Tag Archives: Ian Lynch

THE absence of the Kilrush Sports Complex from the list of 27 sport organisations or council facilities in Clare to receive a portion of the countywide €1.27 million Sports Capital Grants has sparked controversy. Local independent councillor, Ian Lynch claims that because Kilrush is a DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) area and in need of facilities for teenagers, the application should have been prioritised. The Clare County Council-operated Kilrush Sports Complex, which includes an AstroTurf pitch, was officially opened on April 9 of this year. Councillor Lynch says “a very comprehensive application” was submitted by the Kilrush Sports Complex management committee for critical funding. The biggest individual beneficiary from the Sports Capital Grants in Clare was the council-run Active Ennis Sports and Amenity Park in Lees Road, which has received €200,000 in funding. “I am extremely disappointed and angry. West Clare is crying out for facilities for our youth. This allocation of funding will see some areas develop, …

THE possibility of new businesses setting up in Kilrush or of current businesses expanding is being stymied because of the lack of acceptable broadband connectivity. Kilrush Chamber of Commerce president, Mairead O’Brien, who, along with her husband, is self-employed, and IT specialist, Alan Howard have said the town is standing still economically because of broadband issues. “There are probably up to 100 businesses in Kilrush, from retail to people working from home. We have two small businesses in my house alone but we can’t send or receive invoices. It’s as petty as that. I’m not talking about Netflix. We’re not talking about the domestic issue of the lack of broadband. We’re talking about the nuts and bolts of not being able to receive important invoices or price lists. “Doing business on the internet is just not working. There is not enough broadband connectivity. We’re bumped up on the broadband upgrade list, we’re bumped down on the list but we’re not …

THE numbers signing on the live register in Clare dipped by over 600 in September, figures from the Central Statistics Office have shown. September is a month when the live register figures normally drop, due to seasonal factors such as people starting college courses, but a comparison with September 2014 also shows a clear improvement. In September 2014 there were 7,922 on the live register, whereas last month the figure was 7,309. Of the numbers currently signing on, 957 are under 25 years of age and the remaining 6,352 are 25 and over. Most of those signing on are in Ennis (4,086), while there are 1,115 signing on in Ennistymon, 1,044 in Kilrush and 1,064 in Tulla. The numbers signing on at each social welfare office declined during September. West Clare County Councillor Ian Lynch said that while the numbers might be pointing in the right direction, he is dubious that there has been any real improvement. “It’s very positive …

SCATTERY Island, located close to Kilrush in the Shannon Estuary,  is likely to face a long wait to be recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. At a meeting of the West Clare Municipal District, Independent Councillor Ian Lynch asked that the county council proceed with an application for the sixth century monastic settlement. However, in a written reply, Ger Dollard, director of services in tourism and community with Clare County Council, said that an application for World Heritage Site status is not within the remit of the local authority. The first step towards gaining status is to be included in the tentative UNESCO list but even that is unlikely. The last time this list was reviewed was in 2010 and prior to that in 1992. “It is unlikely that a review of the list will take place in the short term. It should be noted that the Burren was on the tentative list in 1992 and was again included …

THE lack of suitable boating infrastructure in Kilrush and Kilkee is stunting growth opportunities in West Clare, according to a local councillor. Councillor Ian Lynch has estimated the value of the Kilkee Dive Centre is worth €250,000 for the seaside resort, while up to €500,000 could be generated through new marine-related developments in Kilrush. He has suggested Clare County Council could assist with a funding application for a multi-departmental approach to try and reap the full potential of private boating. Clare County Council has stated that, in a time of constrained funding, a very strong evidence-based case needs to be made to supply any investment applications. Councillor Lynch believes Kilrush and Kilkee are in ideal locations to maximise the private boating industry and while they are located close to each other, they would be competing for somewhat different markets. He noted the pier in Kilrush is lacking access facilities to accommodate pleasure craft and this combined with a lack of …

THE abolishment of Kilrush Town Council will result in a €1m revenue loss to the West Clare capital over five years, outgoing member, Councillor Ian Lynch, has claimed. Town councils are to be abolished after the May 23 Local Elections and, in fact, the last Kilrush Town Council meeting will be held next Thursday. The town council was established in 1885. “Six people will no longer be working in the Kilrush office because of the local government reform,” said Councillor Lynch, who is an independent candidate. “The Government’s plan to reform local government, which they call Putting People First, will have a detrimental effect on the town of Kilrush. The implementation of the plan by Clare County Council, will see a reduction of council employees working in Kilrush and a loss of up to €1m, which will no longer be spent in the West Clare economy.” Councillor Lynch claimed the average weekly spend of a family with two children reaches …

 By Peter O’Connell KILRUSH town councillor Ian Lynch is to switch his political allegiance from Fine Gael and stand in the West Clare area as an Independent candidate in the May election. He will join the battle for votes in the West Clare capital with his town council party colleague Marian McMahon Jones, who was added to the Fine Gael ticket after the November  convention. Sitting county councillors Gabriel Keating and Oliver Garry were selected at the Fine Gael convention to represent the party in the expanded west Clare constituency. Currently Kilrush is without a representative on Clare County Council for the first time in the local authority’s history. Councillor Lynch was elected to Kilrush Town Council, on the first count, in 2009 and says that he regrets not running for the county council five years ago. “Looking back this may have been a mistake because since the local elections in 2009 Kilrush town and the greater hinterland have been …