FIVE patients are waiting six to seven years for a first appointment at an outpatients diabetes clinic in the Mid-West, new official figures have revealed. Figures provided by the UL Hospitals’ Group also show 101 patients are waiting four to five years, 28 patients are waiting five to six years, 58 patients are waiting up to six months while 72 patients are waiting six to 12 months for a first appointment. Out of the total of 573 on the waiting list, 47 patients are waiting 12 to 18 months, 57 patients are waiting 18 to 24 months and 205 patients are waiting two to four years. These figures were provided to Limerick Councillor Dan McSweeney in response to a question tabled at a recent HSE West Forum meeting. In September 2020, the diabetes outpatient waiting list was at least six years with 663 people and 336 of those people were waiting two years or more for their first appointment. While …

The number of apprentices waiting to progress to off-the job training in different phases is “worrying”, according to a local Dáil deputy. Deputy McNamara asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of electrical, plumbing, carpentry-joinery and bricklaying and stone-laying apprentices, respectively, waiting to progress their off-the-job training in phases two, four and six, respectively, across SOLAS. “There are as many people waiting as there are those who have been cleared through the apprenticeship system,2 said Deputy McNamara. “If we are going to attract those apprentices, we have to ensure that they can be guaranteed to get through their apprenticeships in the time frame set out at the start and that said time frame does not change from four to seven years in the middle. “With the increase in the number of apprentices, there are more people who need to have their apprenticeships provided for by the State. I do not know if that did not occur to the …

A PLANNING application for the construction of a new €25 million community hospital in Ennis to replace long stay and short stay beds at St Joseph’s will be lodged in the last week in June, the HSE has confirmed. Responding to Clare Champion queries, the HSE has confirmed it also hopes to host a public consultation event about its plans on June 22. There have been a number of false dawns in relation to this planning application, which was was previously supposed to be lodged last December. If given the green light, the 100-bed community nursing unit will be situated on the grounds of a green field 5.09 acre site adjacent to St Flannan’s College. A design team has completed an outline design phase of the project. The unit will include 88 single and four twin rooms, and four palliative care facilities. The project has already been included for funding in the HSE Capital Programme 2021. An allocation of €1.05 …

THE Mid-West HSE has advertised for two dietitians to support the assessment and treatment of children and young people with eating disorders. Maria Bridgeman, Chief Officer, HSE Mid West Community Healthcare has outlined what supports are available to young people with eating disorders in Clare following a question tabled by Councillor Mary Howard at a recent HSE West Forum meeting. Ms Bridgeman stated the East Clare and West Clare HSE CAMHS Teams offer assessment and interventions to children and adolescents with eating disorders, as well as supports to their parents and carers. Services provided include assessment and family based treatment is line with the National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders. The HSE also support admission to CAMHS inpatient units if necessary. It provides referral consultations and pre-admission/post discharge support and funds private sessions on an needs basis. The work of Bodywhys a national organisation supporting people affected by eating disorders that operates on a self-referral basis, has also been higlighted. …

GRIM predictions of rising sea levels has prompted a renewed call for the relocation of the Clarecastle tidal barrage downstream to safeguard Ennis from “rapid flooding on an unprecedented scale”. Chartered building surveyor Fergus Merriman is concerned about scientific reports predicting sea level changes upwards of 600 mm in just five years and what that will mean for Ennis and other vulnerable Clare areas. Other forecasts indicate the glacier in the in Antarctica is rapidly breaking apart and could raise sea levels by over two or possibly three feet. Even if the lowest predictions of sea level change come to fruition and national and local governments don’t act soon then Ennis would be in trouble, said Mr Merriman. He warned this can’t be addressed by continuing to raise earth dams, which are at risk of “rotational shear” when the weight of water on one side topples the weight of the earth on the other – an issue that led to …

AN independent public inquiry needs to be undertaken to properly assess the impact of industries situated along the Shannon Estuary on the environment and health of Clare people. That’s according to Deputy Cathal Crowe who is supporting calls from local environment campaigner Pat Geoghegan for a fresh look at the impact of local industries in view of the findings of an epidemiologist. In an interview with the Clare Champion, Deputy Crowe said concerned residents living on both sides of the estuary want more than the current level of EPA inspections on industries releasing substances into the atmosphere. The Fianna Fáil Deputy stressed this call isn’t about jeopardising jobs provided by these industries but centres on appropriately addressing legitimate concerns of environmental campaigners who claim to have a body of evidence justifying their dissatisfaction with current levels of environmental protection. The Meelick Deputy said it was important that air monitoring stations should be permanently located on the Clare side of the …

AGRICULTURE Minister Charlie McConalogue has been requested to address an anomaly that prevents Clare farmers with low-input permanent pasture to cut hay or silage if they are in GLAS. This request was made by Deputy Michael McNamara in the Dáil recently where he also asked when the minister met the EU agriculture ministers, did he call for a reduction in or the abolition of EU import tariffs on fertiliser? “Farmers with low-input permanent pasture cannot cut hay and silage if they are in GLAS. The Minister is trying to incentivise them to do so but they cannot. “Will they, on a temporary basis for this year or for as long as this fertiliser crisis lasts, be allowed to cut silage? “Likewise, traditional hay meadows can only be cut once because cutting can only take place after a certain deadline. “Will that deadline be brought forward to allow for a second cut this year? These are matters the Minister can deal …

THERE has been a mixed reaction in Clare to a government pledge of €10 million annually over three years to support the post office network. Tom O’Callaghan from the Independent Postmasters’ Group said “one battle has been won but not the war”, to provide a long-term sustainable future for post offices. Mr O’Callaghan stressed there must be a focus on new products, capital investment and government services for the network. “It is crucial that there is an immediate five-year holding plan to ensure there will be no downward revisions of post office incomes,” said Mr O’Callaghan, “otherwise there will be no network to salvage. “Community Banking must be reinvestigated and developed as a survival option in light of the global economic depression. New Zealand and Germany community banking models should be considered. “The community and social value of the network, so visibly present during the pandemic, must be recognised as a separate asset to the state, must be protected by …