Tag Archives: Councillor Ian Lynch

WITH West Clare’s tourism sector set for a difficult spell ahead, the future of Moneypoint is particularly critical to the region’s economy. Kilrush based county councillor Ian Lynch said that the slow progress in establishing what the future will hold is very frustrating. “The momentum has been taken out of the economy and we have spent years discussing how Moneypoint can be a key stimulus to it. There are several opportunities out there that we’re just not allowed to explore because the ESB aren’t willing to open the deepwater port. I think a couple of weeks ago the ESB said that the possibility of Moneypoint being shut down in the near future is becoming more likely. I don’t believe that because I do think it’ll always be there as a back-up, there would still be maintenance, but the amount of shifts would be minimal in the year. ESB management aren’t willing to open up the port for reuse, they’re talking …

The public acknowledgement by ESB chief executive Pat O’Doherty that Moneypoint power station “faces a real risk of closure” has sparked renewed calls for the utility to come clean and outline its plans for the plant going forward. The 915-megawatt coal-fire station, once the top supplier to the country’s electricity demands, faces new challenges ahead of the Climate Action Plan’s goal of ending coal burning at the Killimer plant, built nearly 40 years ago for €900million, by 2025. Mr O’Doherty further fanned local concerns for the jobs that remain at the plant when he ruled out the conversion of Moneypoint to gas and described the station as a winter plant used only when electricity demand peaks. Kilrush Independent councillor Ian Lynch has called on the ESB to end the scaremongering and provide clarity on the future use of Moneypoint post 2025. He added that there was also need for a new government to be formed and a viable plan put …

IN light of the Pobal Deprivation Index findings, Sixmilebridge parish priest, sociologist and rural Ireland campaigner Fr Harry Bohan has highlighted the economic imbalance in Clare, with peripheral regions left out of the development and job creation loop. The index, which was based on the 2016 Census, found that parts of Ennis, Kilrush, Kilkee and Ennistymon were areas of particular deprivation, while areas considered ‘disadvantaged’ included Sixmilebridge and Shannon. Lack of employment is an issue in all of these areas, with Kilrush Independent councillor Ian Lynch claiming that Clare Minister of State Pat Breen has failed to bring any jobs to West Clare, in his role as minister for jobs. “Ennis is to Clare what Dublin is to Ireland. I talked to a man from West Clare last week and he told me that, between three parishes in West Clare, there will be 12 children combined in infant class. The populations of West, East and North Clare have been stripped. …

Councillor Ian Lynch has expressed concern over what he says is the continued trawling of the Shannon Estuary, claiming it could have a negative effect on the bottle-nosed dolphin population in the area. He says he was contacted by members of the public when two trawlers were seen operating on the estuary. “Trawling the river estuary is not illegal and I appreciate that fishing is an extremely tough industry but the Shannon Estuary is a designated Special Area of Conservation. Pair trawling could have a detrimental effect on the natural ecology of the maritime life,” Councillor Lynch said. “I am calling on the minister to ban trawling in the Shannon Estuary until a detailed study is carried out on the effects this activity could have on the ecological system. Only when this study is completed, will we truly know if trawling our fish stocks is sustainable. As well as an increased risk of capturing seals or dolphins, if we deplete …

THE brain drain from the county’s fire services could lead to a  situation where “inexperienced” fire personnel are attending fires, it has been claimed. The assertion was made by Councillor Ian Lynch after it emerged that 22 personnel have left the fire brigade in the county over the past three years. Chief Fire Officer, Adrian Kelly described the loss of staff as “a larger than normal turnover in personnel” and something that creates challenges for Clare County Council. The information was disclosed on foot of a motion raised by Councillors Johnny Flynn, Gerry Flynn, Christy Curtin, Michael Begley, PJ Kelly and Ian Lynch at Monday’s local authority meeting. They had looked for a report into the sustainability of the retained mfirefighter model. In his response, Adrian Kelly outlined that of those that had left the service, six retired on medical grounds, four retired having reached retirement age, two took up promotional posts with other fire authorities, four took up other …

Scattery Island, located in the Shannon Estuary off Kilrush, has been short-listed in this year’s EDEN (European Destination of Excellence) competition to find the destination in Ireland which has best used its local tangible cultural assets to grow visitor numbers. Along with Scattery Island, the other finalists are the Ceide Coast, Mayo and The Norman Way Wexford. The overall winner will be announced at the end of September. EDEN is an EU project promoting sustainable tourism development across the European Union and is held every two years in 29 member states. The theme of the 2017 EU-wide EDEN competition is “Tangible Cultural Tourism” and the three Irish finalists are now preparing for on-site assessments during the week of Monday, September 4 when they will be visited by a panel of expert adjudicators. The assessment of the finalists will allow each one an opportunity to provide further evidence to show how they are balancing their own tangible cultural assets with the …

COUNCILLOR Ian Lynch has hit out at a lack of investment in Clare and a failure to make proper use of the Shannon Estuary. In a letter to Deputy Pat Breen, Councillor Lynch stated, “I see a recent announcement that the Government is seeking preclearance for freight from the port of Limerick, making the port of Foynes a shipping hub for Europe. “While the announcement is a welcome one for the region, it again shows the Government’s lack of commitment to County Clare and long-term foresight to maximise the Shannon Estuary’s potential. It’s hard to imagine why the Government would limit such a positive prospect to a port that is restricted for vessel turnaround and draft. This is even harder to imagine when the Shannon Foynes Port Authority controls the shipping to the second-deepest water port in Europe at Moneypoint but yet it remains undeveloped.” He feels the estuary is West Clare’s best hope of economic recovery. “The Shannon Estuary …

Irish Water are investigating reports that a water pipe on the Cooraclare Road in Kilrush has broken, leading to  discolouration of the water supply. The matter was highlighted by Councillor Ian Lynch who said, “Each time it breaks, the water suffers discolouration and lately the water seems to have some additive that has turned the water white. Residents have not been informed of what has been added to the water. He said there were also concerns over asbestos piping. “There is a large section of the pipe work on Cooraclare Road that is still asbestos. The substructure of the road is bog and each time the pipe breaks, this wets the peat and softens it, eventually washing away support for the next section of pipe and undermining it, which results in continuing breaking. “Not alone do people have to endure disruption but their water is discoloured and there is no sign of a permanent solution. The road was overlaid in recent …