THE most significant tourism project ever to be undertaken in East Clare has taken a major step forward with the announcement of funding for the development of the Inis Cealtra (Holy Island) visitor centre in the heart of Mountshannon village. The Department of Rural and Community Development has today (Thursday, November 10) allocated €3,906,252 to Clare County Council for the Inis Cealtra Visitor Experience. The overall project cost is €4,882,815, 20% of which is match funded by the Local Authority and 80% is funded by the Department. Having taken 41 acres on the island into public ownership in 2015, Clare County Council this year acquired the Old Rectory building overlooking Mountshannon Harbour, Scarriff Bay and Lough Derg. A detailed design of the proposed transformation into a mainland visitor centre is currently underway following extensive public consultation and will interpret the monastic site and its surrounds. Once completed in 2024, the visitor centre building will comprise a reception area, three exhibition …

A MILTOWN mum-of-six is facing a bill of €200 per month so that her children can avail of their entitlement to be educated through the medium of Irish.  Erica Burke has been making intensive efforts, over the last 18 months, to secure school bus transport from the family home in Miltown to Gaelcholáiste an Chláir in Ennis, the county’s sole provider of secondary education through Irish.  The school is highly supportive of the family and has made every effort to accommodate the two children attending. Due to the schedule of public transport, the children, who are in first and second year, are unavoidably late, by at least half an hour every day. That has resulted in them losing out on what Principal Brian O’Donoghue estimates is four full school days to-date, through no fault of their own or their family. Mr O’Donoghue noted that the Gaelcholáiste is the county provider of secondary school education through Irish and “absolutely thrilled” to …

DEVELOPERS aiming to build 41 new homes in the village of Quin have moved to allay concerns over several aspects of the proposed estate.  Datcha Construction, who lodged a planning application last January for a site at Quingardens, have responded to a request for Further Information. The company has provided the Council with additional design and layout details, as well as several reports on the likely environmental and archaeological impacts.  Additional information has been provided on house design, road layout and other matters. Among the documents provided by the developer are a Natura Impact Statement, a Screening Report for Appropriate Assessment and a full Bat Survey Report. In addition, a report on the outdoor lighting has been submitted, as well as Flood Risk Assessment, which includes a review of the likely effects of climate change. An archaeological report has also been submitted. Revised designs have been submitted to respond to concerns raised by the planners and in response to submissions …

PROGRESS with the Scariff Rural Regeneration Project has stepped up a gear, now that the planning process has begun.  A Part 8 planning application for a series of town centre works has gone to public consultation, with submissions being accepted up to December 12. Under the application, it is proposed to change the former Supermacs building into a digital hub and to convert the Merriman Tavern into a community centre and community space. The construction of a car park on a green-field site close to the Market Square is also outlined, as well as pedestrian access from the R352 and the rear boundary wall of the Merriman. The application notes that works would materially affect the Scariff Architectural Conservation Area. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening determination has concluded that “there is no real likelihood of significant effects on the environment arising from the proposed development” and that an EIA is not required.  Killaloe Cathaoirleach, Councillor Alan O’Callaghan described the …

CLARE County Council has said that it is continuing to engage with national government and the Housing Agency on the new scheme for homeowners with defective blocks.  Despite the fact that the Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme was extended to Clare and Limerick last June, the grant has still not opened to homeowners in the Mid-West. The scheme itself was revised through legislation signed by the President in July, but is still not operational in the four counties it covers. Last week, angry homeowners, facing another winter of uncertainty, told Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien of their frustration at being “trapped” in their unsafe homes. They also appealed to him to give a date for the opening of the new scheme.  In response to a query from The Champion, the Council said it is still awaiting clarity on the role of each local authority. “Since the approved inclusion of County Clare properties onto the Defective Concrete Block Redress Scheme, we are continuing to engage with …

A LACK of pedestrian links to Tulla’s Main Street has led to a plans for a major new housing estate being turned down by Clare County Council.  After an assessment of proposals for 36 new homes on a site on Church Road, the local authority has refused permission for two reasons. Planners said the estate would be “deficient in terms of its pedestrian provision” and that its design would damage visual amenities locally.  In May, Woodhaven Developments lodged plans for the estate on a prominent greenfield site, close to Glebe House. During the public consultation phase, four submissions were made. These expressed concerns over the proposed boundary of the estate, as well as potential pedestrian access onto lands belonging to a third party.  On foot of these submissions, and separate concerns of their own, planners requested Further Information (FI) on a number of aspects of the development, including the proposed connectivity to Tulla’s Main Street. The Council also pointed out …

CHANGES to an award-winning scheme that has supported farmers to deliver million of euros worth of conservation measures in the Burren have been branded “an unholy mess”. The Burren Programme incentivises those farming one of the most sensitive landscapes in the country, with payments to promote sustainable agricultural management. Since its inception, the pioneering programme has supported more than 400 local farmers who have delivered at least €33 million worth of landscape and biodiversity improvements. Despite its internationally-recognised achievements, the programme will change radically as of January 1, 2023. From the start of next year, farmers will have to transfer to the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme, ACRES Burren Aran, which covers a territory from the Aran Islands to Loughrea in East Galway. It is feared the move will lead to a drop in payments to farmers and decrease incentives for conservation measures.  Burren IFA member, Michael Davoren has sought an urgent meeting with Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue. “This is an unholy …

GARDAÍ are appealing for witnesses after a fatal road traffic collision on the R352, Mountshannon, last night (November 5). Officers said that at around 7.45pm last evening, a car collided with a pedestrian, a man in his 80s, who was later pronounced dead. The R352 was closed, with local diversions put in place, to allow for a technical examination to be conducted by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators. Gardaí in Ennis are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to come forward. Any road users with camera footage (including dash-cam) from the R352 between 7.30pm and 8.00pm last night, are asked to make this available to investigating Gardaí. Anyone with information is asked to contact Ennis Garda Station on 065-6848100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800-666111, or any Garda Station.