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Junior Chamber to set up in Mullingar: JCI (Junior Chamber International) is a worldwide community of young active citizens ages 18-40 who share the belief that in order to create positive change, we must take collective action to improve ourselves and the world around us.Engaging in activities ranging from community development to international projects, members demonstrate their social responsibility and improve themselves through participation, leadership and action.JCI Club - socials, weekends away, training, leadership skills, make new friends.Twenty-something, Thirty-something? Interested?Text or call 087 0535077 for further details.Staying SouthFigures just in: the number of people visiting the North last year rose by 14 per cent as consumers headed across the Border in search of bargains.The research which was undertaken by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board showed that 366,000 visitors came from the Republic in 2008. The increase was prompted largely by the decline in the value of sterling and the survey also showed that hotel bookings from South to North also rose by 25 per cent from 2008.So as if things weren"t bad enough now we have to contend with the lure of supermarket prices and cheap hotel rates draining the already depleted coffers.But think twice (or five times about leaving the town for the North) because here are five good reasons to stay in Westmeath:1. Shopping in Mullingar. Okay the chain stores might be cheaper but where else can you get the shoes, clothes, jewellery that you can buy right here, all the result of shop keepers with great taste who have put their heart and soul into making sure that Mullingar gets the best dressed vote. But, the prices, we can hear you cry. Not lately- have you seen the sales that are still running in town? There is no need to go elsewhere: fashionsistas know that Mullingar is the best.2. The same goes for local supermarkets and chemists who are at pains to compete with their Northern counteparts at the minute. Baby stuff, meat, veg, the lot, when you add the cost of petrol to your shop, what are you saving? Not a lot. Plus you won"t have to sit behind a queue of cars for hours on end.3. Eating and drinking and days out. There is a host of things to do in and around Mullingar and Westmeath. What about seeing La Boheme in the surroundings of Lough Crew? The Easter Eggspress at Belvedere? John Rogan"s smoked fish? The lunch time buffet at the Mullingar park or the early bird menus that are springing up all around the place? Not to mention great priced full Irish breakfasts - including the fine choice now available at Apache Pizza!4. Pub life: you don"t have to be northward bound to enjoy a good night out and you might get a nasty surprise if you wander into some of the trendy bars in Belfast for a glass of wine or six. How about £6.10 for a chardonnay? We don"t think so. Nothing compares to a well-priced pint in the comfort of your favourite local.5. Lastly and not at all least, is the one thing that your mother always told you to have- good old fashioned manners. Shopping, eating out, staying in hotels: there is nothing like some good old fashioned hospitality which we have in spades and nothing worse than a snooty shop assistant/waitress who pretend that they can"t understand a word you are saying!CongratsWell done to Special Olympian David Corroon, and Orla Carpenter a past pupil of St Brigid"s in Mullingar both of whom are this week receiving their Gaisce awards at a ceremony in Dublin Castle.Ideas anyone?The Ideas Campaign which was launched on Primetime last month is drawing to a close and the last entries for all your thoughts on how we can move forward must be received by midnight tonight (Tuesday).So far the campaign has picked up on two of Westmeath"s best ideas:Building a rail/Luas line to Dublin Airport thru Swords is madness. What for? Put Meath and Kildare on tracks as the vast number of commuters into Dublin each day come from there. Make it a Public/Private Partnership project. Therefore halving the costs and the risk.People on JSB/JSA are discouraged from starting a business as they loose all their benefit if they become self employed. It would promote startup businesses if recipients of JSB/JSA could start a business and if they earn anything make it deductible against the JSB/JSA rather wiping it out immediately.This means that every bit they earn is a saving for the exchequer. If they manage €50 a week for the first few weeks they are no worse off for trying and the exchequer can save some money.The current system where they lose all benefit if they become self employed discourages them from trying.This is especially the case for JSB which is received by people made redundant and may not actually need it they payments (e.g. spouse may still be working) they maximise the payout by not becoming self employed until the benefit runs out. They are effectively being paid not to try starting a business.So far the campaign which wants to highlight the best and brightest brain waves from across the country has receieved 4,200 ideas and 43,000 hits on The Ideas Campaign website (www.ideascampaign.ie). The best will be presented to the government advisory group for review and possible implementation.You can read about the next steps of the campaign here on http://www.ideascampaign.ie/accountancy-firms-to-process-ideas/ . This will happen during April.Eggs and rashers on a budgetThe Mullingar Chamber will be hosting a Breakfast for both members and non-members of the local business community on Wednesday April 8 in the Greville Arms Hotel at 8am. The event is being held to present the details on the Mini Budget, which will be announced by the Government on the previous day.Guest Speaker at the event is Aidan Flanagan, Flanagan & Co Chartered Accounts.  Mr Flanagan speaking ahead of the budget has said that it is likely we will all be affected in some way but hopefully it will be ge ared more towards the higher earners who maybe able to afford more pain than the lower or marginal earners. Let"s hope he is right and gets to eat his rashers and not his words.The Mullingar Chamber Budget Breakfast is open to both members and non-members. Tickets are €10 for members and €20 for non-members and the fee also includes a full (large) breakfast. To book tickets for this event please call 044 93 44044 or email info@mullingarchamber.ieCommotion film festivalThe Irish Midlands now have their very own youth film festival due to take place in Belvedere House, Mullingar in October 2009.Co-motion Film Festival is dedicated to developing, championing and rewarding young Irish film-makers.The festival hopes to encourage young people to share their ideas, attend workshops and gain recognition for their genius.The festival also connects young film makers with others who share a passion for film, who see it as a sword with which to battle the enemy, as a magic wand to change the world.Somewhat vaingloriously, Co-motion regards itself as a launch pad for Ireland"s future Oscar winners.If the group haven"t been thanked by a teary-eyed young film director on the Oscar podium by 2016 they"ll consider their mission a failure.The third festival, Co-Motion 09 will take place in early October (days and dates TBC) and the official call for entries will go out at the end of April.'We are looking forward immensely to seeing your latest films and we are busy preparing a recession-busting free festival for you and your friends/ school/ youth club to attend later this year. We will be in touch again at the end of April with more details of how to enter your film and reserve your seat for Co-motion 09,''Film makers must be under 21 - that"s the only rule. (Also, the film must be on DVD and under 15 mins duration.) Have your film ready to send once the 2009 round is announced. If you haven"t yet made a movie, stop reading this and get out there and start filming. Hurry. What have you got to lose?' asks Festival Director Fiona MacGinty.Co-motion 2009 will be held in Belvedere House, Co Westmeath in October 2009.