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Two-hundred-thousand is a grand-sounding number. You can pluck it out of the air if you like, to impress your listeners. Or you can reach it by some sort of complicated mathematical progression.I have a strong suspicion that the Government employed the former strategy when announcing their ambitious jobs’ plan for the next decade. It’s an easy number to remember: a total of 200,000 new jobs to be created by 2020.What makes me more than a little suspicious of this target is the fact the Government has also forecast the exact same number of Irish speakers in Ireland over the next two decades.Not 150,000 or even 195,000, mind you. But exactly 200,000 Irish speakers and exactly 200,000 new jobs.The only difference is that the 200,000 new jobs are to be created over the next 10 years and the 200,000 Irish speakers will be found within 20 years. So we can hardly be talking about the same 200,000.There is, however, a danger …

“Government promises 100,000 jobs by 2016.” That is the headline that accompanied a story earlier this week around a new initiative launched by Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Táiniste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Eamon Gilmore and the Minister for Enterprise, Richard Bruton. The range of measures announced included support for small businesses, the guaranteeing of loans by the Government, the freezing and reduction of business charges and the appointment of ‘start-up ambassadors’ among other measures. Speaking at the announcement of the initiatives, the Taoiseach said his administration will “radically improve the way the Government and business interact by cutting both costs and red tape”.  This is a nice soundbite and it certainly seems to indicate that the Government will be taking a very pro-active approach in its dealings with business but it masks a darker truth. Businesses, when they are searching for a base internationally, shop around and eventually settle in the country that offers them the best deal. The best …

A WELL-known South-East Clare community leader has revealed his shock at learning about the proposed demolition of his home to facilitate the construction of the €100 million Limerick Northern Distributor Road.

THE absence of an out-of-hours doctor at Shannondoc’s clinic in Killaloe after midnight has sparked concern among residents in the town and wider catchment area.

AN intervention from the Deputy Garda Commissioner has ensured that Carrigaholt will have a community garda allocated to the village, despite the closure of the village’s garda station on November 27, which coincided with the retirement of Garda Charlie Killeen.

IN some countries a plebiscite incorporates an entire electorate, who are invited to accept or refuse a proposal, or perhaps the vote is an exercise in which a population accepts or rejects the right of national self-determination.

IT is a case of a ‘road by any other name’ in Ennis as more than 20 years after official maps wrongly renamed the Clare Road as the Limerick Road, Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) have now changed their maps.