East Clare

AFTER months of preparation, Drumcharley National School pupils returned last weekend to their refurbished school for the reunion of the school’s closure 40 years ago.

Former Fianna Fáil county councillor Colm Wiley is to be honoured at a special function in Mountshannon next week, where Taoiseach Brian Cowen is due to attend.

A Clare company seeking to develop a seaplane operation in Mountshannon has submitted further information requested by Clare County Council in relation to its proposal.

Residents and visitors in Mountshannon were left frustrated and angry last weekend when there were no public toilet facilities open to them.Throngs of people descended on the scenic East Clare village to enjoy the hot weather and to partake in activities on Lough Derg over the weekend but were aggrieved to learn the public toilets were locked. Despite assurances given to The Clare Champion last month that the facilities would be open from the May Bank Holiday weekend, they remained closed last weekend. Frustrated locals and business people have now called on the county council to rectify the situation, as the issue could cost the village tourists and visitors in the crucial summer period. Historian and author Gerard Madden, who also runs a boat service on Lough Derg, said, “It was the biggest crowd in 12 months up at Mountshannon. There were at least 500 people and everybody was complaining about the toilets. There is no excuse for it. It …

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has said that bringing forward the annual two-week closure of the day centre at Raheen Community Hospital in East Clare from August to June does not mean there are plans to shut the centre down.However, County Councillor Joe Cooney has said he is concerned about budgetary constraints at the facility and is hoping it would not mean further reductions in beds at the in-patient facility. “I would have grave concern for the day centre in Raheen. There was a meeting organised last Thursday, where a HSE representative outlined that they were bringing forward their holidays and there would be no two weeks’ holidays in August. It is inconvenient for people and some people have no plans organised,” Councillor Cooney commented. He outlined that the hospital lost three beds due to the HIQA report, down from 33 to 30, which he said is also a big concern. “I hope there will be no further reductions. It’s …

CLARE County Council has “no idea” where the money to fund an upgrade to the Quin sewerage plant can be found, even though such an upgrade is the only way to permanently solve problems with the village’s sewerage system.

THE community of East Clare were saddened by the death of Garda Michael (Mick) Mulryan in January but his family and friends have collaborated to organise a fitting memorial event in his honour.

LOCAL councillors are confused about why An Bord Pleanála ruled that there should not be a fence at a “dangerous location” beside a river in Quin, when there are “clearly health and safety issues”.At this week’s meeting of the Ennis East Electoral Area of Clare County Council, Councillor Sonny Scanlan requested the council to erect a fence by the river at Duan na Manach, Quin, for safety reasons. In a written response from John Bradley, acting senior executive officer, it was explained that the council’s original planning application (P04/1999) provided for the development of a security fence along the river frontage of the development. “An Bord Pleanála in their decision (PL 03.208132) specifically conditioned that such proposed fence be omitted from the development in the interests of amenity and public safety. The council is thus precluded from installing the said fencing in terms of the An Bord Pleanála decision,” the council official explained.Councillor Scanlan said that this decision made “no …