Tag Archives: clare county council

A MULTI-million euro redevelopment of Knockanean National School has moved a step closer as planning permission is now being sought for a ‘decant’ temporary school at a local GAA club. The board of management at Knockanean has lodged an application with Clare County Council for a temporary school on lands at St Joseph’s Doora – Barefield GAA Club to be used during construction of a long awaited new school development which has already been given the go-ahead. The temporary primary school will consist of seven prefabricated buildings to accommodate 12 classrooms, five SET Rooms, staff room, principal office and administration. Other works include roads, parking and a drop-off area. According to a services report lodged with the application on behalf of the school, no set-down or pick up will be facilitated on the public road. The proposed development will use the existing gates which are 6 metres wide with adequate sight lines available without works. It is proposed to provide …

NORTH Clare writer and poet Grace Wells has been announced as the Clare artist for 2022’s Platform 31 scheme. Platform 31 is a nationwide artist development scheme involving 31 local authority offices across the country in collaboration with the Arts Council. It is designed to support artists to reflect on and develop their practice or make work in a new way, while being connected with and supported by peer practitioners, advisors and mentors. Thirty-one participating artists, one from each Local Authority area in Ireland, have been announced including Grace who was named Ennistymon Poetry Town Poet Laureate in 2021. Developed by the Association of Local Authority Arts Offices (ALAAO) with the Arts Council, Platform 31 offers two elements of support – financial and developmental – for mid-career artists across all disciplines. Speaking about the announcement, Grace said, “I’m delighted to have been selected for Platform 31. It’s a unique opportunity for me to connect with other artists and consider different …

MOST of Clare – apart from the Ennis-Shannon corridor – has been excluded from a new Regional Aid map of the country, which will result in it being precluded from getting support for industry. The June Monthly Management Report of Clare County Council explained the situation. “The new Irish Regional Aid Map covers the period 2022–2027 and has implications for enterprise investment in that areas excluded from the map become ineligible for regional aid. “In this regard, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment are tasked with the preparation of a new regional aid map for Ireland and the Mid-West region. “Clare County Council in conjunction with the other local authorities of the Mid West i.e. Limerick and Tipperary, made a submission to the above Department in respect of the preparation of a new Regional Aid Map for Ireland. “The Mid-West submission raised several concerns not least the fact that only 39% of the region can now offer regional aid …

TWO Kilkee residents have poured cold water on plans by Fáilte Ireland and Clare County Council to locate WC, shower and changing rooms facilities for water-based activities in the town. Serious questions have been raised in an objection lodged with An Bord Pleanála about the proposed location of this development and whether there has been a proper assessment of alternative sites or the use of existing buildings. The submission by Michael Nolan, solicitor and his wife, Mary O’Dowd, East End, Kilkee claimed no evidence has been produced that there is a need for the proposed facility. Their submission also states that the site selection is incorrect, unsuitable and contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. They further claim there are more than sufficient facilities already in existence, both in terms of existing buildings and alternative sites, if it is accepted at all that the proposal is acceptable. This development is based on a proposal from Fáilte …

MEETINGS of Clare County Council generally start at 3.45pm and finish well after 7pm, sometimes close to 8pm, with a small number of tired councillors still in the Chamber, the majority having departed earlier. The fact that so many leave before the end is hardly a great endorsement of local democracy, but it’s also entirely understandable giving that the meetings are so long and finish so late. Given the ongoing early departures and the length of the meetings, Councillor Pat Burke came up with an interesting proposal which was considered at this week’s meeting: starting the meetings at 10am. He said he himself has a long drive after the meeting, and that he sometimes has to leave before it ends, while he said that there are advantages to starting earlier. “Better business is done in the morning,” he claimed. Councillor Burke said if meetings started and finished earlier, he would hope that all members would stay for the full duration. …

The possibility of Clare County Council’s Chief Executive joining the board of Shannon Group was raised at a meeting of the group and the local authority. While Conal Henry said he hadn’t given the idea much thought, he wasn’t supportive of it. “The job of the board is to promote the interests of the entity to which it is the board. The job of the Chief Executive (of Clare County Council) is to promote the interests of Clare. They’re generally the same, but not always.” Mr Henry said it would create some potential for conflicts of interest. “It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have the interests of Clare County Council and the people of Clare at the forefront of our minds. “It means from a corporate governance point of view everybody on the board of Shannon should be thinking first and foremost about the interests of Shannon. “That’s not Pat’s (Clare County Council CEO Pat Dowling) job, Pat’s job first and …

INTENSIVE efforts to ensure consultation on the new defective concrete blocks grant, which is to cover this county, have resulted in an agreement to hear from affected homeowners before legislation is finalised. The announcement from the Housing Committee falls short of full pre-legislative scrutiny (PLS), which had been sought by campaign groups, including that in Clare. However, it will mean that members of Clare Pyrite Action Group (CPAG) are likely to get the opportunity to address the committee next week. It also means the legislation can be fast-tracked. The move follows a request by Deputy Joe Carey and two party colleagues to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing to engage in a PLS process. “With Deputy Kieran O’Donnell from Limerick and Deputy Joe McHugh from Donegal, I have written to the Chair of the Housing Committee seeking PLS,” Deputy Carey confirmed. “I have also asked Minister Darragh O’Brien to facilitate a full briefing for the Clare Pyrite Action Group (CPAG) …

EXPANSION is on the cards at Beckman Coulter’s O’Callaghan’s Mills plant, with the company seeking permission for facilities to accommodate an additional 60 staff. Details of the new jobs are revealed in a planning application currently being considered by Clare County Council. The medical diagnostics company is looking to create additional first floor laboratory and office space, as well as a new roof plant area at its existing eastern warehouse. The planning application has stated that an 60 additional staff will be added to its existing 420-strong workforce, and will occupy the new extension. A planning report, from DRA Consulting Engineers, outlined that the first floor area would more than treble in size, if given the go ahead. On the issue of the visual impact, the report stated that this would be minimal as most of the new development would be located internally, within an existing structure. A new roof plant area, of 80 square metres, would have the most …