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The terms and conditions of employment of former Dublin Airport Authority workers in Shannon Airport will not be diminished in any way when they become staff of the Shannon Airport Authority.

KILBAHA playground was officially opened last Sunday in Clare’s most westerly village. The playground, which cost €121,000, includes a telescope and binoculars and is accessible for people with disabilities. It is located on the seafront in Kilbaha.

EDITORIAL THE prospect of a major project, especially with considerable job potential, invariably spells divisions in all communities. We’ve seen a fair share of it on our own doorstep here in Clare, some ongoing and likely to remain unresolved for some time.

Dear Eamon, I suppose I should address you by your official title of Tánaiste but we go back a long way and I feel you will not be offended if I make this approach in a more informal manner.

HILLARY Clinton arrived in Northern Ireland last week for what was supposed to be her victory lap.

On Wednesday evening, SIPTU official Tony Carroll said their members are already balloting for strike action. “We’re balloting because no assurances have been given to anyone and nobody knows what’s happening,” he commented. He said they want their members to be allowed to remain employees of the DAA. “We’re looking for the staff to be seconded to Shannon Airport rather than transferred to Shannon Airport. They’d remain DAA staff but be working in Shannon.” Shannon should have been left with the DAA he claimed. “What we are saying is that all they are planning to do could be done under the DAA. One of the problems is that the DAA has had a mixed mandate as to what it was supposed to be doing.” At the separation announcement in Dublin on Monday, guarantees were given that there would be no compulsory redundancies but the prospect of negotiated changes to terms and conditions was raised.The report of the Aviation Business Development …

AN Ennis couple, relying on welfare payments, breathed a sigh of relief when the headline changes to benefits and allowances were announced in Budget 2013 on Wednesday afternoon. The couple, with one young son, stand to be affected by a number of changes in the Budget because of their personal circumstances. “Overall, I am relieved, I thought it would be a lot worse,” declared Siobhán McMahon, who has Cerebral Palsy and depends on State assistance due to restrictions imposed by her condition.Ms McMahon, who lives with her full-time carer and partner, Mark Collins, and their son, Daniel (3), in local authority housing in Hermitage, will be hit by the €10 monthly cut in children’s allowance. The couple use the children’s allowance to buy food and clothes and pay for Cloughleigh PlaySchool and will have to try and make savings to ensure Daniel’s needs are met. While the couple hadn’t the opportunity to examine the finer details of the Budget, they …

EIGHT garda stations are to close in Clare and the county’s garda districts are being halved, following the findings of a review of the garda district and station network announced by Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan on Wednesday. Clare has four garda districts, which had each been headed up by a superintendent, atthey are Ennis, Kilrush, Ennistymon and Killaloe. On Wednesday, Commissioner Callinan announced these districts would be amalgamated into two, namely Ennis and Kilrush. While the stations in Ennistymon and Killaloe will remain open, they will lose district status and their superintendent will be transferred out. In South Galway, Gort and Loughrea, garda districts are to be amalgamated into one, based in Loughrea. Also, as part of the plan, the following Clare garda stations are due to close: Quin, Inagh, Lahinch, Broadford, Mountshannon, Doonbeg, Kilmihil and Labasheeda. They are to be consolidated with other stations in their areas. South Galway is also affected and closures include garda stations at Tynagh, …