Regional

THERE are so many shopping trolleys being abandoned in Shannon that someone is coming out from Limerick to take the coins from them, this week’s town council meeting heard.

STAFF of the Whelan Group, with its headquarters in Ennis, were tight-lipped on Wednesday morning following a meeting with the liquidator in the West County Hotel.

ENNIS Town Council is seeking approval to arrange an overdraft facility of €2m for the coming year.

ENNIS Town Council will have to seriously consider increasing parking rates in the town, as income from parking fees and fines has dropped and new rules regarding VAT on parking have increased their liability.

ONE of the country’s top businessmen, Fergal Quinn, was in Ennis this week to share his business expertise with local shopowner and baker, Carrie Gardner.

THROUGHOUT the town this week, people of all ages could be seen cautiously edging their way forward on walkways, concerned that they might slip.Anticipating that the weather could take a turn for the worst again this winter, one local businessman has put his entrepreneurial thinking cap on and sourced a novel shoe cover to give added grib to walkers on slippery walkways.John O’Connor of Custy’s in Ennis, an avid walker, found that he wanted something to put on his shoes so he could continue to go for walks when the wintery conditions normally stop people from getting out and about. On the internet, he found City Track over-shoe crampons, elasticated rubber shoe covers to fit all types of shoes with spikes underneath to give extra support and grip to people walking on icy, snowy or wet roads and paths.“I’m stocking them in the shop now. I like to walk myself and looked into something I could put on my own …

ENNIS Town Council has proposed revising the scale of charges at the Lees Road sports facility, which would see any club using the cross-country track facing a charge of €40 per hour.In the draft bylaws relating to services at the Lees Road facility published earlier this year, which went on public consultation in September, the town council made a proposal that it intends to charge teams and individuals for use of the cross-country running track at the facility. Charges already apply for teams using AstroTurf facilities, playing pitches, dressing rooms and the recently developed synthetic running track. But the use of the cross-country track had been free for both teams and individuals until now.Under the proposals, clubs would be charged €40 per hour, individuals will be charged €2 per hour, while a daily rate of €200 would apply in the case of large events using the cross-country track.The draft bylaws will be up for consideration by Ennis town councillors at …

A NUMBER of streets in Ennis will be closed to traffic for two shopping days before Christmas, Ennis Town Council has confirmed this week.Ennis town clerk, Eddie Power said O’Connell Street, O’Connell Square and Abbey Street will be pedestrianised from 12noon to 6pm on December 18 and December 24.Following a period of public consultation on the council’s proposal to pedestrianise the streets on the two dates between the hours of 11am and 6pm, Ennis Town Council decided to amend the time to 12 noon, to facilitate the preference of shop owners in town.“We received a detailed submission from Ennis Chamber, representing the business sector in town. One of the main points they raised was a preference for pedestrianisation to commence at 12 noon, rather than 11am. Following significant consideration and consultation, it was agreed to proceed with pedestrianisation from 12pm to 6pm on the aforementioned dates,” Mr Power said.O’Connell Street, O’Connell Square and Abbey Street have also been pedestrianised on …