Regional

A Kinvara company last week launched a major initiative, which will see trade-ins taken on hurling helmets.MARC Sports launched its novel scrappage scheme for hurling helmets, which is due to be rolled out nationwide over the coming weeks, in Croke Park where the company also unveiled current Galway hurler and All-Star Joe Canning as its newest brand ambassador.

THERE is plenty of land zoned for an increased population around Ennistymon in the coming years, according to the Draft Mid-West Regional Planning Guidelines 2010-22.

PEOPLE will be given a taste of how the Kett family from Rathclooney, Crusheen deal with cystic fibrosis in a new TV3 documentary series about organ transplant patients.

In 2008, Chrys Gardener and her husband Bill Carini immigrated to Ireland from Ithaca in New York State to further pursue their careers as landscape gardeners.

A garda chief in Killaloe has issued an appeal to those in the East Clare area to be aware of bogus callers, particularly in light of the current problems regarding water shortages and flooding.

ENNIS slipped way down the rankings in the new IBAL anti-litter survey but the findings need to be taken with a pinch of salt, according to some local public representatives.The town was ranked 46 out of the 60 towns and cities (down from a previous high of second place) surveyed with Ennis now categorised as “moderately littered” compared to previously being considered “clean to European norms”. All participating towns are monitored by An Taisce and the assessors found that Ennis had slipped badly with two black spots – the Department of Social Welfare on the Kilrush Road which they described “as shockingly dirty” and the link road from the Camus garage to Caheralla Road which was “heavily littered”.The assessors warned that there had been a very significant drop in the performance at Ennis since the previous IBAL Anti Litter Survey. “Being clean is a 365-day responsibility of the local authority. Five of the sites surveyed in Ennis were clean to …

INSURANCE companies shouldn’t be allowed to use flood-relief works in Ennis to line their own pockets, according to Councillor Johnny Flynn.At this week’s meeting of Ennis Town Council, he suggested that the OPW should issue certs for people who live or have businesses in areas that are now much safer from flooding, due to works carried. He said that lower premiums should now be charged due to the much lower risk of flooding.Councillor Peter Considine claimed “two well-known companies” had refused to even give quotes to people in Ennis. “Two people phoned for quotes and when they said they were in Ennis, they were told quotes weren’t being made up for Ennis.”At the meeting, councillors also complained about poor water pressure in the town. Mayor of Ennis Frankie Neylon said that pressure was being diverted away from certain areas at certain times and he said that before he had left his house for the meeting, the water pressure had been …

THERE is some enthusiasm among Ennis Town councillors for introducing extending pedestrianisation beyond Christmas and possibly providing free parking at certain times.At the meeting, town clerk Eddie Power said that some retailers felt more regular pedestrianisation would be helpful. “This year, we had pedestrianisation on three Saturdays and the last Sunday and Christmas Eve. One of the comments from the business sector was that the council might consider more regular pedestrianisation because when it comes in pre-Christmas, it leads to some confusion.”He said more consultation would take place with the commercial sector and more detailed views would be available to the councillors at the February meeting.Councillor Johnny Flynn expressed support for having some free parking while Councillor Brian Meaney said that anything making retail premises more accessible and the town more pleasant, needed to be considered.Councillor Meaney also said that the council should look at creating a position of town centre manager. Regarding pedestrianisation, Councillor Peter Considine said he agreed …