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SHANNON Chamber has warned that the growing east west imbalance in tourism will continue unless actions are taken to redress the issue. Responding to a specific set of questions raised by the Government in its Tourism Policy Issues Paper, Shannon Chamber also recommended that tourism be treated as a defined sectoral activity, in terms of economic performance and value to the economy, in the same way as other sectors are recognised. “This may require collaboration between government departments who are supporting parts of the sector, but not regarded as mainstream providers. A Tourism Satellite Account, which will monitor and provide statistics on how tourism impacts the economy, would be an essential first step in this direction,” said the chamber’s chief executive Helen Downes. “Ireland is an island economy so we have to view it from a tourist’s perspective to maximise its performance. Visitors come to see multiple products in a single destination; getting them to move east west and west-east …

WITH Christmas being a high-risk period for fires and accidents in the home, Clare County Fire and Rescue Service have issued a warning in respect of safety measures. In the event of a fire in your home, Clare Chief Fire Officer, Adrian Kelly has warned, “Get out, stay out and call the fire brigade out”.  The fire service can be contacted by dialling 999/112. The annual campaign comes as the Fire Service confirmed that brigades throughout Clare were mobilised to 44 incidents during the 2012 Christmas period, representing a third successive drop in festive fire callouts since 2009. The call-out figures for the period December 20, 2012 to January 3, 2013 were less than those recorded during the corresponding periods in 2009, 2010 and 2011 when the fire service was mobilised to 81, 64 and 48 incidents respectively. The majority of emergency call-outs were attended by Ennis Fire Brigade with 20, followed by Shannon at 13, Killaloe with three, Ennistymon …

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade meets today with Fatou Bensouda, Chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC), to discuss the work of the court. The ICC opened its doors in July 2002 to try those accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Chairman of the Committee Clare TD Pat Breen says, “The International Criminal Court was established with the purpose of ensuring that the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole do not go unpunished. Ireland is a strong supporter of the International Criminal Court and was among the first 50 states to sign the Rome Statute, which governs the running of the Court. “. The Court is a relatively young international institution which requires political and diplomatic support to ensure its effective functioning. Following an outline of the work of her Office, Committee Members will have an opportunity to consider the achievements of the ICC in its …

CLARE County Council is to commence interim remedial works at the Tradaree Point wastewater treatment plant in Shannon this weekend. The desludging of the plant is aimed at reducing sewage-related odours emanating from the facility. The works will continue next week and into the early weeks of 2014. “Clare County Council wishes to alert residents, on a precautionary basis, that odours may be generated during the desludging operation because of the nature of the operation itself,” explained a Council spokesperson. “Tanks will have to be drained down in sequence, and this may expose solid materials gathered on the floors of the tanks which may be a source of odour while they are being removed. However, even though the operation may cause odours in itself, the overall purpose of the operation is to alleviate odours in the longer term.” “The Council has also secured aeration equipment to blow additional air into the tanks once they are desludged and refilled in sequence. …

FLYBE has announced it will be discontinuing its Shannon to Glasgow service. In January of this year the airline announced the Glasgow-Shannon route would be starting in May. Flights operated on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and around 10,000 passengers were expected to use the service in 2013. In a statement Flybe outlined its position; “The airline can confirm that its two routes from Glasgow to Paris Charles de Gaulle (currently operated via Cardiff) and Cardiff will be withdrawn with effect from January 19, 2014, together with its service to Shannon that will end on January 5, 2014. Flybe can also confirm that its summer only route from Edinburgh to Knock in the west of Ireland is being withdrawn. “Passengers affected by these changes are being contacted and will be offered an alternative Flybe flight or a full refund on their ticket.” Flybe were loss making in 2012 and despite returning to profits in 2013, they have announced plans to cut …

  SHANNON turned into a Christmas haven over the weekend for  4,500  children, who experienced a trip of a lifetime, a meeting with Santa 15,000 feet above sea level. Shannon Airport and Ryanair teamed up to put on free flights for the children, with the same number also due to fly out next weekend. Before take-off, the children were entertained in the terminal building. Operation Santa,  which had 10% of seats reserved for children with special needs from the region, marks a new deal between the airline and Shannon for 18 destinations next year, dramatically extending connectivity options for airport users.

GARDAÍ seized €1m in cash and arrested two people in Portrusha,  on the Clare Limerick border at the weekend. The operation, which is part of an ongoing investigation into organised criminal activity in the Limerick area, was carried out on Saturday afternoon. The cash was discovered when Gardai attached to the Divisional Drugs and Crime Units searched a property at Portcrusha near Castleconnell. Two males aged in their 50s and 40s were arrested and detained at Henry St Garda Station during the operation. On Monday, a male in his 50s remained in Garda custody where he is detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.  He can be held for up to seven days. The  second male in his 40s arrested has been released without charge.  

  CONSUMER confidence in County Clare is up this year according to businesses organisations in the county. Jack Kelly of Kilrush Chamber of Commerce said that from his experience people are “a bit more upbeat this year.” “I would call it optimistic, in the sense that people are a bit more upbeat this year. I think it is because this year wasn’t as bad or as recessionary as other years even though things are still fairly tough. There are little buds of light there and people are in a slightly better form,” he said. Mr Kelly said that West Clare businesses have had a strong year because of the good weather during the summer. “We had a reasonable year in West Clare in the sense that the weather has looked after us. In terms of tourists coming to the area we had the National Famine Commemoration and the Loop Head lighthouse. People are slightly more upbeat than they have been …