THE incidence of Covid-19 in Ennis has jumped 56% above the national average prompting a nursing union to call for the reintroduction of mandatory mask wearing. The 14-day incidence rate of Covid-19 has almost doubled in the Ennis area over the past week. There were 469 cases of Covid-19 in the Ennis Local Electoral Area (LEA) from March 1 to March 14. This translates into a 14-day incidence rate of 1,517, which was much higher than the national average of 1,188. Since then, the number of Covid-19 cases in the Ennis LEA has jumped to 885, and the 14-day incidence is 2,863 compared to the national average of 1,871 from March 15 to March 28. Apart from the Ennistymon LEA where the 14-day incidence is 1,657 following the detection of 272 cases during this period, the 14-day rate is higher than the national average in other parts of the county. There were 399 cases recorded in the Kilrush LEA during …

A NORTH Clare tillage farmer and agricultural contractor has claimed a government initiative encouraging more tillage production in response to the Ukrainian war is “waste of time” and a “hair brained scheme”. Previously involved in electronics, Shane Nolan left his work in Dublin in the early nineties and took over his father’s farm in Finavara and started renting land for tillage. The secretary of the Western Division of the Association of Farm & Forestry Contractors of Ireland (FCI) pointed out a dairy or beef farmer would have to reduce the amount of cattle on their land to try and grow a tillage crop. “It would be like me milking cows. I might know what a cow looks like but I wouldn’t know how to maintain a cow. At least with tillage crops I know what I have to do. It is like asking a doctor to go and wire a house.” He said non-tillage farmers have approached him seeking advice …

A HORSE race held in memory of a young Killaloe girl with special needs, who touched the lives of countless people, has shone a much needed spotlight on a life-threatening condition. There was a great buzz of excitement at the second Brianna Lynch Memorial Cup, which was the last race on the North Tipperary Foxhounds Point-to-Point at Lisboney, Nenagh recently. In November 2019, Brianna Lynch (9) died in her sleep from suspected Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), leaving her family devastated. Her mother, Arabella Scanlan has used this memorial race to highlight the risks associated with SUDEP. SUDEP refers to deaths in people with epilepsy that are not caused by injury, drowning, or other known causes. Studies suggest that each year there are about 1.16 cases of SUDEP for every 1,000 people with epilepsy, although estimates vary. It is the leading cause of death in people with uncontrolled seizures. Epilepsy – which affects 40,000 people across the country – …

SIGNIFICANT progress has been made bringing Cahercalla Community Hospital and Hospice into compliance with national regulations, according to a report produced by an independent watchdog. An inspection by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) of the Ennis long-stay residential facility last September found non-compliance across multiple regulations. A meeting was held with the registered provider and representatives following the previous inspection as an escalation. On this inspection, inspectors followed up on the last inspection findings and found that significant progress had been made to bring the centre into compliance with the requirements of the regulations. The governance and management structures had been strengthened and were now in line with the centre’s statement of purpose and function. In addition, the provider has increased the monitoring and auditing of the service, which lead to improved oversight of the service provided to the residents. However, inspectors found one area relating to the availability of staff in the direct provision of care had …

  A NEW Chronic Disease Management Hub delivering services to patients with cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and Type II Diabetes is being rolled out in Clare.   The HSE confirmed this major health development to Deputy Michael McNamara in response to his parliamentary questions about lengthy waiting lists for podiatry services in County Clare. There are currently 542 patients waiting to be called for their first appointment and 3,461 patients on the active Clare database. It has emerged there are on only two senior podiatrists and one staff grade podiatrist delivering podiatry services in the county. The Head of Service for HSE Primary Care Services outlined 20 full-time specialist roles are to be assigned to the Chronic Disease Team in Clare. Based at the new Primary Care Centre on the Station Road in Ennis, services will be provided on a “hub and spoke model” across the county. The positions include specialist, senior and staff grade podiatrists; senior and staff grade …

EMPLOYMENT in a Shannon aviation company will more than treble over a six year-period from this Friday when a new takeover of a neighbouring business takes off. Atlantic Aviation Group (AAG) employs 320 in its existing hangar, 120 in its UK base and will take on about 300 new employees from Lufthansa Technik. The new hangar, which is almost three times the size of the AAG building, can accommodate nine narrow body Ryanair sized aircraft or two wide body and four narrow body aircraft. Back in April 2015, when investor Patrick Jordan bought the company it was employing about 217. Revenue have grown from €15 million to a projected figure of €80 million by the end of the year, with AAG chief executive, Shane O’Neill expecting growth to more than €100 million over the coming years. Barring some unexpected major setback, Mr O’Neill believes overall employment could increase up to 1,000 in a few years. AAG services, maintains and repairs …

THE stark differences between the green landscape of the Loop Head Peninsula and the concrete jungle of urban India was graphically illustrated for John Bonfil during an overseas work assignment. In July 1992, the Moneypoint Power Generating Station mechanical fitter was offered an “opportunity of a lifetime” to work for ESB International Engineering on an 11-week secondment for the construction of a coal plant similar to the Killimer plant in India. The ESB’s equivalent in India, National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd (NTPC) needed a mechanical engineer with experience of working in a coal burning station to oversee the commissioning of their new ash handling project. Before his departure from Moneypoint, for what proved to be a “great experience” John received a company letter advising him to bring a number of items for his long trip. These included three notebooks, one clutch pencil with leads, two pairs of gloves, markers, three car magazines, one Irish Times, five bars of chocolate, five …

THE family of Patrick Nugent has expressed its anger and disappointment following another major setback in their bid to secure an independent public inquiry into his death in 1984. Former Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald appointed retired District Court judge Patrick Clyne to lead an inquiry into the Garda investigation and disciplinary inquiries that took place following the death of Mr Nugent (23) at the end of a 40th wedding anniversary party in the early hours of February 11 1984. His death was one of the 320 cases examined by the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) set up by Minister Fitzgerald, following a complaint made by the family relating to alleged Garda misconduct in June 2014. Justice Minister Helen McEntee has confirmed the Garda Commissioner has instructed that a fresh investigation be undertaken into the matters as part of a so-called cold case review, which Judge Clyne determined required further investigation following consideration of his final report. In a letter to …