Tag Archives: Councillor Pat Hayes

ALARM at the potential impact of forthcoming guidelines on development in rural areas has prompted a rush of planning applications, an East Clare councillor has said. Councillor Pat Hayes said that, after members of the local authority secured a seven-month deferral of the next County Development Plan (2022-2028), those looking to build in rural areas are keen to lodge their applications before the new and potentially more restrictive regulations come into force. At the end of June, councillors unanimously backed a motion to defer the new plan on the basis that Covid-19 had significantly disrupted the public consultation process. The move was seen as a pragmatic response, not just to the pandemic, but to national policies, of which the plan will have to take account. Several rural councillors have made no secret of their concerns that some elements of the National Planning Framework (NPF) and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) could do irrevocable damage to rural areas. “There …

AN INCREASE in the cost of burial plots could be on the cards in a bid to boost resources for cemetery services in Clare. Following a detailed review of burial ground management, the council’s rural policy committee was told that just half of the costs of running cemeteries is covered by the income generated. The review, which was presented to the council’s rural policy committee, was conducted by former Fire Chief and Director of Services with Limerick City and County Council, Ollie O’Loughlin. It examined eight aspects of the operation of burial grounds in Clare. Among the report’s recommendations is an increase in clerical and technical support for the Burial Ground Unit, something that could potentially be done by pooling resources with those for community playgrounds. Mr O’Loughlin is also proposing a review of the bye-laws governing burial grounds in order to address issues including anti-social behaviour. In addition, Mr O’Loughlin has recommended a licencing system for those working in …

THE introduction of any cuts in suckler cow payments under new CAP proposals would hit rural communities throughout Clare, a local councillor has warned. Councillor Pat Hayes told The Clare Champion that Clare is renowned for the quality of beef produced by its suckler farmers, and stressed they play a key role in keeping rural towns and villages alive. The councillor said it looked as if suckler farmers were effectively facing cuts in payments, which they can’t afford. “I think it is time farming organisation and politicians woke up to the fact this will have a major impact on rural communities. Further cuts to CAP and the suckler herd will be detrimental to the future of rural communities if the current proposals are implemented. “It looks as if suckler farmers will be hit the hardest by the CAP proposals. While environmental schemes are important, when core payments are reduced for suckler farmers, this hits rural communities.” While farmers can avail …

A DANGEROUS building in Tulla is to be made safe by Clare County Council, after the owner failed to comply with several requests for action to address the situation. There have been a number of false dawns in terms of works on the vacant building on Main Street, with numerous efforts made by the local authority to communicate with the owner and to get them to make the building safe. Since a Dangerous Structures Notice was issued five months ago, the footpath has been closed and disruption caused to vehicular as well as pedestrian traffic in the town. Last week, the Council moved to inform members of the Killaloe Municipal District that it is to carry out the works and that a contactor has been procured. Councillors were told that while multiple opportunities were given to the owner, no works had materialised. An exact date for the beginning of the works has not been confirmed. The Council has previously said …

SPEEDING traffic is causing concern on the approach roads to the village of Tuamgraney, last month’s meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District has heard. The matter was raised by Councillor Pat Hayes who asked that new traffic calming measures be put in place “as present measures are not fulfilling their requirements”. The Fianna Fáil member outlined his concerns for the safety of residents with the increase in traffic over the summer period. “Many people are using the new path from Killaloe to Scariff,” he noted. “It’s around St Cronan’s Church in particular that you realise how much speed there is and how it’s creating a danger to residents. There’s speeding on all roads approaching Tuamgraney, but particularly on the road from Killaloe. The signage is helpful, but it’s not solving the problem.” Councillor Hayes asked that solutions be investigated, potentially with a view to securing a funding allocation for works. “Speeding starts at the hill at Raheen, he outlined. “There …

FROM Camden Town to Carnegie Hall and from the Fleadhanna ‘down in Ennis’ to the Body and Soul stage at Electric Picnic, the Tulla Céilí Band has captivated audiences of all kinds for the last three-quarters of a century. Over the course of its illustrious history, the band has brought the tunes of East Clare to prominence in Ireland’s musical repertoire. It has also fostered some of the country’s finest traditional players, including West Clare legends like Willie Clancy and JC Talty. At one point, it even counted a TD as a member, in the person of the long-serving Fianna Fáil representative, Feakle’s Dr Bill Loughnane. The story of the Tulla Céilí Band is closely woven into the history of modern Ireland. It was formed in March 1946, in the lean times after ‘The Emergency’, when the bicycle was the dominant mode of transport and social life didn’t stretch far beyond parish boundaries. Chris Keane, in his book on the …

A WARNING has been issued that Crusheen could become a “dormitory village” unless proper services are provided. The village has experienced a significant growth in housing development in recent years, but concern were raised at the July meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District that the provision of amenities has failed to keep pace. During a discussion on the controversial issue of the location of a south-bound bus shelter, Councillor Pat Hayes cautioned that the overall development needs to be considered. The Fianna Fáil member said that, otherwise, there is a risk of Crusheen, which is located off the M18 motorway, becoming a commuter village. The matter was raised by Councillor Pat Burke who welcomed the recent construction of a north-bound bus shelter in the village. He noted controversy over the south-bound shelter, originally planned for a site close to the Brodagh View estate, and urged that an alternative site beside the railway bridge now be considered. “Following discussions earlier this …

DERELICTION in the centre of Tulla has put the spotlight on the way the town is developing, with one public representative saying the Council is being accused of destroying it, writes Fiona McGarry. There have been long-standing concerns about urban decay in sections of the centre of Tulla at a time when housing development on the outskirts is increasing. The problem came to a head early this year when the local authority was forced to serve a Dangerous Structures Notice on the owners of an empty building in the heart of the town. A section of the footpath on Main Street was closed, in the interests of public safety, and a traffic management system put in place. After several months of attempted negotiations with the owners, and delays created by the closure of the construction sector during lockdown, the authorities have now moved to offer one final chance before stepping in to undertake the necessary works themselves. The matter was …