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Tag Archives: cuts

No confidence in Shannon Group management

Sinn Féin TD for Clare, Violet-Anne Wynne, has said that confidence in Shannon Group to properly support workers at Shannon Airport, local businesses and the economy of the Mid-West has been swept away by this week’s announcement of job losses and pay cuts. Sinn Féin TD for Clare, Violet-Anne Wynne said it is quite clear that the “experiment” of a standalone Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) has not worked. “Cutting Shannon adrift from the DAA has been an un unmitigated disaster and this week’s announcement to cut pay and seek redundancies has only strengthened this opinion amongst staff in the Airport. “Two recent managerial departures from the Shannon Group have further created an atmosphere of insecurity at Shannon and workers are genuinely fearful for what is going to come next. I think it is now time for the entire Management team of the Shannon Group to step down and allow a new team to come in and pull the Airport back …

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Shannon Airport cuts premature

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe has said that last evening’s announcement about job cuts at Shannon Airport was a premature step. A letter circulated to workers informing them of the decision, which has been attributed to the unprecedented challenges in the aviation sector. Voluntary severance packages, reduced working hours and career breaks are all being offered. “This is a huge blow to not only the airport but also the county and region as a whole,” said Deputy Crowe. “I feel the decision was taken prematurely and it would have been more prudent to wait to see is contained in the July stimulus package in terms of support for the airport. “This week, I’ve been in contact with staff at Shannon Airport and Shannon Heritage and based on their stories, I’ve a list of 29 questions compiled which I will be raising directly with Mary Considine today. “I also intend to seek a meeting with Micheál Martin to discuss …

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shannondoc

Shannondoc cuts are ‘deeply flawed’

The planned reduction in GP out-of-hours services in Clare has been condemned as “deeply flawed” by Deputy Timmy Dooley. Shannondoc’s Kilrush and Ennistymon service will close from Monday to Friday, relocating to Miltown Malbay, while the out-of-hours clinic will only open at weekends in Kilrush and Ennistymon. The Killaloe clinic will open during weekends only, on an as-needs basis, with a mobile doctor serving the centre. At weekends, the operating hours will change from 9am to 9pm to 2pm to 6pm, with patients to be seen in Limerick, Ennis and Nenagh centres outside of those hours. The changes to the Killaloe service will start next Monday while the timeframe for changes in West Clare is expected in the near future. The problems caused by the reduction in the number of centres from five to three were outlined by Deputy Dooley, during a special debate in Dáil Éireann. The Fianna Fáil Deputy said it is clear that the evidence upon which …

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No rates reprieve as Budget adopted

Businesses will not benefit from any commercial cut in rates next year, ahead of the new equalisation process in 2016. Clare’s 2015 Draft Budget was passed at a meeting on Wednesday by 23 votes to three. It was opposed by Fine Gael Councillor Johnny Flynn and Independent Councillors Ian Lynch and James Breen. The new Annual Rate of Valuation (ARV) was set at €72.99, which is the existing county commercial rate. This proposal was passed by 23 votes to two, following opposition from Councillors Flynn and Lynch, with one abstention. Following this decision, it seems as if commercial rates in Ennis and Kilrush will have to increase from €65.45 and €61.93, respectively, up to the €72.99 over a five-year period, starting in 2016. Councillor Johnny Flynn argued there should be plenty of scope to reduce the county commercial rate down to the Ennis rate, considering up to €1 million should have been saved in increased efficiencies, following the abolition of …

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Councillors vote for 15% reduction in property tax

CLARE  county councillors have voted to slash the Local Property Tax (LPT) by 15% following a special meeting of theb local authority on Friday morning. An alliance of Fianna Fáil councillors and some members of the so-called Technical Group ensured the maximum reduction will be passed on to property owners in Clare next January after it was passed by 17 votes to ten. The reduction, which prompted some heated exchanges during the meeting, was supported by 11 Fianna Fáil councillors, Sinn Féin Councillor Mike McKee as well as Independents Gerry Flynn, James Breen, Ann Norton, Michael Begley and P J Ryan. Two members of the Technical Group – long serving Independent councillor Christy Curtin and Ian Lynch broke ranks by opting to oppose the cut with eight Fine Gael councillors. The council’s chief executive, Tom Coughlan told councillors in a report on the “Local Property Tax Local Adjustment Factor” a sum of €1.56 million would be available for additional services …

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