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Booz favours Shannon-DAA split

THE long-awaited Booz Report on the future of the State airports has recommended that Shannon be separated from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA).It has also identified a concession model as the “preferred option” for Shannon, which could see Clare County Council take a leading role in its operation.While Transport Minister Leo Varadkar is not bound by it, he will draw on the options outlined in the document, released this week in a redacted form, and said he will make a decision on Shannon’s future by Easter.The report goes through five options for Shannon’s future: no change or full centralisation within the DAA; DAA restructure toward greater separation; a concession model; public-private partnership and full privatisation.With regard to the concession option, the report states it is the one favoured. “The introduction of a holding entity at Shannon Airport with the objective of appointing an appropriate airport board and facilitating a long-term operating concession would bring a number of benefits over the …

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Cliffhanger as coast guard rescues Rosie

MEMBERS of the Doolin Coast Guard executed an unusual rescue on Tuesday when they abseiled down a sea cliff to rescue a puppy trapped on a ledge 65ft above water.Boxer pup Rosie and her mum, Ruby, had gone missing from the farm of Pat and Margaret Considine at Rehy near the mouth of the River Shannon on Monday. The dogs accompanied a group of people taking part in a farm walk on the land but are thought to have wandered off after picking up the scent of a herd of wild goats.“Rosie will be one in April. Ruby will be six in March so she would have had more sense than to go chasing the goats but Rosie is just a pup so she wouldn’t have known better. She probably just got the scent and took off. Ruby would have followed the pup rather than the goats, I think,” Margaret told The Clare Champion.Margaret and Pat searched frantically for the …

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Bed reduction claim refuted by HSE

THE Mid-West HSE has rejected union claims that up to 19 beds will be removed from the Acute Psychiatric Unit at Ennis hospital as part of the reorganisation of the Clare Mental Health Service.IMPACT had claimed mental health services would be badly hit with the removal of 19 beds in Ennis and 26 beds closing in Limerick at St Joseph’s Hospital. It also warned that community mental health services would be affected by the closure of some high-support hostels and a reduction in day services.Clare Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) representative Denis Meehan claimed 13 of the 36 beds at the Ennis unit are already being filled by patients from North Tipperary, following the closure of a mental health facility in Clonmel and queried where Clare patients with acute psychiatric problems would be treated if the 19 beds are removed.The Mid-West HSE confirmed there would be a reduction of 30 acute mental health beds in the Mid-West, following the closure of …

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Bed reduction claim refuted by HSE

THE Mid-West HSE has rejected union claims that up to 19 beds will be removed from the Acute Psychiatric Unit at Ennis hospital as part of the reorganisation of the Clare Mental Health Service.IMPACT had claimed mental health services would be badly hit with the removal of 19 beds in Ennis and 26 beds closing in Limerick at St Joseph’s Hospital. It also warned that community mental health services would be affected by the closure of some high-support hostels and a reduction in day services.Clare Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) representative Denis Meehan claimed 13 of the 36 beds at the Ennis unit are already being filled by patients from North Tipperary, following the closure of a mental health facility in Clonmel and queried where Clare patients with acute psychiatric problems would be treated if the 19 beds are removed.The Mid-West HSE confirmed there would be a reduction of 30 acute mental health beds in the Mid-West, following the closure of …

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Minister supports septic tank charge

MINISTER for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan has said while rural Ireland is facing radical upheaval, the imposition of septic tank charges is not a negative factor. He was speaking at the opening of the refurbished Kilkee library on Monday.“Since we went into the EU in 1973, rural Ireland has been under pressure because of bigger farmsteads. Also, you’ve less farmers, who are the people who created activity in rural Ireland. Then you’ve fewer small businesses. The big multiples, the Tescos, the Aldis, the Lidls certainly are closing down all the small shops,” he said.Asked if the Government is to blame for some of this decay in implementing the septic tank charges, Minister Deenihan disagreed.“At this moment in time, the whole septic tank issue is not fully understood. People don’t want to understand it. It’s a European Court judgement and the main part of the judgement was that we didn’t have any register of septic tanks. “They have …

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Conflicting statements over €120m motorway

CALLS for the postponement of the route selection process for the controversial €120 million motorway through South-East Clare look set to generate heated debate between councillors and officials in the local authority chamber later this month.The latest twist emerged following mixed messages reportedly expressed by Transport Minister Leo Varadkar about his views on the importance of the Northern Distributor Road during discussions with Clare Labour Deputy Michael McNamara and a delegation of residents from the area on Wednesday.During discussions with Minister Varadkar, Deputy McNamara outlined his opposition to the provision of another bridge across the River Shannon, in addition to the new crossing linking Killaloe and Ballina.According to Deputy McNamara, the minister stated he is willing to divert the money for the route selection to another scheme if that is the wish of Clare County Council. The minister told Deputy McNamara he was responding to a request from the council to build this road and acknowledged there is no funding …

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Report calls for Shannon financial support

IF Shannon leaves DAA control, arrangements need to be put in place regarding funding, according to the Booz report.“Depending on the option selected and policies on competition, there may be a need to clarify the mechanism under which Shannon Airport is part-subsidised, either through integration with adjoining industrial land or via direct financial support from the owner or from Government.“The amount of support provided to a fully separated Shannon Airport has consequences for the other DAA airports in terms of greater competition and a challenge lies in determining the appropriate support that balances local development with national competition objectives. Given current economic conditions, Government support is highly unlikely.”While the losses incurred at Shannon are blacked out, the report states that some policies implemented by the DAA are viewed as being detrimental to Shannon. “There are also a number of well-informed stakeholders that consider the DAA’s current approach to managing risks across its three airports is preventing Shannon from achieving the …

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