Clare county manager Tom Coughlan has refuted suggestions the council’s headquarters is akin to “Fawlty Towers” because of the amount of scaffolding being used during roof repairs, costing an estimated €131,000.In fact, Mr Coughlan has insisted the €25 million Áras Contae an Chláir is a very impressive building, which has won a number of awards, and could in no way be compared with the infamous television sitcom.Councillor PJ Kelly made the claim after questioning if the council could be left footing the bill for the repairs after the contractor, Michael McNamara and Co, went into receivership in November 2010.Councillor Patricia McCarthy criticised the use of the “Fawlty Towers” description of the council headquarters, while Councillor Gabriel Keating urged Councillor Kelly to withdraw this statement.However, Councillor Kelly stuck to his guns insisting there is a public perception that Arás Contae and Chlair is akin to the famous sitcom hostelry because of all the scaffolding and that people are wondering is the …

Following Wednesday’s ­Govern-ment meeting, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan, announced plans for the disposal of the State’s 7,500 electronic voting equipment.A request for tenders is to be published before the end of January seeking proposals for either the purchase of the equipment or for its disposal through a process of recovery as waste, consistent with environmental and other obligations.“I want to finally draw a line under the electronic voting project and also see that the equipment is disposed of properly. €54.756 million has been wasted on the project to date and every effort must be made now to sell the equipment and get as much of these costs back as is possible in the ­circumstances,” Minister Hogan said. “The market is to be tested to see if there are any interested parties that may want to buy the machines. While being optimistic, we also need to be realistic. It is possible that no reasonable …

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  IT was certainly a very happy new year for proud Clarecastle parents Vicky and Chris Howard as they welcomed little Joshua into the world on New Year’s Day.Weighing in at five pounds 10 ounces, the little bundle of joy arrived five weeks early at the Mid-Western Regional Maternity Hospital, Limerick at 2.36pm on Sunday.A delighted Vicky said from the hospital, “He was five weeks early. He wasn’t due until February 3 but he was determined to be a new year’s baby. We weren’t prepared, I had no bag packed or anything. I was a bit worried when we drove down to the hospital on Saturday night because he was early but the staff are brilliant and they put me at ease very quickly.”Although he was an early arrival, Joshua is thriving, with mother and son expected to return home from hospital on Friday. “He’s doing great, everything went perfect,” Vicky said. Looking forward to welcoming home the new addition …

A Clare missionary recently celebrated an important milestone in his ministry. Fr Donal O’Dea, a native of Quin, was ordained to the priesthood 60 years ago.A member of the Columbian Missionary Order, Fr Donal has served in the Philippines since 1951 and for most of his life has worked with the tribal people of the remote province of Zambales in that country.Fr Donal, whose brother Paddy and family live at Knocknagoug, Quin, returned to Ireland last summer to mark his 60th anniversary but officially celebrated the momentous occasion at his home in the Philippines on Wednesday, December 21. Fr Donal Hogan of the Columban order in Ireland said he could not speak highly enough of his colleague. He recalled his own time in the Philippines and visiting with Fr O’Dea on a number of occasions, including following some very grim natural disasters. “I visited him on many occasions. He is a fantastic priest. The Philippines was his first station and …

PLANS for the provision of a single storey studio building at Doolin Cave have been submitted to Clare County Council.John and Helen Browne are seeking planning permission to construct a pottery studio/workshop at Doolin Cave, Craggycoradan West, Doolin.An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission on the same site for a major visitor reception building with shop, café and display area, coach and car park, wastewater treatment and related site facilities at Doolin Cave, subject to 17 conditions, despite some objections in September 2009.One of the planning conditions stipulated that visitor numbers could not exceed 55,000 in any calendar year in the interest of the orderly development of the site and safeguarding the long-term viability of the cave system.The latest planning application, which was submitted by Limerick City-based architect, Josefina Fernández Frelier, is for a single storey artist’s studio to be built within the same site premises and connecting to existing site services.According to Mr Frelier, the proposed studio will be built …

UNCHECKED built-up islands of silt and vegetation on the Old River Shannon is causing flooding during periods of very high rainfall, local residents have warned.In a submission to consultants Jacobs Consulting Engineers, who have completed a Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA), residents in Springfield, Clonlara, stated the River Shannon downsteam of the Parteen Weir is unable to take a high volume of water during flooding because of the unchecked build-up of silt and vegetation.Commenting on the ESB report submitted to the PFRA, the group said it understands that more water was spilled down the Old River Shannon than through the Headrace during each flood.“The Mulkear River also flows into the Shannon just above the channel restriction. This river is a fast-flowing river and during flood times when it meets the Shannon flood water, the volume of water is such that it has nowhere to go, so it backs up to us at Springfield and Illaunyregan.“As part of the study, which …

FR John Molloy’s good work for the poorest of the poor in Ecuador continues to inspire the people of Ennis in many ways. Shanaway Road man Pat Collins returned from five weeks’ volunteering with Fr Molloy’s at Monte Sinai parish, describing his experience as “a great adventure”.