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The Clare Youth Service ran projects benefiting 521 young people last year, a youth worker has confirmed.Junction manager, Jean Tierney has stated projects like the Special Project for Youth (SPY), which is funded by the Department of Children and the music project in Carmody Street has helped hundreds of people.

There was huge relief for a number of local projects that had been awaiting contracts from Clare Local Development Company since January, with the announcement by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government that Leader grant-aid of €42m nationally had been released for payment.

CLARE Government TD Joe Carey said the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill, published this week, “strikes the right balance between offering medical professionals certainty and protecting the life of both women and the unborn”.

FOLLOWING the huge success of the first standalone Clare Garden Festival at Ennis Showgrounds on Sunday last, organisers are keen to plant seeds for next year’s event. In fact, Clare Garden Festival’s success exceeded expectation, with around 1,500 people from all over Ireland in attendance.

RYANAIR have rejected claims that the gardaí were called to Shannon because of angry passengers on board a flight that had been diverted there, having been due to go to Cork.

EDITORIAL THE issue of abortion has been the subject of five divisive referenda over the past 30 years. For a long time, the Irish solution to an Irish problem was to take the boat to England but travelling abroad for an abortion also became the subject of one referendum.

Those old biddies who have controlled our faith and morals in this country for generations have never gone away. While we have moved on in many respects, those holy Marys, ably assisted by a lot of pietistic Paddys, still have a stranglehold on our politicians.

THESE are difficult times for farmers as the fodder shortage continues apace. In Clare, good work and cooperation has led to the early cutting of silage at Shannon Airport and the provision of some extra feed but reports indicate demand has far outstripped supply.