1996/99
For up to date news visit the Connaught Telegraph website.
Snippets
6 May 1998
Rehab award for brave diver
UNDERWATER dive hero Michael Heffernan, from Carrowkelly, Ballina who lost his life in a rescue attempt off the North Mayo coast last October, is to posthumously receive the 1997 Dr. John Igoe Rehab Community Award.
Several nominations chronicled the desperate efforts he and other divers, members of the Grainne Ualie sub-aqua club, played in the rescue from a wave washed 1,000 ft long cave of several people, one of whom also lost his life.
Already those involved in the operation have been commended by the RNLI for their bravery
The Rehab Dr. Igoe Award will be presented at a function in the Downhill Hotel, Ballina on Friday may 15.
100 job boost for Castlerea as Harmac set up base
Tanaiste and Minister for Employment Mary Harney has announceda 100 job boost for Castlerea, Co. Roscommon where the US healthcare company Harmac Medical Products are to invest £2 million.
The company will locate in a 2,530 square foot IDA advance factory and will commence recruitment immediately (see appointments section). About 20% of the posts will be for third level graduates.
They will produce a range of medical devices and package them under private label for European based medical device companies.
The Castlerea plant will initially be responsible for supplying enteral feeding bag products to Abbot Laboratories in Sligo, a contract which is currently supplied from Harmac's headquarters in Buffalo, New York.
Over the next five years additional operations will be installed starting with radio frequency sealing, followed by custom assembly and finally cleanroom injection moulding.
Ms. Harney said: "Harmac will be a major addition to the healthcare sub-supply sector in Ireland, particularly with the increasing trend in the medical devices industry towards sub-contracting."
No-smoking signs to go up in barber shops
THE Western Health Board is to crackdown on smoking in barber shops and hairdressing salons.
The authority has already tackled the selling of cigarettes to under-16's and have successfully brought prosecutions before the courts.
Now they are to target the hairdressing trade to make sure their premises are 'smoke-free'.
At the same time the Board are to insist that vending machines are located in public view so that youngsters cannot get their hands on cigarettes.
The Boards Environmental Health officers in counties Mayo, Galway and Roscommon have been told to enforce the no-smoking regulations.
Mr. Cathal Kearney, Principal Environmental Health Officer said: "We are determined to enforce these regulations.
"We will be encouraging non-smoking customers to make their voices heard where they see they are being subjected to tobacco smoke in barber shops of hairdressing salons.
"We have a concern too for the staff who work in these premises. They are entitled to work in a smoke-free environment."
Mr. Kearney added: "Many proprietors of premises with vending machines that have vending machines they do not own hold the mistaken belief that they are not responsible to oversee sales from these machines.
"The Board has already issued warnings to some premises about sales to under age persons from vending machines and court proceedings will follow unless full co-operation is given."
