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Over 2000 attend Kerry College Open Week

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Kerry College of Further Education and Training’s first ever Open Week recently has been a great success.

Over 2000 school leavers, jobseekers, career changers, teachers, tutors, instructors, guidance staff and industry professionals attended the four campus locations across the week with 700 attending the Apprenticeship Open Evening event at Monavalley.

It was a chance for the general public to drop in, meet staff, students and apprentices and to get a favour of what each campus location has to offer. A wide range of activities, campus tours, skills demonstrations and talks were held across each campus during the week – attracting large interest from schools and the general public.

Kerry College is the first fully integrated FET college in Ireland – combining PLC/Further Education courses and Training courses. It has three campus locations in Tralee – at Clash Road, Denny Street and Monavalley with the Listowel campus catering to the North Kerry area.

The Monavalley Campus has a range of full-time, part-time and apprenticeship programmes starting all year round – where the Clash Road, Denny Street and Listowel Campus locations have an intake in September for the academic year.

Applicants are advised to apply early for all courses for third level progression (formerly PLC courses) as places are filled on a first come, first served basis. Many progression-focused courses are already half full. The fee structure has been revised – and now a flat fee of €130 applies to all progression-based courses. There is no change to employment-focused courses which remain free and fully funded. A range of grant and funding options are also available.

The full range of apprenticeships, full-time and part-time programmes is available to browse and book online: www.kerrycollege.ie. A copy of the printed prospectus is available from any of the campus locations or from the admissions office at 7 Denny Street, Tralee on 066 714 96 96 or email: info@kerrycollege.ie

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Sinn Féin to host public meeting on cost of living at Killarney Heights Hotel

Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm. […]

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Sinn Féin deputy leader Pearse Doherty will host a public meeting on the costs of living and housing crises at the Killarney Heights Hotel on Thursday, May 28 at 8pm.

The Donegal TD will be joined by Kerry TD Pa Daly to discuss the economic pressures facing local households and the policy changes needed to provide financial relief. The main focus of the evening will center on the barriers preventing local people from buying their own homes, alongside broader costs of living challenges.
Speaking exclusively to the Killarney Advertiser ahead of his visit, Deputy Doherty said workers and families across Kerry are being squeezed from every direction by rising weekly shops, high energy bills, increasing insurance premiums, and substantial housing costs.
“Young people are losing hope that they will ever own a home in the county where they were raised,” Deputy Doherty said. “And while all of this is happening, the government is sitting on billions in budget surpluses while telling struggling families to wait. It is simply not good enough.”
The Sinn Féin finance spokesperson highlighted specific regional factors making the crisis acute in County Kerry, particularly regarding home heating costs.
“Almost 59% of homes in Kerry rely on home heating oil, which is nearly double the state average of 34%,” he said. “That means families across the county are far more exposed to soaring fuel costs than households in many other parts of the state. Yet the government withdrew supports that were helping households keep the lights on and heat their homes.”
Deputy Doherty noted that the housing situation in Kerry has moved beyond a social issue and is now impacting the local economy and communities. He pointed to figures showing average rents in the county have reached €1,493 per month, with exceptionally low market availability.
“At the time of writing, there were only 27 properties available online to rent across the entire county. Only 19 were below €2,000 a month and just five were available for less than €1,500. A county the size of Kerry, and only five rental properties affordable to someone on an ordinary income,” he said.
He also raised concerns for first-time buyers, noting that average house prices in Kerry have climbed to €296,000, representing an increase of €33,500 in a single year.
During the meeting, the Sinn Féin representatives will outline their party’s alternative proposals. These include a state-led program of affordable home building, a ban on excessive rent increases, enhanced protections for renters, and immediate energy credits and tax relief for workers.
“The resources exist to do this,” Deputy Doherty added. “The government’s own figures show billions in surplus funds available to the state. The issue is not a lack of money. The issue is political choice.”
The meeting is open to all members of the public, and a discussion session will follow the main presentations.

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National Park hosts weekend Bioblitz for National Biodiversity Week

Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment. Today, Friday, […]

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Killarney National Park is taking centre stage for the final weekend of National Biodiversity Week, with the public being urged to get outdoor and explore the local environment.

Today, Friday, May 22, marks the UN International Day for Biological Diversity, and a series of free events will run across the park until the national celebration concludes this Sunday, May 24.
The highlight of the weekend is the Killarney National Park Bioblitz. This event brings families, nature lovers, and community volunteers together to find, identify, and record as many different plant and animal species as possible across the park’s diverse habitats over the next three days.
Christopher O’Sullivan, Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, encouraged locals and visitors alike to utiliSe the final days of the festival to experience the area’s unique wildlife, referencing Killarney’s native habitats as key areas the state is working to protect.
Niall Ó Donnchú, Director General of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), noted that the week is designed to remind people that native plants, woodlands, and rivers are vital systems that make life possible. OrganiSers are encouraging anyone in the locality to head out to Killarney National Park before Sunday evening to participate in the species count and support local conservation efforts.

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