THERE is a very large demand for social housing in Shannon, this week’s meeting of the town council heard, while some of the members said there is a need for new development in the town. Councillor Cathy McCafferty put forward a motion asking for information on the number of applicants and their dependants on the waiting list; the total number of vacant houses in Shannon returned to use this year, the total number of vacant houses in the town, the average time between the council acquiring a vacant house until it is let once again and the number of social houses retrofitted for energy efficiency in Shannon this year. In a written reply, Liam O’Connor of the county council’s housing section stated there are 303 approved applicants for social housing support who have Shannon as their first preference. The number of applicants and dependants combined is 827. However, he stated, “It is likely that a significant proportion of these applicants …

THE  latest Live Register figures from the Central Statistics Office show that the number of people out of work in Clare has dropped by 7% over the last 12 months. The number of people on the Live Register across Clare has fallen by 68, from 9,628 to 8,947 during the last year. Around the county, unemployment figures are down 8% in Ennis, Ennistymon and Tulla and by 3% in Kilrush. “These are yet more encouraging figures from the Live Register, which show that the national unemployment rate has fallen for the seventeenth month in a row, to 12.5%. While this rate remains too high, these figures clearly show that the downward trend in unemployment figures is well established, as more and more people get back to work “The unemployment rate is falling in every region across the country. This is testament to the fact that small businesses are getting back on their feet and once again creating jobs. Jobs growth …

KILFENORA lightweight boxer Kayleigh McCormack captured her fourth national title at the National Intermediate Boxing Championships in Dublin on Friday night last. The much-heralded final, which was beamed live on TG4, lived up to its expectations, with both fighters serving up a thriller. This one provided due recompense for the Kilfenora club and trainer, Pat McCormack, as it was in the same ring in October that the North Clare boxer lost out by the narrowest of margins in the finals of the U-22 championships. That controversial final might well have disillusioned anybody else but McCormack comes from a resilient family and set her mind immediately on the intermediates. She was ultimately vindicated with a comprehensive points victory over Louise O’Donoghue from the Geesala club in Mayo. Appearing live on TV for the first time seemed a little daunting for the Clare girl and her earlier right-handers were tentative but were enough to take the round and set the trend of …

SHANNON Free Zone is facing another jobs hit, with news on Thursday that electrical switchgear company  Kraus & Naimer will cease production at the end of January. It will result in 63 direct employees losing their jobs, as well as two contractors. There had already been a handful of redundancies there and staff had been on short time. It’s understood that many of the workers have long service behind them and that union officials came to the Shannon plant on Thursday to meet with management. Clare TD Timmy Dooley said he was sorry to hear of the jobs going.  “My initial reacion is that I’m very disappointed to hear of the jobs going. It’s a devastating blow to the workforce and my thoughts are with the people losing their jobs as Christmas approaches.” Local Councillor Sean McLoughlin also said it was a difficult time of year to be receiving the news. “It’s a big blow, particularly at this time of …

SHANNON Airport is on the brink of turning a profit for 2013, as its recovery continues. “We’re not into forecasting but, at the end of this year, we expect to turn a modest profit or break-even which, for the airport, is a very good result on a standalone basis,” Shannon Group chair, Rose Hynes, said on Wednesday. She was speaking after the announcement of a new Shannon-Bristol route from Aer Lingus Regional and increases in capacity on its Birmingham and Manchester routes. Not so long ago, Shannon was losing well over €100,000 per week and there were concerns about its sustainability after separation from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA). However, there have been a slew of positive announcements on future services in the second half of this year, while traffic has been growing for some months. Ms Hynes said the decision of Government to abolish the travel tax has been a major help to recovery. “It was significant in prompting …

TWO of Clare’s best known soccer referees have been honoured by their peers for their contribution to the game. Paddy Dunne, a founder member of the Clare Soccer Referees Association and now its president, was honoured for his contribution to the branch since its formation in 1971, while Padraic Sutton, one of the branch’s younger members, was honoured for his achievement in achieving FIFA qualification. For Paddy Dunne, it was a nostalgic and emotional occasion on Monday night, as he was joined by some of his fellow referees from the early 1970s at the West County Hotel. Clare Referees chairman Frankie Coote paid tribute to both men and said he was particularly delighted with the attendance. “Both presentations are merited. Paddy Dunne has been a member of this branch since it was formed. If we are the branch then Paddy Dunne is definitely the root, as he was part of it since the start. He has kept us together. To …

THREE candidates to contest next year’s local election in the Ennis area were selected by Fianna Fáil on Monday evening. The convention also saw some heated exchanges, with delegates in the Auburn Lodge Hotel criticising the direction from the national executive’s constituencies committee that only three candidates would be selected in Clare on the night. Councillor Brian Meaney, who left the Green Party earlier this year and joined Fianna Fail, failed in his bid to be selected. Sitting Clare County Councillors Pat Daly and Tom McNamara were selected by the delegates, along with former county councillor Bernard Hanrahan, who lost his seat on the county council in 2009. Following the announcement of the result, Councillor Meaney said he was aware when entering the process that it would be an “uphill task”. He expressed disappointment at coming “bottom of the heap” adding, “I have spent 25 years operating in politics in Clare and I have worked hard on behalf of the …

THE shock departure of three registrars from Ennis Hospital has been described as a “crushing blow” for local acute services. Two experienced senior registrars, who treated patients in both Ennis and St Joseph’s Geriatric hospitals for over six years, have tendered their resignations. It is expected that Dr Kamal and Dr Haroon will finish up by the end of the year, while Dr Umbreen has decided not to renew her contract, which was up at the start of December. The Clare Champion has learned that the introduction of a new rota system, which involves registrars carrying out the task of senior house officers (SHO) after 5pm, which would be a demotion following years of training, was a major factor that influenced their decisions to leave. The Mid-West HSE has played down their departures stating “there is nothing unusual in doctors moving from one hospital to another”. “The employer is obliged to obey the law and, in this case, the European …