News

WITH a smoky coal ban in place in Ennis since 2011, the Asthma Society is calling for support of an all-island ban that would see it extended to all of Clare. In anticipation of an all-island ban, the Asthma Society has also launched its campaign for clean air, calling on householders across Clare to ‘be a lifesaver’ and burn smokeless coal or an alternative clean fuel to reduce asthma symptoms and save lives. Niamh Kelly, Asthma Society of Ireland said, “With 470,000 people affected, Ireland has the fourth highest prevalence of asthma worldwide. The dangers of smoky coal on public health are well documented and it is also a commonly known asthma trigger. In advance of an all-island ban, we are calling on fuel consumers across Clare to burn smokeless coal or an alternative fuel, to reduce asthma symptoms and save lives.” While many lives have been saved with the provincial bans, Dr  Dermot Nolan of the Asthma Society of …

THE invaluable service that Rape Crisis Midwest provides from its Ennis centre is to be given a promotional boost this month. The county’s men are being urged to ‘walk a mile in her shoes’ to raise awareness of violence against women. After receiving a grant from COSC, The National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence, Rape Crisis Midwest have been able to purchase a number of new promotional items to highlight their centre at the Tracklands Business Park and its website, www.rapecrisis.ie. To celebrate this, they are holding a promotional launch at Glór on Thursday, April 10 at 12.30pm. A number of special guests will be saying a few words, along with representatives from Rape Crisis Midwest.  Supports and volunteers from the centre are also invited to attend and the general public is welcome to come along. Rape Crisis Midwest opened its doors in Limerick in 1980 and has grown since then, opening an outreach centre …

ENNIS company TTM Healthcare are set to announce the creation of “a substantial number of new jobs” in the coming months. It is understood that many of these jobs will be created in the company’s Ennis headquarters. TTM Healthcare was established in Ennis by Brian Crowley in 2002 and now has offices in Dublin, London, Lancashire and Berlin. The announcement was made as the healthcare recruitment company recently celebrated requalifying as one of Ireland’s ‘Best Managed’ companies in the Deloitte Best Managed Companies Awards Programme. The international company was first recognised as a Best Managed Company in 2012. The company, which demonstrated superior business performance for a third year running, was recognised at an awards gala dinner in Dublin. An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, TD, congratulated the award winners in a keynote speech at the event. CEO Brian Crowley commenting on the award said, “We were delighted to have our success story acknowledged by Deloitte’s ‘Best Managed Company’ Award again in …

THE Freight Transport Association Ireland (FTAI) Ireland this Wednesday said the UK Government should grant Irish hauliers an exemption from the HGV Road User Levy for use of the A5 for HGVs transiting Northern Ireland, and has asked for the active support of the Minister for Transport, and the Oireachtas, in delivering this exemption. The HGV Road User Levy (RUL), which became effective on Tuesday in UK law, will result in a net increase in costs for HGV operators from Ireland using roads in NI and Great Britain – according to FTA Ireland’s General Manager Neil McDonnell. “With Irish taxpayers about to pour £50m into the A5 transit route from next year, it defies logic and fairness for the UK Government to ask Irish operators to pay a levy for using this transit route. The N2/A5 is a vital part of the road infrastructure for hauliers in the north-west, as a great many businesses in Donegal are totally dependent on …

THE  formal launch  on Wednesday of the Government’s plan for delivering universal health insurance, promising all Irish people access to healthcare based on need and not ability to pay, has been welcomed by Barnardos.  The children’s charity has  warned, however, the plan must not be thwarted before it has begun by unrealistic budgeting. Fergus Finlay, CEO of Barnardos, said, “We welcomed the Government’s vision to reform healthcare in Ireland in 2011 and continue to believe this vision will serve all children and families far better than the current system. It is the most radical reform of the delivery of health services in years and aims to establish a more equal and equitable system which is well needed and long overdue. “Budget 2014’s pledge to introduce free GP care for the under sixes was a small step in the right direction, but was operating in a policy vacuum. This White Paper on Universal Health Insurance must be translated into equal access to …

FORMER Mayor of Clare, Patricia McCarthy has announced that she will not be contesting the Local Elections this May. Currently she is the only female elected representative on Clare County Council. Councillor McCarthy (Independent), who is also a former Mayor of Shannon, has been a member of Clare County Council since 1979 and has been represented on Shannon Town Council since it was first established in 1982. Other high profile local public representatives who have announced this week they will not be seeking re-election include former mayors of Clare and Ennis Town Council, Tommy Brennan and Peter Considine, as well as the current Mayor of Ennis, Mary Coote Ryan. Commenting on her decision, Mrs McCarthy said, “I feel the time is now right for me to step away from politics. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a representative for the Shannon Electoral Area and indeed, for County Clare during my term as Mayor in 2007-2008.  “I want to thank the …

CLARE Music Maker’s will host their 15th non-competitive festival in the Temple Gate Hotel this weekend. This event gives all Clare Music Maker’s students an opportunity to perform for families, friends and an adjudicator. Each student receives a certificate from the adjudicator. The festival, on Sunday, welcomes violinist Áine Kelly as adjudicator this year. Over her 20 years as a teacher and performer Áine has created, developed and directed two children’s orchestras, one of which received a national award during the children’s Orchestra Music Festival held annually in the National Concert Hall, Dublin. Áine is now based in Galway and performs on a regular basis with her String Quartet “Strings Serenade” and she also works as a deputy player with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra and Con Tempo, the Galway Music in Residency String Quartet. All members of the public are invited to ‘drop in’ to the Temple Gate at any time during the festival and hear the talented children perform. …

Property prices outside Dublin registered their first quarterly increase since 2007 but not in Clare, which experienced the biggest fall in asking prices in Munster in the past year. ACCORDING to the latest Daft.ie House Price Report, the average asking price for properties outside of Dublin increased during the first three months of the year; the first quarterly rise since mid-2007 according to the report. Nationally, the average asking price is now €177,000, up 3.5% from the same time last year and down 53% from the peak. In Clare, however, prices in early 2014 were 9% lower than the same time in 2013, compared to a fall the previous year of 12%. The average house price here is now €130,000, 58% below peak levels. The latest figures show that the greatest fall year-on-year in asking prices here is in the one-bedroom apartment category which has fallen to €44,000, a drop of nearly 19%. The prices asked for five-bed detached homes …