Ennis

CLARE County Council and Ennis Town Council in conjunction with a road resurfacing contractor will be carrying out essential road resurfacing and repair works at a number of locations around Ennis Town on this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and again between Tuesday, April 22 and Friday, April 25. Works take place at Mill Road Bridge Pedestrian Crossing on Tuesday April 15; the junction of Cloughleigh Road / Lahinch Road on Wednesday April 16; the junction of Rossanore Housing Estate and Marian Avenue on Thursday April 17; at Lower Abbey Street between Club Bridge and Abbey Street Car Park on Tuesday April 22 and Wednesday, April 23; Upper O’Connell Street between Barrack Street and Carmody Street on Thursday April 24; and the junction of Ballymacahill Road and Tulla Road on Friday April 25. Works will take place between 8am and 6pm. Traffic management control measures will be in place and will include lane closures and the use of temporary traffic lights …

By Jessica Quinn THE controversial apartment complex in Ennis known as The Fairways has been put on the market for just €75,000, with members of Ennis Town Council urging that the property described as a “blight on the landscape” be bought by the local authority. Last summer the privately owned building near Marian Avenue hit the headlines when it was heavily criticised by council members calling for something to be done with the derelict site that was deemed not fit for human habitation. This week at a meeting of Ennis Town Council, Councillor Brian Meaney requested that a loan be raised to purchase and renovate the apartment complex for the provision of appropriate social housing. He acknowledged that the property is in “very poor condition” however he said that sum of €75,000 for the complex is “paltry”. “It’s well within the ability of Ennis Town Council,” he added. Responding to the motion, town clerk Leonard Cleary stated, “This property is …

by Jessica Quinn AN Ennis based group of animal lovers are urging the people of the county to get behind a new awareness and fundraising day that they hope will go on to become an international event. On May 1, Clare will host the first ever ‘MayDay for Animals’. This awareness and fundraising day will see Clare people tying a balloon to their home or place of work to remember animals in need of rescuing, and to celebrate animals rescued. According to organisers, there is a real urgency now to communicate to people the cruel reality of what is going on for some animals in this county and country. In addition to this, they want to encourage people to think before they commit to getting a pet, as it is heart-breaking for a family pet to be suddenly removed from the family home and surrendered to the pound or worse, dumped miles from home. MayDay is about making people more …

LEGAL costs which could be more than €500,000 for Ennis Town Council’s defence of two High Court challenges to national legislation are “significant cause for concern” for the local authority. In 2013 Ennis Town Council were involved in two separate cases as a defendant. One case related to the Ennis Casual Trading Bylaws 2011, representing a challenge to the Casual Trading Act 1995 and in particular the status of casual trading on market rights. The council incurred legal costs of €147,000 in relation to this matter. Currently, the council is involved in a separate High Court case regarding the deregulation of the taxi regime. A number of sample cases are being heard in relation to this, including one involving Ennis. The legal costs relating to this are estimated to be in the region of between €300,000 and €450,000. Concern about the cost of the legal battles in defending national legislation to the local authority was outlined at this week’s meeting …

TRANSITION year students from Coláiste Muire, Ennis have been shortlisted to contend for the prestigious title of “Young Social Innovators of the Year 2014”. The new title holders will be announced at the 13th annual showcase of Young Social Innovators supported by its official partner Vodafone Ireland Foundation. The event, which will host up to a record breaking 6,000 young people, will take place at the Citywest Convention Centre on May 7 next. Coláiste Muire’s project entitled ‘Beware of I.T’, which is among 62 shortlisted for the title, looks at creating awareness about the increasing danger of Internet usage, particularly among young people. This year over 380 social action projects were completed across Ireland by 6,000 young people who participated in Social Innovation ACTION projects, organised by Young Social Innovators. Social Innovation ACTION projects give young people the skills and know-how to examine social problems and bring about the changes they wish to see in their communities and wider society. …

ENNIS has been invaded by Vikings. However, this time it is not gold these Vikings were after but knowledge of how to set up Family Learning classes. 24 Norwegians visited Clare Family Learning Project work last week with their ultimate goal to set up Family Learning programmes in their region in Norway similar to what is being done locally in Clare. While here, the group gained valuable ideas through visiting classes in action, meeting parents who have already attended classes, and meeting family learning tutors and the partners that Clare Family Learning Project work with. The visitors from Nedre Eiker Municipality in Norway included 11 adult education teachers, two primary school principals, three kindergarten teachers, the head of all schools and kindergartens in the region, a volunteer co-ordinator, a cultural leader, a pedagogical leader and others interested in the notion of family learning. Principal of the Adult Learning Centre in Nedre Eiker Elizabeth Engeset visited the Clare Family Learning Project …

ANTI-SOCIAL behaviour by groups of young people on the streets of Ennis’ town centre is having a “serious negative economic impact” on the county capital. 75 local businesses have signed a petition calling for a greater garda presence on Ennis’ streets amid concerns that people do not feel secure in the town. Members of the business community this week presented the petition to Ennis’ Joint Policing Committee, which includes members of Ennis Gardai, local elected representatives, local authority officials and community representatives. One business owner described how an elderly lady was sprayed with shaving foam on St Patrick’s day outside of his shop by two young people. Another stated that shoppers and business owners are being intimidated, young people are running in and out of shops and pathways are being blocked off by large groups. According to the business owners, “We consider that the anti-social behavior from underage groups in town are a serious offence to local businesses, local community …

THREE of Ennis’ longest-serving public representatives will not be contesting this May’s local elections. Councillors Tommy Brennan, Peter Considine and Mary Coote Ryan are retiring from politics. Independent Councillor Brennan, a member of Ennis Town Council for 35 years and Clare County Council for 29 years, said he made the decision to bow out as a result of changes to local government. “Our function as councillors has been taken away and it’s pointless. It has completely changed. It started in about 2001 with Better Local Government and then the recent changes by Minister Hogan. It leaves the council with no function whatsoever,” he stated. He said the decision not to stand was not made lightly, particularly given the high level of support from the public over the years. “The people of Ennis have given me great support over the last 30 years and I thank them for that. I look forward to retiring and, if I can be of any …