The death has occurred of Dr. Christopher BROWNE (Lt. Col. Retired)
Johnstown, Naas, Kildare

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Today will be another warm day with sunny spells and scattered showers although there will be dull, cloudy periods for some parts of Co Kildare with thundery downpours and frost expected later this week.

Maximum temperatures of 18 to 21 degrees, but only 16 degrees at the coast due to the onshore breeze.

Tonight will be mild, humid and misty with showery outbreaks of rain moving up over the region the southeast. Minima of 8 to 10 degrees in mainly light east to southeast breezes.

The grass pollen count will be low for Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tomorrow will bring showers or longer spells of rain with the risk of some heavy or thundery downpours. Mostly moderate southeast or southerly breezes. Turning cooler with afternoon temperatures of 15 to 19 degrees, coolest in the south.

According to Met Eireann, the weather is now set to become cooler with a risk of thundery downpours.

"Further showers will occur on Wednesday night, some of them heavy and possibly thundery. Lows of 5 to 7 degrees Celsius in light to moderate east to southeast winds, which will be fresh to strong along the south coast," said forecasters.

Thursday: Showers or longer spells of rain with some heavy and thundery falls. Variable cloud amounts with sunny spells. Maximum temperatures closer to the seasonal average at 11 to 15 degrees Celsius in light to moderate variable or Southeast winds which will be gusty at times.

"Turning cooler and windy at times with further heavy rain or showers but some drier and brighter interludes too. Maximum temperatures trending near to slightly below average for the time of year with maximum temperatures ranging from around 9 to 12 degrees. Nights will be cold with temperatures between 0 and 3 degrees giving a touch of grass frost. Early next week looks changeable and showery with near normal temperatures," said Met Eireann forecasters.

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This vintage car caused long delays after it broke down on the M7 earlier this morning.

The open-top vehicle was located between Junction 9 (Naas North) and Junction 10 (Naas South).

Motorists said the incident caused tailback as far back as the M9 interchange.

A photo on the Leinster Checkpoints Facebook Page showed the car pulled in tight to the crash barrier in the Hard Shoulder and the driver waiting in the driver's seat.

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Abbey Street Car Park is closed temporarily from today to facilitate resurfacing works.

The works are taking place in the car park from today and the car park is expected to re-open on Saturday, April 27.

Kildare County Council wishes to apologise for any inconvenience caused

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There are 23 patients receiving treatment on trolleys at Naas Hospital today with 412 patients nationwide waiting on trolleys at hospitals across the country.

It is understood that there are 19 patients in the emergency department and 4 patients on wards elsewhere in the Kildare facility today.

Meanwhile, 412 admitted patients are waiting for beds this morning in hospitals across the country, according to today’s INMO Trolley Watch. 288 are waiting in the emergency departments, while 124 are in wards elsewhere in the hospitals across the country.

The worst-hit hospitals today are:

• University Hospital Limerick – 59
• Letterkenny University Hospital – 50
• University Hospital Galway – 31
• Cork University Hospital – 31

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Early Bird tickets for the Forever Young Festival in the grounds of Palmerstown House Estate in July have already sold out.

But Tier 2 and Tier 3 ticket packages still available biggest ensemble of 80s acts in Ireland this summer.

Get your leg warmers, shoulder pads, and scrunchies ready for the event from Friday, July 5th to Sunday, July 7th.

This is a festival is for grown-ups who want to let loose for a weekend.

Artists in the line-up for the weekend include The Human League, Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood), Level 42, Kim Wilde, Jimmy Somerville, Marc Almond (Soft Cell), Bonnie Tyler, Katrina (& The Waves), and many more.

The Forever Young Festival site will open for campers on Friday July 5th with a Festival Welcome Party including performances by The Christians, Andrew Strong (The Commitments) and Bagatelle.

You can purchase tickets from the Forever Young Festival website here: here: https://foreveryoungfestival.ie/

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New parents living in Co Kildare in employment or who are self-employed are set to benefit from a new parental leave scheme which will be introduced by November.

Under new plans to be published today, all new parents in employment or self-employment will be entitled to the two-week scheme. It is understood that the legislation extends unpaid parental leave from 18 weeks to 26 weeks for all parents with children under eight years.

The Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill will ultimately allow parents to take a total of six months of unpaid leave from their jobs without their employment rights being affected.

Parents who avail of the benefit will receive €245 per week, the same rate as the maternity and paternity benefits. The Government estimates that up to 60,000 parents could benefit from the scheme in a full year.

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty said: "Parents, children and society in general will all benefit from the introduction of this scheme. Firstly, in that formative first year of life, children now have the opportunity to spend more time with both parents. Secondly, on top of the recently introduced Paternity Benefit, this extends the leave benefits available to fathers."

The bill also proposes to take the final steps needed to enable male same-sex couples to receive adoptive leave and benefit.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Minister Doherty said that the move recognises that the first 12 months in a child's life are the most formative, and the outcomes for children are at the route of the policy.

She said by 2021 parents will have an extra 14 weeks paid leave to allow them to stay at home for as much of those formative years as they can.

The Government has approved the 'priority drafting' of the legislation to allow for the new measures, with the general scheme published today.

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The new service station on the M9 near Kilcullen, which is due to open next year, will include shower facilities and baby-changing units.

Play areas for children  are also included in the designs.

Construction began earlier this year following long legal delays due to a legal battle in the courts.

Up to 100 jobs are being created during the construction phase with a further 45-50 jobs created when the station is open and operational.

The speed limit on the stretch of the M9 has been dropped from 120km/hr to 80km/hr limit due to the construction activity.

The service station will be operated by Circle K and will provide a much needed rest and services stop on the M9.

There is currently no mainline motorway service station along the 60km distance between Kill and Carlow.

The new Circle K facility will be accessed from both carriageways via a new interchange.

When completed the new service station will include:

• Toilet facilities
•  Showering facilities
• Baby-changing facilities
• Car and motorcycle parking areas
• Commercial vehicle/truck parking
• Coach/bus parking
• Electric Vehicle charging points
• Restaurant/hot food outlets
• Customer seating areas
• Convenience shop facilities
• Play areas for children
• Tourist information facilities

The latest Circle K service station on the M11 near Gorey, Co Wexford, has been officially opened and the 24-hour facility (below) is the largest Circle K site in the world.

It has generated 40 jobs for the local area.

It is set to cater for up to 20,000 motorists daily.

The newest opening is part of an overall investment of €35 million by Circle K into the development of four new sites.

The first of these sites located at J7 Kill on the N7 opened late last year with further new site openings scheduled for this year on the M9 at Kilcullen and the M6 at Athlone.

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€1.5million in funding is being made available for Family Resource Centres this year.

The increased funding will bring the overall allocation to the Family Resource Centre Programme to €18 million. This is the largest allocation provided to Family Resource Centres in the past ten years. Additional funding will be used to provide existing FRCs with greater capacity to reach more vulnerable children and families in their communities.

The additional €1.5 million in funding will be used to increase core funding to each of the 110 Family Resource Centres which existed pre-2018 by 5%.

Funding will also provide for  employing  an additional 17 Family Support Workers - one Family Resource Centre in each of the 17 Tusla geographical areas will be allocated funding to employ a Family Support Worker.

Also there is funding for  the Family Resource Centre Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Promotion Programme.


MinisterKatherine Zappone said: “Family Resource Centres are a key resource in developing strong families and strong communities. The Family Resource Centre Programme is designed to allow communities and local Tusla staff to identify needs and the services required in their local areas. FRCs provide a range of universal and bespoke targeted services to their communities. I am pleased to be in a position to increase their core funding by 5%."

She said: "In addition to this, I am also pleased that to announce funding for an additional 17 Family Support Workers for Family Resource Centres – one in each of the 17 Tusla areas. Family Support Workers support children and families using community programmes and social networks. The earlier children and families in need of support are identified, the better chance there is that they can get the help they need."

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A Mauritian accountant, living in Kildare, will be hoping his sums add up to a fortune as he will appear on the National Lottery Winning Streak TV game show on RTÉ One this Saturday,  April 27.

Jevind Borthosow is originally from the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius and now living in Kilcock, Co. Kildare. The accountant missed the Winning Streak show last weekend and only found out when National Lottery officials called him on Sunday.

He initially thought it was a practical joke from a work colleague but when he watched the show back on the RTE Player he got excited.

Jevind is calm, cool and collected ahead of his TV debut on Saturday and is really looking forward to the Winning Streak experience. He has been living in Ireland for almost 15 years and has been in Kilcock for four of those years. He loves the quiet Kildare town.

During the day he works as an accountant in Door2Door.ie distribution company based in Tallaght in Dublin. He began working there shortly after he moved to Ireland. Jevind has family watching online in both Mauritius and in Reading in the U.K.

In his spare time he is a huge football fan and loves watching soccer on TV being a big Liverpool FC supporter. With any winnings from the show, Jevind would like to put it towards building a future and hopes to get enough for a deposit for a house.

The Winning Streak National Lottery game show, co-presented by Marty Whelan and Sinead Kennedy, will be broadcast this Saturday evening at the earlier-than-usual time of 19:35 on RTÉ One. The show games such as Play or Pay, Roll for Riches, WinFall and Electric Dream – where one player will win an electric car worth €25,000.

As ever one of the lucky five players will get the chance to spin the wheel and win up to €500,000.  Throughout this series a €100,000 segment will be added to the iconic Grand Prize Wheel every show if less than that was won in the previous show, improving players chances to win a massive prize.

Winning Streak scratch cards are available in the 5,900 National Lottery retailers all over the country, where as well as the chance to appear on the Winning Streak TV game show if you get three stars, players will also be in with a chance to win some great cash prizes up to €5,000.

The popular gameshow first appeared on our screens in September 1990 and since then a more than 6,000 people have taken part, winning in excess of €170 million in prizes. Winning Streak is the second longest running game show in Europe.

Nearly 30 cent in every €1 spent on Winning Streak and all National Lottery games go back to Good Causes in the areas of sport, youth, health, welfare, education, arts and heritage. In total more than €5.4 billion has been raised for Good Causes since the National Lottery was established 31 years ago. In 2018 alone, the National Lottery raised over €227 million for such good causes.

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Gardaí at Dundrum Garda Station investigating a fatal collision in Ballinteer on 8 April 2019 in which a 75-year-old woman was killed are are appealing for further information.

At approximately 7.45pm on Monday 8 April a female pedestrian,Tressa McKernan aged 75, was seriously injured when she was struck by a motorcycle on Ballinteer Avenue, Dublin 16.

It’s understood she had just alighted from a bus and was attempting to cross the road when the collision occurred.

She was taken by ambulance to St James’s Hospital and was transferred to Beaumont where she sadly passed away on April 13, 2019.

The motorcyclist, a man in his 30s, was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries.

Investigating Gardaí are particularly anxious to speak to the driver of a silver BMW who stopped at the scene of the collision.

Anyone with information or who witnessed this collision is asked to contact Dundrum Garda Station 01-6665600 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.

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Kildare Councillor Brendan Young has expressed concern after An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for 251 residential units in Celbridge.

It is understood that the 251 residential units are planned for the area between Oldtown Rd and Shackleton Rd in Celbridge.

Cllr Young has said that he is concerned that 'planning has been rushed and has been rushed through and that issues raised by people with local knowledge are not adequately addressed.

Commenting on the decision, Cllr Young said: “In granting Planning Permission, An Bord Pleanála and KCC Chief Exec have gone against the views of local Councillors and the Transportation Section of the Council. Despite the fact that the Roads Department of the Council recommended refusal and that Section 4.4 of the current Celbridge Local Area Plan has not been implemented – a Transport Management Plan to be prepared within a year of the approval of the LAP [by end of 2018] – the KCC Planning Dept. / Chief Exec. recommended that planning permission be granted (p.18, ABP Inspectors Report).”

He said: "This is unacceptable. There's already a huge problem with traffic. We need more buses, especially for commuters. The NTA said Bus Connects would improve the public transport. We won't know until the summer what's in the second round of Bus Connects proposals: will there be enough new buses to significantly reduce car volumes on Shackleton Rd?”

The ABP Inspectors Report said:

“[The developments] ... impact on traffic levels in the area would be marginal and would not be likely to have significant effects on air quality.”

If the development goes ahead, Cllr Young said that 'no more development should be permitted until a Local Transport Plan is ready to be implemented.'

Cllr Young has also raised the issue of flood risk in the area.

“There are a number of other issues as well as traffic and public transport, including road safety at the junction; community and social facilities; sewerage and stormwater. It is unacceptable that national regulations, which determine Bord Pleanála decisions, appear not to require transport plans or community facilities for children and young people to be integrated into private construction of this scale. As to flood risk, the new estate is beside the Toni river and flooding has previously happened on the Shackleton Rd and Church Rd," said Cllr Young.

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If you have a story or want to send photos or videos to us please contact the KildareNow editorial team. via our Facebook, via our email at content@kildarenow.com or on 045 409350 during office hours.

Following the recent launch of a collaborative partnership between Oberstown Children Detention Campus and Java Republic, 12 young people at Oberstown have become certified baristas through an on-campus training programme and received their Barista Skills for Beginners Certificate.

Ireland’s only children’s detention centre, Oberstown, provides a safe and secure environment for children who are placed in the campus by the Children Court (usually aged between 13 and 17). Oberstown aims to build young people’s responsibilities and address the factors associated with their offending behaviour.

The Java Republic programme is a pioneering initiative for the Oberstown campus, which is seeking to expand its educational offering for young people from traditional methods of learning to practical and skills-based training. During 2018 young people have been able to take part in Safe Pass and manual handling training in order to prepare them for certain workplaces.

The coffee education programme from Java Republic involves setting up a mini café area in the Home Economics room and enables young people in Oberstown to meet the market requirements for new baristas. It is designed to give young people information about the coffee industry and have enough confidence to go through a potential trial in a café. Young people taking part in the programme will go through an intensive full-day training session with a professional coffee trainer from Java Republic, certified by the Specialty Coffee Association.

Damien Hernon, Deputy Director of Oberstown: “From the time a young person arrives in Oberstown, we work with them on an individual care plan to prepare them for return to their families and communities. Our young people need practical skills to help them gain employment and this initiative supported by Java Republic has the capacity to provide those skills. Oberstown is seeking to evolve the focus of its educational offering to more vocational training. This programme and others like it in Oberstown are about giving young people the best possible chance to move on with their lives in a positive way after they leave Oberstown. Java Republic’s support in providing equipment and training resource will allow us to expand the range of ongoing learning opportunities we offer to young people.”

Each Java Republic training programme includes 3-4 young people with an aim of training up to 30 young people annually. Following the completion of the programme, young people will be issued with a Java Republic Barista Skills for Beginners Certificate of Attendance.

Speaking about the collaboration, Java Republic Managing Director Grace O'Shaughnessy said “At Java Republic we are passionate about giving back and are thrilled to have had 12 young people at Oberstown go through the training programme in the first month. I had a tour of the centre on Thursday and was overwhelmed by the engagement in the barista training. The young people taking part showed so much attention to making each coffee perfect, it was amazing to see a real sense of pride and positivity across the centre. Practical training can help lead to an array of career opportunities and I’m excited to see how this will help young people at Oberstown in the future.”

As well as the training provided, Java Republic have donated coffee equipment to the Oberstown Campus. This equipment will remain on-site to ensure young people who have completed the course can continue to practise their barista skills after each training session.

Director of Oberstown, Pat Bergin commented: “We are committed to helping young people to address their reoffending behaviour through learning and development across a range of programmes with the aim of reintegrating them back into the community, capable of making a positive and productive contribution to society. I look forward to seeing the young people participate in the coffee-making education provided by Java Republic and reaching the same professional barista standards that Java Republic brings to all its training programmes. This is a very beneficial initiative for both organisations who will share the value of offering this skillset to young people so that they can return to the community with the chance of gaining employment.”

Grace O'Shaughnessy, Java Republic Managing Director, added: “The barista profession requires a lot of continuous practise. It is important trainees have access to the equipment needed to continue expanding on what they have learnt and increase their barista confidence. We at Java Republic are delighted to be providing Oberstown with the equipment they need to put their best foot forward and be confident for future job trials.”

Java Republic Managing Director, Grace O'Shaughnessy and Oberstown Campus Director, Pat Bergin

(L-R) Damien Hernon, Oberstown Deputy Director; John Smith, Oberstown Activities Coordinator; Grace O'Shaughnessy, Java Republic Managing Director; Pat Bergin Oberstown Campus Director and Olive Whyte, Java Republic

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The death has occurred of Michael John Kehoe
Ballylinan, Athy, Kildare

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Mild and humid tonight with patchy mist expected for Co Kildare with rain on the cards tomorrow.

Dry at first but scattered showers will spread from the southeast overnight. A few of the showers will be heavy.

Lows of 8 to 10 Celsius in light easterly breezes.

The Grass Pollen count will be Low for Wednesday and Thursday

Some dry bright spells on Wednesday but mostly cloudy with showers or longer spells of rain. Some of the showers will turn heavy and possibly thundery, especially during the afternoon and evening.

Turning cooler with afternoon highs of 13 or 14 Celsius in the south and 15 to 17 Celsius elsewhere. Light to moderate easterly breezes will veer southerly towards evening.

Further showers will occur on Wednesday night, some of them heavy and possibly thundery. Lows of 5 to 7 degrees Celsius in light to moderate east to southeast winds, which will be fresh to strong along the south coast.

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Gardai issued an appeal on Wednesday lady regarding this Mercedes car which was stolen in Trim.

A member of the public who saw the appeal being shared on social media spotted the car parked in the Finglas area of Dublin and alerted Gardai.

The car was subsequently recovered undamaged and was technically examined.

Following further investigations carried out by Gardaí in Trim, including extensive CCTV analysis, a 34 year old man was arrested in Co Westmeath on Friday.

He was taken to Trim Garda Station and interviewed.

He is due to appear in Trim District Court relation to the theft of the car.

Gardai said: "Thanks again to eveybody who shared the original appeal."

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Over €2,000 worth of tools has been reported stolen from a van parked overnight at a Naas hotel.

Gardaí in Naas are appealing for witnesses after a van was raided between 9.30pm on Saturday, April 20, and 9.30pm on Sunday, April 21, at the grounds of the Killashee House Hotel.

Just some of the stolen equipment included a nail gun and  a Dewalt Skill saw and a Partner 650 consaw.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Naas Garda Station on 045 884300.

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Tomorrow morning the next section of M7 Westbound traffic will begin travelling onto the new carriageway surface,

adjacent to the new central median, from 6am.

The first stage involves splitting the traffic lanes on the westbound M7 carriageway, after Junction 10 (Naas South) for approximately 2.5 kilometers, with traffic rejoining in advance of Junction 11 (M9 southbound diverge).

This arrangement will facilitate the completion of the new middle lane in this section and, following these works, two lanes over this section will run on the new surface adjacent to the median.

A minimum of two lanes will be maintained during peak hours of 6am to 10pm at all times.

Once traffic has been moved across, works will continue to the adjacent verge/hard shoulder areas, which will include for the tie-in of new slip lanes.

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