Home » Regional » Ennis (page 187)

Ennis

Taking the third level plunge abroad

ENNIS-based businessman and president of Ennis Chamber, Guy Flouch, is offering potential third level students free advice and support about studying abroad.With the increasing pressure on Ireland’s third level system and the growing numbers of CAO applicants projected over the next few years, parents of the current generation of Leaving Certificate students are asking where their children are going to get a third-level education.“The traditional safety valve has always been universities in the UK – over 8,000 Irish students applied to UK universities this year, a growth on last year of 28.9%. However, 188,000 applicants through UCAS, the UK Central Applications system, were not offered a place this year. “This, together with the increase in fees in UK universities to £7000, is leading to high levels of concern amongst imminent school-leavers, their advisors and their families. Increasingly popular, as a destination, are a growing number of universities in the EU, and further afield, which are seeking to recruit Irish and …

Read More »

Thousands get mugged by Tidy Towns

ENNIS Tidy Towns has come up with an idea to help reduce the amount of waste from disposable tea and coffee cups around the town.This week they launched their Love your Mug Campaign under the banner of waste minimisation. “We have designed and purchased 1,000 travel mugs (pictured), which we are giving free to transition year students in Ennis and to the public that purchases takeaway teas and coffees in town.“We have carried out a lot of research into what is been thrown out in the council’s street bins, and littered on the ground, and found a high percentage of discarded litter is disposable coffee and tea cups,” Noel Crowley of Ennis Tidy Towns committee explained.The committee is challenging the students and people of Ennis to love their mug and reuse it, and to try and halt the use of disposable mugs.“Our mugs have being trialed in shops in Ennis and they will fit into most coffee machines and retailers …

Read More »

Carey Query over water treatment plant

CLARE Fine Gael TD Joe Carey has this week questioned Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley, on problems with the new €9.8 million water treatment plant in Ennis.The deputy highlighted recent issues with the water supply and the fact that fire tenders had to be brought in to maintain the supply.Calling this practice “unsustainable”, Deputy Carey reiterated his view that the Ennis Water Augmentation Scheme must now be prioritised.In his reply, Minister Gormley acknowledged that he was aware of issues relating to the new water treatment plant. He committed to works to connect the Ennis supply to the Castlelake/ Shannon supply and other main rehabilitation works in 2011/ 2012.Deputy Carey said that the people of Ennis now know that at least Minister Gormley has been made aware of the problems associated with the new Ennis water treatment plant. “His reply though, indicates that the minister and his department are only interested in sticking plasters and not in …

Read More »

EU scheme brings Aisling back to school

A PAST pupil of Ennis Community College went back to school this week to share with current pupils some interesting facts about being part of the European Union as part of the Back to School scheme. Aisling Naughton now works with the EU, with the European Food and Safety Authority in Parma, Italy. She works in a team giving administrative support to the scientists working on food safety policy for the EU.This week, Aisling was one of more than 90 employees of EU institutions who headed back to their old schools to talk to senior pupils about the EU and possible career opportunities. She also visited Coláiste Mhuire to address pupils. Two other former Ennis pupils, Clare McNamara and Fergus O’Regan, will visit their former schools, Coláiste Muire and St Flannan’s College in November, as part of the same scheme.The scheme is also a chance to let pupils know about issues of broader interest such as climate change and the …

Read More »

Tonie’s Fashions to close after 21 years

IT is the end of an era for one Ennis business and its customers as one of the town’s well-known retailers confirmed that he is shutting up shop next week because of a major downturn in business.There were signs advertising a closing-down sale at Tonie’s Fashions on Market Street for a number of weeks but this week, Tony Molloy confirmed that he is closing the shop with effect from next week, October 24.Tony has owned Tonie’s Fashions for 21 years and before that, worked for nine years in Denis Moran’s clothes shop. “All of my adult life, I’ve worked in the clothes retail business in Ennis. I’ve had this shop since 1989 and I’ve put so much time, effort and money into the shop. I have very loyal customers here and many friends who I’ve made purely through my business. It’s like a small institution and in many ways, I don’t know what I’m going to do when I’m not …

Read More »

New hospital for Ennis and €1.3m for county council

THE developers of a new private hospital in Ennis, granted planning permission lastweek, have to pay development contributions of over €1.3 million to Clare County Council, before work can commence on the project.Planning permission for the €40 million five-storey 100-bed hospital off the Shanaway Road in Ennis was granted at the end of last week subject to numerous conditions and development contributions.Originally, a planning application was made for 120 beds earlier this year but revised plans were submitted to Clare County Council at the end of August seeking permission for 73 in-patient beds, seven gynae/cardiology beds and 20 day surgery beds, a total of 100 beds. The developers have predicted that the construction of the new hospital will create over 100 jobs, with between 400 and 500 full-time jobs directly generated once it becomes fully operational in 2012. The new private hospital will provide a full range of medical and healthcare services including general surgery, urgent care, cardiology, radiation, oncology, …

Read More »

More demonstrations in offing

The lobby group opposing the controversial extension of Limerick City into parts of South-East Clare has vowed to organise more public demonstrations if the Government fails to heed their message.Following last Sunday’s boundary protest at Westbury, Clare Against the Boundary Extension (CABE) chairman, Jim Gully said, “I am not ruling out the possibility of staging more demonstrations or protests in the near future. This could happen if the Government doesn’t listen to the committee and take our views on board.”Mr Gully said Environment Minister John Gormley needs to meet the group as soon as possible and has written to him to set up a meeting. “We will do whatever it takes to oppose this boundary extension. We tried to meet Denis Brosnan and his committee and they refused to meet us,” he said.A decision on further plans of action was due to be discussed at a committee meeting on Wednesday night.In a short address to the crowd at Westbury Housing …

Read More »

County council rezones land for private hospital

Clare County Council this week rezoned land on the outskirts of Ennis, clearing the way for a private hospital to be built on the site.  Land at Shanvogh, Shanaway Road, had been zoned as residential under the Ennis and Environs Development Plan 2008-2014 and following a planning application for a private hospital, members of Clare County Council had to decide whether to contravene the plan and change the zoning.Three-quarters of the county councillors had to agree to the material contravention of the plan in order for it to be passed. The motion was carried by 28 votes to three, meaning a hospital can now be built on the site.Council planners had previously recommended that planning permission be granted for the 100-bed hospital subject to conditions and councillors passing the motion. Councillor Johnny Flynn, who is also a member of Ennis Town Council, stated that he supported the proposal to change the zoning because it provided a health service and job …

Read More »