South Clare

THE co-founder of Irish international aid organisation Bóthar is taking on the walk of his life in aid of those who walk daily for their lives.Peter Ireton will celebrate his 60th birthday with a 60km fundraising walk, which will take him and supporters along a mostly waterside route from the Clare campus of the University of Limerick to Killaloe and back on Saturday, April 28.The Limerick man founded Bóthar with farming leader, the late TJ Maher, in 1991 and grew it from a one-off gesture of sending an airlift of cows to Africa to mark the Limerick Treaty 300 celebrations to a charity with a €7 million annual turnover.The mammoth ‘Siúl Go Dtí Seasca’ will see Peter not alone walking one kilometre for every year of his life but 10km for each of the 6km that, on average, people in the developing world walk every day for water for their basic survival.Peter is asking as many people as possible to …

THE flooding implications of constructing a new motorway, estimated to cost between €100 and €120 million, have prompted a local couple to condemn the proposal as “madness”.Pat and Caroline O’Brien, who live near the Clare campus of the University of Limerick, have highlighted the huge flooding risk by constructing Phase Two of the Limerick Northern Distributor Road from Knockalisheen to Annacotty for landowners and residents in the locality.The couple, who reside at Shravokee, Clonlara, are worried about the impact of building any structure across one of the principal flood plains of the River Shannon, already designated as a Special Area of Conservation.Commenting on areas where flooding has occurred, Clare County Council senior engineer Tom Tiernan recently explained the council has a responsibility to design in such a way that any flood risk that pertains to a particular area is not exacerbated as a result of the construction and this must be facilitated in the design approach.Regarding the suggestion that a …

TRANSPORT Minister Leo Varadkar has ruled out any direct involvement in the route selection for the controversial €120 million new motorway in South-East Clare.However, Minister Varadkar will meet a delegation of residents from Parteen and Clonlara to discuss the huge implications of constructing Phase Two of the Northern Distributor Road from Knockalisheen to Annacotty in Dublin next Wednesday.The new steering group opposing the emerging preferred route has also requested a meeting with Clare County Council senior engineer, Tom Tiernan.Limerick East Deputy Willie O’Dea, Deputy Kieran O’Donnell and Deputy Timmy Dooley’s representative attended a steering group meeting on Monday night.Clare county councillors Michael Begley and Cathal Crowe were also present. Other public representatives weren’t available due to the clash with the public meeting on education cuts in Ennis.While Finance Minister Michael Noonan has declined to meet the group due to his workload, his representative will meet the group later this week.Addressing deputies during a recent Dáil debate, Minister Varadkar explained the …

PERSISTENCE has eventually paid off for the developer of a proposed end-of-life recovery facility at Leitrim, Bridgetown.Plans for the retention of a commercial development about 5km north-west of Bridgetown were refused by Clare County Council, following an objection signed by 39 residents in November 2010.However, the local planning department has now given John Joe Fitzpatrick, c/o Barnes Murray De Bhail, The Old Forge, Inishannon, Cork, the green light for a second revised planning application for a similar development.Mr Fitzpatrick had sought planning approval to retain the commercial/industrial use of land as an end-of-life vehicle recovery facility, a commercial/industrial building, the retention of a concrete hardstanding and associated screen walling, two portocabins, on-site parking, one weighbridge and all other ancillary works, which he claimed had been in place for over 30 years.This development has now been given the go-ahead, subject to nine conditions, including a provision for the payment of €2,861 to the council in respect of public infrastructure and facilities …

Landowners and ­residents look like they will be stuck in limbo by the proposed emerging route for a new motorway, following official confirmation that funding of between €100 and €120 million needed for the project has not been ring-fenced.Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has confirmed it is unlikely that Phase Two of the Northern Distributor Road linking Meelick with Annacotty will progress any further than route selection at this time due to current financial difficulties.In response to a Dáil question tabled by Limerick East Deputy Willie O’Dea, Minister Varadkar explained priority has to being given to providing funding for projects that are already committed to.“However, I understand this project is part of a long-term plan for the economic development for Limerick City and its environs within County Clare. Completing the route selection stage will enable the preservation of the route corridor for the project in the relevant local authority plans. This will enable the council to progress this project in the …

THE attendance of just one Clare Government deputy at the demonstration opposing Phase Two of the Northern Distributor Road on Saturday last left some of the organisers feeling disappointed. Clare Labour Deputy Michael McNamara was the only Oireachtas member from the Banner County who participated in the march in Parteen. He was joined by Clare County Councillors, Pascal Fitzgerald, Cathal Crowe and Joe Cooney.The absence of Deputies Pat Breen, Joe Carey and Timmy Dooley was noted by locals. Fine Gael Deputy Kieran O’Donnell and Fianna Fáil’s Willie O’Dea were the only Limerick East Deputies who attended the demonstration, as Finance Minister, Michael Noonan and Housing Minister Jan O’Sullivan weren’t present on the day.Speaking to The Clare Champion, one of the organisers, Ed English, stated there was an open invitation for the march, which was well publicised.“We would appreciate support from the Clare TDs as well. It may be in the Limerick Electoral Area but Parteen is still in Clare and …

TWO local authorities have applied to An Bord Pleanála to compulsorily purchase large tracts of land for a new Shannon River Crossing linking Killaloe and Ballina, which could deliver an estimated €63 million boost to the local economy.Minister for Public Transport and Commuter Affairs, Alan Kelly, estimates the construction of the bridge, a new Killaloe Bypass and upgrading of the Ballina to Birdhill regional road costing over €40.6m could deliver an overall €63m boost to the local economy between construction and savings on journey times.Minister Kelly made the claim after Transport Minister Leo Varadkar approved the allocation of €500,000 to Clare County Council, allowing the River Shannon Crossing Project to be brought forward to An Bord Pleanála for consideration recently.Having spent over a year in limbo, the Statutory Orders by Clare County Council have been approved by Environment Minister Leo Varadkar for the construction of the Killaloe Bypass (€11.93m), the Shannon Bridge Crossing €12m and upgrading works costing €16.6m on …

  THE lack of clarity about the availability of Government funding of between €100 and €120 million for the second phase of a dual carriageway in South-East Clare has prompted calls for a re-evaluation of the entire project.An allocation of €500,000 was recently approved by Transport Minister Leo Varadkar to progress the statutory phases involved in the selection and design of a route for the proposed 10km, €100m Limerick Northern Distributor Road.However, public representatives and a new local lobby group, who are vehemently opposed to the emerging preferred route, have questioned where the Government will secure over €100m for the new route in the midst of projected billions of euro in cuts over the coming years.Hundreds of angry residents from Parteen, Ardnacrusha and Clonlara are expected to converge at the Tail Race Bar, Parteen at 10am this Saturday for a public demonstration.Residents, businesses and public representatives will carry placards and banners opposing the division of Parteen down the middle during …