’s really [00:21:00] impressive. So anybody out there that needs bolt tensioning to checking tools, you need to get ahold of Pete at Echo Bolt and get started today. Thank you Pete. Thanks guys. It’s great to be here.

It's feared the centralisation of GP services in Clare could become the norm unless meaningful steps are taken. Over 900 medical card holders in Newmarket-on-Fergus were forced to switch to the Saffron and Blue Medical Clinic in Clarecastle on January 1st after the HSE failed to find a new premises in Newmarket. A Department of Health report published last July shows this county will need 41 new GPs by 2030. Newmarket-on-Fergus Fianna Fáil Councillor David Griffin insists no one should have to travel to an urban centre to access GP care.

Health Care Assistants may go on strike next month unless the HSE comes to the table for talks on working conditions. 95% of SIPTU staff in the Home Support Service have voted for industrial action, up to an including strikes. They say it's due to the employer's failure to honour improvements in terms and conditions which were agreed 8 years ago. Services in Clare, Limerick, Cork, Kerry and Donegal could all be affected if a strike goes ahead. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined by SIPTU Organiser, Graham Macken. Image (c) Kzenon via Canva

It's feared the development of a new hospital in Ennis could be hamstrung by objections, unless a proposed reform of the planning system comes to pass. Ennis Municipal District has confirmed it's working with Clare County Council to identity sites suited to accommodate a new hospital in the county town. There was much excitement when the Health Minister committed to progressing all three recommendations of HIQA's review of emergency care capacity in the Midwest in the tail end of last year. Since then, the question of where the region's new model 3 hospital with an emergency department will be located has been to the forefront of the minds of local representatives in Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary. At this week's meeting of Ennis's local elected representatives, Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat Daly has urged Ennis Municipal District to "take the lead" in finding a serviced site in the vicinity of the county town that can accommodate a new hospital. In response, Ennis MD says it's working with the Clare County Council's Planning Department to identify a "range of sites" potentially suited to such a facility. The consideration of sites, it claims is considered "sensitive" due to "landownership arrangements, HSE announcements and commercial sensitivities". It's also stated that the local authority is in regular contact with the HSE on this matter. Councillor Daly believes in the event Clare is chosen as the location of the new facility, there must be a site ready. Separately, a joint motion tabled at this week's meeting of Clare County Council has sought to commend the Government on recently-announced plans to clamp down on judicial reviews. The legislation in question would include a number of restrictions, including that applicants looking to make an objection must be directly affected by the development. Among those who put forward the motion were Councillor Daly and Mayor of Ennis, Fine Gael Councillor Mary Howard. Councillor Howard claims it's not unthinkable that a new hospital in the town could be held up by objectors, unless changes are implemented.

Gareth Crudden of Kingsbridge Hospital tells PJ about how getting treatment up North paid for by the HSE works. See also kingsbridgeprivatehospital.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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