Oil Safe

The OilSecure system can be easily expanded to create a full house alarm system or you can integrate it into any existing Yale intruder alarm system.

The OilSecure system will deter any would be burglar as the alarm is instant when the tank is interfered with.

Oil secure Systems

What is it?
OilSecure is a fully self-contained alarm system that alerts you when potential thieves try and gain access to your oil tank. Using a unique range of sensors OilSecure can be fitted to almost any type of tank and can detect anyone attempting to tamper with your "liquid gold".

The system involves a device in the tank which detects attempts to tamper with the tank and broadcasts a wireless signal to a siren unit which is then activated. In addition, the alarm has a panic facility which when activated will sound the alarm, to avoid confrontation.

Who is supplying it?
Pat McClean, from Malin is the Director of McClean Plumbing and Heating is the approved distributor and installer of OilSecure in Ireland. Pat is providing the domestic and commercial markets with innovative security products and service. Pat has a wealth of experience within the oil industry working in both plumbing and heating and together with his team he is able to provide advice and a full insulation service of the OilSecure systems.

Tell me more…….

The OilSecure system:
· Requires no electricity, is battery operated and the batteries last up to 3 years;
· Requires no drilling into the tank to install it, which may void your tank guarantee;
· Has all parts concealed within the tank so they cannot be tampered with by thieves;
· Uses tried and tested wireless technology that means that the main siren, which is triggered when a cap / cover is removed, can be located away from the oil tank and at a height which means that it cannot be tampered with;
· Can easily be turned off and on by a unique remote control.
· Can be DIY fitted in less than an hour or you can use our the full installation service available in certain parts of the country;
· Can be easily expanded to create a full house alarm system or you can integrate it into any existing Yale intruder alarm system.


Community Support
OilSecure is committed to provide support within communities to help minimise the risks associated with oil theft. This community work is varied and includes;
· Providing alarms to vulnerable locations.
· Working with / presenting to the Garda and local authorities to provide them with support and advice on the issue of oil security;
· Providing community groups with an interest in security such as Neighbourhood Watch, Home Watch, Farm watch, Rural Watch advice and support to effectively communicate and discuss the issue of oil theft.



Why do I need it?
There are justifiable fears that an overall increase in crime linked to the recession will keep the problem of oil theft alive, as evidenced by the horrific attack on a Derry man on the 1st March this year. The attack saw the man from the Ballymagroarty stabbed in the head when he disturbed 2 men attempting to steal oil from his home heating oil tank. Thieves also struck Greencastle recently when families were visiting relations over the Easter holidays.

Who is at risk?
A tank of fuel is a very valuable asset, is often in an exposed area and many tanks are in remote locations. Theft can occur even when owners are in the property. The problem is not only limited to homes but is becoming a serious issue for schools and the farming community.


What's the solution?
In direct response to the dramatic rise of oil theft in the North and here in the Republic, Pat said: "It is imperative that residents ensure their fuel tanks are properly secured. Thieves continue to steal thousands of litres of heating oil and anyone who relies on oil is at risk of oil theft. By joining forces with OilSecure, I am responding to my customers' concerns in relation to oil theft."

The Oilsecure oil tank alarm is not just about protecting the oil tank from theft but also to protect homeowners. With the cost of home heating oil so expensive, having oil stolen is causing severe hardship to many families who cannot afford to refill their tanks. By fitting Oil secure system in the tank you eliminate the risk of your oil being stolen. For more information about securing your tank, call Pat on: 086 8330052.

5 MINUTES WITH - EDEL BURNS

Edel Burns lives in Carndonagh is a qualified chef and has been working in the catering industry for the last twenty-five years. Originally from Swords, Edel moved to Donegal when she was 19 and has also spent time in Newry, Spain and Scotland, where her fiancé Robert hails from. Edel and her brother run their business supplying schools around the peninsula with packed lunches. They also hire out chocolate fountains for weddings and parties. The hours are long in the careering business but Edel wouldn't have it any other way, as she loves what she does. Edel is also available for catering for special events. For more information call her on 086 865 9708


What music are you listening to at the moment?
I'm listening to Lady Gaga, Poker Face and BelX1. Everyone says that I have a terrible taste in music, but what's wrong with liking pop music that 10 year olds enjoy?

What book are you reading?
I am reading an old Jeremy Clarkson book - The World According to Clarkson…. again. They are mostly articles from his newspaper column… I think he's great

Have you been to the cinema recently, what did you see and was it any good?
I went to see a film called Valkyrie, which is based on actual events about a plot to assassinate Hitler during the height of WWII. I enjoyed the film and though that Tom Cruise was very good playing Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg.

What section of the newspaper do you turn to first?
I am hooked on Suduko so that's the page I always go to. I also have a Suduko book in my bag for the quieter moments in the day…

What would you never throw away?
I am very much a hoarder and I have loads of stuff lying around. I haven't thrown anything away for years and I have boxes that have been sealed up and I don't know what's in them. One day I will have a clear out.

Most embarrassing moment of your life?
Like most of us I would suspect, I have too many to recall.

Favourite TV programme?
It has to be Top Gear with the lads; Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. I also enjoy a good Kerry GAA match if Top Gear isn't on Dave and I will always watch Moto GP… Rossi Rules….

Favourite meal?
Just give me a cheese and tomato sandwich.

What job did you want to do when you were a child?
I had two plans. One was to work in Dublin airport as most people I knew worked there, coming from Swords. I didn't mind what I would do. We used to come to Donegal for holidays and I loved it so wanted to come and live and work here….At least plan worked out...

Where was your best holiday and what made it special?
I spent four great summers in Rannafast Gaeltacht College. There were up to seven hundred of us , a lot of us from Inishowen. It was great fun. I loved it there.

What famous people would you invite around for dinner and why?
The Italian professional motorcycle racer Valentino Rossi for the craic. He is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of all time, with 8 Grand Prix World Championships to his name. Clarkson for the controversy and the Kerry GAA team to do the washing up..

What do you do for a special treat?
Hug the television remote control.

Biggest Challenge?
Getting to work at 4am- five days a week.

What was the best present you ever got?
I got hand made thank-you cards from some of the children we supplied lunches to. It was so unexpected and it was better than winning the lotto, we have them pride of place on the walls.

What was the last thing you bought just for yourself?
Wedding shoes. I am getting married to Robert in July, so I have to prepare.

The world's most irritating/most useful invention?
The most useful is the computer- the most irritating has to be a bad can opener. I have a really good battery one and I like it so much people get them as presents.

Favourite past-time?
Sleeping.

Which period in history would you most like to have lived through?
The Second World War. There was so much going off. I would have loved to have seen the dogfights.

What do you have for breakfast?
Nothing. I am usually up and running to work. Anyway, who wants breakfast at 3:30 in the morning…

Do you have a favourite cartoon character?
Calvin and Hobbes the comic strip written and illustrated by Bill Watterson is my favourite. It, follows the s antics of Calvin, an imaginative six-year old boy, and Hobbes, his energetic stuffed tiger.

What was your first paid job?
I was a lounge girl in a small hotel in Dublin(waiting tables). I worked Friday-Saturday and sometimes Sundays.

Best/worst household task?
Best: Cooking of course
Worst: Cleaning.

What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
When we finished college we were told "Now you begin to learn."

Personal philosophy?
It's a long road with no turn….

BUNCRANA TIDY TOWNS

There was a fantastic turn out on the shorefront in Buncrana this weeks as the Tidy Towns Group went out in force to do a tidy up.

STRAW BALES AT LISFANNON

The straw bales used in an effort to prevent erosion took a battering in a recent storm. Inch Island is in the background

The bales last year

See more stuff about Lisfannon

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 52

The Wisdom of Geese

When geese fly as each bird flaps its wings it creates an uplift for the bird following. By flying in a V formation the whole flock has 71% greater flying range than if the bird flew alone.

Many of us recognise that there is a lot we can do by ourselves, there is a lot we can do with a partner or colleague, but there is considerably more power working with others. People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are travelling on the thrust of one another.

Whenever a Goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to fly alone and quickly gets back in formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.

If we have as much sense as a Goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed where we want to go and be willing to accept their help, as well as give ours to others who are looking for support.When the lead Goose gets tired, it rotates back into the formation and another Goose flies up to the point position.

It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing the leadership. People and geese are inter-dependent on each other's skills and capabilities and unique arrangements of power and resources; no one person is right to lead in all circumstances and at all times. Leaders need to learn to let go at times, and others must feel comfortable in stepping forward, no false modesty, no greed for power and position for its own sake.

When a Goose becomes wounded or ill or is shot down, two Geese move out of formation and follow it down to help to protect it. They stay with it until it is able to fly again or dies, then they launch out together with another formation or they catch up with their flock.

If we have as much sense as Geese, we, too, will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.The Geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.We need to make sure that our honking from behind is encouragement and not something else..

In groups where there is great encouragement against great odds, the production is much greater because of the power of encouragement. The word encouraged means to stand by one's heart, to stand by one's core, to encourage someone else's core, to encourage someone else's heart.

5 MINUTES WITH - BEV DOHERTY

Bev Doherty lives on the outskirts of Carndonagh with her husband Mike and son Ronan. Their married daughter lives in England. They have a ¾ of an acre smallholding surrounding them with organic fruit, herbs, vegetables and chickens. They have a polythene tunnel and greenhouse that increases their growing period and have invested in solar panels. Bev runs different workshops and also teaches the piano and recorder. She is a member of Transition Inishowen Initiative, part of the worldwide Transition Towns Movement that is empowering people to explore the challenges of climate change, peak oil and the economic crisis and how to come together as communities to live more on harmony with the earth.

What music are you listening to at the moment?
It’s a CD called Show me the Path made by my Dutch friends Wim Wali and Arienne Van der Zwan - a wonderful mix of sacred chants from the world's spiritual traditions.

What book are you reading?
I am re-reading the Transition Handbook by Rob Hopkins. It has an excellent account on the various crises that humanity is facing and how we can build up resilience by coming together as communities to produce locally grown food, energy and public transport.

What was your favourite childhood game?
Stilts, they were a real challenge and the top and whip. You don’t see either of these much now.

Have you been to the cinema recently, what did you see and was it any good?
I went to see The Age of Stupid. I was at the world premiere recently. I was gobsmacked at the images the film has that showed the outcome of climate change if we carry on with the “Business as Usual” attitude. The film stars Pete Postlethwaite who plays a future archivist who looks back from 2055 at old footage to understand why humankind failed to address climate change, and asks "Why didn't we save ourselves while we had the chance?"

What would you never throw away?
Anything that could be recycled or re-used. We recycle Christmas and birthday wrapping paper and never have to buy any.

Favourite TV programme?
I watched an excellent programme on the BBC Natural World series called A Farm for the Future recently. Wildlife filmmaker Rebecca Hosking looked into how to transform her family’s farm in Devon into a low energy farm for the future. She discovers that nature holds the key. I also enjoyed the series Around the World in 80 Faiths.

What job did you want to do when you were a child?
I always wanted to be a teacher.

Where was your best holiday and what made it special?
My 11 month trip around the world. I was travelling from September 06 to August 07 and it was the adventure of a lifetime. I was in the US, Australia, New Zealand, India and Europe. I worked on organic farms and with communities.I also stayed with friends and family and taught peace dances in ashrams in India. I met really inspirational people and saw many natural wonders. I discovered that the world is basically a friendly place.

What famous people would you invite around for dinner and why?
Rob Hopkins, the author of The Transition Town Handbook, he is so inspiring. I would also have Satish Kumar, the editor of Resurgence Magazine around. He walked around the world for peace in the 1970’s and is a very spiritual person and great storyteller.

What do you do for a special treat?
Grind some organic and fairtrade Colombian coffee beans, and make an amazing cafe latte with hot frothy milk and cream. It would be accompanied by a couple of squares of Seeds of Change dark chocolate.

Favourite animal?
A milking goat with a nice big udder. We used to keep them but then our home- schooled children went to school, got sophisticated and demanded cow’s milk.

Biggest thrill?
Going to Dublin with other members of the Inishowen Environmental Group in 1986. We went to collect £3000 for our 3rd prize in the National Washday Competition for our Inishowen Clean Up Campaign. At the time nearly every school, community group and individual in Inishowen cleared Inishowen of litter in a single weekend. Anneka Rice turned up on the GAA pitch in Carndonagh with three helicopters as part of our reward, which in hindsight probably wasn’t the most environmentally friendly thing to do, but you couldn't move in Carn for people!

Biggest Challenge?
Living in the present moment.

What was the best present you ever got?
The gift of my two children.

What charities do you support?
Concern, Irish Seed Savers, Voice, FOE, Practical Action, Garden Organic, Soil Association and local causes too.

Favourite meal?

Spanking fresh mackerel with vegetables from the garden - new charlotte potatoes, roasted squash, and green beans. For dessert a large bowl of fresh picked berries with a dollop of Rachel’s Greek yoghurt, washed down with freshly pressed apple juice…..

The world’s most irritating invention?
GM crops. Far from feeding the world biotech companies are leading farmers to bankruptcy and suicide.I saw it for myself in India - 20,000 deaths a year.

Favourite past-times?

Growing food and teaching the Dances of Universal Peace.

Which period in history would you most like to have lived through?
1650 – 1750 All that wonderful Baroque music and I could have met Bach and Handel and asked Telemann to write easier recorder music!

What do you have for breakfast?
An apple to start with, then a huge bowl of porridge with dried fruits and seeds mixed in, milled flaxseed on top, a dusting of cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup. Prunes on the side. I 'll have a hot water or weak green tea to drink.

Do you have a favourite cartoon character?
When I was young I loved Rupert Bear. I now have a favourite cartoonist. He goes by the name of Polyp and comments on the state of the world. It’s razor sharp.

What was your first paid job?
Working behind the delicatessen counter in David Greggs, a small supermarket in Wokingham in the UK in the 60’s.

Best/worst household task?
The best is baking bread, the worst is trying to get to the bottom of the mountains of clutter in the house.

What is the best/worst piece of advice you have been given?
The best was being advised to take up meditation. The worst was to plant hawthorn hedges in between our veggie beds. They get very prickly and the thorns can easily go straight through your gloves if they are lying on the ground after being pruned.

Personal philosophy?
Believe in the goodness of people and live lightly on the earth.

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 51

Baking Fish

A little girl was helping her mother prepare a fish for dinner. She laid the fish carefully into the baking pan.

“No, no,” her mother said removing the fish from the pan “We have to cut off the head and tail first.”

She duly chopped them off before replacing the fish back into the dish.

The little girl thought for a moment then turned to her mother asking,
“Why do we do it like that mammy,”

Her mother thought for a while and then said, "I've always done it that way - that's how babicka (Czech for grandma) did it."

Not satisfied with the answer, the little girl went to visit her grandma to find out why she cut the head and tail off the fish before baking it.

Grandma thought for a while and replied, "I don't know. My mother always did it that way."
So the little girl and the grandma went to visit great grandma to find ask if she knew the answer.
Great grandma thought for a while and said, “Because my baking pan was too small to fit in the whole fish”.

5 MINUTES WITH - JAMES LAVELLE

James is originally from Trim in County Meath and has recently set up his popular new business JR Motors on the Elaghbeg Industrial Estate in Bridgend. He has been involved with all things mechanical for years and has had experience in plant machinery as well as cars. His garage does complete NCT/MOT and diagnostics and is well situated for customers both sides of the border. He also does 24 hour breakdown and recovery service.

James is also involved with a health product company called Synergy Worldwide. This company offers three top products that have been proved to offer health benefits like aiding digestive systems, improving blood circulation, boosting vitality and increasing sexual performance……If you would like more information on either of James’s businesses, you can contact him on 086 8894290


What music are you listening to at the moment?
I like to listen to happy music, no gloomy stuff. I listen to Hector and Tommy Tiernan, I am not sure what radio station they are. The radio was tuned into the station when I took over the workshop.

What book are you reading?
How to win the Lotto……not really. Most of my reading is on dockets and bills.

What was your favourite childhood game?
Hide and seek. I always preferred to hide…and they still haven’t found me.

Have you been to the cinema recently, what did you see and was it any good?
Slumdog Millionaire. It’s about a Mumbai teenager who grew up in the slums, becomes a contestant on the Indian version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” He is arrested under suspicion of cheating, and while being interrogated, events from his life history are shown which explain why he knows the answers. It’s very good.

What section of the newspaper do you turn to first?
I go straight to the horoscopes. I take an interest in them because my father was the seventh son of the seventh son. He could cure migraines and ringworm. They were his specialities. I didn’t find this out until after he died.

What would you never throw away?
My knowledge and my hiding place… maybe that should read, “Give away.”

Most embarrassing moment of your life?
I was in a film, shot in Trim, called Fatal Deviation. It has the dubious honour of being Ireland’s first full-length martial arts film starring James Bennett who is now Jean Claude Van Damme’s stunt double. None of us had names. Mike Graham from Boyzone was in it too. It was put straight to video and the full-length film is now on Youtube. It’s so bad it’s becoming a bit of a cult film.

Favourite TV programme?
Mega Machines on the Discovery channel.

What job did you want to do when you were a child?
I wanted to be President at one stage but then fancied being a mechanic instead.

Where was your best holiday and what made it special?
I was in Australia a few years ago, it’s the best place in the world “There’s no stress in Auz mate.” My sister got married there and I went over for a three-week holiday. I stayed for over a year. I travelled all over and made loads of friends. I also met Steve Irwin, which was a big thrill.

What famous people would you invite around for dinner and why?
The Irish Rugby Team… They did us proud.

What would you do for a special treat?
I would get on a plane and go to somewhere hot.

Favourite animal?
A Golden Retriever dog. I have always wanted one but they take a lot of looking after.

Biggest thrill?
Working with Mel Gibson in Braveheart. We were filming around Trim castle in Meath. I gave up my job in the fire service to be Mel’s security man. There were four of us with him at all times and we more or less saw the whole film being made. The Irish, English and Scottish armies were all the same blokes and everyone in Trim were in the film somewhere as extras. It put the castle on the map and is now a great tourist attraction.

Biggest Challenge?
To win the Lotto…

What was the best present you ever got?
My laptop, I couldn’t be without it for diagnosing engine problems in the garage.

What was the last thing you bought just for yourself?
A casual jacket. I just needed one.

What charity would you support?
Cancer research and the guide dogs as well as anything local.

The world’s most useful invention?
The mobile phone. I use it for everything.

Best birthday present?
When I was with the fire service I went on a trip to New York on my birthday for the St Patrick’s Day celebrations. It was magical.

Favourite past-time?
Having a few pints and I still go to the odd club.

Which period in history would you most like to have lived through?
Around the 1100-1200 AD period when Trim castle was at it’s height.

What do you have for breakfast?
I start with coffee and toast, then get out the Synergy products. I have small measures of the Chlorophyll liquid then take some ProArgi 9 and then a small glass of Boost, which is packed full of Brazilian Acai berries. The products are proven to build immune systems and give me energy for the day ahead.

Do you have a favourite cartoon character?
Daffy Duck. "you’re despicable."

What was your first paid job?
I earned £100 a week as a digger driver. I worked for nothing on the farm for years before that. I started aged around 7 cutting silage.

Best/worst household chore?
They are not chores… they are all good.

What is the worst piece of advice you have been given?
Treat them mean and keep them keen……It doesn’t work ……

Personal philosophy?
If at first you don’t succeed, try try again.

WISDOM OF THE WORLD - WEEK 50

The Butterfly’s Struggle

A man found a cocoon for a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through the little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared stuck.

The man decided to help the butterfly and with a pair of scissors he cut open the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. Something was strange. The butterfly had a swollen body and shrivelled wings. The man watched the butterfly expecting it to take on its correct proportions. But nothing changed.

The butterfly stayed the same. It was never able to fly. In his kindness and haste the man did not realise that the butterfly's struggle to get through the small opening of the cocoon is nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight.

Like the sapling, which grows strong from being buffeted by the wind, in life we all need to struggle sometimes to make us strong.

When we are coaching and teaching others it is helpful to recognise that people need to do things for themselves.

BUSINESS PROFILE - PAUL MCGUIGAN

Buncrana Chamber of Commerce member Paul McGuigan is originally from Strabane. He opened the doors to his optician’s practice in Buncrana in 2007 and last May opened his second practice on Butchers Street in Strabane. He has 2 members of staff working with him, Louise and Gemma.

Paul decided on a career in optometry and in 1999 embarked on a four year Optometry degree course at the University of Ulster, Coleraine. He studied hard and came out with his degree (Bsc Hons MCOptom).

“After finishing at University, I took a year out to catch up with myself.” He tells the Inishowen Independent. My partner Heidi and I travelled extensively around South East Asia, Australia, Fiji, Canada and America. This gave me time to reflect on my studies and give me more of a focus to what I really wanted to do with my career. And get a tan of course….”

BRANCHING OUT
Paul enjoyed his time off and after coming back refreshed worked for 4 years in the UK, working for Specsavers, the Optician branch in Tesco and was also involved in hospital clinic work. Here he picked up a lot of experience along the way. “After working for the larger companies and the health service gaining experience, I realised that in the optometry industry there is a strong emphasis on self-employment. “There was a very high percentage of people in my University class that had gone on to be self employed and I though it was about time that I did the same.

The time had come for Paul to return back to Ireland and he travelled back at the weekends to look for suitable premises. His research was to draw a circle from Strabane on the map to find somewhere not too far away that he could commute to easily. Eventually his pin fell on Buncrana and he and his father came over to see for themselves the fabulous new Ardaravan area of the town. It was in its infancy and building work was just finishing. They felt that there was an opportunity to set up a much-needed optician in the town and the perfect premises was just down from the Ulster Bank “The shop was just the right size,” says Paul. “The area was new and we could see the potential, even though there were not many shops open at the time on the street.”


EARLY INSPIRATION
Paul’s father was an early inspiration. “ My father has run his own successful business for years and I value his input. I worked for him when I was younger and this gave me a good grounding for my own work discipline. I realise that you have to keep moving with the times and make your business attractive. His influence rubbed off on my brother too, he went to study and is a dentist in Omagh.”


GROUNDWORK
Paul thinks that groundwork, and lots of it is the key to successful decision making about the right premises. “We looked at a lot of different places but saw loads of potential in Ardaravan for both passing trade and the area is so handy for parking if you are coming by car.” He says. “We felt that all of the hard work looking for the suitable premises paid off when we got to Buncrana.

Because of the location of his two shops, he is able to test people on both sides of the border. “The two premises are ideally located and give the customers the “best of both worlds,” he tell us.

Paul took six months to plan his solo career and looked closely at the location and anticipated any hidden traps or costs. “ I can be very cautious, which isn’t a bad thing in business. Forward planning and thorough research is essential when setting up and you need money set aside as a contingency plan should you incur any hidden costs, and there are bound to be some. Initially I was only going to take three weeks to set up but that turned into three months.” Paul thinks that getting a mentor to help and advise you set up your own business is a great idea. “A good mentor can see all of the pitfalls before they happen, I was lucky that I had my father to advise me.” He says.


SATISFACTION
Paul loves to see customers returning to his relaxed practice, “It’s a really big thrill.” He is seeing a 90% return on customers coming back for their two year check ups. “It’s mostly two years in between an appointment but if we need to keep a closer watch on people it can be every 6 months. We also get referrals from GP’s and we have the added protection of emergency back up in Sligo and Letterkenny should the need arise.” He says reassuringly.

Paul loves working for himself and the freedom it gives him. One key thing about working for myself is that I have full control over the eye test procedure. The girls do a fabulous job at the front desk so I can concentrate on the different stages of the eye test so the customer doesn’t feel that they are on a production line. It’s all about customer care and satisfaction.”

FREE EYE TESTS
Paul likes to keep his customers happy and has introduced some great initiatives for new and existing customers. “We always have a two for one offer on glasses and also offer free eye tests… That’s free eye tests for everyone. We accept medical cards, but you don’t need one for a free eye test.”

FREE PRIZE DRAW

The other incentive is for a lucky couple to have a bit of time in the sun, topping up their tans. “I have a free prize draw for customers and the lucky winner and a partner will get to go to Barcelona for a city break. It is a prize worth a minimum of €500 and it can be at a time to suit the winner.” Says Paul enthusiastically,

Paul feels that it pays to focus on one thing. “Being a specialist is a key factor in today’s present economic climate.” He concludes.

If you would like more information or would like to make an appointment you can contact Paul on 074 9322035 or call into his practice at 10a Ardaravan Square in Buncrana.

COLLABORATION

Innovative New Day Care Centre to Open in Wain’sWorld

An exciting new collaboration between Wain’sWorld in Buncrana and Amanda’s Cots N Tots in Clonmany will create new jobs in the local area, as well as peace of mind for parents and a wonderful learning environment for children. Brian Makowski of WainsWorld and Amanda Kelly from Cots N Tots are establishing a new day care service (times from 9am –5pm) for children from the ages of two up in the WainsWorld premises in Milltown Business Park.

The new business venture will have fully qualified staff, healthy meals and all sorts of scheduled activities including arts and crafts. Amanda Kelly has been providing a high quality childcare service caring for and stimulating children in line with the national curriculum for the past eleven years. Co-operation and partnership with the parent or guardian, as well as supporting the individual needs of the child is also part of the ethos she brings to her business.

Brian Makowski is looking forward to the new venture. “I love this business,” he says looking relaxed and at home in the bright child friendly activity centre. “I have seen children change and develop over the years using the equipment here. They develop confidence, social skills, independence and of course being able to have active play leads to good health,” he says with a smile.

“I am delighted with this new joint venture,” he continues, “It is a creative way to meet the needs of the community and of the business – a positive initiative during all the bad news of the recession.”

Looking round, it is clear that it is a fantastic environment for children to learn, grow and develop and with Amanda’s expertise and experience, the business looks set to grow quickly.

Enquiries and bookings can be made by contacting Brian on 074 9322450 or Amanda on 074 9378737. Places are limited so phone early to secure a place.

WIND TURBINES - MDC

Our Mission
The MDC Group based in Malin Head offer a complete package from planning to installing and maintaining wind turbines throughout Ireland and Northern Ireland for residential and commercial customers. Here in Ireland we have one of the best wind resources in Europe and wind power is a clean, environmentally friendly and a never-ending FREE energy resource. With the cost of energy starting to rise again and people looking to reduce their carbon footprint, installing a turbine is becoming a more economically viable option.

Co-owner Garvan Meehan commented that, “We all like the thought of "being green", but it still has to make economic sense. It is our aim to show clients how a system can pay for itself in the shortest time possible (as low as 2 years depending on use and type of system installed.)”
Introduction of ‘Feed-in’ Tariff The MDC Group are an authorised agent of the WES wind turbines in Ireland and their expertise and experience will make the whole process of choosing the best turbine for your needs very easy.

You can now sell any electricity you generate back to the ESB. The introduction of a ‘feed-in’ tariff means that for every kilowatt hour of electricity that you generate, you can now export this to the grid. ESB will pay 19c for the first 3000 kWh’s exported and 9c for every kilowatt hour over the 3000 limit. This, together with savings you make by using your own electricity too, means there has never been a better time to start generating your own electricity on your farm; or indeed in individual homes, small businesses, and communities.

With the assistance of the MDC Group, you can begin harnessing the wind to meet your own needs while also getting paid for any surplus electricity that you generate on your site. The use of Dutch-built Wind Energy Solutions (WES) wind turbines which are very reliable and affordable means years of trouble free operation. When you think about it wind turbines are installed in fairly inaccessible locations so the reliability has to be paramount. In any event, the MDC group carries a stock of spares for every turbine we install. We also service and maintain the units giving the customer peace of mind with the knowledge that a local company is always there. The medium sized turbine supplied by the MDC Group, the WES18 starts producing electricity at wind speed of 3 m/s and is already economically feasible with an average wind speed of 5 m/s. At an average wind speed of 7 m/s (moderate breeze), a WES18 wind turbine can produce up to 200,000 kWh per year. (The average four bedroom home uses about 5,000 kWh of electricity per year).

The MDC Group is now providing a full service from planning to commissioning, including wind feasibility studies and grant applications.

Business Owners
For as little as 10% down, we can show you how a system can save you money and give you years of free energy. In times when energy costs are hurting business's profits it just makes good business sense to talk to us and like the wind it's free !

Dragon Boiler Systems We have also secured the agency for Dragonheat Boilers Systems. The sheer simplicity of the Dragon is what makes this boiler attractive and payback of these systems can be as low as 2 years. These boilers are fully automatic and are easily retro-fitted to an existing installation. Grant assistance is also available and the boilers are carbon neutral.Contact the MDC Group on 086- 824-7271 or check out their new web page http://www.mdcgroup.biz/