News

A JUDGE has jailed a 25-year-old man for three months after hearing that he was seen allegedly masturbating beside a female passenger on board a Ryanair flight to Shannon earlier this month, writes Gordon Deegan. At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Mary Larkin described Ioan Remi Makula’s “abuse” on board the flight as “outrageous”. The judge Larkin added that Makula “upset the woman beside him and upset the entire plane and that can’t be tolerated”. Sergeant Aiden Lonergan told the court that it would be alleged that Makula of 52 Fearann Ri, Doughiska, Galway was seen allegedly masturbating on the Shannon bound flight from Manchester on February 4 last. He said that statements were taken from the captain, crew and passengers and CCTV was taken as well “and passengers were described as being very upset as a result of the incident”. Sergeant Lonergan stated that Makula was arrested at Shannon airport and brought before a court charged in connection …

HOUSEHOLD disposable income per person in Clare is a little less than the national average, new research from the CSO shows. According to their research, household disposable income per person in Clare in 2019 was 91.97% of the average for the Republic of Ireland in 2019. They found that the overall amount of money paid to employees in the county that year was €2.137 billion, while the combined income of the self employed in Clare was €336 million. Social transfers to people in Clare came to €718 million. Disposable income per person in Clare was €20,263 in 2019, according to the CSO estimates. This is up from €19,003 in 2017 and €19,254 in 2018. Figures from the CSO show residents of this county were taking home more than €28,500 on average by the end of 2019.

FRESH efforts to boost local piers, harbours and slipways could receive support this year, according to Clare’s Fianna Fáil TD. It follows the release of new figures which show that the allocation to this county over the past nine years was less than €2 million. Deputy Cathal Crowe raised the matter with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the Dáil, asking him to outline plans to support marine infrastructure in this county. Responding, Minister Charlie McConalogue admitted that funding provision in recent times had been “modest”. However, he urged Clare County Council to prepare applications for a new fund launched by his Department earlier this year. “The responsibility for the development, and maintenance of Local Authority-owned piers, harbours and slipways rests with each Local Authority in the first instance,” Minister McConalogue told Deputy Crowe. “I am also mindful that the primary governance role for local authorities rests with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. “In …

THE funeral Mass of the late Stephanie Fitzpatrick, who died in a fatal road traffic collision near Lahinch on Saturday, will take place this Thursday. Miss Fitzpatrick will be reposing in the Corpus Christi Church, Lisdoonvarna this Wednesday February 23 from 5pm with funeral prayers at 8pm. Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday February 24 at 11am, with burial afterwards in the Holy Rosary Cemetery Doolin. Those attending Stephanie’s funeral are kindly requested to adhere to HSE guidelines at all times. Stephanie was predeceased by her father Patrick (Pap) and is deeply regretted by her loving mother Biddy, brothers Pauric, Gerry, Noel, Kieran and Fintan, sisters Marian (Leneghan), Carole (Fitzpatrick), Tina (Meyler) and Eilish (Cosgrave), uncles Colie and Sean O’Loughlin, aunt Maura Roberts, brothers in law Brian Leneghan, Kevin Meyler, John Cosgrave and Philip Leahy, sisters in law Sarah Donegan, Danielle Festa, Sinead Byrne and Enara Agerri Leunda, nephews, nieces, relatives and a large circle of friends. May she …

CLARE County Council, CEO Pat Dowling has explained that the recent decision by the Supreme Court requiring members of the Traveller community to vacate a site in Ennis does not mean the case has relatively limited implications, and the matter has not been concluded. Two Ennis councillors Johnny Flynn and Clare Colleran Molloy, had motions before February’s meeting of Clare County Council seeking information. Responding to them, Mr Dowling read a statement on the matter, before saying that the case is still ongoing and appealing that further debate not take place in the circumstances. Mr Dowling said that he wanted to “give a very quick factual background” to the members. He said that there have been legal issues between the Council and the people involved in the case for some time. “As you know there is a history of litigation between the Council and Mr and Mrs McDonagh over the past five years. They initially sought to prevent the development …

DEVELOPERS of a landmark site in Crusheen have been granted permission to change the design of several of the homes, after citing the raising price of building materials and labour. In June of last year, Woodhaven Developments was approval for a mixed-use building with shop and office space, as well as a total of 29 houses on a site on the northern side of the village.  In November, the company submitted an application to make amendments to 22 of the proposed housing designs. In the application, Woodhaven outlined a number of reasons for seeking to alter the plans. “Using the revised house design instead of the original approved, will assist the developer in complying with the recent amendments to the Building Regulations which require new dwellings to have an increased energy performance,” the application stated. “The proposed revised designs will lessen the financial pressure currently being felt as a result of price increases in materials and labour and recent times, …

GARDAÍ are advising people in Clare to be wary of rental scams. “While it can be more common to happen when students are beginning their academic year, it can occur any time of the year,” warns Garda Eimear McDonagh, Ennis Garda Station. She outlines the scams fall into three broad categories. In one, the scammer claims to be out of the country and cannot show you the property and requests a deposit. In another the scammer is living at the property and shows a number of people around, takes a deposit from several interested people and then disappears with the money. While in the third type the transaction appears to be normal until the renter finds that the keys don’t work and the landlord has disappeared. Gardai are advising, “People need to establish that the property does in fact exist and that it is available to rent. “Ideally only do business with bona fide rental agencies. Always meet a prospective …

TRAGEDY struck in North Clare at the weekend, with the death of Lisdoonvarna woman Stephanie Fitzpatrick in a car crash, writes Owen Ryan. Ms Fitzpatrick had recently turned 38 years of age and was part of a large and well known family from Doolin Road, Lisdoonvarna. Local councillor Joe Garrihy knows the family well and he said the tragedy has cast a pall of gloom over the area. “It’s an absolutely devastating event. It comes on the back of a number of very sad and difficult events for the parish and the North Clare area. I think it’s particularly tragic when it’s such a young person. “It affects everyone, her mother is a wonderful woman and she must be feeling this at an unimaginable level, losing one of her precious children. “It is surreal and people are walking around in a little bit of a daze. Everyone is so affected by it, deeply affected. She was such a young person, …