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A PRESS release from the Department of Education today shows that there are currently 13 school building projects in construction or at an advanced stage of planning in Clare. New school buildings are being provided at Ennistymon Community School, Ennistymon National School and Gaelscoil Donncha Rua in Shannon. There are extensions also on the way at ten locations around the county, at schools in Cratloe, Boston, Doolin, Ennis, Newmarket on Fergus, Lissycasey, Killaloe and Scariff. €4.4 billion is to be spent on improving school infrastructure by 2025 and Education Minister Norma Foley said, “Advance planning and a strong rollout of school building projects is crucial to support the school system and ensure alignment with the government’s Housing for All plan. This significant investment through the NDP allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland.”

AN Ennis school has become the first in the country to get on board with an innovative fitness and learning tool, writes Jessica Quinn. St Clare’s has just taken delivery of four ActivAll Boards for use throughout the school with all 83 learners. The learning boards are all based outside in the school grounds and work off electricity helping learners with daily physical and mental activities to get their heart rate going as well as developinng hand-eye coordination and motor skills. Principal John Murphy said the school community and young people have waited a long time for the boards to be installed but now they are here the staff and learners are using them constantly throughout the day. “Covid and Brexit delayed the arrival of the boards which come from the UK,” said Mr Murphy, noting St Clare’s is the first school in Ireland to engage with this new technology. “All staff received training last week and the boards went …

ALARM at the potential impact of forthcoming guidelines on development in rural areas has prompted a rush of planning applications, an East Clare councillor has said. Councillor Pat Hayes said that, after members of the local authority secured a seven-month deferral of the next County Development Plan (2022-2028), those looking to build in rural areas are keen to lodge their applications before the new and potentially more restrictive regulations come into force. At the end of June, councillors unanimously backed a motion to defer the new plan on the basis that Covid-19 had significantly disrupted the public consultation process. The move was seen as a pragmatic response, not just to the pandemic, but to national policies, of which the plan will have to take account. Several rural councillors have made no secret of their concerns that some elements of the National Planning Framework (NPF) and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) could do irrevocable damage to rural areas. “There …

LAHINCH’S Liam Grant will next week be co-opted as a Green Party representative to Clare County Council, replacing Susan Crawford. In advance of taking the seat, Mr Grant said, “It is a great privilege and a very humbling experience to represent the Green Party in West and North Clare. As an Earth and Ocean Science graduate, I am very passionate about the environment, particularly when it comes to water. I want to put an end to beaches being closed in the county due to high levels of bacteria in the sea. We need to bring our water and wastewater infrastructure into the 21st century.” “As the incoming Green Party Councillor, I look forward to working in tandem with Senator Róisín Garvey. Róisín has already done tremendous work in the area, and we share a similar vision for the future. With sea swimming becoming ever more popular I would like to see the development of tidal swimming pools, similar to that …

Pyrite Action Group still waiting on a decision six weeks after Housing Minister’s assurances ANGER at the delay in providing State support to Clare homeowners whose properties have seriously defective concrete blocks will be voiced at a meeting in Ennis on Friday. Members of the Clare Pyrite Action Group have invited all public representatives to attend the gathering at Treacy’s West County Hotel. The event will take place six weeks to the day that the Housing Minister assured homeowners that a decision on their access to The Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme would be made “in a matter of weeks”. “Our homes will fall down around us if we’re waiting much longer,” said the group’s founder, Dr Martina Cleary. “On his visit to Clare on August 27, Minister Darragh O’Brien promised that an answer on whether County Clare would have access to the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme, would be “in a matter of weeks”. It is now six weeks …

A NEW club for photography enthusiasts in the East Clare area is on the cards. The organisation, likely to get off the ground early next year, is the brainchild of well known photographer James Treacy. The Scariff man said he is currently looking to sign up new members for The East Clare Camera Club, which will involve a range of social and support activities for people in the region. Mr Treacy is currently running courses in Scariff and believes the interest in learning the skill is proof that a club would be a valuable amenity for the community. Already, Mr Treacy is anticipating that the club will run competitions every week and create a photography league. Members of the club will be encouraged to enter competitions nationwide and apply for membership of the Irish Photographic Federation As a former member of the Shannon Camera Club, Mr Treacy is drawing on the expertise of that group to help him with setting …

Late loved ones to be remembered with event that will benefit the soon to open Haven Hub Clare THE River Fergus will be lit with hundreds of lights next week as a symbol of hope for those who have lost loved ones. On Friday, October 8, at dusk, Ennis will ‘Light the Night’ with lanterns floating down the river through the town. Each light will represent the memory of someone who has passed away. Organiser Tina Whelan hopes this action will bring some comfort to those who are grieving a loss, while also helping to support a new after hours peer support and suicide prevention centre opening shortly in Ennis. Funds raised from the event will go towards the Haven Hub Clare which will open its doors this October in the Clonroad Business Park. The centre will be a sister hub of The Haven Hub Limerick, which was founded by Leona O’ Callaghan. Tina explained that the new Clare service …

WITH Shannon Airport facing a huge challenge to recover traffic, the Oireacthas Joint Committee on Transport Committee is to suggest that Padraig Ó Céidigh be invited to be the full time chair of Shannon Group, expanding on the part time non executive role to which he is being appointed. Mr Ó Céidigh appeared before the committee today and was quite positive about a proposal from Senator Timmy Dooley that Shannon look at starting its own airline, The Fianna Fáil Senator asked “Is it now time for Shannon Airport to look at owning its own airline, to setting up an airline to serve routes that aren’t already served?” He said it would initially be a small airline, and that aircraft can be obtained relatively cheaply. “It certainly could be done in conjunction with the leasing companies. I think they’d give very favourable rates in the short term.” Mr Ó Céidigh, who bought Aer Arann in 1994 before expanding it dramatically, praised …