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CLARE students are facing a desperate search for accommodation this September with rents in Galway described as “astronomically priced”. More than 1,400 Clare students are anxiously waiting to receive their Leaving Certificate exam results on Friday with many hoping to achieve enough points to go on to third level. The city of Galway has long been a popular choice with Clare students, however, according to Imogen O’Flaherty Falconer, Vice-President/Welfare and Equality Officer at NUI Galway Students’ Union those searching for a place to stay are “finding it really, really difficult, basically there is no accommodation and any that is available is astronomically priced.” Meanwhile gardaí are warning there has been an increase of 30% in accommodation fraud in 2022, in comparison with 2019 with those seeking accommodation urged to be wary for potential rental scams. The lack of accommodation in Galway is resulting in students having to commute, defer or even drop out of their course, Imogen tells us. She …

SENATOR Timmy Dooley has defended his decision to post a video on social media from Shannon Foynes port welcoming the first shipment of grain to Ireland from Ukraine since its invasion last February. This follows stinging criticism and claims from a North Clare tillage farmer that politicians who welcomed the arrival of 30,000 tons of corn for animal feed engaged in electioneering for votes from dairy and beef farmers. The Panama-flagged NAVI STAR left Odessa Port on August 5 carrying 33,000 tonnes of grain to Ireland on behalf of the Cork-based grain and feed company R&H Hall. Senator Dooley posted a short video on Facebook after visiting Shannon Foynes Port on Saturday, August 19, to witness the delivery of 30,000 tons of grain for animal feed. In his post he stated, “This is a really important shipment to secure feed for our dairy and beef cattle over the coming winter – enabling Irish farmers in turn to feed the Irish …

A WEST Clare farmer has slammed the quality of phone coverage being provided by Vodafone, which he said has a major impact on life in the Cross area. When he spoke to the Clare Champion last week, John Keane said there was no reception at all around his home, and it had been poor for some time. “It has been diabolical for months and months and we’re blue in the face from contacting them. You get through to some fella in Israel, and when they put down the phone they’re not going to worry much about a bit of phone coverage in west Clare. You can’t even talk to someone in Ireland about your phone.” He said numerous people living close to him had the same issue. Some time back there was media coverage about how poor the service was, and he said Vodafone started to take the issue seriously then, but the standard has slipped dramatically once again. “At …

SHOP owners are being urged by Clare gardaí to be “very careful” when asked for change of money and not to be distracted. This follows a recent theft which left a North Clare shop at a loss of €150. Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks explains, “On August 29 two males entered a shop in north Clare. One male paid for items bought and the second male looked for change of four €50 notes. “The young shop assistant handed over the €10 notes and the other male used sleight of hand to remove some of the notes from the bundle. “The other male then handed back the €10 notes and looked for the original four €50 notes back. The shop assistant started to count the €10 when one of the men took it from him and took more notes out of the bundle and another shop assistant gave the 50s back. “The two men left the shop, and the shop …

GREEN Senator Róisín Garvey has called on Clare County Council to “do better” in terms of using funds allocated for cycling and walking infrastructure. The Inagh woman highlighted figures released by the National Transport Authority (NTA) showing that 81.3% of funds allocated to Clare under the Active Travel Fund were not spent last year. “In Clare our local authority was allocated €5,986,000 for walking and cycling projects in the Clare County for the year 2021,” Senator Garvey, Green Party Spokesperson for Rural Development and Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said. “However, according to figures released by the NTA, only €1,113,509 of this was spent. We need to do better for our community. It is understandable that the significant increase in funding since 2019 requires increased capacity, and there have been many additional challenges for our local authority during Covid. However, funding has also been provided for a new Travel Officer role, dedicated to local walking and cycling projects and we need …

Deputy Cathal Crowe returned €800 out of a €1,000 political donation from a Cratloe party supporter after he was advised by the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPOC) it exceeded the maximum amount that can be given in cash. Daniel Lehane, Cratloe, sent a cash donation worth €1,000 to Deputy Crowe on January 26, 2021. Deputy Crowe was the only Clare Oireachtas member who declared a political donation above €600 from one source. Deputies Joe Carey, Michael McNamara, Violet-Anne Wynne made no political donations declarations for the period January 1 to December 31, 2021, according to the publication of a new report from SIPOC. Senators Martin Conway, Timmy Dooley and Roisín Garvey also made no political declarations to SIPOC for last year. Under the Electoral Act 1997, as amended, public representatives may not accept donations in any year of more than €200 in cash, and not more than €1,000 in total value from a single source. They must disclose any …

Ambassador of India, Mr Akhilesh Mishra and his wife Reeti are currently enjoying a tour of County Clare. The Indian envoy has been in the county since this Wednesday and will depart on Friday, September 2. The couple visited the Cliffs of Moher Experience this Thursday September 1 and met Geraldine Enright Director of Cliffs of Moher, who presented them with a gift from a local supplier to the the Craft and Gift store, Irish Slate Craft Lahinch, depicting a picture of the Cliffs on local slate. They enjoyed meeting the team and hearing the buskers sing and play traditional Irish music, they were particularly interested in the sustainable tourism measures that the Cliffs are involved in. Cliffs of Moher had the Indian flag at full mast for the day that was in it.

Plans have been lodged with An Bord Pleanála for the single largest ever private housing scheme for Ennis. Availing of the Government’s ‘fast track’ planning system for large housing developments, one of the country’s largest house building firms, Glenveagh Homes has lodged plans for the €65-million 289-home scheme direct to An Bord Pleanala. The Strategic Housing Development (SHD) scheme is made up of 125 three-bed townhouses, 74 3/4-bed semi-detached homes, 66 two-bed townhouses, 12 two-bed duplex and 12 one-bed maisonettes. The scheme – which comes with 488 car-parking spaces – will also provide a 60 place creche. The site with an address at Ballymacaula, Drumbiggle, Keelty, Circular Road fronts into the Ennis bypass link road between the roundabout near Ennis Golf Club and the roundabout on the N85 Lahinch Road. The 11.32 hectare site – which has a net developable area of 8.9 hectares – is located adjacent to Ennis golf club. As part of the purchase agreement for the …