Motoring

THIS year’s Budget has been labelled ‘a giveaway’, though it appears most of the concessions by the government are modest ones. If not that, then they are so thinly spread as to make little difference to anyone. In the area of personal taxation, in an income tax package worth close to €520 million, the standard rate band will increase by €1,500 and will also see the increase of each of the personal tax credits, employee tax credits and earned income credits by €50. Meanwhile, a full-time worker on the minimum wage will remain outside the top rates of the Universal Social Charge and the ceiling of the second USC rate band will be increased from €20,687 to €21,295. Workers will be able to earn €36,800 before hitting the top rate of income tax, up from €35,300. Also, the income tax credits to rise by €50.#Budget2022. — Charlie Weston (@CWeston_Indo) October 12, 2021 The exemption from the top rate of USC …

BUS Éireann has confirmed there are no current plans to allocate staff to Ennis bus station. The national transport company was responding to a Dáil Question from Independent TD Michael McNamara. The lack of staff at the station had also been raised recently by Councillor Mary Howard who had expressed fear that the station could become a “hotspot of anti-social behaviour”. “It can be a scary place and we want to ensure that we don’t have those issues in Ennis.” Deputy McNamara had asked the Minister for Transport his plans to allocate staff to Ennis bus station “given the very high number of staycations around the county and the lack of services available to them at Ennis bus station.” The Department of Transport referred the question to Bus Éireann which responded, “There are no current plans to allocate staff to the station. “Bus Éireann, is currently working on a nationwide upgrade to all our information displays in stations including Ennis, …

RESIDENTS living at Spancilhill Cross can “almost feel the vibrations of traffic coming at top speed” heading towards Ennis, writes Jessica Quinn. A meeting of Ennis Municipal District councillors heard calls were made for more garda patrols of the route. The Council has agreed to monitor traffic speeds on the R352 and the findings will be reported to An Garda Siochana. The concerns of residents were raised by Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy who sought a review of the cross for low-cost safety scheme design. She outlined the “serious health and safety concerns” with traffic at the Spancilhill Cross and the “ongoing speeding” on this section of the Tulla Road. She recalled a collision had been reported just days before the meeting of councillors. In light of that she suggested a series of measures to address the community’s serious concerns about speeding on this section of road. The councillor stated Ennis Municipal District should coordinate with the Gardaí to patrol this …

A DRIVER who performed “donuts” at a crossroads while up to 15 cars blocked all four access roads has received a driving ban, writes Ronan Judge. The “organised” drifting event occurred close to Lemenagh Castle near Corofin last November, Ennis District Court heard. Judge Mary Larkin said of the incident, “This was an organised event. It was dangerous. There is no other way about it. It was dangerous.” Garda James O’Donoghue told the court he and colleagues responded to a report of “boy racers drifting” near Lemenagh north, Corofin at around 1.45am on November 22, 2020. The garda said he heard the “extremely loud noise” of screeching tyres at the scene. The garda said he exited the patrol van and observed two cars performing donuts at a crossroads. He told the court the cars were surrounded by a group of up to 15 other cars that were blocking all access to the crossroads. A number of the people were standing …

MOTORISTS in Clare are being warned of the increased risk of wild deer on the roads, particularly in the east of the county, writes Fiona McGarry. The Irish Deer Commission said that particular caution is advised from late September to early November during the rutting or deer breeding season. A spokesperson said that while the rut is an amazing experience to witness, it is also a time when there is an increased incidence of road traffic accidents. “Male deer go in search of females and younger males are ousted by dominant males forcing deer to cross roads and motorways,” a spokesperson for the commission said. Dawn and dusk are the times at which deer are most active and high risk areas such as woodlands and mountains. East Clare has previously been identified by a national inter-agency report as a “deer hotspot”. The commission is advising that during the rutting season, drivers would reduce speed where they see a deer warning …

GARDAI are seeking help from members of the public in their investigations into a spate of thefts from parked cars across the county. Last Friday afternoon around 1.20pm, two cars that were parked at Bunratty Folk Park were broken into. The window of one car was smashed and a blue Michael Kors handbag containing a black Apple iPhone and passports was stolen and a wallet was stolen from the second car. A red Renault Clio hatchback car was seen leaving the area after the break-ins. Following an intelligence lead operation, Gardaí arrested two males in connection with this incident. Some property has been recovered and a male in his 30s was brought before a sitting of the Ennis District Court charged with offences linked to this incident. An Garda Síochána are asking for the public’s assistance in relation to any observations or dash cam footage they may have that might assist Gardaí in this investigation and would ask them to …

AN unemployed Ennis man who gardaí say paid for a €43,000 SUV in €50 notes has failed in a bid to have the vehicle returned, writes Ronan Judge. At Ennis District Court, Judge Mary Larkin refused the application brought by Ned Doherty (30), with an address at St Michael’s, Ballymaley, Ennis. The court heard the Toyota Hilux SUV was seized by gardaí in March as part of a wider garda operation. Doherty brought an application under the Police Property Act, seeking the return of the jeep. The applicant’s solicitor, Daragh Hassett, said that this is his client’s second such application since the seizure of the jeep. Mr Hassett said his client instructs that not many items were taken by gardaí during the March search and that the jeep was taken as gardaí left, “almost out of frustration”. The solicitor said the court was told during the first application, that the investigation was at an advanced stage and this is not …

DOZENS of submissions have now been made to Clare County Council on controversial plans for a serviced caravan/motorhome park at Kilkee Road, Doonbeg, writes Owen Ryan. By last Friday three county councillors – Gerry Flynn, Ian Lynch and Cillian Murphy – had made submissions on it, along with one from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). Others to voice concern include Doonbeg National School’s board of management, Doonbeg Community Development and Doonbeg Residents Group. The submission made by TII said the proposal is not in compliance with its requirements. “The Authority has examined the above application and considers that it is at variance with official policy in relation to control of development on/affecting national roads as outlined in the DoECLG Spatial Planning and National Roads Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2012). “The proposed development by itself, or by the precedent which a grant of permission for it would set, would adversely affect the operation and safety of the national road network”. In his …