News

WHILE Element Six management had set a deadline for the end of September for acceptance of its Shannon Sustainability Plan, one week into October, the situation is still unresolved. It’s understood that management are due to meet with senior company figures in London this week for further discussions.

A top tourist attraction in Ennis is being ruined by the presence of a large pile of domestic rubbish, which according to a local landowner, is attracting visitors of a different kind – rats. John Costelloe, owner of the lands adjacent to Clare Abbey, noticed some time ago that a large quantity of household waste was dumped in a car park serving the abbey.

The controversial development of a visitor centre at the Pol an Ionainn Cave in Doolin was given the green light this week. Clare County Council granted planning permission for the development at Craggecorradan in April but the company behind rival attraction, the Aillwee Caves along with An Taisce and another party, appealed this to An Bord Pleanála.

CLARE County Council has spent millions of euro on the extension of a water scheme to a North Clare village, only to find that residents in the area are more than content with their existing supply. Clare County Council has invested millions of euros in extending the Lickeen Lake water supply, which currently serves Lisdoonvarna, as far as Ballyvaughan.

The Atlantic Way Alliance has helped to pave the way for an expansion into the US by a Shannon Free Zone venture and to open up a new chapter in the career of one of its senior staff. When the Atlantic Way played host in June to a business delegation from Florida, it provided a solution to a lengthy search for a suitable location for expansion into the US by PacNet Services.

Travellers in Clare who are experiencing any type of health problem should access the new health drop-in centre in Ennis, according to the Mayor of Clare, Councillor Tony Mulcahy. The new centre, which is run by three qualified community health workers, who are also members of the Travelling community, was officially opened by Councillor Mulcahy last week.

CommentCeann Comhairle John O’Donoghue had no choice but to announce his resignation last Tuesday night. Whether he waits until next Tuesday to actually resign or decides to go now is of little importance. Yes, he should have gone weeks ago rather than wait until he was pushed. He probably thought he could ride out the storm; that people would eventually forget all about John O’Donoghue and his lavish expenses and travel claims. He may have thought that the furore would die down and people would concentrate on other political events.

Plans for an additional €7 million investment in a new enterprise on the outskirts of Lissycasey were confirmed at the official opening of the new €4.2 million bottling plant by An Taoiseach Brian Cowen on Monday.