How times change. The taxi hygiene controversy prompted Paul Murphy, group editor of the Drogheda Independent and its sister publications, to send "Paper Round" a clipping from the Drogheda Conservative of 1878. "There are a few jarvies in Drogheda to whom soap and water could be applied without any danger of injurious effects following. In Dublin, it would appear, there are some of the fraternity in the same plight, with this difference that here John can part friends with cleanliness forever if he chooses, whilst in the metropolis there is a limit set to his liking," stated the newspaper 122 years ago.
"So it would appear from the action of one of the divisional magistrates the other day, when a car-man was summoned before him for violating the rules of decorum by not appearing at his stand in suitable apparel and cleanliness. The man's clothing, it was sworn, was torn and greasy, and his face and hands hadn't been washed for days. Add to this fact that he was after `doing a small spree', and you have a picture of which many copies are to be found in Dublin. A fine of 2s 6d marked the indignation of justice."
Talk about deja vu.
The Wexford People, which, like many local newspapers, highlighted the dramatic rise in hospital admissions as a result of the "flu bug crisis", also had a taxi story on its front page. An 83-year-old woman was sent home from Wexford General Hospital the week before last in a taxi - wearing only her night clothes, the People stated.
"And when deposited on her doorstep the elderly pensioner, who was covered with a blanket, was asked to pay a £5 taxi fare. When she queried the cost, the taxi driver explained that part of the fee was to cover the extra charge for bringing the blanket back to the hospital." The health board refunded the woman her £5 and told her she should never have been charged.
Dundalk is to get 80 extra taxis in March, four times the number currently licensed to operate in the town. Each new licence will cost £25,000, 16 of the new taxis will be specially adapted for use by disabled passengers and there will be a new metering system and fare structure. "The moves will, it is hoped, end the practice of unlicensed hackney vehicles and unapproved hackney offices," stated the Argus.
The Kerryman stated that Tralee circuit court had more divorce applications than any other town in the Republic in 1998. Only Dublin, Cork and Limerick logged more applications than Tralee, bragged the newspaper.
"Another year, another factory closure," complained the Longford Leader. "There are some people in positions of authority in Co Longford who always complain whenever bad news is highlighted in editorials in the Longford Leader," wrote editor Eugene McGee. "Well, try telling that to the 100 or so workers in Barbour Threads who were officially told last week that they will shortly have no jobs."
Every other town in rural Ireland could get new employment regularly, but in Longford efforts at job creation were "disjointed", he believed. "Local politicians still squabble about who did this or did not do that. Our county council and its various sections have been notoriously slow in bringing forward major plans for improving the local infrastructures . . .
The greatest problem in Longford is lack of leadership and unity of purpose."
The Western People also believed that infrastructure was the key to job creation. "The real test of how Government policies are working in a region like the west must be the creation of jobs . . . We have seen in the latest IDA figures for 1999 how the west, Border and midland regions actually lost 1,200 jobs at a time when the IDA had created over 17,000 jobs nationally."
A lack of educational opportunities for older people was found by a pilot study carried out by the Western and Midland health boards and highlighted in the Mayo News. The lack of opportunity particularly relates to people of low socio-economic status with low self-esteem who live in rural areas and lack transportation.
Contrast that with the experience of James Kiernan (71), a farmer from Camagh, Co Westmeath who, the Westmeath Examiner explained, is studying computers and communications at Castlepollard Vocational School. Like many other farmers nowadays, James is considering leaving agriculture and has decided to spend some time learning accounting, communications, office administration, information technology and typing.
Today, he keeps in touch with his nephews in New York by email.