News

THERE was a dramatic 134% increase in the number of Clare child protection referrals (CPR) over a five year period from 2008 to 2012, a new report has confirmed. Describing the statistic as “alarming”, HSE West Forum chairman, Councillor Tom McNamara has urged TUSLA, the new Child and Family Agency, to investigate the hike in the Clare child protection referrals from 255 in 2008 to 597 in 2012, which in percentage terms is the highest in the Mid-West. This huge jump was almost two and half times the rise for the western region, which went up by 57% over the same period from 2,614 referrals in 2008 to 4,108 in 2012. The Clare CPR figure of 192.7% per 10,000 is the 11th highest in the country and is also 28.6% higher than the national average of 164.1%. Councillor McNamara is also concerned about the 66% increase in Clare welfare referrals from 425 in 2008 to 707 in 2012. “The increase …

TWO people were rescued after their 40ft cruiser was left drifting having been damaged on rocks near Crow Island, south of the Scilly Islands on Lough Derg. The Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat was alerted at around 3.50pm on Wednesday evening and two fishing boats had also gone to assist the damaged boat and help prevent the cruiser going aground on rocks. The lifeboat reached the vessel at 4.15pm and a crew member was transferred to the cruiser to set up a tow. The lifeboat towed the boat, with her two crew and an RNLI volunteer on board, to Killaloe where it was safely tied up. RNLI Lifeboat Helm Eleanor Hooker cautioned, “All boat users should remember the importance of remaining within the safe channels marked on their lake charts.”

THE  man in his fifties, killed in a tragic farm accident near Ballyea, has been named locally as Gerry O’Connell. Shortly before 10pm on Wednesday night, Gardaí and emergency services were called to the farm where Mr O’Connell had suffered fatal injuries in the incident, believed to have involved a tractor and trailer. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The area was sealed off pending the arrival this morning of the Health and Safety Authority who will commence their own investigation. The deceased man is well known in GAA circles and one of his son’s, Gearóid is a member of the Clare U-21 hurling team that faces Wexford next week in the All-Ireland final in Thurles. Another son Paddy is very prominent with the Ballyea hurling and Clondegad football clubs. Pending confirmation of the funeral arrangements, it is unlikely that Clondegad’s senior football championship quarter-final game with Kilmurry Ibrickane and their junior ‘A’ championship play-off game with Lissycasey, both …

The new Marie Keating Cancer Awareness Programme for Schools, which launched this Wednesday, addresses the challenge of giving second level students a better insight into both prevention and coping with the disease. “Each day in Ireland, an average of 82 new cases of cancer are diagnosed and this number is expected to rise by a third by 2020.We have a clear challenge to help reduce the number of people being diagnosed with cancer by highlighting prevention and also by providing information and support to those already affected by the disease. The new programme will help to achieve both of these goals,” said Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, at the launch. By making cancer ‘less frightening by enlightening’ for students, the programme endeavours to engage students with age-appropriate, interactive and informative material. The eight-module programme is available free of charge for teachers by contacting the Marie Keating Foundation directly and forms part of the suite of supports for post-primary …

A total of 94 works have been carried out in Clare under the home renovation incentive, since its inception. The scheme, introduced in last year’s Budget, provides tax relief to homeowners who undertake renovation and improvement to their property, using tax compliant tradespeople. “In a great boost to the local economy, €1,079.955 has been spent in Clare under the Government’s home renovation incentive. This sizeable spend shows how much interest there is in the scheme locally, with homeowners taking up the offer to receive a cash boost for getting works done to their property,” commented Clare TD, Michael McNamara. “This is good news not just for Clare homeowners, but also for construction workers and retailers, creating a boost for the local economy, he added.

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe has welcomed the decision of SIPTU and the NBRU to call off planned strike action, which was due to begin on Sunday, following an agreement that was reached at the Labour Relations Commission in the early hours of this morning. This will come as welcome news for GAA supporters from Tipperary,  Kilkenny and Limerick (minors) who will be travelling to Dublin on Sunday for the All-Ireland hurling finals. It will also be a relief for third level students who avail of train services. The agreement, which was reached following days of talks with management and unions, will allow a ballot to take place on the LRC proposals, which are designed to protect the future viability of Irish Rail. “The fact that agreement has been reached by unions and management, which will allow the planned strike action to be averted, is most welcome. All parties to the dispute are aware of the financial …

The Competition Authority is to investigate a complaint from Clare TD Michael McNamara about Irish regulations that restrict the export of live cattle by boat. McNamara had previously complained in the Dáil that the Irish regulations governing the transport of live animals posed an unnecessary barrier to trade in live animals and were contrary to EU free competition. Deputy McNamara said that because of falling beef prices in Irish farming, he has complained to the European Commission and to the Competition Authority that the licensing of boats from Ireland servicing the live cattle trade is far stricter than those applying in other EU countries and that boats licensed in other EU member states could not operate in Ireland. “I am very pleased that the Competition Authority will examine this situation. In the last Dáil session, I tabled a parliamentary question asking how many boats were licensed to take cattle to Libya and the Minister [ for Agriculture]  very proudly told me …

The Central Bank of Ireland has  launched a €15 limited edition silver proof collector coin to commemorate John Philip Holland [1841 – 1914], the Liscannor-born inventor of the modern submarine. The coin features a representative image of the inventor’s hand poised to place the final stroke of a technical drawing of the USS Holland, complete with a decorative nautilus spiral with the obverse bearing the traditional representation of the Irish harp. The coin, which was designed by Mary Gregory, is part of the Irish Science and Inventions coin series, and has an issue limit of 10,000 units. Speaking at the launch at the Marine Institute in Oranmore, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, John Crowe said, “This commemorative coin provides a lasting tribute to an individual whose achievements are celebrated throughout the world. John Philip Holland’s design of the first working submarine has had a huge impact on marine research, warfare and engineering. It is fitting that this coin is being launched …