PATIENTS shouldn’t feel the need to request politicians to assist them with medical card applications, according to a local health campaigner. John Wall, a terminally ill prostate cancer patient campaigning for people with a terminal diagnosis to have improved access to medical cards, is working to make it easier for people to access medical cards as part of his role on a new government committee. Mr Wall is a patient advocate on Communications and Information Working Group on Medical Cards, which also includes representatives from the Irish Cancer Society, Irish Hospice Foundation, Age Action Ireland and Citizen’s Information. The Quin resident believes it is vital that clear information is provided to applicants on how to access medical cards. “I am not looking from this group to change the rules that are in place. I am trying to use the rules that are in place to allow people to access services that are in place using medical cards.” Following a meeting …

CLARE County Council has identified 26 sites with development potential in the Killaloe Municipal District (KMD) following a review of vacant properties and derelict locations. A house at No. 4 An Garrán, Mountshannon is one of the first notices for the proposed compulsory acquisition of derelict sites by the council. The other properties, outside Killaloe MD, are House No. 3 St Senan’s Terrace, Kilrush, a house at Cloughleigh Road, Ennis, and a house at 111 Dun na hInse, Claureen, Ennis. The Vacant Homes Team of the council is currently assessing vacant properties using data from the Geo Directory. In co-ordination with the four Municipal Districts, a targeted focus on a number of towns and village centres across the county has commenced. Councillor Pat Hayes requested an update on the present situation regarding vacant and derelict properties in towns and villages in the KMD at a recent meeting. The Fianna Fáil Councillor welcomed the council’s recent drive to address dereliction and …

A YOUNG jockey has told how she was inspired by a late Killaloe girl with special needs to resume riding in her memorial race, a few months after receiving her own Epilepsy diagnosis. Ali O’Brien (14) Tullaheady, Nenagh, was thrilled to win the Brianna Lynch Memorial Cup at the North Tipperary Foxhounds Point-to-Point at Lisboney, Nenagh recently. In November 2019, Brianna Lynch (9) died in her sleep from SUDEP – Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy – leaving her family devastated. Her mother, Arabella Scanlan, a well-known Killaloe horse trainer, provided Ali with one of her horses, Bridget, to ride in the memorial race for her daughter, a few weeks after the teenager had decided to get back on a horse following her own Epilepsy diagnosis in December 2021. Ali didn’t want to go back riding in December and January in the wake of her Epilepsy diagnosis. When her medication wasn’t working, Ali often wondered was this how Brianna, who was …

A SITE visit of University Hospital Limerick (UHL) found permissive boarding with beds placed “anytime, anywhere, even and including mixed gender” five months before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, a new unpublished report has revealed. Serious questions about the model of care being adopted in UHL were highlighted in a draft report – “Review of Unscheduled Care Performance” concerning nine public hospitals, which has been released by the Irish Patients’ Association. Chaired by Prof Tom Keane, former President of the RCSI and joint National Lead Clinical Programme in Surgery, the review team, included external clinical and management expertise from NHS Scotland, the Scottish Government and NHS England. They visited nine public acute hospitals including UHL and Galway University Hospitals from August 16, 2019 to November 18, 2019. Overcrowding continues to be a problem in UHL, with 95 patients on trolleys in the hospital on Wednesday, April 6, which once again was the highest in the country. UHL had 36 …

A Quin-based terminally ill cancer patient has recalled his “amazing emotional experience” after completing an unplanned climb of Croagh Patrick with former RTE journalist, Charlie Bird last Saturday. It is estimated that more than €2 million has been raised by the “Climb with Charlie” charity treks for Pieta House and Motor Neurone Ireland. John Wall decided to travel to Westport with a group of friends in a show of solidarity for cancer patients Vicky Phelan and Brian Lynch, but had no plans to climb Croagh Patrick because he felt he wouldn’t be physically able and had no prior training. However, after travelling to the base of the mountain he climbed about one third of they way up on his own and was going to turn back after two others had gone ahead on the ascent. “I decided I would get to another peak and go down again. Then I did the flat section in the middle section before arriving at …

  A GOVERNMENT minister has lauded the reception provided by community groups and organisations to help the integration of an estimated 800 Ukrainian refugees in North Clare. Speaking outside the Lisdoonvarna Pavilion, Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys pointed out the influx of Ukrainian refugees from their war-torn country had doubled the population of Lisdoonvarna. The Fine Gael Minister said there has been a “wonderful effort” by numerous community groups in North Clare, which has ensured Ukrainian refugees have been provided with a very warm welcome as they settle into their new surroundings. “There has been a wonderful effort across the board in Lisdoonvarna and I think it is very important to recognise that. “We are going to try and help them find jobs and match them with employers. There are a lot of job offers coming in. But we are not rushing anyone into work, we want to get them settled into this country first.” Asked would …

A STATEMENT from a government minister claiming a 44% reduction in Clare’s social housing waiting list since 2016 has been criticised as “spin” by a local councillor. In a statement issued to the Clare Champion, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien welcomed figures published in the 2021 Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA), which show a substantial reduction in the number of households on Clare’s social housing waiting list since the first annual assessment was conducted in 2016. The 2021 SSHA shows 1,100 households in Clare were assessed as being qualified for, and in need of, social housing support as of November 17, 2021. This figure is down 101 (8.4%) from 1,202 households recorded on November 2 2020. This figure also represents a total decrease of 866 (44%) households since 2016 when annual recording of the SSHA began. The minister outlined the social housing list has fallen from 1,966 in 2016 to 1,952 in 2017 and dropped to 1,004 in 2018 before …

NUMEROUS people in parts of East Clare didn’t receive a national Census form, it emerged this week. Deputy Michael McNamara has confirmed people living in Scariff, Tuamgraney, Feakle, Killaloe and rural locations near Flagmount didn’t receive a Census form, which they were required to complete on Sunday night. The Independent Deputy said it seemed there was a blanket exclusion for some rural parts of East Clare as well as those living within the urban speed limits of Scariff. “The legal obligation for people is to fill in a Census form if you are given one. Everyone should have been given a Census form. “If the government didn’t have enough enumerators, they should have sent the Census forms by post,” the TD said. “Completing the Census is important for a variety of reasons. Funding is allocated based on population. “If Shannon was a town with a population of in excess of 10,000, there would be more funding streams open to it. …