Tag Archives: funding

Funding has been approved for a coastal erosion and flood risk management study along a 1.5km stretch of coastline in Doolin. Informed of the funding by Minister of State, Simon Harris, Senator Tony Mulcahy said that the study will cover the length of coastline shown from Crab Island, located south of Doolin Point, to the mouth of the River Aille. “Doolin was badly affected by the succession of storms that battered the county during the period from late December 2013 to February 2014. The carpark area and access road to the pier were particularly badly affected. In light of the shortly to be completed €6m pier at Doolin, it is imperative that steps be now taken to minimise the risk of flood damage in the future. “This funding announcement is particularly welcome considering it follows on foot of an announcement by Government last week of a similar coastal erosion and flood risk study for the section of coast from Quilty …

The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has reintroduced the Structures at Risk Fund (SRF), which in the past has financed conservation works on a number of protected buildings in private and civic ownership in County Clare. The Department, which is administering the €624,000 fund, says it will consider no more than two applications from any local authority. The SRF, which applies to structures in immediate danger of significant deterioration, has previously approved funds for works undertaken on Byrne’s Shop in Ennistymon and Oatfield Church in Sixmilebridge. Clare County Council is inviting applications from around County Clare in relation to the fund, the closing date for which is 4pm on Thursday, March 12. “The purpose of the SRF is to assist with works to safeguard structures protected under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), including works to proposed protected structures, and in certain cases, works to safeguard structures within Architectural Conservation Areas, where, in the opinion of …

INDEPENDENT County Councillor Gerry Flynn said his Dáil ambitions could be thwarted by the State’s method of funding politics, which prioritises established parties over new entrants. He feels he would need at least €20,000 of a war chest at the start of a campaign and while he is very keen to run, he won’t do so unless he feels he has at least a reasonable chance of winning a seat. Mr Flynn also said that Shane Ross, who is attempting to put together an alliance to contest the next general election, has sought to make contact with him but there have been no discussions between them as yet. Councillor Flynn said he is still assessing his level of support but that financial considerations are also a major issue for him, as he considers running for the Dáil. “If I run in the general election, I’m not going to put my name down just to make up the numbers. If I …

A call has gone out to Clare businesses to be ready to avail of a new programme to brighten their future. Skillnets, the national agency responsible for funding and supporting training networks, has launched a new training fund aimed at private sector companies to assist businesses in addressing their current and future skills needs. A group of businesses from the same region, or specialising in the same sector, can collectively apply to develop a Skillnets training network, and draw down funding support for the development and delivery of training. Businesses can be of any size, from a sole trader to multi-national, and the fund will also be open to existing industry federations, industry bodies or enterprise groups. Speaking at the launch, Alan Nuzum, CEO of Skillnets, said, “The economy is now in recovery mode and many businesses in Clare are moving from a hand-to-mouth approach to looking towards growth and expansion. Having the appropriate skills, including addressing future skill needs to …

THE “dangerous” lack of lighting at a crossroads in Kilmaley was highlighted at this week’s Ennis Municipal District meeting. Councillor Tom McNamara raised the matter in a motion and was told that the council does not have a community lighting scheme in place and has no means of funding the works. Councillor McNamara told the meeting that recent night-time funerals in Kilmaley had brought home the danger to the public in the area, where the two local roads meet the Ennis to Miltown Malbay road at Kilmaley. He said, in the past few months, since a funeral home opened there, it has been become obvious how dangerous the cross is. “In the interest of public safety, something will have to be done. In November and December, there were two night funerals and people couldn’t cross the road. The footpaths on the far side of the road are in an awful condition,” Councillor McNamara stated, adding, “I got more complaints about …

Ennis engineering student, Graham Britchfield from Rockmount has been awarded a Hank Krabbe Scholarship at University of Limerick. A fourth year electronic and computer engineering student, Graham will receive a scholarship grant and is also eligible for co-operative education or summer placements at Analog Devices, sponsors of the scholarship. In total, six of UL’s top performing engineering students were awarded Hank Krabbe Scholarships. The top graduating engineering student is also eligible for the Hank Krabbe Medal and an accompanying grant of €5,000. Speaking at the scholarship awards ceremony, Denis Doyle, Vice President and General Manager Limerick Manufacturing, Analog Devices said; “There is a very strong, long-term and successful relationship between Analog Devices and the Electronic and Computer Engineering Department in UL, with many graduates of this course contributing to the success of Analog Devices. “Electronic engineering will continue to be at the heart of our future and with that in mind we have designed the awards to promote the brightest, …

BÓTHAR founder, Peter Ireton was thrilled to present a €22,000 cheque this week to his own charity, the proceeds of a 62km walk from Limerick to Killaloe and back. The funds that Peter and his fellow walkers raised will be going to fund Bóthar’s fourth African creamery in Rusizi, Rwanda. The creamery is now at the final stages of completion. Aideen O’Leary, from Cork, is currently on the ground in Rusizi, working with local community groups and getting the creamery ready to open later this year. Creameries are an important part of providing sustainable futures for the recipient families, who have received an Irish dairy cow through Bóthar. They become the lifeblood of the local community and start a positive economic cycle of growth and will have a tremendous impact on the lives of the entire community. “This was the third year the walk has taken place and every year it gets better and better. We start out early and …

THE Chief Executive of Clare County Council has described the European Commission’s decision to award €23 million to a wave energy project off the Clare coast as a positive endorsement of the polices adopted locally to support renewable energy production projects. ESB WestWave is proposing to develop the first wave energy project in Ireland by 2018 off Killard in Doonbeg, generating an initial 5MW of electricity which is equivalent to the electricity consumption of households in nearby Kilrush and Kilkee. Council Chief Executive Tom Coughlan says the harnessing of clean renewable electricity from the plentiful wave energy resource available off Clare’s coast is one of key objectives of the County Clare Renewable Energy Strategy 2014-2020. Earlier this year, Clare County Council became one of the first local authorities in the country to incorporate such a Strategy into their County Development Plan. Among the targets set out in the strategy, Mr. Coughlan noted, is for the local authority to facilitate the …