News

THE development of a new ‘Urgent Care Centre’ at University Hospital Limerick has been recommended in a new draft plan by a Mid-West steering group looking at ways to alleviate overcrowding at the hospital. The news is confirmed in response to a parliamentary question from Clare TD Joe Carey. Deputy Carey directly raised the issue with the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly. The local Fine Gael TD asked the minister if he was aware of the proposal to develop the Urgent Care Centre at University Hospital Limerick and if the necessary resources would be provided “to advance the plan and deal with chronic overcrowding at the hospital”. In reply, Minister Donnelly forwarded a response from UL Hospitals Group chief executive Colette Cowan. Ms Cowan confirmed to Deputy Carey, “A Mid-West Integrated Care Steering Group comprising staff from HSE MidWest Community Healthcare, UL Hospitals Group, National Ambulance Service and the Department of Public Health MidWest has developed a draft plan for an …

As the domestic season draws to a conclusion, I think great credit must be given to the clubs, players, officials and the CDSL for getting domestic soccer up and running again and bringing the season to safe and successful completion particularly as other leagues took the decision to bring their competitions to an abrupt end due to the Covid 19 crisis. Before turning our attention to the quarter finals of the Clare Cup this coming weekend, I think it is a good time to reflect on some talking points of the past season in Clare soccer. Probably the biggest success story this season for me has revolved around youths football in Clare and the near misses experienced by both the Clare youths team and in particular Bridge United. This is a club that has always produced players of quality and now has fantastic facilities to match, so to see their youths progress to the semi finals in both the provincial …

AN Outbreak Control Team has been established at University Hospital Limerick after one patient and one member of staff on Ward 3B tested positive for Covid-19 this Tuesday ( August 19). Contact tracing and testing is currently underway and all appropriate infection prevention and control measures are being followed in line with the national HPSC guidance. A number of staff from the ward at the centre of what we believe to be a localised outbreak have been identified as contacts. They have been asked to stay off work and to self-isolate in line with national guidance.  Initial testing of all patient contacts is complete and has not identified further cases. Initial testing of all staff contacts is expected to be complete tomorrow. All patients on the ward in question have been informed of the outbreak. Noreen Spillane, Chief Operations Officer, UL Hospitals Group, said: “Hospitals have been preparing for these situations for many months and we have now established an …

Clare Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe is in talks with ministerial colleagues ahead of an expected decision on the immediate future of the Shannon Heritage sites. As things stand, sites including Bunratty Castle and King John’s Castle are due to close at the end of the month while the likes of Craggaunowen and Knappogue Castles have remained closed since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. “I’ve spent quite a considerable amount of time this week chatting to my colleagues, including ministers with a decision-making capacity on Shannon Heritage,” said Deputy Crowe. “Minister Michael McGrath has confirmed to me that the file has reached his department and it is now being examined, with a decision due in the coming days. “I have reiterated the importance of these sites to Clare to the Minister, particularly given the year we have been facing. “This morning, I held an impromptu meeting with Shannon Heritage workers following a separate meeting I was at …

Gardaí have arrested a woman and seized €72,000 in cash following the search of a house in Westbury in South East Clare. Shortly after 7pm last Sunday evening, Gardaí from the Limerick Divisional Drugs Unit, assisted by the Armed Response Unit, executed a search warrant at a house in the Westbury area. The search operation took place as part of an ongoing operation targeting the sale and supply of drugs. During the course of the search Gardaí seized approximately €72,000 in cash. A woman, aged in her 20s, was arrested at the scene and brought to Henry Street Garda Station. She was detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 and has since been released.   A file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Met Éireann has issued a Status Yellow rainfall warning for Clare. The rainfall warning covers the province of Munster as well as counties Galway, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly. Met Éireann is warning of heavy, possibly thundery, rain during today ( Monday) with accumulations of 25 to 40mm in places. Localised flooding may also occur. The warning is valid to midnight tonight.

CLARE is among the counties to report positive Covid-19 cases today (Sunday, August 16). There have been 66 new cases nationally. There have been no new deaths reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC). There has now been a total of 1,774 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland. As of midnight Saturday, August 15, the HPSC has been notified of 66 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There is now a total of 27,257 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland. Of the cases notified today; • 34 are men / 29 are women • 67% are under 45 years of age • 12 are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts of a confirmed case • 3 cases have been identified as community transmission • The remainder of these cases are still under investigation • 21 in Kildare, 16 in Dublin, 6 in Limerick, and the rest of the 23 cases are in Clare, Donegal, Laois, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, …

AN EMOTIONAL appeal has been issued by the father of a young Shannon girl with Cystic Fibrosis, as the county’s rate of Covid-19 spiked sharply this week. Kieran McCarthy, dad of 12-year-old Aoibheann, and a member of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland (CFI) is urging people not to become complacent about their safety and that of others, especially the most vulnerable. He said that in recent days, he has seen “crazy things,” that are very upsetting to his family and to others at risk. He told The Champion he believes the change in government has led to confusion over the safety message, and called for more to be done to convince younger people of the need to protect their families and the wider community. “Some people don’t understand because they have never had to experience illness or loss,” he said. “Some people are oblivious. Nine out of ten teens don’t understand hardship and loss. What they don’t realise is that it will …