A terrorist attack on Brussels Airport and a  metro station after 8am local time this morning (Tuesday) has left at least 23 people dead and and a large number seriously injured. The blasts at the airport and metro station have occurred four days after the arrest in Brussels of Saleh Abdeslam, prime suspect in the Paris terror attacks that killed 130 people in November. Belgian police had been on alert for any reprisal action since then. But there has also been a high state of alert across Europe for fear of terrorist attacks by the so-called Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for the Paris attack. This morning, there were two explosions at Brussels Airport and reports of shots being fired in what Belgian media said was a suicide attack. Thirteen people have died in this attack and a further 35 seriously injured. A second blast struck a metro station, close to European Union institutions, in the capital shortly afterwards. Belgian public broadcaster …

Ireland South MEP, Seán Kelly, has been appointed as lead negotiator and spokesman on European energy consumer issues on behalf of the European People’s Party. The talks underway in Brussels, aim to deliver a new deal for energy consumers and seek to increase the transparency of prices and better empower consumers to lower their energy bills, according to the leader of Fine Gael in the parliament. Mr Kelly, Ireland’s only full member of the Parliament’s Committee on Industry Research and Energy (ITRE), spoke of the work as being a “massive opportunity” to ease the burden on already stretched household budgets. “Years of austerity have been tough on Irish families. Even though our economy is now growing rapidly, the majority of households are yet to feel the benefit – it has not yet made its way into Irish homes. One way we can spread economic growth around the country is by putting money back in people’s pockets. “Taking measures to lower …

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has launched an eight-week public consultation on draft National Standards for Safer Better Maternity Services. This represents the first service-specific standards developed by HIQA. Standards for maternity services aim to improve the quality and safety of care received from maternity services. HIQA is now looking for feedback from the public on the draft standards. Chief executive of HIQA, Phelim Quinn said, “This marks a new beginning for anyone who uses maternity services. These draft standards have been developed to improve the standard of maternity services offered to women nationally. For most women pregnancy and childbirth are safe and are associated with a happy outcome. Unfortunately, this is not the reality for all and at times this has been due to sub-standard care. Our standards will work to ensure that maternity services are responsive to the needs of all women and their families, and that maternity service providers put women’s needs and preferences at the …

The decision of the Ardchomhairle of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann to stage Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2017 in Ennis has been warmly welcomed in County Clare. Hosting the world famous traditional music event for two years in a row is a mammoth challenge but one that we embrace with open arms, according to Mícheál Ó Riabhaigh, Cathaoirleach of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann Inis 2016. “On a Sunday morning during Fleadh Nua in 2010, Frank Whelan, Rory Casey, Pat Liddy and I first discussed the idea of bringing the Fleadh back to Ennis. Little did we realise then, the time and effort it would take to have it back in Clare for the first time in nearly 40 years. To have the Fleadh back twice in consecutive years is beyond our wildest dreams,’ he continued. “Right now, it’s full steam ahead in Ennis to make this year’s All Ireland the greatest ever. We are learning a great deal in a very short …

Clare 1-19 Limerick 0-18 Clare are back in the top grouping in the National hurling league following a comfortable win over arch rivals Limerick at Cusac Park this Sunday afternoon. The Banner side’s victory was much more comfortable that the final scoreline suggests on a day when Limerick were reduced to fourteen men five minutes before half time whenforward Barry Nash picked up a second yellow card. Clare led from the outset on a day when they shot no fewer than nineteen wides, a dozen of which came in the second half. Played before an attendance of 8,847, the home side made their intentions known from the off and struck for the game’s only goal as early as the opening minute when John Conlon brillantly grabbed a high delivery before shooting to the net. The score clearly rocked the visitors who, underatandably, complained tht the Clonlara player took more thatn the required number of steps while in possession before finding …

GORT parish priest Fr Tommy Marrinan has been appointed to the Diocesan Chapter, earning him the title Canon and meaning he will now act as adviser to the bishop and as a trustee of the diocese. Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora, Martin Drennan made the appointment on Thursday last. He announced that four priests were being added to the Diocesan Chapter, which now has 12 members. These canons work as advisers to, and in very close collaboration with, the bishop. They have a particular responsibility to ensure the effective administration of the temporal affairs of the diocese. Other priests appointed on the day were Fr Ian O’Neill, parish priest of Claregalway; Fr Michael McLoughlin, PP, Moycullen; and Martin Glynn, PP, Mervue and Good Shepherd. According to Fr Tommy, the appointment is a reflection of the parish of Gort and Beagh. “It is an honour for the parish, as it is a title usually given to a priest in a …

FROM the moment the schedule of games for this season’s hurling league was published, today’s (Sunday) final group game between Shannonside neighbours Clare and Limerick was ear-marked as the tie that would decide who will be promoted to Division 1A for 2017. Clare, it must be said, were unlucky to be relegated from the top flight at the end of last season’s league, when they lost by the minimum margin to Kilkenny on successive Sundays. Limerick have been stuck in Division 1B for the past few years, falling narrowly at the final hurdle on a few occasions. They made some changes to their management team back in the autumn, bringing in Joe O’Connor as team trainer and appointing Tipperary man Dinny Cahill as team coach. O’Connor is widely recognised as a trainer and he filled that role for Clare when the Banner men won the All-Ireland title in 2013. Such is the attractiveness of Sunday’s tie that a crowd of 10,000 is …

Team captain Cian Dillon has recovered from injury and will lead Clare in Sunday’s crucial promotion tie in division 1 B of the Allianz hurling league. The Crusheen man has been named at full back in a side that shows just two changes in personell from that which started against Kerry last week. Miltown’s Conor Cleary loses out and Pat O’Connor who deputised for Dillon at full back last week reverts to wing back, the position he filled when helping Clare to All-Ireland glory in 2013. The other change in personnell sees Patrick Kelly named between the posts in place of Donal Tuohy who filled the position last week. The team is Patrick Kelly (Inagh-Kilnamona); Oisín O’Brien (Clonlara), Cian Dillon,(Crusheen), Captain, Paul Flanagan (Ballyea); Brendan Bugler (Whitegate), David McInerney (Tulla), Pat O’Connor (Tubber); David Reidy (Éire Óg), Conor Ryan (Cratloe); John Conlon (Clonlara), Bobby Duggan (Clarecastle), Colm Galvin (Clonlara); Aaron Cunningham (Wolfe Tones), Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg), Conor McGrath (Cratloe). …