The antennae of journalists locally have long had the tendency to twitch with the tremor of suspicion when the subject of developing the links between Co Monaghan and its connections with various outposts of population in other parts of the world has arisen.
This instinctive response derives from the receptive scepticism that is the rightful manifestation of the media’s duty as guardian of the public interest.
Cultivating relationships with communities abroad is a good idea, but it often entails the expenditure by public authorities of public money – …

By PATSY McARDLE
BUSINESS firms in Co. Monaghan are the ninth slowest in Ireland at paying their bills, averaging 25.91 days beyond terms in the first quarter of the year.
That is revealed as a result of a recent in-depth survey carried out by a global informations’ services group in Ireland.
The survey revealed that Irish businesses improved their payment performance for the third quarter in a row, according to Experian®, the services company involved in the findings.
It says businesses in the Republic paid creditor invoices on average of 25 days …

The latest reports to emerge from the findings of Census 2011 have shown that Castleblayney is the fastest growing town in Co Monaghan.
‘Blayney experienced a 44.5% population growth between 2006 and 2011, according to the census findings.
The news vindicates the stance taken by Mid-Monaghan members of Monaghan Co Council who successfully lobbied at the February meeting of the authority to have Castleblayney categorized as a Tier Two rather than a Tier Three town in the Core Strategy document which will inform the production …

By PATSY McARDLE
THE Mayor of Co. Monaghan, Cllr. Seamus Coyle has made an urgent request this week to Health Minister James Reilly seeking his intervention to resolve a storm which has blown up over a decision by the HSE in the North East to remove kitchen facilities from hospitals in the region.
It emerged last week the HSE has announced plans to close kitchens at St. Mary’s Hospital in Castleblayney and Monaghan General Hospital, leading to staff redundancies.
Mayor Coyle said yesterday: “I have personally …

Much media mileage is currently being mined from the expenditure by Government Ministers and their Departments on the services of consultants and advisers to assist them in the discharge of their onerous duties.
The figures that have emerged from journalistic enquiry and parliamentary question in recent weeks are disconcertingly lavish at a time when the country is being force-fed the meagre collation of austerity – hard to swallow at the best of times, but particularly unpalatable when its governing gospel appears not to be practised by the Ministers who …