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CLARE County Council has backed a proposal to maintain the Local Property Tax (LPT) rate at 15% above the standard rate for 2023 and 2024, despite opposition from three councillors. Members decided not to change the LPT Local Adjustment Factor that is payable for Clare homeowners for the next two years in line with what was in place in 2020, 2021 and 2022. An amendment proposed by Councillor Gerry Flynn calling on the council to reduce the LPT for 2023 by 15% and to only apply the change for one year didn’t secure the required level of support. It was backed by Councillor Flynn, Councillor Donna McGettigan and Councillor Ann Norton but was opposed by 23 other councillors. Councillor Gerry Flynn said it is easy to get bogged down on statistics but for most people they are concerned about coping at a time when the cost of living has gone out of control. “For more than 18,000 people that are …

The life’s work and lasting legacy of the late Sr Ethel Normoyle has been recalled in the past week following the passing of the Queen of England, Elizabeth II. That’s because of the glowing tribute that the late monarch paid to the pioneering Lissycasey woman in highlighting her transformative work in South Africa where she spent most of her 50-year ministry. It was Queen Elizabeth’s encouraging words that gave Sr Normoyle’s sterling work on behalf of the people of Missionvale in Port Elizabeth worldwide exposure when she spoke at length about the Clarewoman’s labour of love to improve the lives of her parishioners over many years. It occurred on Christmas Day in 1995, when in her annual address was watched by up to nine million people in Britain and by many millions more around the world she made special mention of Sr Normoyle’s work in changing the lives of those living in Missionvale forever. “It was during my visit to …

CLARE will enjoy exposure to millions of Americans when it is featured early next year in a popular travel programme on the PBS network. American TV presenter Samantha Brown will showcase the Banner County and Limerick in her award-winning travel programme, Places to Love which runs on PBS (Public Broadcasting Service). An episode filmed here will air early next year to millions of people across the United States during prime time on the network. Tourism Ireland invited Samantha Brown to film at a number of locations around Clare and Limerick for one 30-minute episode of the latest series of Places to Love. The programme showcases lesser-known spots and haunts in different destinations. Filming was supported by Fáilte Ireland. Samantha and her film crew have been capturing lots of great footage at places like The Burren Perfumery, The Burren Smokehouse, King John’s Castle and Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum. Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America, said: “Tourism Ireland …

TWO Clare-based businesses, have been shortlisted as finalists in the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Energy Awards 2022. The Falls Hotel and Spa and the Lahinch Leisure Centre in partnership with Tipperary Energy Agency, are among the cohort of energy-conscious businesses and communities that have been selected for their dedication to an energy-efficient way of working. The annual awards recognise and reward excellence in sustainable energy in business, communities, research, buildings, renewables and the public sector. A total of 33 applicants across 10 categories have been shortlisted. Winners will be announced at the national awards ceremony in October, this will return in person for the first time in three years following online ceremonies during Covid. The Falls Hotel & Spa has been nominated for its six-year campaign to reduce its CO2 emissions. The hotel’s sustainability journey started with smart energy changes, such as switching all of the light fittings to LED, fitting aerators on all water supply systems and using …

NEW homes officially launched in Ennis this week are a “significant contribution” to meeting the county capital’s social housing need. That’s according to Ennis Mayor Clare Colleran Molloy who was speaking at the launch by Co-operative Housing Ireland of 69 new homes in Moínear, a development in Ros Leamhain, Ennis. Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Councillor Tony O’Brien officially opened the estate on Wednesday saying, “The direct delivery of homes by local authorities, and Approved Housing Bodies such as Co-operative Housing Ireland (CHI), is pivotal in addressing housing need across Ireland. “The homes in Moínear are truly affordable, with rents linked to household income, and will provide security for CHI members. In addition to the 69 homes in Moínear, CHI has helped to deliver 78 much-needed homes in Clare since 2020.” He pointed out the new houses are in a residential area within easy reach of Ennis town centre and near local amenities including a shopping centre which is served …

A CLARE TD has asked that the Irish State provide support to a French-based Cratloe woman whose son was taken from her by armed police in May, following a court sitting that she claims to have been unaware of. The two-year-old boy was subsequently taken to Malta by his father, meaning 36-year-old Sarah Jane O’Brien has not seen him since, other than through photographs and video calls. The matter was raised in the Dáil on Wednesday by Deputy Cathal Crowe. A translation of the judgement from the court sitting, which took place in Marseilles in early May, stated that the boy’s father had reported the international abduction of his son in January. The judgement stated that the boy’s father “had indicated that the family, who usually reside in Malta, had come to spend the Christmas holidays in France, but that at the end of their stay on January 6, 2022, Sarah Jane O’Brien fled with the child in her father’s …

Eoin Brennan previews this weekend’s action in the senior, intermediate and junior football championships Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final Play-Off Clondegad v St Joseph’s D/B at Cusack Park Ennis, Sunday 3pm Much has changed since these sides last met in the senior championship four years ago. That 1-18 to 0-4 opening round pummelling at the hands of Clondegad was the beginning of the end for that Parish side as they subsequently fell to intermediate level. Backed by a fresh crop of young guns, Doora/Barefield soared back to senior level for the 2021 campaign and excelled by reaching the last eight at the first attempt. With any hint of relegation now extinguished, it is hoped that the kamikaze rushes of blood to the head that coughed up two goals in all three group matches can be replaced by a more composed collective unit as the Parish have simply nothing to lose. Clondegad’s development curve hasn’t exactly remained on the up either since …

AN Taoiseach Micheál Martin was in Shannon today for the official opening of MeiraGTx Holdings new manufacturing facility. The facility, online since earlier this year and stretching over 150,000 square feet, is the first commercial-scale gene therapy manufacturing site in Ireland. It currently employs around 100, but there is potential for that to increase to 300. The MeiraGTx site contains three facilities, one built to be flexible and scalable for viral vector production for clinical and commercial supply, in addition, there is a facility to manufacture plasmid DNA – the critical starting material for producing gene therapy products – and thirdly, a Quality Control (QC) hub performing advanced biochemical quality control testing for MeiraGTx clinical and commercial programmes. The formal unveiling marks a critical step in MeiraGTx’s mission to develop and deliver potentially curative treatments for patients living with serious diseases. The Shannon site allows MeiraGTx to accelerate the development and delivery of gene therapy treatments to patients facing a …