News

THE wheel has come full circle on the double for the McMahon family and their involvement with Shannon aviation that stretches back to the pioneering days of the 1940s.When the takeover of a Shannon Free Zone-based venture went through last week, John McMahon had career involvement at both ends of the deal, which was valued at $1.75billion. A former high-level officer with Aer Lingus and Guinness Peat Aviation, Mr McMahon was the founding chief executive of Genesis Lease, which was taken over by Amsterdam-based AerCap. But AerCap was formerly known as debis AirFinance, based at Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands capital, and Mr McMahon was a member of the team that set up that very company. There he was senior vice-president in charge of commercial and business development before setting up Genesis Lease in an arrangement with GECAS, the General Electric subsidiary that took over Guinness Peat Aviation and its operations at Shannon in the early 1990s.Before the Amsterdam venture, …

East Clare tourism must not lose out to Limerick, Clare Fine Gael Deputy Pat Breen has warned in calling for “balanced and careful management” if the tax-break scheme for tourism developments on the lower Shannon is to be extended downriver to the city. “While not begrudging Limerick any openings for tourism development, the city does have substantial advantages over the East Clare area when it comes to attracting the type of investment and developments which qualify under the tax incentive scheme,” Deputy Breen said.

AN increase in the population of children, whose parents were part of the baby boom in the 1970s, has led to a shortage of quality family homes in Ennis, according to a local auctioneer.

THE lack of a definite date for the removal of the precautionary boil notice attached to the Ennis water supply and concern over the delay in tackling excess lead in some of the old pipe network around the town has prompted a renewed call for an independent investigation into difficulties with water quality and quantity.Councillor Johnny Flynn has repeated his call for a thorough independent review of the new permanent €7.5 million Ennis water treatment plant and the lack of decisive action to eliminate the risk of further lead breaches in the town’s supply.

There have been a small number of suspected and confirmed cases of swine flu amongst pupils in Mid-Clare primary and secondary schools. One pupil at St Joseph’s Secondary School in Tulla has been confirmed with swine flu. It is understood that the child developed flu-like symptoms last weekend and is now being kept at home while treatment is administered.

AN outbreak of indiscriminate dog fouling in Kilrush has led to some local people picking up unexpected injuries, it emerged at last week’s monthly Kilrush Town Council meeting. It was also pointed out at the meeting that dogs caught fouling while on a leash will lead to their owners being fined, while bizarrely, owners whose dogs foul while not on a leash, will not be punished.

While approximately 20 people were arrested in Kilkee last weekend, Kilkee Garda Sergeant Gerry Lernihan has described the number of incidents as “very minimal”. Up to 20,000 people visited the resort town for the third annual three-day Cois Fharraige music festival.