News

NUMBER 1, Woodstock Drive in Ennis is like a beacon of Christmas cheer and with 153 different lights illuminating the home of Martin and Annette Dunne, it is hard not to get into the Christmas spirit.This is the fifth year the family has lit up their house and they have built on their lights and activities year on year since then. The first Christmas lights were put up by Martin and Annette’s son, Neill, who now lives in Dublin. His parents took on the task thereafter but together, each year, they continue to add to the lights. December 1 has become a firm date in children’s calendars across the Woodstock and Ennis area because every child in the area knows the evening that Martin turns on the Christmas lights and when Santa comes to visit.This year, 92 children and their equally enthused parents came to witness this new Christmas tradition. Martin and Annette each year dig deep and provide every …

THE number of people on the dole has increased by 45% in Clare over the past year, with more than 9% of the county’s population now signing on. The number receiving Jobseeker’s Benefit or Allowance in the county has increased to more than 10,000.

IN light of the recent damning report evidence in the Murphy Report, it would be expected that the Catholic Church in Ireland would be subdued, silent even, keeping a low profile in face of further criticism.

CONCERNS about the knock-on implications for the availability of elderly care beds in Clare following news that Unit 3 at St Joseph’s Hospital in Ennis will be reduced to a 16-bed unit from January next have been voiced by Deputy Pat Breen.

THE 2010 Budget was a bit like giving a child a dose of cod liver oil. No matter how you might have tried to convince the protesting child that it was for his or her own good, it didn’t make it any more palatable.

It was pathetic to see the Government go cap in hand to maverick TDs like Jackie Healy-Rae and Noel Grealish in order to get support for Wednesday’s Budget. We have an economic emergency on our hands and we are crying out for strong leadership. The Budget was designed to get us out of the mess we are in.

THE findings of the Rape and Justice Report by Conor Hanly of NUIG make for chilling reading. It is difficult to identify one particular area which is more shocking than another but a number of points leap out.