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Tag Archives: Covid-19

“We’re growing, the Covid thing was just a little blip’

WHILE the economic situation is precarious, one of Clare’s largest employers has begun work on a major expansion and is currently recruiting new people in anticipation of very high levels of business in the coming months. Shannon company Ei Electronics is locally-owned and produces fire detection and carbon monoxide products. It already employs some 750 people in Shannon, while it is currently looking to increase this number and when their expansion opens next year, they expect to recruit well over 100 new staff. Despite the Covid-19 crisis, the sod was turned on the expansion of its Shannon facility this week, and it will comprise a three-storey, 10,000m² building, adjoining its current headquarters. It is due to be open in the third quarter of 2021. CEO Mick Guinee led a successful management buy-out of the company in 1988 and has overseen major expansion in the years since then. In relation to the new building, he said, “It doubles our manufacturing capacity, …

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Facing a quiet weekend at Aillwee Cave

  UPWARDS of 2,000 visitors would usually head to the Aillwee Cave and Birds of Prey Centre over a June bank holiday but it remains closed due to the Covid-19 restrictions. Around half of the visitors to the famous attraction are overseas, so owner Nuala Mulqueeney is facing a big financial hit for the season. “Our annual figures are about 120,000 visitors. When extended travel is allowed in Ireland, we can expect some recovery, but you can forget about visitors from the US or countries; they won’t fly,” she said. Only a handful of maintenance workers and two falconers who feed and exercise the birds have been at Aillwee since the lockdown in March. “St Patrick’s weekend is always good for us and we lost out on that,” said owner Nuala Mulqueeney. While very disappointed that the facility is still closed, she said they have plans to ensure the safety of visitors when they do reopen on July 20. “We …

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Council CEO calls for ‘champions’ in battle against Covid-19

CHAMPIONS are needed in every family and parish across the county in order to win the battle against the coronavirus, according to the CEO of Clare County Council. Making an appeal to the public to continue to stick to government guidelines and to avoid complacency, as Ireland sets out on the road to re-opening, Pat Dowling also thanked the public for their efforts to-date. “We are very grateful for all of the sacrifices everyone has made,” he said. “We understand that there can be slippage and fatigue, but we must continue to comply, and to adapt in order to survive. We have to persevere in order to prevail. We have civil leadership from all of our agencies who continue to collaborate, and who are used to working together for the greater good. What we need now is deeper leadership and people who are willing to be champions of the cause in every family and in every parish, because we must …

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“Very real danger” of second wave

AN excellent response by the public has meant far fewer people have gotten sick and died over the last few months but it is not time to let down the guard. That’s the view of Maria Bridgeman, Chief Officer of HSE Mid West Community Healthcare. “The big message now is please, please hold firm. I will be working with my colleagues in the local authority and the gardaí in relation to this message. The long weekend is coming and people often head away or to the beach but we are asking people to hold firm and stick with the guidance. “Everyone needs to look out for each other and continue the measures. These sacrifices that people are making, while I absolutely know they are difficult, is what has got us to this point. We want to get this country restarted but it can only be done in a slow, managed and safe way.” She agreed that the predictions being made …

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Fears for future of Bank of Ireland branch in Tulla

FEARS have been expressed for the future of the Bank of Ireland branch in Tulla and a campaign to save it from permanent closure has begun. The bank, which is located on Main Street in the town, was among 101 branches nationwide to close temporarily from March 24 last, in a move which Bank of Ireland said would enable it to focus on priority services during the Covid-19 crisis. The branches in Kilkee and Miltown Malbay were also closed as part of the bank’s response. In Tulla, the Bank of Ireland branch is the only bank in the town. Its closure has left the people of the town relying on an ATM in the local supermarket to access cash over the last two months. Raising his concerns at the May meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District, Councillor Pat Hayes, called on Bank of Ireland to “come clean” about the future of the Tulla branch. “The branch was closed down very …

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Covid outbreaks in a quarter of Clare nursing homes

OUTBREAKS of Covid-19 have been confirmed in a quarter of nursing homes in Clare, The Champion has learned. News of clusters in four out of the county’s 16 homes has prompted renewed calls for greater medical supervision of these facilities. There were a total of 13 nursing home clusters in the Midwest area covering Limerick, Clare and North Tippeary, according to figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) up to May 24. Data released by the Health Service Executive (HSE) now indicate that Clare accounts for just under one-third of these. Reacting to the figures, Deputy Michael McNamara, who is Chair of the Covid-19 Dáil Committee, has called on the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to provide it with details of the homes it identified, at the outset of the pandemic, as being at particular risk. At Tuesday’s committee hearing, Mary Dunnion of HIQA said a list had been sent to the HSE in February or March. “These, …

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No new Clare Covid-19 cases reported

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been informed that a total of 17 people with COVID-19 have died. There have now been a total 1,631 COVID-19 related deaths in Ireland. As of midnight Tuesday 26 May the HPSC has been notified of 73 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There have been no new cases in Clare. The figure stands at 322. There is now a total of 24,803 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ireland. The HSE is working to identify any contacts the patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread. Today’s data from the HPSC  reveals: 57% are female and 43% are male the median age of confirmed cases is 48 years 3,251 cases (13%) have been hospitalised Of those hospitalised, 399 cases have been admitted to ICU 7,891 cases are associated with healthcare workers Dublin has the highest number of cases at 11,961 (48% of all cases) followed by Cork with 1,451 …

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UL students should get accommodation refund, governing authority recommends

Jessica Quinn A REFUND of accommodation fees for University of Limerick students has been recommended by the university’s governing authority. This is welcome news for students, many from Clare, who had been forced to give up their campus accommodation after the Covid-19 crisis broke. A spokesperson for the University of Limerick has confirmed, “The University of Limerick Governing Authority has today (Tuesday) given a recommendation that UL subsidiary Plassey Campus Centre Ltd (PCC), which manages the student residences on campus, return rental income to the students who left their accommodation on foot of the government’s decision to close the university campus in March.” UL’s Governing Authority held a Special Meeting on Tuesday during which the refund of student rents was discussed. Plassey Campus Centre Ltd (PCC) is the licensor and a separate legal entity to the University, with the issue a matter for decision by PCC and not the Governing Authority. “Nonetheless, as PCC sought the views of Governing Authority …

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