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PUBLIC patients in Clare look set to face even longer waiting times following another series of elective cancellations, which has prompted stinging criticism from Deputy Violet Anne-Wynne, writes Dan Danaher. The number of patients on public in-patient waiting lists in the Mid-West has increased from 4,798 in January 2020 to 6,569 in May 2021. There has also been a worrying rise in the number of outpatients waiting to be treated, which is up from 47,134 in January 2020 to 50,363 in May 2021. In a hard-hitting statement issued to The Clare Champion, Deputy Wynne, claimed University Hospital Limerick (UHL)has been the most overcrowded hospital in Ireland every day this year. “It has had the highest overall number of patients waiting for care without beds in each consecutive year since 2017. Despite additional recruitment and over 100 extra beds, it still faces runaway overcrowding. “University Hospital Limerick has been accommodating the highest number of people on trolleys for many months in …

A NEW series of free online art tours specifically available to people of older age in Clare has been launched by Clare Arts Office. The series, ‘Visual Voices’ has come about thanks to funding from the Creative Ireland Programme. Visual Voices links a number of projects and programmes by Clare County Council in the area of arts and health to deliver an in-depth programme of online visual arts experiences to older people who may have difficulty accessing galleries and exhibition spaces in Clare. The series is based on Age and Opportunity’s ‘Azure’ programme, which was developed in collaboration with the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), Dublin, and inspired by the highly successful art tours ‘Meet me at MoMA’ running for many years for those living with dementia and their carers’, at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. The Arts Office of Clare County Council has over two decades of experience in running arts in health programmes in residential and …

CLARE County Council has given approval for a multi million euro biomass combined heat/power plant in Stonehall, despite numerous objections including one from the local national school. Carbon Sole Group Ltd received planning permission for the development, which will also include a gasification and methanation plant for the production of advanced biofuels and a thermal energy recovery and storage facility for district heating distribution. The company claims it is an environmentally friendly development, which will benefit the local area. While the County Council have now approved it, it is open to those in opposition to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála, and given the volume of objections, it seems very likely this will happen. The site in question was owned by the Shannon Airport Authority at the time planning permission was sought, but in a letter to the Council, it said it had agreed to sell it to Carbon Sole. In a video on the Carbon Sole website, CEO …

Eoin Brennan focuses on this week’s U15B hurling championship QFs Under 15B Hurling Championship Quarter-Final Ballyea 0-16 O’Callaghan’s Mills/Bodyke 0-12 BALLYEA passed a major test of character on Monday evening when belying their numerical disadvantage to finish the stronger in another inch-tight battle with O’Callaghan’s Mills/Bodyke on home soil. With only the minimum separating the sides in the amalgamation’s favour in their group meeting, the sides would go blow-for-blow once more in a compelling tie that would see the lead change times six times and be level on nine occasions by the two-thirds mark. Ballyea proved the more efficient side in the final quarter however as O’Callaghan’s Mills/Bodyke failed to turn their chances into scores or indeed benefit from a home dismissal entering the final ten minutes. Instead, it was the outstanding leadership of Eoin Kennedy that finally cemented Ballyea’s passage to the last four as the midfielder fired two points along with a third from younger brother Dara to …

THE resignation of Susan Crawford of the Green Party from Clare County Council was prompted by an opportunity to take some ground breaking work on autism to the next level, she told The Clare Champion this week. When a research team approached her about a concept she had been working on, Ms Crawford said she knew she would have to resign from the Council. “My mind was made up for me for want of a better way of putting it. I was working on a medical device to relieve anxiety for kids with autism and a research team in DCU said they were really interested in driving this on, we want you for the team. I kind of had to make a call then, something had to give.” She said that to concentrate on the research, she knew she would have to stand down from the Council. Ms Crawford said work is currently taking place on patenting and intellectual property …

THE Bishop of Killaloe has said he can’t understand restrictions on the celebration of the sacraments, in light of the fact that 40,000 people will be allowed to attend the All-Ireland finals. Bishop Fintan Monahan added his voice to those of a number of senior clergy, including the Archbishop of Dublin, when he advised that confirmations and First Holy Communions can go ahead in mid-August, in cases where parishes have already set dates. He also acknowledged “a great deal of anger and frustration” over ongoing uncertainty for families. The bishop had also referenced plans for some 70,000 people to attend Electric Picnic this September, but it has since emerged the festival has been cancelled after being refused a licence by Laois County Council. An update from The Electric Picnic team: https://t.co/axzYM4FJOv pic.twitter.com/RDG16wqUsB — Electric Picnic (@EPfestival) August 5, 2021 “I have been in receipt of a huge amount of correspondence and calls from parents requesting to go ahead with ceremonies,” …

FOR many of its members the Irish Wheelchair Association’s “Think Ahead Think Housing campaign” has really impacted them and struck a chord, writes Dan Danaher. In 2015, Liz Leamy was just 42 when she suffered a stroke that brought dramatic changes to her health and quality of life. At the time her third and youngest child was just six years old. While she regained much of her mobility at first, Liz regrets not thinking about housing and her long-term housing needs sooner. “I was laid back thinking ‘oh it’ll be fine I’ll get better’ but it was the other way around. “I should have started getting everything in place the year I got my stroke. Not waiting years down the line.” Liz is very eager for people like her to think about their home and whether it is adapted and safe. After her stroke, Liz and her husband couldn’t renovate their rental home to make it safer for her and …

A MAN has appeared in court charged in connection with the alleged discovery of animal “carcasses” on his land in Fanore, writes Ronan Judge. Ivan O’Driscoll (47), with an address at Fanore More, Fanore, appeared before Ennis District Court this week charged with 10 alleged offences contrary to the Animal and Health and Welfare Act 2013. Five of the charges are contrary to section 12 of the Act and allege Mr O’Driscoll did neglect or was reckless regarding the health and welfare of animals. The other five charges are contrary to section 11 of the Act and allege Mr O’Driscoll failed in his duty to protect the welfare of protected animals in his possession. Two of the charges allege offences were committed on dates between October 1, 2019, and April 2, 2020. The remaining eight charges concern alleged incidents on April 1, 2020, and April 9, 2020. All of the charges relate to alleged offences at lands in Derreen West, …