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HEALTH services for women in the Mid-West must be improved as a matter of urgency, according to a former Mayor of Clare. At the April meeting of Clare County Council, Councillor Mary Howard described the waiting list for gynaecological appointments at Ennis General Hospital, which are the second highest in the country, as a sign of an “ongoing crisis”. In a joint motion, tabled with Councillors Donna McGetitgan, Alan O’Callaghan and Liam Grant, the Ennis woman outlined how figures released to the Dáil recently. These show the average wait time for an outpatient gynaecology appointment at the hospital is close to one year and five months and is second only to Tallaght Hospital nationwide “Waiting times at University Hospital Limerick are around half that number, averaging out at 291 days,” the motion said. “Some 599 women are currently waiting for such appointments in Ennis, along with a further 1,455 at UHL. “On foot of this information we request the Minister …

THE Ballyvaughan community continues to prove itself willing and welcoming to Ukrainian refugees with various collections and fundraisers being organised with the help of the Ballyvaughan Development Group. With the sudden surge of Ukrainian refugees arriving in Ireland, the Ballyvaughan Community Facebook page became a kind of forum for organising what was needed and where. Karen McDonnell, who runs administrates and runs social media accounts for Ballyvaughan Development Group, explained that an email address quickly followed to streamline the process of distributing supplies to the refugees. She said, “What I did was monitor the comments on our social media and redirect people to co-ordinate it better. “Now, we have coalesced with Lisdoonvarna Fáilte, who have a full-time office. We have linked up to found a new website, NCCommunity.ie, which is now the umbrella group in North Clare for recognising needs and matching them with what we can offer. Last week, we had so many donations that we had to declare …

WHILE there has been a certain amount of improvement in queueing times at Dublin Airport in recent days, scenes of congestion and stories of long waits will undoubtedly remain in the public’s mind for some time. The difficulties at Dublin are in stark contrast to the ease of using Shannon, or indeed several other airports around the country. Limerick Chamber of Commerce has now called on the Department of Transport to compel the DAA to work with other Irish airports to solve the difficulties and to ensure that passenger delays are minimised. It’s a view that has previously been expressed by a number of political and business interests in the region, as Dublin has clearly been unable to cater for what it has, while Shannon badly needs more passengers. Limerick Chamber CEO Dee Ryan said that the Department of Transport needs to take a role if Dublin is not willing to explore the possibility of flights going to other airports. …

IN the wake of the recent murders in Sligo, gardai have issued advice to the public in general when speaking with or intending to meet up with persons they have met online. People should wait until they feel comfortable with an individual before revealing their phone number, place of work or address, they advise. Get a face picture from the person you intend to meet. Be very cautious of a person who doesn’t share a recent face picture with you, particularly after you have shared yours. If they don’t want to share a face picture, consider asking them to go on a live video call (many apps have this option built in so you don’t have to share your mobile number). Ask for their social media handles; do you any have friends in common on Instagram or Facebook? Be wary of new accounts with low follower count and few posts. Let friends know where you’re going – send a text …

PLACE NAMES for new developments in the county are to be considered by a Council-sponsored committee. It follows the tabling of a motion by Councillor Mary Howard calling for the previous ‘Placenames Committee’ to be reinstated. The Ennis woman told the monthly local authority meeting that she had been a member of the committee between 2009 and 2015. “There were a number of very wise gentleman on the committee and it was a great group,” she said. “Lots of research was done to make sure that the names would actually mean something.” Backing the motion, Councillor Liam Grant said that he too had an interest in placenames and would like to be involved. The issue of follow-up to make sure that developers comply with the Council’s decision on the naming of estates and other developments was raised by Councillor Michael Begley. “I’m supportive of this motion,” he said, “and I’m wondering what happens when developers don’t act on the Council’s …

THE murders of Aidan Moffitt and Michael Snee in Sligo horrified the country last week and the tragedies were marked by a vigil at the Town Park on Monday night. Councillor Donna McGettigan was one of those in attendance and she said her son Jamie, who is transgender, had been involved in organising it. “There wasn’t a huge turnout, but there was a nice, small crowd there on a Bank Holiday Easter Monday, it needed to be marked.” She said that it was very important that people show their revulsion at the killings. “Of course it was important to mark it. We had been out for Ashling Murphy as well and it’s important to show that we stand with the LGBTI+ community against homophobia and transphobia, to show that this kind of behaviour can’t go on. “On the night I said that children aren’t born to hate, they’re taught how to hate. As a community, as parents, as schools, we …

Antun Pasalic will be ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Killaloe by Bishop Fintan Monahan in the Cathedral of Ss. Peter and Paul in Ennis this Sunday, April 24, (Divine Mercy Sunday), at 3pm. Antun is a native of Zagreb, Croatia. He first came to Ireland when he was 18 years old and worked for some time in the Cistercian Abbey in Roscrea. He began his studies for the priesthood in St. Patrick’s College Maynooth in 2015. Ordained as a deacon in September 2021, he has been ministering in the Ennis Parish and Abbey Pastoral Area since then. During his time of formation Antun has ministered in Ennis, Nenagh and at Knock Shrine. Antun’s parents, Marko and Anđa, and his family, will travel from Croatia to be present at his ordination on Sunday. Mr Davor Vidis, the Croatian Ambassador to Ireland will also be in attendance. Fr. Antun will celebrate his First Mass of Thanksgiving in the Cathedral …

THE overall number of Clare people receiving some forms of kidney dialysis treatment at facilities in the Mid-West, has risen to 89, according the the Irish Kidney Association (IKA). As Organ Donor Awareness Week begins on Saturday (April 23), the IKA has released figures showing that 34 now attend the haemo-dialysis unit at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). A further 39 people attend Fresenius Medical Care on the Dock Road in Limerick. while seven Clare people travel to the B Braun Wellstone Unit in Galway, as it is closer to home for those patients. Patients must attend their unit three times a week for four hours of dialysis treatment in order to stay alive. A total of nine people are currently on the home therapy’s programmes. Dialysis works as an artificial kidney to remove toxins from the body when a person’s own kidneys can no longer undertake this function. All these forms of treatment keep the person alive until such time …