A PLANNING saga involving a controversial wind turbine erected on the outskirts of Parteen took a new twist after Clare County Council granted retention planning permission. An Enforcement Notice issued by Clare County Council on March 8, 2021, requested Limerick Blow Moulding to decommission and remove a wind turbine erected near the factory on or before Thursday, April 8, 2021 following an alleged breach of a planning permission condition. However, the wind turbine, remained in situ, though it was not operational. The company applied for retention permission for a revised site boundary and revised position of a single 800 KW wind turbine, 73 metres high to hub height, as granted under previous planning permissions at Gortatogher, Parteen. Employing 70 people, with more than half living in Parteen, Clonlara and Killaloe, Limerick Blow Moulding manufactures food packaging for the Irish Dairy industry, and pharmaceutical packaging for export into the UK and Europe. Seamus Madden, c/o Limerick Blow Moulding, was granted planning …

SUBMISSIONS to An Bord Pleanála by property owners affected by the compulsory purchase order for an inner relief road in Ennistymon have revealed stress, fears for business viability and opinions that the project will not actually improve traffic flow. Clare County Council has pledged to complete the detailed design and tender documentation to secure a contractor for the project as soon as possible following planning approval from An Bord Pleanála. Senior Engineer with Clare County Council, Seán Lenihan, confirmed the council would also start the engagement process with affected land and property owners in terms of agreeing compensation packages and other associated arrangements required. A Part Eight development was granted by the council but was appealed to An Bord Pleanála. The development includes the pedestrianisation of the existing bridge, the inclusion of a roundabout at the western end of the proposed new bridge crossing on the L-1084 and the relocation of the existing public car park adjacent to New Road …

SHANNON Heritage workers have been left reeling after confirmation of a multi-million Euro investment package in Budget 2023 to facilitate the transfer of its tourism sites to Clare County Council failed to materialise. SIPTU members have said they feel completely “let down” by the government who announced funding for tax cuts and various groups in Budget 2023 but failed to confirm the long-awaited investment package on Tuesday or Wednesday. This comes despite strong indications at a recent rural SPC meeting where councillors were told senior Clare County Council officials had received positive vibes about a major funding announcement on Budget Day. SIPTU members have condemned the failure of the Government to announce the long awaiting multi-million euro funding required to facilitate the transfer of Shannon Heritage sites to Clare County Council. In a hard-hitting statement issued to The Clare Champion,  SIPTU Organiser, Rachel Keane, admitted their members are shocked, bitterly disappointed and feel completely left down by the Government. “They …

A SOUTH-East Clare landlord have been left with an estimated cleaning bill of €12,000 and unpaid rent totalling more than €4,000 after two tenants ruined a modern two bedroomed furnished cottage near the Lakes Nursing Home in Killaloe. The landlady, who purchased the cottage for €400,000 during the peak of the Celtic Tiger in 2005, was shocked to find the state of the house was in such a poor condition when her tenants eventually left a huge mess behind them. While the landlord has opted to remain anonymous for personal reasons, she decided to go public about her experience to show how irresponsible tenants are not helping the current housing accommodation crisis. A foul smell greets any visitor once they open the front door of the cottage after dogs were allowed to urinate and leave their faeces on carpets and furniture. “Food was left all over the place and bags of rubbish stored for months at rear when there were …

Fears have been expressed about the viability of the early childcare education sector after Clare pre-school facilities were “snubbed” and “discriminated against” in the €11 Billion 2023 Budget. Concern about the lack of adequate funding for Clare pre-schools has been expressed by Deputy Michael McNamara in his Budget speech. “The so-called universal payment towards the cost of childcare is not universal but rather relates to everybody who comes through the national childcare scheme. “I accept that is a lot of people, but it is not everybody. There is no sort of tax credit system, such as that which exists in the UK, towards the cost of childcare, so it is not going to be universal, even if it was flagged as such by the line Minister, Deputy (Roderic) O’Gorman.” Donna McNamara who provides early education to 11 children in the Tiny Tots Montessori/Preschool Ennis said the government provided no extra funding in the Budget on Tuesday to Early Childhood Care …

An ENNIS Nursing Home has pledged to carry out an upgrading of its premises and equipment following concerns expressed by inspectors during a recent visit conducted by an independent health watchdog. Mowlam Healthcare Services has told the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) a planned programme of refurbishment that was put on hold due to Covid-19 will be recommenced at Ennis Nursing Home, Showgrounds Road, Drumbiggle. This will include painting, floor repair, upgrade to Bain Marie storage area in both dining rooms and repair to skirting and door frames. The person in charge will ensure that the facilities team undertake a review of lighting, particularly near lift exit and corridors upstairs. The PIC has completed a comprehensive review of all resident equipment. Any resident equipment deemed not suitable has been discarded and replaced; for equipment that required cleaning, a new tagging system has been introduced whereby cleaned items can be tagged after cleaning with a date stamp. The management team …

THE operation of the soon to be decommissioned Derrybrien Wind Farm could be be transferred to a local authority to salvage something from what has become a costly debacle. Deputy Michael McNamara suggested a county council could make a new planning application with the explicit undertaking that any and all profits made from the controversial windfarm go back into protecting the environment of Slieve Aughty. That was one of the suggestions made by the Clare Deputy to salvage some positive dividend for the taxpayer amid claims the total overall loss to the state could be as high as €70 million. Following a lump sum fine of €5 million and a daily fine of €15,000 plus legal costs imposed by the European Court of Justice ruling in November 2019, the Derrybrien Wind Farm may exceed an estimated €18 million depending on when the EU decides Ireland has fully complied with its ruling. The penalties were levied after it found Ireland had …

AN O’Brien’sbridge community activist is pulling out all the stops to try and get a ten year-old boy battling a rare form of brain cancer to appear on the Late Late Toy Show. Tracy Howard has organised a series of fundraising ventures and drive-bys to show the huge support in the twin communities of Killaloe and Ballina for Joey Moran, who lives in the neighbouring village of Portroe. In a bid to give a “courageous warrior” a huge boost, Tracy joked she is “stalking” Ryan Tubridy and using every contact she has to get Joey on the Late Late Show. “I have emailed the Toy Show, I have emailed Ryan Tubridy himself and his radio show. I have a cousin who hopes to seek him out at an event he is attending in a few weeks. However, I do it, I want him on the Toy Show. If I have to sleep outside Ryan Tubridy’s house in Dublin, I will …