Christmas spending curtailed

WITH the public at large still reeling from the cuts announced in the Budget, Christmas spending by the average person is going to be drastically reduced, surveys have confirmed.

This time last year, as the recession began to really sting, we thought things were bad. The retail sector was on tenterhooks as they counted down the last shopping days before Christmas. Food and clothing stores, restaurants, bars and hotels all took a hit as people became more conscious about spending money.  For many consumers who had sailed through the spend culture of the boom years, it was quite a jolt to have to scrutinise the price tags a little more closely.
Christmas 2010 is an even bleaker time for consumers and the business sector that relies heavily on the traditional festive spending splurge as critical to their annual balance sheet.
Both the consumer and business owner alike are experiencing the same economic chill.
More than ever, the Clare business community, which accounts for a considerable number of jobs, both full-time and part-time, needs support. There are jobs on the line. For some, the scale of the Christmas take could well determine their future into 2011.
Thankfully, Clare escaped the worst of the recent bad weather conditions, which all but wiped out any kind of a Christmas lift for businesses in midland and eastern counties. There was some reprieve as the thaw allowed more people move about.
With the forecast of a return to snow, sub zero temperatures and treacherous road conditions as we head into the last big shopping weekend before Christmas, it’s a case of fingers-crossed that it is not on the worst scale of things.
The risks associated with travelling, however, could well prove to be a blessing in disguise for Clare towns, as shoppers might consider spending locally rather than heading for the city lights. For a lot of people, the day out and a wider choice of goods are the main reasons for city shopping but with the recession, value rather than choice is what people want.  In many instances, deduct the cost of transport and meals from a shopping expedition to the city and the bargain doesn’t look quite like a bargain anymore.
So, as we count down the Christmas shopping days for 2010, there is an important opportunity to think local and, where possible, circulate your income in the area where you live. If ever there was time to rally round and help each other, it’s now.
Meanwhile, a survey undertaken by IREACH Market Research on behalf of the Irish League of Credit Unions, has revealed a worrying trend regarding getting into debt over Christmas. Over 50% of people surveyed admitted they would get into debt over the festive season.
Irish League of Credit Unions CEO, Kieron Brennan said, “2010 has been a watershed year for the Irish population in terms of coping with job losses, pay cuts and increased taxes and we still have some of the toughest financial challenges ahead. The survey shows us that over 50% of the population will get themselves into debt this Christmas, with over 60% saying it will take them up to three months to recover from overspending during the festive season.”
He continued, “Almost 50% of people surveyed said they are drawing on their own personal savings to fund this Christmas and with this in mind, we want to advise people to not only avoid using moneylenders due to the extremely high rate of interest charged, but also to watch out for credit card debt, as a high rate of interest will be charged to balances that are not cleared on time every month.
“The Credit Union is encouraging people to plan ahead and avoid this situation in the future by starting to save for next year. This way you can put a little bit away every month and not have to worry about sourcing additional money for Christmas 2011.”
With so many cutbacks in the offing for the new year, people would do well to heed the advice.

Cardiology services on the move

APPROACHING two years since the ending of 24-hour emergency department cover at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Ennis, there are fears that another serious downgrade could be on the cards,
With the emergency department closed from 8pm to 8am since April 2009, plans are at an advanced stage to cease the in-patient cardiology services at Ennis in favour of a centralised service at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick.
This has sent alarm bells ringing. Despite the upgrade of infrastructure and fit-out in the offing, people remain to be convinced that Ennis hospital is not on the slippery slope to downgrading far beyond the loss of the in-patient service.
Confusion over what services will remain in Ennis following the centralisation of acute in-patient cardiology services in Limerick next February has led to calls for an independent review of acute hospitals in the region. The public needs to know what will happen after the proposed February implementation date in situations where people with suspected cardiac problems present at Ennis, whether during the day or at night.
Clare’s four TDs have a different perspective on how things will pan out but they agree that an outside review by an agency, such as the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), is needed to ascertain the effectiveness of the reconfiguration of acute hospital services.
The call for an independent review of the implementation of recent and future changes is supported by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association (INMO), which has written to HIQA requesting the agency to implement one of the key recommendations in its own report following its investigation into the standards and safety of patient care at Ennis hospital.
With a general election around the corner, Ennis hospital will inevitably be an issue of contention. We can expect to hear promises of the sun, moon and stars, as have been given in every election since the hospital opened. Given that the Government has, in its dying days, proclaimed it will make tough calls and tell it as it is no matter what the consequences, isn’t time to hear the definitive statement on the future of Ennis hospital?