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THE Minister for Housing took the opportunity, while visiting Clare, to reaffirm his commitment to pursuing those responsible for supplying defective building materials. At the home of Mary and Séamus Hanley in Drumline, several members of the Clare Pyrite Action Committee were present to hear what Minister Darragh O’Brien had to say. In the garden of the retired couple’s home, some members of the action group took the opportunity to question the minister directly. “The main culprits in all of this, of course, are the manufacturers of the blocks,” one Newmarket-on-Fergus man told the minister. “These are some of the biggest companies in Ireland, making massive profits. The Taoiseach made a statement a couple of weeks ago that he is going to speak to the Attorney General in relation to going after these companies, can you give us an update on that please?” In response, the minister said: “I made that statement too. Because if you look at the legislation …

A BOOST for the services delivered by seven fire stations across Clare is on the cards with the official opening last Friday, August 27, of a new maintenance workshop to cater for a fleet of 24 trucks. The workshop in Ennis was formally launched by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, and blessed by Ennis Parish Priest, Fr Tom Ryan. The €1.23m facility was completed in May at the Central Fire Station Headquarters beside Áras Chontae an Chláir. It will help to ensure the quality of the service, which responded to 1,000 incidents and calls over the course of 2020 alone. The workshop features a two-bay maintenance facility and a two-bay spare appliance storage unit that will enable Clare County Fire and Rescue Service to meet today’s onerous requirements for comprehensive inspection, testing and maintenance of plant and equipment At a socially-distanced gathering outside the Fire Station HQ, Minister O’Brien thanked the emergency services who work daily …

A DEVELOPMENT of 40 social homes in Ennis has been commended by the Housing Minister as an example of what local authorities will be supported to deliver under the new Housing for All plan. Just days ahead of the much anticipated housing policy document, Minister Darragh O’Brien visited the estate at Ashline. He described it as exactly the kind of development that he will be asking county councils to deliver. “We will make a big dent in the housing crisis,” he told the Clare media. “We can do as we have the wherewithal, we have the expertise, we have the knowledge and the capability in this country, and indeed, in this government to make real strides on the housing situation, it is doable. “I want to make sure that the normal working families and individuals who feel that they can’t buy a home are going to be able to. And that’s why the first thing I did was to champion …

Clare GAA Chairman Jack Chaplin believes “the process was pretty fast” when discussing the County Board Officers’ agreement to reappoint Brian Lohan for a three year term. Although a full meeting of the Clare County Board is needed to confirm Lohan’s appointment, Chaplin is happy with how the situation has been handled. “The process was pretty fast. We spoke with Brian a week after the last match against Cork. He had to discuss with the people around him so we understand that. We simply asked Brian would he stay on. He wanted a three year term and we are going through the process to confirm that now.” When asked by The Clare Champion when a full meeting of the County Board will be held to make the final decision on Lohan’s future, the Cratloe man stated that there is no fixed date yet for the meeting. “We will probably be meeting sometime in September. Something we are actively working on …

IT HAS emerged that problems with pyrite were brought to the attention of Clare County Council a number of years ago, by Deputy Joe Carey. The Fine Gael TD confirmed that he raised the matter in the Dáil in 2018 and then contacted the local authority. “I was advised by ministers to contact Clare County Council to put in train a submission, exactly what’s happening now,” he said. “Unfortunately, Clare County Council didn’t act on that representation, which I made repeatedly to them back then.” Correspondence, seen by The Champion, shows that Deputy Carey contacted the Council’s Chief Executive in April 2018, raising concerns after meeting a number of homeowners. He supplied the council with the reply to a Dáil question on the matter. In his emails, Deputy Carey outlined how, in the case of Limerick, their chief executive had supported an application to the Pyrite Remediation Scheme, which funds repairs to foundations and hardcore. He asked that efforts be …

Kilmaley made it third time lucky when powering to the Under 15B Hurling honours in Cusack Park on Tuesday evening. Following back-to-back final defeats to Newmarket-on-Fergus (13B) and Clarecastle (14B), their persistence was finally rewarded thanks to a determined, command display. That said, it was a result that certainly didn’t seem likely when losing captain Evan Casey to a red card after only 14 minutes. At the time, they led by Jamie Healy’s ninth minute goal but saw their advantage swallowed up by a Jerry O’Connor-led resurgence from Clooney-Quin that twice regained parity. However, with the wind at their backs for the second period, Kilmaley flexed their muscles by not only negating Clooney-Quin’s numerical advantage but outscoring their opponents by 3-9 to 1-2 in a dominant half that ensured that the game was over long before the final whistle. Jamie Healy’s hat-trick of goals was a particular highlight while the threat and direct running of Joseph Clancy 0-4) and Daire …

The morning dew was still resting on the well manicured facilities of St Joseph’s GAA grounds in Gurteen on Saturday morning as Éire Óg with a positive opening ten minutes secured the Féile B title at the expense of St Joseph’s Miltown. Conor Perrill was the early hero for the Ennis side as he struck for (1-1) in the opening minutes as the skilful fast moving Charlie Doherty was the goal maker as Perrill finished off the chance. This sequence of scores hit Miltown hard as they needed a couple of plays to get settled and create their first scoring opportunity which was finished by Eoin Devanney. However, worse was to come for the West Clare side as Charlie Doherty left two markers in his wake to slot home Éire Óg’s second goal. Colin Hayes was on hand to deny Doherty a third Éire Óg goal and indeed it was an important save as it stifled Éire Óg somewhat for …

A teaching union has declined to comment on Deputy Cathal Crowe’s decision to register as a substitute teacher for work in national or secondary school free of charge. The Clare Fianna Fáil Deputy has registered as a substitute teacher for the 2021/22 academic year, to assist Clare schools that are in need of cover. A primary teacher by trade, Deputy Crowe is offering his services to both primary and secondary schools on days when politics doesn’t take up his time. “I’ve registered with Sub Seeker, which is an online platform for school principals to get substitute teachers to cover absences within their staff,” said Deputy Crowe. Responding to Clare Champion queries, the INTO stated as a matter of policy, the union does not comment on the registration status of individual members. The union remains concerned that the national supply panel for primary and special schools, which provides ready access to a qualified teacher to schools requiring substitution, does not cover …