ERIN Hooban is the new chair of Shannon Chamber’s Human Resources Forum. Ms Hooban is Group HR manager with Enva, and has significant experience working within manufacturing environments and is vastly experienced in interacting with a diverse range of clientele from business leaders to operations including a global HR team. She has been a member of the Chamber’s HR Forum since its formation in 2017 and replaces Caroline O’Brien chief people officer with Shannon Engine Support (SES) Ltd., who held the chair in 2022. The purpose of the forum is to create the space, time, and an environment to support the thinking, reflection, sharing of ideas, best practices, and planning for the future of strategic HR. Shannon Chamber CEO Helen Downes said, “Ms Hooban has the ideal credentials to steer the HR Forum in 2023. She is conversant with strategic and operational HR activities and will use her unique leadership skills to take the forum on a new trajectory. “With …
Read More »‘We don’t oppose refugees, we oppose the Government’s mismanagement of this’
FOLLOWING last Saturday’s meeting in the Town Park 22 people came forward for the formation of a committee to represent concerns in the community about the development of Unit 153 in the Shannon Busines Park as a centre for emergency accommodation. “We’re going to have a meeting, look at what people want. I think we’ll want to look at meeting with public representatives, look at getting answers with regard to the plans, what services and amenities will be put in place for the community with the backdrop of a proposal to use a significant sized building,” said Elaine Kingston Durbin, one of the organisers of Saturday’s meeting. She said there is a belief that several hundred refugees will be housed there, but it’s still unconfirmed. “This is a 137,000 square foot building, it’s not small. If they were going to bring in a smaller amount of people they would bring in a smaller building. “Based on other buildings around the …
Read More »Working together the way forward for Clare rural communities
THE establishment of the North Burren Community Group has been hailed as an example of what small rural communities can achieve when they unite under a new umbrella organisation. Niamh Wiley, Rural and Community Development Officer (RCDO) provided an example of a “partnering of parishes” approach operating in North Clare at a recent West Clare Municipal District (MD) meeting. The setup and growth of the group was aided through the work of the RCDOs. Following a series of local consultation and engagement, the North Burren Community Group was formed last year, consisting of active stakeholders from all the various parishes, selected with specific skill sets. The group represents the parishes of Carron and Noughaval, Belharbour, New Quay, Finavarra Peninsula and Aughinish Island, spanning a radius of 30km, to include approximately 1,000 residents. This partnership of parishes model was adapted by the group because of the need to address the lack of shared community and enterprise space in this area of …
Read More »Business park denied extension to finish developments
AN extension of planning permission to allow for the completion of a new multi-storey block and a multi-deck car park at Westpark has been refused by Clare County Council. FGPO Ireland Limited Partnership had sought to extend the appropriate period of planning permission for the development of what would have been Block 6000, a mix-used multi-storey block. The plans were for a building with a gross internal area of 12,045 square metres, with offices on the three upper floors and data centre/light industrial/storage/Research & Development uses on the bottom two floors. It also included plans for an ancillary, multi-deck car park, located to the south of Block 4000, within the campus. This was to have 580 spaces and was intended to replace two existing car parks. A document submitted as part of the application said that much work has already been completed within the Westpark campus. “Extensive and substantial works have been completed in respect of the wider campus with …
Read More »‘These are people who desperately require some form of accommodation’
ANGELA Coll attended last Saturday afternoon’s meeting in Shannon Town Park and has subsequently become involved in running a Facebook page entitled Shannon Fáilte, which favours using the Shannon Free Zone property as emergency accommodation. While favouring more refugees being housed in Shannon, she said the approach being taken by the State is flawed. “I’m a member of Fianna Fáil and I’m not happy with the Government, they are not communicating with the people of Shannon, Cathal Crowe knows nothing, the councillors know nothing. And that’s very bad form. “But at the same time these are people who desperately require some form of accommodation. They’re kitting out a factory for them, it’s less than ideal, but it’s better than having people sleeping on the streets. That’s how we would be looking at it. “We should be working with the Council to try and get as much facilities in place and as much support as possible for both the community and …
Read More »Clare Alzheimer Cafe offering enlightenment and support
THE Clare Alzheimer Cafe will be held for a couple of hours at Wolfe Tones on the first Wednesday of every month. It was held for the first time this week and Hadley Fitzpatrick, Outreach Services Coordinator for the Clare branch of the Alzheimer Society of Ireland said that all will be made welcome. “The information cafe in Shannon is for absolutely anyone, if someone is worried or curious or had questions about a family member they’d be very welcome to come. “It’s to help link in with the services as well. I have one woman who is coming who has just been diagnosed and didn’t really know what the definition of dementia was. It’s for anyone with any questions or curiosity to come in.” Fiona Staunton, dementia adviser for Clare, was the speaker this week, and Hadley says that there will be people with expertise in certain aspects of living with the disease coming each month. “That’s the plan, …
Read More »Brianna’s memory lives on with race to highlight rare condition
HORSE enthusiasts from all over the country have rallied to support a race in memory of a young Killaloe girl with special needs who touched the lives of countless people. In November 2019, Brianna Lynch (9) died in her sleep from SUDEP, Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy, leaving her family devastated. Her mother, Arabella Scanlan, a well-known Killaloe horse trainer, has organised the Brianna Lynch Memorial Cup for any rider aged 18 or under as part of the North Tipperary Foxhounds Point-to-Point, which is the last race on Sunday, February 19 at Lisboney, Nenagh at 1pm. Depending on numbers, the race may be split in two for riders aged 14 and under and for those aged 14 to 18. Entries opened last weekend on Plain Sailing for the third year of this competition. Numerous spot prizes have been donated by local businesses, friends, horse racing enthusiasts and people who only met Brianna once. Stephanie Cunningham travels from Cork for the …
Read More »Kidney patient voices her fears about attending UHL
A HOSPITAL campaigner has stated she doesn’t want to receive any more treatment in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) for her ongoing kidney problems due to previous alleged bad experiences. Inga Ammonsen, who grew up in Killaloe, requests her consultant to see her in St John’s Hospital because she doesn’t want to go to UHL after her son, Daniel, who was a qualified chef, died there on February 21, 2021. The 58-year old mother-of-two is still waiting for an inquest because he died suddenly. Living on her own in Limerick City, her left kidney is barely functioning due to disease. About four years ago, she attended a public meeting organised by the Mid-West Hospital Campaign in the Mechanics Institute in Hartstone Street, Limerick, and has actively campaigned with the group since then. She was one of the 100 people who participated in a vigil outside UHL on New Year’s Eve and also attended the recent hospital demonstration in Limerick City. She …
Read More »