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Text system to help with public order mooted for Clare

GARDAÍ in Ennis are to be asked to examine the feasibility of rolling out a system which would allow people to text in reports of suspicious activity. The ‘See Something, Say Something’ system has already been a success in Tralee with a reported drop in reported public order offences a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District heard this week. The council agreed to request local gardaí “in the interest of public safety” to look at the possibility of introducing the system to the county capital. Proposing the idea, Councillor Johnny Flynn outlined that the text based system, developed by Tralee-based company ZinMobi, allows members to report suspicious activity anonymously to gardaí. The councillor stated, “We all love and are proud of Ennis, our county capital town centre which over the last few years and for the next five years will see  well over €15 million invested in its public spaces, main square, streets, lanes and bowways and other public spaces. …

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New €2m injury unit opens at Ennis Hospital

The doors of the new €2m purpose built injury unit at Ennis Hospital have opened this Friday morning. The facility, adjacent to the main entrance of Ennis Hospital, replaces the existing unit that has operated out of the main hospital building since 2013. The new unit boasts five separate patient assessment bays, and according to the HSE will have the highest standards in Infection Prevention and Control (IP&C) compliance. There is also a brightly decorated waiting room and a separate triage area. Other utilities include a clinical room, storeroom, senior nurse manager’s office space, and a nurses’ station. Laid out in approximately 300 square metres (almost 3,230 square feet) of floor space, the Injury Unit cost just under €2m—funded from the HSE capital budget—and the project was managed by HSE Capital & Estates. Joe Cassidy, Acting Director of Nursing at Ennis Hospital, said the new unit would bring immediate improvements for staff and significantly enhance the overall patient experience at …

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Clare family immortalise late Estlin in census time capsule

THE mother of a Clare child who died tragically in a car crash has paid tribute to her daughter in an emotional message in the new time capsule section of the Census. Amy Dutil-Wall’s daughter Estlin Luna died in a crash on her way to creche on March 15 2017 in Inagh, just days before the youngster was due to celebrate her fourth birthday. Estlin’s father Vincent also suffered a brain injury in the crash. There was controversy recently when it emerged the man who was convicted of careless driving causing Estlin’s death was seeking the early return of his driving licence (see Champion story here). For the first time, Census 2022 featured a time capsule section, a dedicated space at the end of the census form for people to leave a message for their descendents, future generations and historians which will be released in 100 years. Sharing her time capsule entry on social media, Amy said she felt “comfort” …

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Seamount sets out stall in battle for sports hall

The Parents Council in Seamount College, Kinvara hosted a special meeting recently to highlight the urgent need for a Sports Hall in the school. The meeting was held online and in person with over 300 people registered. The Parents Council said the Department of Education has repeatedly refused to fund an investment in a PE Hall, at this time, while the parents and board of management have invested over €200,000 in PE facilities in the school in recent years. Sara-Jane Moore, chairperson of the Parents Council, chaired the meeting with contributions from Minister Anne Rabbitte, Deputy Ciaran Cannon, Councillor Joe Byrne and Councillor Geraldine Donohue. Chris Dalton of the Parents Council provided strong rationale for the urgent need of a Sports Hall. The requirement was outlined by Mr Dalton under a number of themes: health and safety; equality for all; current inadequate facilities; economic benefit and wellbeing. In terms of health and safety, it was pointed out that students are …

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Census forms marked absent in some east Clare households

NUMEROUS people in parts of East Clare didn’t receive a national Census form, it emerged this week. Deputy Michael McNamara has confirmed people living in Scariff, Tuamgraney, Feakle, Killaloe and rural locations near Flagmount didn’t receive a Census form, which they were required to complete on Sunday night. The Independent Deputy said it seemed there was a blanket exclusion for some rural parts of East Clare as well as those living within the urban speed limits of Scariff. “The legal obligation for people is to fill in a Census form if you are given one. Everyone should have been given a Census form. “If the government didn’t have enough enumerators, they should have sent the Census forms by post,” the TD said. “Completing the Census is important for a variety of reasons. Funding is allocated based on population. “If Shannon was a town with a population of in excess of 10,000, there would be more funding streams open to it. …

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HSE assessing sites for new west Clare ambulance base

AN ambulance base for west Clare has been identified as a priority for HSE Mid-West and a number of possible sites are being assessed. Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey says the health authority is examining sites in Kilrush for suitability. Deputy Carey, a long-time advocate of an improved ambulance service for West Clare, raised the issue in a recent parliamentary question to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly. He has since been informed by National ambulance Deputy Director William Merriman that a new ambulance base in Kilrush has been identified as a priority. “An option appraisal of sites in the Kilrush area is currently under way and a capital submission will be prepared with detailed briefing document, programme and costs once an appropriate site has been identified,” Mr Merriman explained. Describing the response as a positive development, Deputy Carey said that he would now be asking the HSE to move ahead with the next phase of the project without delay. “The …

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Updates provided on west Clare Active Travel projects

ACTIVE Travel projects are transforming pedestrian and cyclist access in West Clare, a recent meeting of the municipal district has heard. However, some works cannot proceed until aspects of the design of the West Clare Greenway have been ironed out.  In response to a question from Councillor Shane Talty, members were updated on a range of projects across the area. Seeking the update, Councillor Talty said he regularly receives questions about “projects which have been announced but not seen”. “I fully understand that these are in the pipeline and the Active Travel project have massive visibility,” he said. “My only concern is that some of them are contingent on the Greenway, which is still a number of years away.” In a written response to the motion, Senior Executive Officer (SE), John O’Malley provided an update on range of works on paths, crossings and lighting installations.  Mr O’Malley’s response noted that Active Travel is a five-year programme of funding which began …

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Road closure to facilitate temporary pedestrianisation in Ennis

CLARE County Council has announced that the main street in Ennis will be closed to traffic for a period each day from this Friday to facilitate temporary pedestrianisation. The Council indicated on Twitter that O’Connell Street, Ennis, will be closed to traffic from O’Connell Square to the junction with Station Road, Friday, April 8, from 11:30am to 5pm, Monday-Sunday, seven days per week, to facilitate the introduction of temporary pedestrianisation. This road closure will remain in place until the commencement of the Ennis Public Realm Works, currently anticipated to commence on Monday, May 9, 2022. There will be no through road from Abbey Street to O’Connell Street for the duration of the closure. Diversion will be at O’Connell Square, at the junction of Bank Place and O’Connell Square.

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