Regional

NO water cut-offs are scheduled in the Ennis town area for the coming days but Ennis Town Council continue to closely monitor the situation, according to the town engineer, Eamonn O’Dea.Speaking at this week’s monthly meeting of the council, Mr O’Dea said the reservoir levels are now full, having dropped critically on the Wednesday after Christmas. There are still some problems in the pipe network in some areas of Ennis, including the Doora area and parts of the Kilrush Road but the council is working around the clock to resolve these. The main ongoing issue now is the supply of water to Clarehill, which is currently being supplied from the West Clare supply, a situation that the council hopes will end in the coming days.In response to a request for an update on the water situation in Ennis from town councillors, Mr O’Dea explained that difficulties had commenced before Christmas. “There were those whose pipes froze and lost their water …

FR Bennet Tierney was ordained a priest on Christmas Eve, 1985 and he marked the 25-year milestone by celebrating the 12.15pm mass at Ss John and Paul Church last Sunday.He is a son of Nancy Tierney from Coill Mhara and a brother of Maeve Kirwan. Although he has lived abroad for over 30 years, Fr Tierney is still a regular visitor to Shannon.While he has worked and lived in many countries, Germany is now his base. “I’ve been there for the last 12 years and I love it, although it’s very hard work. I’m responsible for family pastoral in four dioceses, basically that means anything to do with the family,” he says.In PR terms, the clergy have taken a battering over the last few years but Fr Tierney says he is still very glad he signed up.“I’m absolutely thrilled that I joined and I’ve never been as convinced about my vocation and the priesthood. I love what I’m doing and …

ECONOMIC conditions may be as bad as has been seen in more than a generation but there are always a few people willing to try their luck with a new business.Ger Finan is in this bracket having just started his own business, Process Improvement Ireland, which he is operating between Shannon and Limerick.He was motivated to start the company after losing his job in Dell, where he had worked for several years.“I had worked for Dell and, after I was made redundant in April, I realised I had skills that were valuable and I said I’d try to use them to help companies to improve their efficiency and reduce costs. It’s about bringing the skills of big multinationals to smaller companies,” he said.The supports made available to those who lost their jobs in Dell made things easier for him.“I was very lucky in that I got some of the EGF funding that was going after the job losses in Dell. …

AS fears grow for the future viability of a Mid-West construction firm, Clare County Council has confirmed it called in planning bonds totalling €907,000 concerning housing developments not fully completed by the firm in Westbury about nine months ago.Director of service, Nora Kaye, has revealed the council decided to exercise its option to call in six or seven planning bonds held by Chieftain Construction Limited concerning estates in Westbury, which is one of the largest private housing estates in the Mid-West. In an exclusive interview with The Clare Champion, Ms Kaye said issues arose before planning bonds were due to be renewed by the company and the council decided to call in the value of the bonds in March 2010.Confirming all the planning bonds relating to a number of developments built by the company in Westbury had now been realised, she explained this process was completed following correspondence between the two parties at the time.Limerick developer and yachtsman, Ger O’Rourke, …

IRISH taxpayers have been hit by a major compensation bill after official confirmation that the new €660 million Shannon Tunnel attracted 3,500 fewer motorists on a daily basis than originally anticipated.To avoid penalty payments, 17,000 vehicles need to pass through the Shannon Tunnel every day under a 30-year Public Private Partnership (PPP) deal agreed between the National Roads Authority (NRA) and the operators, Direct Route.NRA spokesman, Seán O’Neill, has confirmed that the average daily usage of the Shannon Tunnel since it opened last July has been in the region of 13,500.The Ennis man dismissed the notion that the deal represented some kind of “gravy train” for the developers as the Government only paid 90% of the company’s debt level payments, leaving it to cover the cost of the remaining 10% in addition to running costs.This deal only applies to the Shannon Tunnel and the M3 motorway, which has prompted criticism from some public representatives as to why commuters using the …

A YOUNG West Clare man is playing an important part in a major cancer research project in the UK. On graduating from Trinity College with a degree in medicinal chemistry last November, Alan Healy from Carrowmore North in Doonbeg was awarded a gold medal, which is presented to students who achieve top firsts in their degree.Alan, who attended primary school at Clohanes National School and secondary school at St Joseph’s, Spanish Point, is currently continuing his studies in Scotland.He is pursuing a Masters at University of Edinburgh in biomedical science, specialising in cancer biology. Later this year, he will enrol at University of St Andrew’s, where he will research a PHD in Novel Anti Cancer Drug Design.St Andrew’s is the oldest university in Scotland, with international renown for both research and education of undergraduates and postgraduates. Alan’s masters and PHD are funded by Cancer Research UK.“Their idea is that in the first year you learn all about cancer biology. Then …

CAPPA native Michael Philips must have been the busiest Kilrush man during the Christmas period.He is the Dublin City engineer and was at the forefront of the capital’s response to the weather crisis, which beset the city over the festive spell. Michael is a son of Martin (RIP) and Bibi Philips. Martin taught at Kilrush Vocational School for many years, while as a youngster Michael played football for Kilrush Shamrocks up to minor level.He has been Dublin City engineer since 1998 and director of traffic since 2006. These roles involve the development and implementation of strategies for all engineering infrastructure to meet the needs of the city and the region. Some projects undertaken during this period include the Dublin Port Tunnel, Dublin Bay Wastewater Treatment Works and Quality Bus Corridors. Currently, co-ordination of Transport 21 projects and the promotion of sustainable modes of transport are the main focus of achieving a successful mobility policy in the Dublin region.

OVER 70 team leaders representing 30 South-East Galway parishes attended the Ireland Reaching Out information evening at the Loughrea Spa Hotel last Wednesday evening.IRO chairperson, Mike Feerick, presented a comprehensive update on the progress of the South-East Galway pilot project to date and plans for early 2011. Representatives from the parishes of Ardrahan, Clontuskert and Fohenagh spoke at the meeting outlining the details of their participation in the project so far. The speakers outlined the excellent enthusiasm for the project on the ground throughout their parishes, challenges met and overcome in initiating the project within their communities and progress achieved to date. The Ireland Reaching Out South-East Galway pilot Project was launched on October 28 in Loughrea by broadcaster and economist David McWilliams and is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs. The programme will enable parish communities to reconnect with those who have left the area and their descendants worldwide and bring social, cultural and economic benefit to the …