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Tag Archives: An Táisce

An Taisce raises concerns over Tulla housing plan

PLANS for 36 new homes in Tulla are the subject of three submissions, one of them from heritage watchdog, An Taisce. Earlier this year, Rockfort Developments lodged plans to build 14 detached homes as well as 16 semi-detached and six terraced houses on the outskirts of Tulla, off the L4078, with a pedestrian connection to the exiting footpath into town. The site, of just over 1.8 hectares, is located inside the 50kmph speed limit in an area zoned for low-density residential development under the Tulla Settlement Plan. It is currently a greenfield site, bounded to the north by the Cúirt na bhFiach estate, to the east by O’Halloran’s filling station, and to the west by a single private home. To the south, the site is delineated by the public road, with St Joseph’s Secondary School just opposite. In a submission on the development, An Taisce said that a report on local roads infrastructure, submitted with the plans, “fails to address …

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Volunteers and council staff praised as Ennis cleans up in IBAL ranking

ENNIS’ success in this year’s Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) survey, which saw the county capital take third place nationwide, has been attributed to the hard work and dedication of volunteers as well as council staff. Mayor of Ennis, Councillor Paul Murphy, in acknowledging the results of the IBAL survey, said, “I am delighted to see Ennis once again achieve best in class for litter cleanliness, particularly given the increase in the numbers enjoying recreational activities outdoors. This success can be attributed to the hard work and dedication of our volunteers in community groups, especially Ennis Tidy Towns, as well as Council staff.” Cllr Murphy acknowledged and supported the positive comments regarding the presentation of the sites inspected. Carmel Kirby, Director of Services, Physical Development Directorate, Clare County Council, said, “Maintaining the highest level in the IBAL nationwide litter survey is not an easy feat to accomplish, and huge credit goes to all who contribute to maintaining the town’s cleanliness. …

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Tim Smythe Park

Podium place for Ennis as IBAL survey shows no let-up in litter nationwide

THE final litter survey of 2020 by business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) shows Ennis taking third place in the ranking of 37 towns and cities, behind Kilkenny, which took the crown for a record fifth time, and Killarney. For the first time in 13 years, fewer than half of the towns surveyed nationwide were deemed clean. The An Taisce report for Ennis stated, “A typically strong performance by Ennis has placed it among only 4 towns to be deemed Cleaner than European Norms. Eight out of the ten sites surveyed received the top litter grade. Only Gort Rd Business Park was heavily littered. Both O’Connell Street and Abbey Street were pedestrianised, creating an enhanced shopping environment. There were some vacant / closed down outlets on Abbey Street but there was no litter directly associated with them. Other top-ranking sites in Ennis included Tim Smythe Park, Ennis Friary and Ennis Recycle Centre – not only were they very good …

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Trump Doonbeg further information queried

IN a submission to Clare County Council, relating to the further information supplied to the local authority by Trump International Golf Links regarding their planning application for coastal erosion management works, An Taisce claims that the information has not adequately addressed the ecological issues with the application. Clare County Council is due to give a decision on December 21 on the planning application, which seeks to obtain permission to construct coastal projection works on Doughmore Beach. In recent years, the resort has been hit by a number of instances of flooding. “This is largely because they are erroneously conflating the erosion of the dune frontage, as a result of the golf course stopping the dunes’ movement with the natural erosion associated with normal dune dynamics. That, in turn, has led them to claim that the do-nothing scenario will be ‘profoundly detrimental’ to the dune habitats. So the premise of all of their arguments, that the proposed walls will help the …

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Kilkee hit by another swim ban

AS Kilkee approaches its busiest time of the year, a swimming ban has yet again been imposed on the An Taisce Blue Flag beach. This closure is due to sewage entering the water on Wednesday, which followed an electrical fault at the pumping station. Swimming was prohibited for five months from mid-December 2016 to mid-May, following the failure of an operational safety device at the pumping station during a period of heavy rainfall shortly before Christmas, which resulted in sewage entering the water. On Wednesday afternoon, Irish Water issued an apology for the latest fault with the pumping station and said that the swimming ban would be in place for a number of days. “Due to operational electrical issues at Kilkee pump station earlier this morning, this caused the pumps to be out of service for a number of hours. This has led to a discharge of wastewater to the Victoria stream in Kilkee for a period of time. “The …

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Nine Blue Flags fly in Clare

Nine prestigious International Blue Flag status has been awarded to Clare beaches, including Whitestrand, Miltown Malbay, Ballycuggeran, Whitestrand Doonbeg, Mountshannon, Cappa, Fanore, Spanish Point, Kilkee and Lahinch. Green Coast Awards were also awarded to the beaches at Bishops Quarter (Ballyvaughan), Seafield (Quilty) and for the first time, Ballyalla Lake. An Taisce’s Blue Flag and Green Coast Awards were accepted on behalf of Clare County Council by Councillor Paul Murphy, Leas Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, and Claire McGrath, Clare Water Safety development officer, at a ceremony held at the Royal Cork Yacht Club, Crosshaven, County Cork today (Monday) The Blue Flag is a prestigious environmental eco-label awarded to over 4000 beaches and marinas in 49 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean. The award, which is operated in Ireland by An Taisce on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) – represents high standards in water quality, environmental information and education, environmental …

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High Court overturns wind turbines permission

A WEST Clare woman has won a High Court order overturning a grant of permission for a development of four wind turbines near her home at Coore, near Mullagh. In a judgment strongly critical of absence of clarity and specificity in An Bord Pleanála’s grant of permission, Mr Justice Max Barrett said decisions of public bodies must be clear enough for people to decide if there is a legal basis to challenge them. “Proper planning was never intended to be, nor can it be allowed to become, a perk reserved for the few who can afford expert lawyers, with something less than best being the lot of the many who cannot,” he said  on Tuesday. Kathleen Connolly was “rightly insistent” there be full compliance with the law before a windfarm is planted by her homestead, he said. While the board had criticised her case as “opportunistic”, arguing it had “little or nothing to do with a bona fide concern for …

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Submission on Doonbeg coastal management

AN Taisce has made a submission to Clare County Council in respect of a planning application for coastal erosion management works at Carrowmore Dunes, White Strand, Doughmore Bay and Trump International Golf Links and Hotel, Doonbeg. The applicants are Trump International Golf Links Ireland Enterprises Ltd, headed up by business tycoon, Donald Trump, who will be the Republican Party candidate in the US presidential election in November. He is due to visit Doonbeg on Sunday, June 24. Commenting on the submission, Fintan Kelly, An Taisce’s Natural Heritage Officer, stated, “The solution being put forward by Trump International Golf Links Ltd is in our opinion inappropriate, completely unsustainable and outdated. The conservation of sand dunes in the Netherlands, USA and UK have proven themselves to be more cost effective than hard coastal protection works and are supplying valued biodiversity and ecosystem services to local communities.” “Given the vast sums of money Donald Trump is claiming he will invest in Doonbeg Golf …

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