South Clare

A COUNSELLING service for people living in the Killaloe and Ballina areas will be launched in a local family resource centre next week.

THERE has been no reprieve for families in East Clare who were hoping five respite beds at Raheen Community Hospital would be re-opened following stinging criticism of the Health Service Executive (HSE). At a meeting in Raheen Community Hospital on Thursday, local councillors and Dáil deputies were told by a local HSE manager the beds have to close due to the lack of finance for recruiting agency staff and paying overtime.The meeting was attended by Clare Labour Deputy Michael McNamara less than 24 hours after he unleashed a blistering attack on the HSE in the Dáil over the way in which the beds were cut from Raheen. Deputy Timmy Dooley, Mayor of Clare, Councillor Pat Hayes, Councillor Joe Cooney and representatives of the hospital support group also attended.Councillor Cooney told The Clare Champion nine nurses in Raheen have taken voluntary redundancies over the last two years and another two are on leave, yet they couldn’t be replaced.The Fine Gael Councillor …

SPORTS tourism is being hailed as the key to generating a significant economic spin-off from Lough Derg, after the first open water swim event generated an estimated €250,000 for businesses in the twin communities of Killaloe and Ballina.According to Shannon Development, over 250 people participated in the inaugural Immersed in Ireland (i3) open water swim event, which took place on Lough Derg at Killaloe/Ballina recently.This included 87 people who completed the gruelling 5km swim from the University of Limerick Activity Centre at Ballycuggeran through the new canal gates opened by Waterways Ireland and onto the slipway in Ballina.Pat Day, tourism and marketing manager, Shannon Development, said the company is very pleased with the event. “Over 900 spectators and competitors, 25% from outside the Shannon Region travelling from as far as Donegal and Sligo, visited Killaloe/Ballina during the course of the two-day event. “In association with the University of Limerick Activity Centre and with the continued support of the local authorities …

UP to 154 hectares of forest owned by Coillte in South-East Clare will be cut over the next five years, according to the company’s Forest Management Plan. This compares to the felling of an estimated 198 hectares from 2006 to 2010 and 107 from 2016 to 2020, before tree-cutting increases 15-fold to a total of 1,767 hectares post 2020.The Violet Hill Forest Management Plan predicts that about 45 hectares of forest will be felled annually, about 3% of the overall stocked area, which extends to 2,750 hectares in total.Violet Hill is surrounded by Broadford, O’Briensbridge, Parteen, Cratloe, Sixmilebridge, Quin and Kilkishen. There are over 30 lakes in the area, with the Blackwater, Owenagarney, Ahaclare and Broadford rivers. The area of the forest is 2,750 hectares of which 72% is spruce and pine, 18% broadleaf and 10% is diverse conifer.Significant operations in areas designated as Special Areas of Conservation and National Heritage Areas have to be carried out in consultation with …

PLANS to convert a former landmark Meelick hotel into a nursing home has prompted objections and observations from business people.The new owners of the Two Mile Inn, Ennis Road, Meelick, have lodged a planning application with Clare County Council seeking approval to convert the premises into a convalescence home.O’Moradh Construction Limited, c/o Denis A Biggane, Planning and Drafting Services, Main Street, Charleville, have lodged plans with the council for the construction of a new dining room extension to the side of the existing rear wing; staff room and toilets to the rear of the existing main bar area; outdoor fenced children’s play area; demolition of existing water tower structure; remedial internal modification works to layout and all ancillary related works.The applicant estimates between 40 and 60 people could be employed at the facility if planning permission is secured and it will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.The former hotel had the benefit of a private water supply …

NEW flow-control lock gates, which are part of the €2 million mooring and walkway in Killaloe, are not working because of unexpected broadband problems, it emerged this week. Waterways Ireland confirmed the lock gates have remained closed because they cannot be remotely operated using a DSL broadband connection from an office in Portumna.These new facilities are principally designed to serve boat users on the lake and are adjacent to the new €2m moorings and walkway on the Shannon Navigation, which was officially opened by Minister Jimmy Deenihan last month. While the control flow gates can be operated manually, a Waterways Ireland spokesman explained the DSL connection is being upgraded by its technical department, which should be completed over the coming weeks.Asked if this issue could have been identified before the new facilities were officially opened, the spokesman explained it is the first time this particular software has been used to facilitate remote access using broadband connection.“This isn’t a major issue …

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) has been accused of failing to engage in adequate public consultation before the unexpected closure of five non-acute respite beds at Raheen Community Hospital.

CLARE County Councillors have decided to defer the adoption of the proposed extinguishment of a section of road linking South-East Clare with the Clare campus of the University of Limerick.