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Dundalk Leader 28th January 2026
PIMIS FOOD STORE Christine hoping that her 5th Anniversary Draw
Draw winners were: Top left, Prince with Peter Folikwe, CEO of Pimis Food Store; top right, Temi; bottom left, Ogechi and bottom right, Joy, all standing with Peter.
PIMIS FOOD STORE CASTLETOWN ROAD, DUNDALK - A91 XH52. Opens Monday to Saturday 9am - 7pm. Home delivery when you order via Whatsapp at 0894500544.
Rosary revolution can spread to Louth schools
CHRISTINE O’Hara is a maths and religion teacher in an all-boys secondary school in Cork City. In 2022 after joining a Catholic teachers whatsapp group she was surprised to find out that one of the teachers was thinking of starting a rosary group in her school. Christine decided to ask her principal for permission to introduce something similar in her school and to her delight he gave her the green light. One might think that a rosary might not be warmly welcomed by a group of teenage boys but to Christine’s delight the Rosary groups took off with huge numbers embracing the rosary and speaking of feeling calm and warmth in their hearts. The success of Christine’s Rosary group has made headlines around the world with religious documentary makers from the USA covering the story last year. Now, Christine is hoping that the success of her Rosary groups can be replicated across the country and speaking to the Dundalk Leader last week she encouraged any teachers in Louth to embrace the idea and give students
Christine O’Hara. a chance to find peace and inner strength through the Rosary. “I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the response I got from the boys when I launched the Rosary group. I genuinely didn’t expect it to grow as much as it did. I teach in a secondary school called St Francis College in Rochestown and it is a wonderful school. The boys have been very open and showed a real appetite for the Rosary and they tell me they love the peace and calm in brings them. The feedback from parents has been very positive and they have
told me that their children find the Rosary very calming, and it has helped students’ mental health and well-being. It has also helped with their school work as mentally they are in a better place. Being a teenager can be a confusing and a hard time and I think when they are in the Rosary group they can feel love and children need to know they are loved by God. “We have Rosary groups for both senior and junior students in the school and I would highly encourage any teachers in Dundalk to start a Rosary group in their school. I know they might think it will be a hard sell but believe me they will be surprised at just how receptive students will be to it. I do think there is a lot of negativity and bad stuff happening around the world and this is just a nice antidote to all of that and I would dearly love to see Rosary Groups spread across the country,” added Christine. A small documentary of the positive impact of Christine’s Rosary Group can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ojJ0Numi_Ak.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2014 By Darren Crawley FREEDOM of Information (FOI) is an important legal right that allows people in Ireland to access records held by public bodies. It plays a key role in promoting transparency, accountability, and public trust in how decisions are made. Whether you are a journalist, community group, student, or private citizen, FOI gives you the power to see how public services operate and how public money is spent. In Ireland, FOI is governed by the Freedom of Information Act 2014. This law gives individuals three main rights: The right to access records held by public bodies; The right to correct personal information that is incorrect or misleading; The right to receive reasons for decisions that affect them. A “record” can include emails, letters, reports, meeting minutes, plans, photographs, and digital files. The aim is to make as much information as possible available to the public, while still protecting privacy and sensitive material. Anyone can make an FOI request. You do not need to be an Irish citizen, and you do not have to explain why you want the information. FOI is designed
to be accessible and easy to use. Requests can be made by individuals, journalists, businesses, or community organisations. FOI applies to a wide range of public bodies, including: Government departments; Local authorities (county and city councils); Health service organisations State agencies; Many schools, colleges, and universities. Private companies are not covered unless they are carrying out public functions on behalf of the State. Making an FOI request is straightforward. You simply need to write to the public body that holds the information you want. This can be done by email or letter. Your request should: Clearly state that it is being made under the Freedom of Information Act; Describe the records you want as clearly as possible; Include your contact details. You do not need to use legal language. A simple, clear request is enough. There is no fee to submit an FOI request. However, public bodies may charge for search, retrieval, and copying if the request is large or complex. Personal information requests are usually free.
Public bodies must normally respond within 20 working days. If they need more time, they must inform you and explain the reason for the delay. FOI can be used to access many types of information, including: Policies and procedures; Planning and development records; Spending and budgeting information; Council decisions and meeting minutes; Reports and internal documents; Correspondence about public projects. This makes FOI a valuable tool for understanding how decisions are made at both national and local level. However, not all records can be released. Some information may be withheld to protect: Personal privacy;
National security; Commercially sensitive data; Ongoing legal cases; Internal government discussions. If a request is refused, the public body must explain why and refer to the relevant section of the law. If you are unhappy with the response, you have the right to appeal. There are two stages: Internal Review A more senior staff member in the same organisation reviews the decision; External Review If you are still unhappy, you can appeal to the Office of the Information Commissioner, which is independent of government. The Information Commissioner can order a public body to release records if the refusal is not justified. FOI is especially useful at local level, where decisions directly affect people’s daily lives. Lo-
cal authorities hold information about housing, roads, planning, environmental issues, community funding, and public services. Residents can use FOI to access records about local developments, council spending, traffic management, housing lists, or environmental concerns. This helps people stay informed and hold local decision-makers accountable. For example, if a new housing project is planned, residents may request documents about the decision-making process, environmental assessments, or funding arrangements. Community groups can also use FOI to understand how grants are allocated or how local services are managed. FOI strengthens democracy by giving people access to information that was once difficult to obtain. When citizens understand how decisions are made, they can take part more effectively in public debates, consultations, and elections. Journalists use FOI to investigate issues of public interest. Researchers use it to study government policy. Ordinary citizens use it to understand matters that affect their families and communities. FOI also encourages better
record-keeping and decisionmaking within public bodies, because officials know their work may be reviewed by the public. To improve your chances of getting a useful response: Be clear and specific about what you want; Limit the time period of your request; Avoid very broad or vague wording; Check the organisation’s website first – the information may already be published; Keep copies of all correspondence. If you receive a refusal, don’t be afraid to ask for a review. Many decisions are changed at the appeal stage. Freedom of Information is a powerful tool that helps make government more open, transparent, and accountable. In Ireland, the FOI system allows people to access a wide range of public records, from national policy documents to local council files. At local level, including in towns like Dundalk, FOI enables residents to understand how their community is managed and how public money is used. By using FOI wisely, citizens can play an active role in shaping a more informed and democratic society.
Ancillary report funded by Coimisiún na Meán’s Courts Reporting Scheme