Tag Archives: Cathal Crowe

TEMPERATURES weren’t very far above freezing on Friday, but a number of Shannon Heritage workers still assembled outside Bunratty, looking to vent frustration over the uncertainty around Shannon Heritage’s future. The delays around the transfer are widely seen as farcical and workers outside what was once one of the country’s top tourist attractions brandished signs indicating their disillusionment. ‘Political ping pong’, ‘Master Plan to Master Sham’ and ‘Staff in the dark’ a sample of them read. “We’re gutted at this stage, it’s going on for over a year and a half at this stage,” said Caroline O’Sullivan, one of the protesting employees. “We were told in February of last year it’d be taken over in June. In June we were told Christmas, and here we are another year down the road and we still don’t know. It’s very uncertain for people with mortgages, children going to school or college. It’s a tough time,” she added. Workers are very disappointed with …

CLARE TD Cathal Crowe has publicly rowed with Ennis Sinn Féin in recent days, over the naming of the Peadar Clancy Mairead Farrell Cumann. Originally from Cranny, Peadar Clancy was killed on Bloody Sunday, in November 1920 and Deputy Crowe was involved in a Facebook spat this week with the Ennis Sinn Fein Cumann over the use of his name. “I think it’s disrespectful and insensitive to the surviving members of Peadar Clancy’s family. They’ve made it clear that they don’t consent to his name being used, they’ve written to Sinn Féin headquarters and their complaints have been ignored. “Normally I would confine my political debating with Sinn Féin to the Dáil chamber but I do place a high value on history and historic accuracy. I don’t see how the Sinn Féin cumann in Ennis can in any way claim lineage or connection to Peadar Clancy and I think it’s disrespectful that they continue to do so with his family …

SUPPORTS could be put in place to encourage a new service linking Shannon and one of the EU’s major hub airports, Minister of State at the Department of Transport Hildegarde Naughton told the Dáil this week. Clare TD Cathal Crowe asked if the Department had received a Public Service application in relation to a service from Shannon to Amsterdam Schiphol, and Ms Naughton confirmed that such an application is now being considered.  “I can advise the Deputy that my Department is currently considering a request from Shannon Airport in relation to the establishment of a Public Service Obligation (PSO) route to provide EU Hub connectivity from Shannon Airport. “To date, policy on regional airports has been largely influenced by the need to optimise conditions for regional development and connectivity. “While the establishment of air services is a commercial matter between airports, airlines and other market actors, the Regional Airports Programme provides for a PSO air services scheme in compliance with …

A SIXMILEBRIDGE teenager has been denied a bus ticket to his Limerick school, leaving his mother perplexed and angry. Mary Casey’s son Sean is in fourth year at Ard Scoil Rís in Limerick City and she said that other children who travelled on the bus last year were given tickets for this year, but so far Sean has not got one. “A bus leaves Sixmilebridge every morning for Limerick. Sean had a ticket on that bus last year, every other child who had a ticket on that bus last year got one this year except Sean. I’m trying to figure out how did they select him not to have a ticket.” Ms Casey said that Government policy changed to allow all people access to bus tickets, even those who had little use for them, and it has meant capacity being exceeded in some cases. “Basically all parents applied for bus tickets by the end of April and were willing to …

IRISH aviation policy needs to change, new Shannon Group chairman Conal Henry told the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications last week, but acknowledged that it would be difficult to make the changes required and that he didn’t have all the answers to what needs to be done. He warned that if there isn’t an effective policy solution a meeting like the one he was attending will “take place over and over again” with people speaking about imbalance. In general he said that one outlet having 87% of the market is something that would need to be adjusted. “If we were a private business and 87% of the widgets were being made in one factory and 13% in another four we would re-evaluate our strategy.” At the meeting Timmy Dooley claimed that in previous years Shannon Group had not been focused enough on aviation, which he said is by far the most important aspect of its operations. He claimed …

OVER the last decade Dublin Airport has established an ever-more dominant position in Irish aviation, but at the moment it can’t deal with the crowds of passengers it has. With this in mind, Clare TD Cathal Crowe has called for Shannon Airport to be utilised to alleviate pressure on both inbound and outbound flights. Issues with security are at present leading to significant delays for those using Dublin Airport as a terminus for their travels. Deputy Crowe said acknowledged following a meeting with Dublin Airport Authority’s CEO Dalton Philips and his management that they were “doing everything possible” to recruit additional security staff. Delays in the Garda vetting process and also enhanced screening measures were proving a huge impediment in terms of having staff on the ground, he said. “I have suggested to the management that flights should be diverted to Shannon Airport, where there is plenty of additional capacity. “I believe that Shannon could play a significant role in …

NEWS that the sale of turf is set to be banned from September has drawn criticism from one Clare Oireachtas member but been defended by another. The proposed ban is being justified on environmental and public health grounds by the Green Party, but Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe has said it is excessive. Green Party Senator Róisín Garvey defended the move and said that people will still have the right to save their own turf and will be allowed to rent a bank if they wish to do so. She also said that people who would have bought a load of turf for the winter can purchase timber instead, which she said is more cost effective and provides more warmth. “It has a higher calorific value, so you get more heat off it.” Senator Garvey said that 1,300 people per annum die due to air pollution, and that turf is a particularly problematic fuel. “The people burning it in open …

INCREASED supports including translators must be put in place for Clare’s Ukrainian school population “as a matter of priority”. That’s according to Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe who outlines that hundreds of displaced Ukrainians have taken up residence in the county, with more expected. Voluntary groups and donations from members of the public have been hugely forthcoming, but more help is needed, he says. “Over the past fortnight, I have visited most of the accommodation centres that are being used to house Ukrainian refugees in the county,” said Deputy Crowe. “These people have come from very harrowing situations and are hugely appreciative of the warm welcome they’ve received from the people of Clare. “It’s incredible to think that, on Census night 2022, 1.5% of Clare’s population – ordinarily 118,000 – are now Ukrainian nationals. “In 100 years’ time, when people look back and study this period of our history, this will tell a lot about who we are …