News

GARDAÍ in Clare have warned “people of all ages and all walks of life are falling victim to fraud on a daily basis”. This comes as a man was scammed out of a “substantial” sum of money in the county after falling victim to fraudsters claiming to be from Eir. Sergeant Triona Brooks, Crime Prevention Officer outlines that gardaí received a report during the week from a gentleman who had received a call from someone purporting to be from Eir saying that their internet had been hacked. The caller requested that the man go online and enter his details. “He did this and then realised that it was a scam and he is at a loss of a substantial sum of money,” said Sergeant Brooks. “We need everyone to spread the word, people of all ages and all walks of life are falling victim to fraud on a daily basis. Anyone who rings, texts or emails you out of the …

A NEW petition containing 15,000 signatures supporting the upgrading of acute hospitals in the Mid-West including Ennis Hospital has been submitted by a lobby group to the Dáil Petitions Committee. This action was taken by the Mid West Hospital Campaign to put the spotlight on the need to tackle overcrowding at UHL and to address the situation of timely access to safe and proper healthcare in the Mid-West. The petition calls for the upgrading of Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospital to Model Three acute facilities and the re-opening of emergency departments. It will be heard before the Dáil petitions committee this September 14. Campaign spokeswoman, Noeleen Moran said, there are 80 people lying on trolleys in the corridors of UHL and thousands more wait on lists for treatment. “We need our hospital upgraded and we need the emergency department reinstated. Clare people deserve timely access to proper healthcare.” A recent HIQA report highlights that UL Hospitals group is the …

GARDAI have issued home security advice following an incident in west Clare which culminated in a homeowner’s car being stolen. Between 11pm on Sunday night, September 11 and 7.30am on Monday morning, entry was gained to a house in the Churchfield estate in Doonbeg. The front door of the house was unsecure and the key to the owner’s van was taken from inside. Her van, a silver Hyundai IX35 registration number 141 CE 118, was stolen from the driveway. Meanwhile in Shannon last Friday, September 9, between 1.30am and 7am, entry was gained to a house in the Ros Min estate in Tullyvarragh and a black Samsung phone and a wallet was stolen. The front door was also unsecure in this house. Gardai have pointed out that one in six winter time burglaries involve entry through an unsecured access point and have issued the following advice. 1. Whether at home or going out, turn on some lights, use timer switches. …

SEPTEMBER marks Sepsis Awareness Month and the HSE is urging everyone to be aware of this highly lethal condition, to be familiar with the signs and symptoms and be ready to ask: “Could this be Sepsis?” This Tuesday, September 13, the HSE is raising awareness of Sepsis on World Sepsis Day. One in five people who develop sepsis will die, but with early recognition and good treatment, this risk can be reduced. Recent HSE figures reported in excess of 12,000 people were treated for sepsis in hospital last year with approximately one in five people dying as a result of developing sepsis. The true figure is likely to be much higher than this. For context, Sepsis kills more people each year than heart attacks, stroke or almost any cancer. Sepsis is a global healthcare problem with an annual death toll in excess of 11 million people. The illness usually begins as a simple infection. This can start anywhere in or …

FOUR projects in county Clare will share €197,754 in funding under the CLÁR programme. Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys has announced a total of €2.75 million to support 74 community projects nationwide in the latest tranche of funding under the scheme. The successful projects in Clare are: St Flannan’s NS Inagh – €50,000 (Inagh community car park – resurfacing car park, disabled parking and green school biodiversity) Doonbeg Tidy Towns – €47,754 (Fair green community sensory garden) Miltown Malbay NS – €50,000 (Multi-Use Games Area) Cloonanaha NS – €50,000 (Develop community garden and outdoor recreation area) Commenting on the announcement, Deputy Cathal Crowe said, “I’m delighted to see these four projects be successful today in their bids for funding under the CLÁR programme. “Not only do these grants benefit to schools and committees that they are allocated to, they also have a huge positive impact on these rural communities as a whole. “Our sports clubs, schools and …

PLANS for the development of a new supermarket in Sixmilebridge have been put on hold by Clare County Council. The site for the proposed supermarket is the old Arch Ballroom, a famous dance hall in the showband era. It was converted to an auction rooms as well as a cinema on the first floor in the nineties. The local authority has requested the developer to submit a substantial amount of new information about the impact of the plan on what is a protected structure in the village. This comes after five residents sent in submissions to the local planning authority supporting the new development. JCCMC Limited Ballybunion has lodged a planning application seeking permission to change the use of the Auction Room to a new supermarket including a retail area, café, off-licence, store, goods loading area, as well as elevation changes to the existing building. In its request for Further Information, the planning authority has asked the applicant to submit …

The first passengers to fly from Shannon to Paris Orly on the new Vueling service today were treated to a taste of France at the departure gate area before they boarded. Freshly made crêpes by a French chef were served in celebration of the new service, along with a Parisian-themed cake to celebrate the launch of the twice weekly service which will operate on Mondays and Fridays from today.   There was an air of excitement at the departures gate for passengers bound for Orly Airport, as the first flight to Paris took off for the city of lights.   Shannon’s new carrier Vueling is part of the IAG group that owns Aer Lingus. Orly Airport is the nearest airport to the centre of Paris, just 13km from the city. It is the second largest airport in France and provides onward connections to major European cities and Middle Eastern countries.  Minister of State for Transport, Hildegarde Naughton TD said: “I am delighted to be …

A GoFundMe campaign for a young Clare mother battling cancer has raised over €57,000. Carine Heffernan (nee O’Loughlin) who is originally from Kilnaboy but now living in Gort has been battling bone cancer throughout her 30s. On the fundraising page, Carine explained that she had first got the devastating news that she had osteosarcoma, cancer of the bone, in her right ankle, aged 30. “Like anyone heading into their 30s I had my whole life ahead of me and instead I ended up having my leg amputated below the knee to save my life,” she wrote. “I met my husband Stefan thereafter, who is the love of my life and even more amazingly I fell pregnant even though I was told I would never get pregnant due to the extensive treatment of chemo I received, but we defied the odds and James was born.” Unfortunately the cancer returned some years later at the age of 38 and it had spread …