News

THE HSE has confirmed a review has been commissioned into the provision of a new Primary Health Care Centre in Kilrush. Following a public announcement two years ago concerning this development, Councillor Cillian Murphy asked the HSE to provide information on the phase in the current process, a timeline for its completion and opening and an indicative list of proposed services and opening times Councillor Murphy asked at a recent HSE West Forum meeting whether services in the new health centre will be included that will reduce the amount of non-urgent calls the ambulance service usually deals with. The Fianna Fáil Councillor asked if a review of this project had actually started and when could he expect the completion of a report on the centre. He expressed concern that the HSE will make a decision on progressing the centre after the review as this could result in two possible outcomes: one, where the centre would not proceed or, two when …

CALLS for urgent action on illegal dumping have been repeated in response to concerns about the worsening biodiversity crisis. At a meeting of the Physical Development Meeting committee of the local authority last week, Councillor Alan O’Callaghan said community groups are fed up with having to respond to the ongoing problem of fly-tipping in scenic areas across the county. The Fianna Fáil members’ comments followed a detailed presentation from Heritage Officer Congella McGuire on biodiversity initiatives in the county, and an outline of the threats to nature created by pollution and other issues. “I don’t need to remind you that we are in a biodiversity crisis,” Ms McGuire said, as she outlined a number of initiatives that are ongoing in the county. “One-third of our bee species are threatened and two-third of bird species are in a red or amber conservation concern criteria. 85% of our important wildlife habitats are seen as being in an ‘unfavourable’ status.” Responding to the …

AN UNEMPLOYED hotel kitchen porter had his e-scooter destroyed after he could not afford the €1,200 release bill following its seizure by a Garda, a court has heard. At Ennis District Court, solicitor for Polish national, Michael Blwlus (24), Billy Loughnane stated that the outcome for his client in the case “has already been disastrous”. Mr Loughnane made the comment after Mr Blwlus became the first person to plead guilty to a road traffic offence concerning the use of an e-scooter before Clare’s courts. The solicitor stated the man, who had lost his job as a hotel kitchen porter due to Covid-19 was going around on his e-scooter, handing out CVs to businesses in Ennis on March 24 last year during the first lockdown when stopped by Garda Ken Butler. Mr Blwlus of Collins Park, Kilrush Road, Ennis pleaded guilty to having no insurance for the e-scooter on that date. Garda Butler seized the e-scooter from Mr Blwlus and when …

TUAMGRANEY native Edna O’Brien is to be awarded France’s highest cultural honour on the eve of International Women’s Day next Monday. The multi-award winning novelist  will be named Commander of the Ordre des Arts et Lettres by the French culture minister, Roselyne Bachelot. The online ceremony will be also attended by Irish culture minister Catherine Martin, actor Gabriel Byrne and writer Colum McCann. The French Embassy in Ireland said the honour is being made in recognition of “the struggle of a committed feminist who offered a voice to women around the world”. The citation also described Ms O’Brien as “one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century”. The Commander of the Ordre des Arts et Lettres is France’s highest cultural distinction and Ms O’Brien will join previous Irish recipients, Bono and the late Séamus Heaney. The Clare author previously made French literary history in 2019 when she was awarded the prestigious Prix Femina and became the first ever non-national to …

ALTHOUGH Aer Lingus is in receipt of the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme, it has announced it will lay off 129 in-flight service and ground operations staff at Shannon, from next Monday until June 7. One cabin crew worker said that the move to solely lay off the Shannon staff, despite excess staff at all its bases, shows a long-standing anti-Shannon attitude at a senior level in Aer Lingus. “We’re just getting targeted all the time, this is the second time we’ve been targeted just since the pandemic. There’s a surplus at every base, every single base and we’re the most senior cabin crew in Aer Lingus, but yet we’re the ones being laid off,” he said. Management have not revealed how much money will be saved by the move, but with the airline receiving State support, it will not be particularly significant. “It’s not any amount of money that’s going to close the company. They targeted one specific group, which …

NORTH Clare is to feature prominently in one of the year’s most eagerly awaited home-grown drama series, Smother, which will air on RTÉ One next Sunday night. Shot on location in Lahinch, Liscannor, Spanish Point, Fanore, Ennistymon and Lisdoonvarna, the six-part drama is described as a “domestic noir thriller,” and is a co-production with BBC. It was filmed last year in adherence with pandemic guidelines. The high-end production featured a number of locals as crew members and extras. Writer Kate O’Riordan, who worked on the hit series Mr Selfridge, created the family thriller which sees her tight-knit family of characters gradually unearth deeply buried secrets and live with their unintended consequences. The all-star cast is headed up by Dervla Kirwan who plays matriarch Val – a devoted mother who is determined to protect her family and particularly her three daughters Jenny, Anna, and Grace, at any cost. Jenny (played by Niamh Walsh of Good Omens and Jamestown is a doctor, facing …

A PRIDE event for Clare is being explored as part of an initiative to give a voice to members of the LGBTQ+ community in this county. An online survey has been launched this week by LGBTQ+ Clare to establish the needs of this community in the Banner County and to look at how its visibility can be boosted. The organisation is particularly interested in hearing about how connected members feel as a community. They are also asking whether they feel their identity and/or gender are understood and respected, or whether they experience discrimination. The survey results will help to assess what services and supports would improve local engagement and community spirit within the LGBTQ+ community in the Clare area. The organisations involved also hope to use the survey results to organise activities and opportunities including social meet-ups, political participation, campaigns and possibly a Pride event in Clare. “The aim is to make the supports and services that are available for LGBTQ+ people in other parts …

THE Health Protection Surveillance Centre has today been notified of less than five additional cases of Covid-19 in Clare and nine additional deaths related to Covid-19. Four deaths occurred in March, three occurred in February and one in January*. The median age of those who died was 82 years and the age range was 69-94 years. There has been a total of 4,405 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland. As of midnight, Thursday, March 4, the HPSC has been notified of 522 confirmed cases of Covid-19. There is now a total of 222,169** confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland. Of the cases notified today: 275 are men / 243 are women 67% are under 45 years of age The median age is 33 years old 280 in Dublin, 28 in Meath, 28 in Kildare, 26 in Cork and 19 in Donegal and the remaining 141 cases are spread across 19 other counties***. As of 8am today, 426 Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, of …