News

Clare Senator , Martin Conway has called on his fellow senators to support the Fine Gael Private Members Motion, which calls on the Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, to improve the operation of Joint Policing Committees (JPC) throughout the country. Senator Conway said  JPCs provide a forum where a local authority and the senior Garda officers responsible for the policing of that area consult, discuss and make recommendations on matters affecting the policing of the area with the participation of Oireachtas members and community interests. “I am convinced that we need to deal with crime at a local level. Whilst JPCs do great work throughout the country in identifying, raising awareness of and finding solutions for issues impacting on, or causing concerns for the local community, I believe the role of JPCs could be enhanced and strengthened. “I welcome the new revised guidelines for the operation of JPCs which were recently published by the Minister for Justice and …

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), following its initial perusal of Budget 2015, has said it finds that the provision for health will not be sufficient to address major shortcomings facing the service. The INMO acknowledges that the budget would seem to maintain, for 2015, the level of expenditure actually being incurred in 2014. However this reality only confirms the following: The wholly inadequate budget given to the health service for 2014; The growing problems of lengthening waiting lists and emergency department overcrowding will not be addressed; Minimal potential for the opening of some of the 2,000 beds currently closed; and, Minimal potential for real reform of how services are delivered particularly in the areas of community nursing and other support services in primary care. “The INMO also notes, from within the allocation, that Ireland will spend €2.3 billion on prescription drugs. It remains our contention that this cost is very excessive with drugs in Ireland still being far …

There has been a mixed reaction from the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) to education provisions in Budget 2015. USI has welcomed the decision revealed not to cut or otherwise amend the student maintenance grant, which is relied upon by thousands of students who would otherwise be unable to afford third level. The decision to frontload grant repayments to four payments in the first semester, five payments in the second semester, will help students handle the increased start-up costs of study, according to USI president, Laura Harmon. The students’ union sees the decision to return the €25m withheld from colleges in the 2013 and 2014 budgets is good news for education – but represents a drop in the ocean of required investment for third level education – which will experience a 1% cut in wage related and non-wage related expenditures, she cautioned. However, less positive in the budget for students is the decision to stick by pre-planned increases in …

The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) president, Bertie O’Leary has welcomed budget changes to assist succession planning. Mr O’Leary noted the purpose of the recent review of existing reliefs in the agri-sector by both the Departments of Finance and Agriculture was in part with a view to enhance benefits that seemed to be working well and to identify measures from other countries that would have benefits for Irish agriculture. Mr O’Leary has welcomed proposals to increase the income tax exempt thresholds by 50%, together with the introduction of a new threshold for leases of 15 years and over and the removal of the current 40 years-of-age threshold for leasing relief. He said this will provide greater certainty when it comes to succession planning. It should facilitate more frequent and earlier transfer of productive assets to a younger generation of trained farmers. This will create consequent benefits with increased output from farms and increased value added from the agri-sector. “Income volatility …

The Irish Cancer Society has welcomed the decision, outlined in Budget 2015, to make the necessary investment to ensure that BreastCheck is extended to women aged 65-69. “Since 2011, the Irish Cancer Society has been campaigning for women between the ages of 65-69 to be screened for breast cancer,” said Kathleen O’Meara, head of advocacy and communications at the Irish Cancer Society. One in ten of all breast cancers occur in the 65-69 age group. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) says that quality screening mammography carried out every two years in women who are 50-69 years of age should reduce their risk of dying from breast cancer by about 35%. This means that one life will be saved for every 500 women screened. “Last month, the Irish Cancer Society highlighted the fact that extending BreastCheck to the 65-69 age group would save a minimum of 87 lives a year. We considered this to be a priority issue …

The higher rate of income tax will decrease by 1% while the amount a person can earn before entering the higher tax bracket has also increased under Budget 2015 announced today by Minister for Finance Michael Noonan. The income tax standard rate band will increase by €1,000 to €33,800 for a single person and changes will be introduced to the Universal Social Charge which will mean workers earning less than €12,000 will not have to pay it. The higher rate of income tax will come down by 1% from 41% to 40% while the entry rate for the USC goes up from €10,000 to €12,000. The existing 2% USC rate will be brought down to 1.5% and the 4% rate will fall to 3.5%. A new 8% USC rate is being introduced for those earning over €70,000. The Minister announced the ending of the 0.6% Pension Levy at the end of 2014. The additional 0.15% Pension Levy introduced for 2014 …

Connaught Road in Scariff has been named Best Kept Local Authority Estate and Ballynacally Tidy Towns the overall winner of the Clare In Bloom competition, in 2014 Clare County Council’s Community Awards. The Mayor’s Environmental Award went to Mountshannon Community Council, Clare’s four Pride of Place participants were also honoured for their involvement in the all-island competition. Clarecastle Community Development Ltd., Clarisford Ltd., Lisdoonvarna Fáilte Ltd., and Tuamgraney Community Woodland will be hoping to emulate the success of other local community groups in previous years at the Pride of Place ceremony in Ennis on November 15. Speaking at Áras Contae an Chláir, cathaoirleach, John Crowe acknowledged the work being undertaken within Clare communities to enhance the living environment. “There is a great level of volunteerism and community spirit in this county as is evidenced by the interest in these awards. I also want to thank the adjudicators and the two sponsors of the Clare in Bloom Competition; ESB Moneypoint and …

Clare County Council has established a new €50,000 fund that playground  committees throughout the county can apply for a share of. The council ran a very successful playground grant scheme from 2008-2013. During this period a total sum of €2.18 million was allocated to develop 29 new playgrounds. Funding for this scheme came largely from levies imposed on developers during the building boom. Since their initial construction and development many communities that administer local playgrounds project have struggled to cover running costs. Typically it costs a community somewhere between €2,000 to €3,000 per annum to provide for insurance cover, financial auditing, safety assessments and routine maintenance works. These groups rely heavily on fundraising and the goodwill of their local communities and have been crying out for a council grant scheme to help them defray costs. The new grant scheme will help greatly to meet the short-term needs of playground committees. If every one of the 29 existing playground group were to …