Tag Archives: clare county council

AMBULANCE services in Clare came under the spotlight at the monthly meeting of Clare County Council, when a call was made to review the deployment system.  Councillor Ian Lynch demanded that the Health Minister review the ‘dynamic deployment’ process operated by the National Ambulance Service (NAS), asserting that the system does not work in rural areas.  “I have been raising this issue since I’ve been elected,” the Independent member said, “and it has been falling on deaf ears. The service is under-funded across the country and to talk about international best practice and dynamic deployment is a smokescreen. “That’s fine in urban centres, but it doesn’t work in rural Ireland. I have had contact from Waterford, Galway and Mayo on this and if someone who is a critical patient has to wait 90 minutes for an ambulance, it’s clear that the system isn’t working.” The Kilrush man noted recent tributes to the emergency services by broadcaster Marty Morrissey. On The …

AMBITIOUS plans for an outdoor cultural activities space at a lakeside park in Mountshannon have received the green light from planners. Earlier this year, Mountshannon Community Council, who are spear-heading the project, secured a funding award of €54,860 from The Department of Rural and Community Development, to develop the facility at Aistear Park. Conditional planning permission has been granted despite two objections from residents of the town’s Main Street. Planners have asked that steps be take to allay their concerns over the impact on views of Lough Derg. After considering the application and two identical objections, which raised concerns that the open roofed structure would be “rarely used”, and could damage views and attract anti-social behaviour, planners supported the principle of the development. They described the pavilion as “modest in scale relative to the overall park area”, and said it “will not inhibit the use of the area for play and recreational activity”.  In relation to the concerns about visual …

ORGANISERS of the Spancilhill Fair have expressed their relief now that a threat to the future of the world-famous event has been lifted. Despite having no claims for more than three decades running, the committee had been unable to secure insurance for the horse fair, which attracts thousands of visitors and traders annually. It seemed that the 400-year-old festival would have to be mothballed permanently, after a two-year pandemic hiatus. On Monday last (April 11) however, the County Council intervened with CEO Pat Dowling announcing that cover had been secured.  The fair’s PRO Paddy Hassett said the breakthrough was “the best news” and a huge relief to the committee and the thousands for whom the fair is an important social and business outing. “We just couldn’t get a quote for this year’s event and we were very worried for months,” he said. “We’ve had no claim for 35 years, but without cover, we were looking at calling the fair off …

AN application to extend a mobile home holiday park in Kilkee has been refused permission by the local authority. Cunningham’s Holiday Park at Well Road, Kilkee Lower, had applied to extend and provide an additional 20 mobile home sites. A number of objections had been made to the proposed development. A cover letter accompanying the planning application said, “The proposed development consists of an extension to the existing holiday park (mobile home park). “The proposed extension will be located within the applicant’s own lands, which adjoin the existing park and the extension will accommodate an additional 20 serviced mobile home sites. “All 20 sites will be for static mobile homes and will be sold individually to private clients as is the case with the existing park.” An objection made by a number of residents of Dunlickey Road stated, “There are too many mobile homes in Kilkee at present, more mobile homes than residents. “These mobiles are unoccupied for most of …

Clare County Council took home a gold medal at the annual Community and Council Awards held in Dublin recently. The local authority won first place in the National Impact Award category for its Covid Heroes Award & Card Writing Initiative. A silver award was won in the Best Waste Management category for its Clare Waste Awareness Week initiative. The Council also took bronze awards in the Best Connected Council category for its Waterways Ireland Virtual Open Day; best disability access and inclusion category for its ‘Age Friendly Clare Digital Nursing Home Initiative’; Clare Fire Service was awarded in the Emergency Response Person/Team of the Year category. Announcing the Clare Covid Heroes initiative at the time, then Cathaoirleach Mary Howard said the idea was to provide recognition for people who have helped others, with no expectation of any reward. “This initiative is about celebrating the ‘everyday heroes’ all around us who have been quietly helping and supporting others during the past …

A delegation of key members of the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly led by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlan travelled to Clare last weekend for a visit aimed at strengthening ties between the US and Irish regions. The legislators are members of the New Jersey American Irish State Legislators Caucus (AISLC), a bipartisan network of American Irish legislators and legislators who are friends of Ireland at the state and local level of government. There is now an American Irish State Legislators Caucus in every state in the US. The New Jersey delegation visited the Cliffs of Moher, where they were welcomed to Clare by the Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr PJ Ryan, and Council Chief Executive Pat Dowling. The trip also included visits to Shannon Airport and Bunratty Castle. Speaking at the Cliffs of Moher, Cllr Ryan said: “I am delighted to welcome the members of the New Jersey AISLC to County Clare today. The visit gives us the …

SPANCILHILL Fair has secured an eleventh hour reprieve with confirmation that insurance cover has been secured for the world-famous event.  For the last two years, thousands of dedicated traders were deprived of one of the most important horse fairs in the calendar, due to the pandemic. Hope were high that the internationally renowned and centuries-old fair would return this year, offering the opportunity to mark the 400th anniversary of the event, which fell in 2021. Insurance concerns threw a spanner in the works and the difficulty in securing cover the event was flagged in the Dáil by Deputy Michael McNamara.  At this afternoon’s (April 11) meeting of Clare County Council, it was announced that cover has now been secured. The Council’s CEO, Pat Dowling, confirmed – to a round of applause from the chamber – that the event will go ahead in June. The news followed a cross-party motion tabled by Councillors Clare Colleran Molloy, PJ Kelly, Pat Hayes, Pat …

THE Council has been requested to examine ways to make the housing waiting list and application procedure more user friendly for people not familiar with the system. The request was made via a motion at the March meeting of Clare County Council from Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat McMahon A written reply from the Council’s social directorate set out what is being done to accomplish that. “Application forms for housing support are widely available with the form itself available on the website and in the offices of Clare County Council. “Explanation material is also available in plain English to assist those with literacy issues in the completion of the form. “The form is a national template and can only be locally amended to include areas of choice relevant to County Clare. “Staff of the Council are available to support applicants in the completion of the housing application form. In addition, Citizens Information and MABS provide support to many who are seeking …