Mary O’Rourke to give talk in Dundalk tonight

 

Former Tánaiste and Education Minister Mary O’Rourke is to visit Dundalk this evening as part of a nationwide tour informing people why they should cast their vote in the European Election next May.

Ms O’Rourke, whose late brother Brian Lenihan Snr was born in Dundalk, has visited five locations throughout the country in the last few weeks, including Portlaoise, Galway, Bundoran, Mallow and Tubbercurry. She will round off her tour tonight with a talk in Dundalk Library in Roden Place at 6pm. The talk will be chaired by LMFM’s Gerry Kelly and will feature an expert panel including Francis Jacobs, Head of the European Parliament Information Office in Ireland and Frankie Watters, senior lecturer in law at Dundalk IT.

Ms O’Rourke said she was taking part in the event to help people understand how their vote elects an MEP which in turn determines legislation for all of Europe.

The event is free and all are welcome to attend.

Dundalk Stadium lose seven-year court battle against bookmakers

Dundalk Stadium

Dundalk Stadium have lost their seven-year court battle with bookmakers following a High Court ruling earlier today.

After seven days of hearing the case, Judge Gerard Hogan gave his findings just before lunchtime and ruled that longstanding senior bookmakers at Dundalk should not have to pay an €8,000 fee to bet at the all-weather track, which opened in 2007.

Bookmakers had argued that they already had a pitch at the old Dundalk venue and that they should not have to pay again.A

Dundalk, supported by the Association of Irish Racecourses, had claimed that the facility at Dowdallshill was a new racecourse, owned by a new company, Dundalk Racing 1999, whose 13-strong board comprised just three members from the old racecourse company.

However, the judge found against them meaning the stand-off with bookies is now at an end. It remains to be seen how many will return to the track in the coming weeks, however, with layer Brian Graham heavily critical of Horse Racing Ireland’s role in the dispute.

Speaking to the Irish Racing Post following the ruling, he said: “Seven years is something that should never have happened. Three bookmakers were in the witness box, including me. There was precedence with Limerick moving to Patrickswell and Mallow changing its name to Cork. The seniority of bookmakers stood in both cases.”

Graham added: “The biggest disappointment from my point of view is how HRI’s performance left so much to be desired. They were there to regulate us. They have seen this all before, they’ve seen seniority stand before. We have regulations and rules to work by. They should have stuck to the pitch rules, which are the backbone for bookmakers.”

Mary O’Rourke to visit Dundalk next month to encourage people to vote

Mary O’Rourke will be in Dundalk on February 27th

Former Tánaiste and Education Minister Mary O’Rourke is to visit Dundalk next month as part of a nationwide tour informing people why they should cast their vote in the European Election next May.

Ms O’Rourke, whose late brother Brian Lenihan Snr was born in Dundalk, will visit six locations throughout the country in the next few weeks, starting in Portlaoise on Monday.

She will then visit Galway, Bundoran, Mallow and Tubbercurry before rounding off her tour with a talk in Dundalk Library in Roden Place on Thursday February 27^th at 6pm.

The Westmeath woman said people need to understand how their vote elects an MEP which in turn determines legislation for all of Europe.

She will be joined at the free event by a panel of experts, which will include a representative of the European Parliament Office in Ireland.