The Clare Crusaders’ Clinic has experienced an estimated €100,000 drop in its fundraising income this year due to the lack of suitable accommodation to host major charity events, it emerged this week. Clinic manager, Councillor Ann Norton (Ind) has issued a renewed appeal for donations from companies and groups ahead of their annual Tractor Run, which takes place in Barefield next Sunday. Clare Crusaders is a self-financing service located in Barefield, Ennis. The clinic receives no state funding and must raise more than €250,000 per annum to provide the current level of therapy for children. Acknowledging the provision of hotel accommodation is necessary to house international protection applicants fleeing from war-torn countries, particularly Ukraine, the Independent councillor pointed out one of the unintended consequences is that the charity finds it extremely difficult to obtain function rooms to host fundraising events. In recent years, the clinic has hosted charity boxing tournaments, fashion shows, Christmas Fairs and fun Strictly Come Dancing competitions …

  Major shortcomings in the provision of child and adolescent mental health services in the Mid-West have prompted an apology from the HSE. Serious concerns about the capacity of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to provide a safe service for young people in the region with mental health issues have been highlighted in a new report completed by the Mental Health Commission (MHC). Responding to the Commission’s critical report, HSE Mid West Community Healthcare stated it acknowledges deficits in the provision of CAMHS and apologises to children and families who have not received the standard of care that they or they expect. The HSE outlined it continues to progress a targeted series of service improvements in Mid- West CAMHS. The number of children waiting for a mental health appointment in West Clare has increased sevenfold in the last year up from 12 at the time of inspection in June 2022 to 91 in February 2023. The waiting list …

Irish companies can play a major role in the rebuilding of Ukraine, despite the ongoing war with Russia. That’s according to Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) who has returned to Clare after visiting Ukraine for the third time as part of a European political delegation. At the 2022 ALDE Annual Congress in Dublin, the Mountshannon native was elected as the Co-President of the grouping of liberal European political parties. Senator Dooley was invited as Co-President of the ALDE party to meet various parliamentarians and political leaders in Ukraine. He met President Zelensky, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and a number of government ministers. This is his third visit, having previously travelled to Ukraine in February and April 2022. The Mountshannon native said the Ukraine Minister for Reconstruction is anxious to bring construction expertise for other countries including Ireland via companies with good engineering and design skills to reinstate roads and bridges and other essential infrastructure that has been targeted. Despite the fact …

The decision of the Electoral Commission to leave the Clare Dáil Constituency unchanged has been described as a boost to Fianna Fáil’s chances of winning two seats in the county. Deputy Cathal Crowe (FF) is delighted that the Commission has opted not to return part of South-East Clare to Limerick for the next General Election, as his decision to run for the first time in 2020 was greatly influenced by the return of this portion of the county. His Fianna Fáil party colleague, Timmy Dooley, believes the decision to leave the county intact for the next General Election is a boost for the party’s chance to secure two out of the four seats. Despite an increase in the Clare population by 9,121 (7.7%) from 2016 to 2022, the Commission decided in the interest of retaining the county boundary and maintaining continuity, it was decided to leave the Clare constituency unchanged. Deputy Cathal Crowe welcomed the decision to keep Clare’s constituency …

CLARE Rose, Aisling O’Connor is ready to bloom at the Rose of Tralee International Festival on Tuesday night in memory of her late parents and to acknowledge the tremendous support all the family has received from her native Feakle. Describing the Festival “as a once in a lifetime experience”, the former gymnast and ballet dancer is hoping to glide through the famous Tralee Dome to honour her deceased parents, Pat and Denise, who she believes continue to guide her and her five brothers spiritually. Her selection as the Clare Rose of Tralee contestant at the Inn at Dromoland proved to be poignant as it was announced in the early hours of March 12 on the date of her late father’s birthday. In total, 21 Clare girls competed in the Clare final for the Rose of Tralee. Boosted by a surprise party in Pepper’s Pub, Feakle recently, Ms O’Connor is very proud to represent her native, Feakle and East Clare at …

  HEALTH inspectors found the Emergency Department (ED) was “grossly overcrowded” with a total of 121 patients requiring care on February 21, a new report has revealed. Patient experience times (PETs) and the time spent waiting for tests were raised by patients in the emergency department as areas of great frustration, according to a new report from the Health Information and Equality Authority (HIQA). One patient described how they waited for four days for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan and seven days for an electroencephalogram (EEG). When asked what could be improved about the healthcare services at UHL, patients described how the hospital environment was‘noisy’ and how‘the bright lights in the emergency department made it difficult to rest and sleep’. Trolleys were described as “uncomfortable”. Patients described being accommodated on trolleys on the corridor as “not dignified or private”. Patients also reflected on how “there was not enough staff’” and “staff were overworked”. The report warns the association between …

Swimmers who use two popular bathing areas in West Clare have received a timely boost following the lifting of bathing prohibitions introduced earlier this week. Following additional investigative sampling and on the advice of the HSE, Clare County Council lifted the bathing prohibitions at both Spanish Point and White Strand Miltown Malbay on Friday morning. In accordance with An Taisce’s Blue Flag programme, the Blue Flags at both bathing areas were reinstated.   On the advice of the HSE, Clare County Council issued bathing prohibitions at both Spanish Point and White Strand Miltown Malbay on Tuesday. The red flag flew at Spanish Point until it was removed again on Friday morning. The restrictions were introduced as the results of routine bathing water samples taken at both locations had elevated levels of bacteria.   Run-off from the catchment after exceptionally heavy rainfall resulted in elevated levels of bacteria being identified in the water.   In accordance with An Taisce’s Blue Flag …

A new group has circulated a petition urging Clare County Council to stop the proposed development of riverside car parks in Ennis and to abandon what has been described as the “transfer of public land to a private company, Ennis 2040 DAC”. The “Save Ennis Town” group has collected almost 700 signatures from its online petition since it started a new campaign on Monday. This is a group drawn from community, business, retail and political representatives. It formed after a public meeting on 4th May in the Temple Gate Hotel where more than 200 people voicing opposition to the Ennis 2040 plans. In a statement issued to the Clare Champion, the group stressed it aims to have constructive engagement with Ennis 2040 DAC and develop a plan that will enhance the county town for everyone. Group members include Gearoid Mannion, chairman; Edel Cassidy; Joan Duggan; Councillor Johnny Flynn; Bridget Ginnity; Cora Hahessy; Teresa McGrath; Councillor Tom O’Callaghan; Michelle O’Connell, John …