Regional

  UNDERSTANDING, compassionate, kind, generous and honest – words used to describe the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh who was accorded a civic reception by Ennis Town Council last week.However, Bishop Walsh, who found himself in the eye of a storm over his handling of a canonical process concerning allegations of child sex abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese, availed of the occasion to declare that only by being open and transparent can the Catholic hierarchy regain the trust of the people.He also admitted that it would “take a long time” for bishops to fully regain that trust and that the position of Irish bishops was “hazardous for sad reasons” and “at risk” from some mistakes made up to 50 years ago.“I do believe that I tried to treat every victim with respect, with kindness, with sympathy and I do have a sense of their dreadful pain,” the bishop said.“It’s very sad that mistakes have been made but I do …

THE development of a new school building for Ennis National School is unlikely to be delayed by the collapse of architectural firm Murray O’Laoire and construction company Keco.

THE principal of a South Galway primary school is appealing to motorists to slow down after a number of “near misses” outside the building since September.

THE Minister of State in charge of the Office of Public Works has allocated €36,000 for channel maintenance and a camera survey on Gort’s Crowe Street. The area was the scene of extensive flooding in late November.

Two North Clare groups are in the running for overall success in this year’s JFC Innovation Awards For Rural Business. They are among 13 farmers and rural-based finalists from all over the country who are in contention for the €40,000 prize fund.

Projects planned for East Clare under the council’s road works programme for 2010 have been shelved to allow for required maintenance works to be carried out in the wake of the inclement weather experienced.

WELL-known teaching nun, Sr Bosco has attributed her recovery from a stroke last year to the 2,000 get well cards and letters sent to her while she was sick.

AN audit of access around the town of Shannon is to be carried out by learning disabled researchers over the next few months.The initiative was launched at the Town Hall on Wednesday and research coordinator Rob Hopkins said it would seek to look at things from the point of view of people who have disabilities and other problems with access. “We have people with physical disability, people with temporary disabilities, people with learning disabilities who also have physical disabilities, parents and toddlers, there’s a range of people with access issues. It’s only when you start looking that they emerge and it’s only when you’re put in a difficult situation that these things start to emerge.”He said it is not intended toembarrass anyone through the audit. “We don’t want to name and shame anyone, we just want to provide a service. People who are themselves experiencing access problems will know best, we’re coming from that premise. They will be able to …