Tag Archives: clare county council

CALLS were made to have the recruitment embargo on the employment of local authority workers lifted at a meeting of Clare County Council. Councillor Christy Curtin raised a motion calling for an update on staffing and budgetary matters arising from the newly established Municipal District Offices and Local Enterprise Office and Service Centre. Meanwhile, Councillor PJ Ryan asked the council to request the relevant minister to lift the embargo on the employment of local authority workers. Councillor Curtin asked for a time-frame for alignment of road engineering areas with municipal district areas and the implications for delivery of the road and allied infrastructural services. According to Eddie Power senior executive officer at the Human Resources Department of the council, the realignment of the five roads engineering areas to four roads engineering areas to coincide with the new Municipal Districts of Shannon, Ennis, West Clare and Killaloe has been completed. “An adjustment at operational level to the functional areas of SGSS’s …

THE prospect of a crematorium being developed in Shannon receded this week as Clare County Councillors voted against disposing of the relevant site, where planning permission exists, in Illaunmanagh. The margin was quite tight, with 14 voting against and 11 in favour. A report from the County Council’s Senior Executive Officer Michael McNamara explained that in March 2009 planning permission, subject to conditions, was granted by An Bord Pleanála for a crematorium on lands in the council’s ownership at Illaunmanagh, Shannon. This planning approval upheld a May 2008 decision of the council to grant permission for this development which was appealed by residents of Gleann an Óir. “Both the Shannon Area members and the full council subsequently approved of the sale of the lands in question to Illaunmanagh Ltd. The area involved was 1.29 acres and the price proposed was €140,000. The proposed development never went ahead and neither did the transfer of the lands to the developers,” Mr McNamara …

WORK on returning dozens of vacant and boarded-up social housing units throughout County Clare to productive use will begin next month. Clare County Council’s Housing Department says it will refurbish 42 properties before the end of the year as a result of two tranches of funding allocations received from the Department of the Environment, Community & Local Government. The council this week received €399,500 to carry out works to 20 vacant properties in Ennis (10), Ruan, Shannon (2), Kilrush, Cross, Clarecastle, Whitegate, Killaloe and Moyasta. Eaarlier this year the Department approved €400,740 for the purpose of refurbishing 22 other properties located in Clarecastle, Ennistymon (3), Kildysart, Tulla, Corofin and Sixmilebridge (2), Ennis, Mullagh, Cross, Newmarket-On-Fergus, Shannon, Kilkee, Miltown Malbay and Broadford. Work is scheduled to commence next month with all 42 properties expected to be made available for habitation before the end of 2014. The news has been welcomed by Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Councillor John Crowe, who said: …

INTEREST in hotting up about the proposed development of competing crematoriums in Clarecastle and Shannon, which will be the subject of two separate yet inter-linked proposals at next Monday’s Clare County Council meeting. The two largest parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, and at least one independent, will have to unite to support a material contravention, which would facilitate the development of the Clarecastle crematorium. Anything less than 21 votes in favour of the proposed material contravention of the Ennis and Environs Development Plan would constitute a major setback to Fenloe Properties’ plans to construct a crematorium unit, memorial gardens, and cemetery at Kildysart Road, Ballaghfadda, Ennis. It is expected that Fianna Fáil will propose and support the Fenloe Properties development en bloc, which totals 12 votes. Fine Gael has yet to decide on its party position and is due to meet to consider these two proposals over the weekend or on Monday. A meeting of the new technical group …

CLARE County Council is urging the general public to have their voice heard in relation to the formulation of a 6-year social and economic development plan for Ennis and surrounding areas. The new Ennis and Environs Local Area Plan 2015-2021 will guide the development of the Clare county capital and its environs in terms of economic development, recreational and community requirements, as well as residential, retail, transport and infrastructural needs. A draft of the Plan is due to be completed by the end of 2014. Community groups, individuals and stakeholders are encouraged to make written submissions or observations no later than 4pm on Tuesday,  July 29 next. Senior planner with Clare County Council, Gordon Daly explained: “The Local Area Plan will seek to guide and facilitate the future growth and economic and social development of Ennis. Therefore, it is vitally important that the council receives the input from all sectors of the community.” “The overarching aim of the new plan …

T has been estimated the recent re-opening of Kilkee Dive Centre, which had been closed for two summers, will be worth €250,000 per annum to the economy in the resort town. Meelick man Gary Kiely, who has lived in Kilkee for three years, applied for and was granted the lease by Clare County Council, which will be reviewed in 2015 At this week’s West Clare Municipal District meeting, Councillor Ian Lynch urged the local authority to actively market the facility. “A quick calculation of the input from Athlone Diving Club and three or four clubs in total, you’re looking at over €250,000 of an annual contribution to the local economy. Clare County Council needs to market this and not sit back and let Mr Kiely look after the building. There must be a marketing package put in place by Clare County Council to make this work and to make this sustainable,” he stated. Mr Kiely feels the €250,000 estimate is …

We’re all familiar with the ditty, The pub with no Beer, but a  busy pub and restaurant in East Clare was without a proper water service last weekend, after a major leak occurred in Whitegate. Publican at the Half Barrel, Batt O’Riordan and his local representative, Councillor Pat Burke, were surprised that Irish Water did not consider the “major leak” to be an emergency. They were equally surprised when Irish Water said they could not come out until Monday and advised them to contact the local authority emergency number. The issue was reported on Saturday evening. A member of Clare County Council assessed the situation that day but was not in a position to repair the leak. Irish Water did come out on Monday morning and repaired the leak. In the meantime, the Half Barrel operated its business with the assistance of a neighbour who was able to run a hose to their water tank. Batt O’Riordan said Irish Water …

Plans  for coastal protection works at the Donald Trump-owned Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg have been put on hold after Clare County Council requested further information. The request seeks information on the potential impact of the proposed works on the habitat of the Vertigo Angustior snail. The development being sought by TIGL Ireland Enterprises Ltd relates to coastal erosion management works at Carrowmore Dunes, White Strand, Doughmore Bay and Trump International Golf Links and Hotel, Doonbeg. It consists of the re-profiling of sand dune slopes and ancillary marram planting, sand trap fencing and golf course repairs at three locations within the Carrowmore Sand Dune System; temporary construction compound within the hotel complex and access to the beach during construction via the public access track off Mountrivers Road. The applicant states that a Natura Impact Statement would be submitted to Clare County Council with the planning application. In its request for further information, Clare County Council said, “Having regard to the …