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FORMER Clare TD and Government Minister Brendan Daly has died, at the age of 83. Mr Daly was a Fianna Fáil TD for Clare from 1973 to 1992, and from 1997 to 2002. He was also a Senator for a number of years. Mr Daly served as a Government minister in portoflios including Social Welfare, Defence, the Marine and Tourism, Fisheries & Forestry. He was also a Junior Minister on several occasions. On social media this morning Clare TD Cathal Crowe wrote, “Very saddened to hear of the passing of Brendan Daly. Brendan was a very good friend of mine and a valued political mentor for many years. Brendan gave years of stellar service to county, country and the Fianna Fáil party. Brendan was a very proud Cooraclare man throughout his life. “Brendan was a beloved son of the Banner but this morning, as we learn of his passing, my thoughts and prayers are with those closest to him – …

RELIEF has been expressed as Clare was officially recognised this week in the grant for homeowners with defective blocks. It is expected that Clare County Council will be in a position to accept applications online from Thursday (July 6). After an intensive campaign of almost three years, Clare is now one of four counties where homeowners with pyrite in their blocks can apply for the government grant. The Housing Minister signed off on the regulations for the updated scheme on Monday last (July 3). The Council has said that homeowners will be able to apply online later this week, and that it has the necessary “staff and systems in place”. The woman who spearheaded the campaign in Clare, Dr Martina Cleary, said there is relief that this county has finally been included, while certain concerns remain. “I found it very moving that Clare is now recognised and that we finally have equal rights,” she said. “This is an incredible achievement. …

Well, what a busy few weeks I’ve had. I’ve been chasing my tail so much, I’ll need to tell you about the rest of my adventures next week. It’s good to have just a comprehensive social life but I tell you, it’s exhausting. I’m dog tired! My latest series of adventures started last Thursday week when there was a flurry of packing as the hoomans prepared to set off for somewhere. I carefully supervised to ensure that my suitcase was packed too. There was no way they were going without me. There was no sign of the funny little car with no roof. Instead, himself was taking an electric car. I’ve never understood electric cars – where do you find a three pin plug as you’re driving down the road? I didn’t worry about that as I snoozed comfortably in my bed until we arrived at the Old Barracks in Birdhill. They make lovely dogguccini and I thoroughly enjoyed mine. …

FINE Gael’s Joe Cooney was this afternoon elected Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council at its AGM, succeeding Killaloe’s Tony O’Brien. Councillor Gabriel Keating was elected leas Cathaoirleach. It was the 50th Council AGM to be attended by Councillor PJ Kelly and a special presentation was made to him to mark the milestone. On his last day wearing the chain of office, Councillor O’Brien said that when he was first elected to the Council the possiblity of one day being Cathaoirleach had been in the back of his mind, and he said it had been “a dream come true” to represent Clare locally, nationally and internationally. He praised the Council staff and his colleagues for their support over the last years, while he said that Clare’s volunteers are “the heartbeat of our county.” When the presentation was made to Councillor Kelly he said that when he was first elected in 1974 “I didn’t expect to be here after nine elections or …

THE competence of the Minister for Housing has been called into question as uncertainty continues over exactly when the grant scheme for Clare homeowners with defective blocks will open.  Following a meeting in Ennis two weeks ago, Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne tabled two Parliamentary Questions (PQs) asking Minister Darragh O’Brien for an update. The Kilrush-based TD also asked what additional resources would be provided to Clare County Council to assist in the processing of applications from homeowners here. The Independent TD was waiting several days for a reply from the minister, who said he hoped the scheme’s regulations would be signed “in the coming weeks”. She told The Champion that, a year after the minister agreed to include Clare and Limerick in the new grant scheme, the vague reply and ongoing lack of clarity were unacceptable. “I’ve heard about the stress, strain and health implications of having pyrite, of living in damaged and cracked homes and the longer homeowners are left …

RULES for the operation of the new defective concrete blocks grant could be signed on Friday, according to Clare’s Fianna Fáil TD. Despite that, uncertainty remains over exactly when the scheme will open to applications.  Deputy Cathal Crowe contacted members of the Clare Pyrite Action Group (CPAG) to address that and other questions that arose at their meeting in Ennis a fortnight ago. Deputy Crowe tabled a number of Parliamentary Questions (PQs) on foot of homeowners concerns. One of these was to Minister for Finance Michael McGrath. Deputy Crowe asked if he was aware that owners of homes with defective concrete blocks are, in the main, unable to have their homes remortgaged. He also asked how he proposes to address this with pillar banks in this regard. Minister McGrath said that while the Government response on the defective concrete block issue is primarily led by the Minister for Housing, he recently met with the banking and insurance defective block redress …

A PROTEST at RTÉ’s studios in the Midwest demonstrated the anger of rank and file staff at so-called “sweetheart deals” for top star, Ryan Tubridy.  The station has been mired in controversy since news broke that Mr Tubridy received €345,000 in additional payments between 2017 and 2022. As representatives of RTÉ’s top brass got set to appear before two Oireachtas committees this week, staff took to the picket line. They voiced concerns over precarious contracts, low pay and cuts that have deepened at RTÉ in recent years. With no licence fee increase for 17 years and growing competition, RTÉ has been bidding for greater State support and aiming to prove that it could make reign in spending. Against that backdrop, news of the payments to Mr Tubridy pushed staff anger to boiling point.  The mood among journalists was described by one RTÉ worker as a “mix of despondency and anger”. The staffer spoke to The Champion on condition of anonymity. …

CLARE is the starting point for a monumental cycle challenge undertaken by Deputy Ciaran Cannon in solidarity with Irish cyclists. Two years after being seriously injured in a road collision, the Galway East TD is aiming to complete a 900km journey, through every county, in under 48 hours, all while raising funds for the charity, Hand In Hand. The challenge is personal for Cannon and he hopes to show solidarity with the hundreds of cyclists and pedestrians who are injured on Irish roads every year. “This weekend is the second anniversary of a very traumatic time for me,” Deputy Cannon said. “I was seriously injured in a road traffic collision in 2021 and underwent surgery to my leg. I’m marking this anniversary by setting myself this challenge, perhaps in an act of defiance to show that I’m still capable of cycling, but also in solidarity with the hundreds of cyclists and pedestrians who are seriously injured on our roads every …