Tag Archives: clare county council

The announcement of nine new tourist traffic ambassadors for North Clare by Clare County Council has been welcomed by local councillors at last week’s July meeting of the West Clare Municipal District (MD). Six ambassadors commenced work at various locations across North Clare on July 8 and the council say they hope to appoint three more staff imminently. The posts are operational on a seven days a week basis with extended hours at busier times of the year. The tourist traffic ambassadors’ primary function is to direct visitor traffic. However, they are also expected to share information about local tourist attractions, culture, history, and other points of interest in the region. It is hoped they will assist and inform visitors as well as help create positive experiences for them ensuring they feel welcome during their visit. The part-time ambassadors who are employed on a seasonal basis have already provided data revealing “significant numbers” of tourist traffic are being directed to …

A West Clare councillor has requested an update from Clare County Council on the appointment of a dedicated full-time road safety and active travel officer in the county. At the July meeting of the local authority Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) requested an update on the appointment of a full-time road safety officer and active travel officer saying he hoped it would be done and asking the officials “not to forget the west”. The councillor was following up on a notice of motion he had previously tabled in January 2023 “This is now becoming a very high priority given the significant rise in road deaths and serious collisions on our roads in County Clare over the last few years,” he said. In reply, Senior Engineer, Cyril Feeney reminded the councillor there is a nominated Road Safety Officer within the roads department albeit not a full-time dedicated role however, he acknowledged their commitment to road safety saying: “The issue of the Road …

MAJOR investments in tourism facilities in West and East Clare have been hailed as some of the highlights of the outgoing first citizen’s 12 months in office. In an interview with The Clare Champion, Councillor Joe Cooney (FG) recalled the visit of Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys (FG) to West Clare last month to open the upgraded Loop Head Lighthouse Visitor Experience. Funded by the Minister’s Department under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) scheme as part of Project Ireland 2040, with 25% match funding by Clare County Council, the completed works include the restoration and conservation of the historic lighthouse keeper’s cottages and a new visitor hub with interpretation panels featuring stories from the local area. The total investment for this project is €1,623,800. The Minister also visited the Vandeleur Walled Garden and Visitor Centre, where anew interpretive centre was recently completed along with the newly renovated stable block, a gardener’s maintenance building and public toilet facilities as …

  Clare County Council has been urged to consider the provision of a new public car park in the centre of Tulla and to support a new elderly daycare centre and creche for the benefit of residents in six new housing estates totalling 180 dwellings. That’s according to businesswoman Ann Reidy, who runs the Reflections Hair Salon at Main Street, Tulla.   Ms Reidy has urged anyone living in Tulla, regardless of whether they are newcomers or residents for a long period, to contact Yoursay.clarecoco.ie and put themselves forward for chairperson, secretary, financial officer, and public relations officer for the new Tulla Towm Team. The closing date for expressions of interest is July 1. The council hopes to select a core committee of eight to ten people who will also need associated working groups to support the committee. While Ms Reidy has expressed an interest in becoming a community member, she is not interested in any of the main officer …

EFFORTS to make a busy carpark in Clarecastle, which also acts as a through road, safer are underway with the Ennis Municipal District confirming it will commence design works on a footpath scheme. A request for a footpath to be installed adjacent to Deasy’s Village Shop in Clarecastle “in the interest of health and safety of pedestrians” was made by Councillor Paul Murphy during a recent meeting of the local authority. He urged that a footpath would link the pedestrian crossing with the footpath that currently serves the nearby Daycare Centre. “This would bring an end to the current situation where pedestrians/customers have to navigate their way down through the centre of the carpark, which also serves as a through road.” He added that the no parking yellow hatched box area “is currently ignored” and impacts on site lines for drivers that are exiting the carpark. Councillor Murphy said the issue was highlighted to him a number of times during …

A Fine Gael candidate for Shannon Local Electoral Area who was eliminated on the ninth count has said the community in south-east Clare has been forgotten about by Clare County Council. First time candidate, Val Gillane said he feels south-east Clare is being forgotten about at local level: “I would love to see Clare County Council now wake up and come down and have a look at south-east Clare. South East Clare voted to stay in Clare. Please come down to us and now show us. We are completely forgotten about like we are between two boundaries. We are 2km from Limerick County Council and we are 40km from Clare County Council. We don’t have the representation. We don’t have the funding. We don’t have the back-up. We don’t have any of the basics…I am talking about communities and infrastructure. West of the Shannon Banks was built in 1966 like 1966 footpaths and 1966 lighting…” “I would love to see …

EXTENDING the lifeguard season on Clare’s popular beaches will save lives in the future, according to Councillor Liam Grant. The former lifeguard has welcomed Clare County Council’s decision to introduce lifeguard cover for the last two weekends in May at Lahinch, Spanish Point, Kilkee and Fanore. The Green Party Councillor tabled a motion to the local authority in October 2022 highlighting the need to increase the lifeguard cover at “big beaches” to include weekends in May. He also pointed out extending the lifeguard season for Clare’s bathing areas is a great boost for tourism. “Since joining the council I’ve got the lifeguard season extended to include weekdays in June and the last two weekends in May. Clare are the first and only county in the country to do this so I’m happy with the progress so far. “However, when you look at the UK, many of their beaches are lifeguarded from Easter until the end of September. I think that’s …

HUNDREDS of people opposed to controversial plans to build on two carparks in Ennis gathered in the heart of the town last Saturday to voice their objection. A crowd of more than 200 people came together in the historic O’Connell Square for the rally calling for an end to the Ennis 2040 proposals for the carparks. Among those to speak out was Ennis resident and retired teacher Joan Duggan, who last October had presented a petition against the plans to Clare County Council signed by more than 3,700 people. She told those gathered that the only motive of those against the proposals is “to save your town for the future generation.” The Abbey Street carpark plans involve the development of retail and office space with the Ennis 2040 DAC (Designated Activity Company) saying the proposed project will create jobs and attract shoppers. They predict an estimated 100 permanent jobs to be created once the development is complete, alongside 200 jobs …