Ennis

VISITING restrictions have been introduced at Ennis Hospital following an outbreak of Covid-19 on one of its wards. As a precautionary measure, visiting is not currently permitted on the Burren Ward. This decision is being reviewed on a daily basis. Visits to other areas of the hospital continue as normal. A spokesperson for UL Hospitals Group said, “We regret any inconvenience these restrictions cause for patients on the Burren Ward and for their loved ones. “An outbreak control team has convened, and hospital management has decided that it is necessary to impose the measures in the interests of patient safety and keeping essential services open for all patients. “We wish to reassure patients and their loved ones that all appropriate infection control precautions are being followed to minimise the risk of spreading infection among staff and patients within our health facilities, and also within the wider community.” The only exceptions to the visiting restrictions on the Burren Ward are: – …

THE organiser of last Saturday’s walk and run in Ennis to honour of the memory of murdered teacher Ashling Murphy has said he was “overwhelmed” with the response. Around 1,000 people gathered at the Fair Green to walk and run at 4pm in memory of Ashling, culminating in a poignant candle lit vigil with music and minute’s silence. Supported by The Clare Champion, the event was initiated by John Condon, who hopes the tragedy of Ashling’s killing will not be in vain by resulting in more being done to address violence against women. “Will this be the tipping point where we say enough is enough? There have been some brutal killings, some right here in Clare, and at some stage there has to be a tipping point, hopefully this might be it. However, addressing this is a monumental task, it’s education at home, education at school, educating of young men on how to respect women, it has to do with …

EFFORTS being made by a group of volunteers to maintain the Ballymaley roundabout are in the weeds, with the local authority been urged to step in and help. Mayor of Ennis Councillor Ann Norton urged at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District that the council look after the maintenance and grass cutting at the roundabout following representations from a number of people. Tommy Scott, Senior Executive Technician, responded, “The top of the roundabout is maintained as a Biodiversity meadow. The crop will now be cut and removed. Grass cutting has finished for the season and will recommence in April. “The grass cutting on the Ballymaley roundabout is carried out in a similar manner to the roundabouts on the N85 where the grass is permitted to grow and become a wild flower meadow in line with good biodiversity practices. This is part of the Tidy Town’s biodiversity programme.” Councillor Norton thanked Mr Scott for the response, stating that she appreciates …

RESIDENTS living in an Ennis housing estate fear “vermin” are nesting in a river bank which has been left as a habitat for biodiversity. Calls for vegetation, trees and bushes along the riverbank at Lenabeg to be cut back were made on behalf of the residents by Councillor Mary Howard at a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. “It is currently badly overgrown and the residents fear vermin are nesting there plus this area is being used to dump rubbish,” she said. Responding to the motion, Tommy Scott, Senior Executive Technician, stated, “The riverbank is left to look after itself and provide a natural boundary to the river edge. It provides a habitat for all sorts of biodiversity and wildlife and is fenced off from the development. “A river walk was built along this area as part of the development. It forms a fitting natural finish along the interface between the development and the River Fergus.” He continued, “This area …

A LARGE majority of respondents to an extensive Clare County Council survey has indicated it would like to see some form of pedestrianisation in Ennis immediately. A total of 1,796 completed surveys were received and overall, 71.2% of all respondents stated they would like to see some form of pedestrianisation ‘immediately’; 20.3% in the ‘medium/long term dependent on provision of new infrastructure/service’ and 8.5% indicated ‘no-never’. The result was much closer between business owners surveyed, 54 of whom completed the poll. Some 38.9% favoured introduction of pedestrianisation immediately, 24.1% in the medium to long term, 37% selected No/Never. Of the 204 respondents over 65 years of age, 67.6% favoured the introduction of pedestrianisation immediately, 21.1% in the medium to long term, 11.3% selected No/Never. There were 102 respondents declared as ‘having mobility issues’ of whom 47.1% favoured introduction of pedestrianisation immediately, 21.6% in the medium to long term, 31.4% selected No/Never. Of those who indicated they would like to see …

THE provision of an Ennis town bus service “is a priority” for the National Transport Authority (NTA), with route selection currently being finalised. An update on the progress of plans on the long awaited bus service for the county capital were outlined at a recent meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. Deputy Mayor of Ennis Councillor Paul Murphy had sought the details, saying, “we need to have a local bus service for Ennis”. Leonore O’Neill, Senior Executive Officer, responded, “The Ennis Municipal District are in ongoing communication with the NTA Public Transport Service Planning Team who are responsible for the planning and design of the Town Bus Service in Ennis. The NTA are currently finalising route selection. Implementation is dependent on budgets being available to support the operational cost of providing the service.” Director of service Carmel Kirby told the meeting that discussions with the NTA are “at an advanced stage” with routes being finalised throughout the town. “The Ennis …

THE former Our Lady’s Hospital in Ennis is set come under new ownership, with confirmation the development site is sale agreed. Ennis councillors are now urging that the historic site be re-zoned, and parts of the property de-listed as a protected structure, in a bid to realise its full development potential. Selling agent DNG O’Sullivan Hurley have confirmed the property is sale agreed and is currently going through the legal process, though they would not reveal the name of the prospective buyer. Calling for its rezoning and delisting, Councillor Pat Daly told the monthly meeting of the Ennis Municipal District that the former hospital has been a “hindrance” to any kind of development at the key site on the Gort Road. He recalled previous plans, including a hotel and private hospital, did not come to fruition at what he described as “a prime site in the town of Ennis”. He urged the municipal district, with the support of his fellow …

IF farmers can be fined because people illegally dump on their property, then the operators of Ennis’ bus and train station should have to pay up for any litter found on its grounds, believes Ennis’ deputy mayor. Councillor Paul Murphy was speaking in the wake of the recent Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) litter league results, which saw the station come in for criticism by the adjudicators despite a strong showing in other parts of the county capital. “If an innocent farmer can get a fine for having rubbish dumped on his land or ditch, can we not issue the landowners of the station with a fine? That would soften their cough,” he said. The final survey of 2021 by business group IBAL showed Ennis retaining third spot in the ranking of 40 towns and cities. However, of all the areas surveyed by An Taisce the station ranked the lowest with a B grade. The adjudicators report stated, “The main litter …