Tag Archives: Deputy Cathal Crowe

RYANAIR has agreed to a refund for a school group from St Joseph’s in Tulla, whose planned Transition Year tour to Barcelona last April had to be called off because of the pandemic. While the airline insists that it was prepared, at all stages, to return the money which the students had paid through an operator called Saffron Travel, a dispute had arisen as to how the refund was to be made. The seat-pricing policy operated by Ryanair means that individual refunds – the method preferred by the airline – would have resulted in some students getting far less money back than the €200 each of them had paid. After intensive efforts on the part of Oireachtas members Deputy Cathal Crowe and Senator Timmy Dooley, a solution has been agreed. The total flight fare of €17,500 will now be paid to the school who will make an equal refund to each of the 80 affected students. “This has been allowed …

TAOISEACH Micheál Martin has pledged to raise Dáil deputies’ concerns over the delay in the completion of a €58 million major road linking Coonagh with Meelick. Dáil deputies in the Mid-West are becoming increasingly frustrated with repeated deferrals for a date to start work on the final part of the Coonagh to Knockalisheen Distributor Road. Deputy Cathal Crowe tabled a Dáil question recently asking the Transport Minister Eamon Ryan what is the status of the progression of Phase One of the Limerick Northern Distributor Road and if he would make a statement on the matter. Limerick Deputy Kieran O’Donnell told the Dáil the Coonagh to Knockalisheen Road in Limerick is one of only 13 projects specifically mentioned to progress during the National Development Plan. Furthermore, 30% of the project totalling €17 million has already been spent out of €58 million, with advanced works already concluded. “Page 26 of the Programme for Government states the process of review of the National …

A COMPREHENSIVE business case for the retention of Broadford Post Office is being compiled by a local action group as part of a new campaign to get An Post to reverse its closure. The Broadford Action Group has described the decision of An Post to take advantage of the retirement of postmaster James O’Brien by confirming they will not be continuing a postal service in the village as a very “callous act”. A Zoom meeting hosted by Senator Timmy Dooley, with An Post recently, was attended by Clare deputies Joe Carey, Michael McNamara, Cathal Crowe, Senator Martin Conway, Councillors, Joe Cooney, Pat Hayes, Tony O’Brien, Pat Burke, Alan O’Callaghan, BCAG members, Emer Smith, Martin Cooper, Aonghus O’Brien, Aidan O’ Brien and P J Mason. Following the meeting, An Post agreed to accept a submission from the group on why a post office service, which was first established in the village in 1831, should be retained. BAG chairman, P J Mason stressed …

THE Department of Housing has defended its decision not to approve Clare County Council’s plans for a multi-million social and affordable housing development in Meelick. Deputy Cathal Crowe wrote to the Housing Minister asking why a loan was denied to Clare County Council to develop a mixed housing development comprising of 70 social and affordable housing in Meelick last year. The Fianna Fáil Deputy had expressed his disappointment this housing development was shelved as there is a huge demand for social housing in South-East Clare. “It is hugely regrettable that this project is not being developed at a time when there is an immense need for housing in this area. I liked this development because it almost had a 50 50 split of affordable and social housing,” he stated. In accordance with the requirements in the Local Government Act 2001, Clare County Council sought sanction to borrow €6 million to purchase 10 sites across the county for housing development in …

RYANAIR has delivered an early “Christmas present” to Shannon Airport following its decision to re-open its base with one aircraft and the recommencement of 14 routes from April 1. According to Ryanair, a new five-year deal on airport charges, which was finalised between the Shannon Group and the airline in recent days, will create more than 330 direct and indirect jobs. Ryanair will reopen its Shannon base and operate 14 routes from Shannon for summer 2021 from Shannon Airport to the following destinations in 2021: Alicante, Barcelona-Reus, Faro, Krakow, Kaunas, Lanzarote, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Malaga, Manchester, Palma, Tenerife, Warsaw and Wroclaw. Last October, Shannon Airport was dealt a hammer blow when Ryanair announced it was closing its Shannon base for the winter months. With transatlantic closed down already and the Shannon-Heathrow route also suspended, Shannon Airport only has a very small number of scheduled passenger flights per week. In an interview with the Clare Champion, chief executive officer, Mary …

WEST Clare workers mustn’t be forced to carry an undue burden after Moneypoint Power Station lost a major contract and main source of income from October 2024, according to a local Dáil deputy. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne has urged the government to sit down the workers at Moneypoint, trade union representatives and local representatives to ensure that West Clare people are not forced to carry an undue burden as the state transitions to a sustainable energy environment. The latest blow for Moneypoint comes about 12 months after about 100 workers lost their jobs as part of a restructuring plan. In a statement issued to the Clare Champion, the ESB expressed its disappointment that the Moneypoint units did not prequalify for the T-4 auction for the period October 2024 to September 2025. This means that Moneypoint will have no capacity income, which is its primary source of income, from October 2024. “This presents further viability challenges to the Moneypoint station which has …

THE new €19.5 million 60-bed block modular unit to tackle overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) will be fully operational almost two months after a recent predicted timeframe given by a government minister. Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler stated in the Seanad recently “from a construction perspective, the new ward block should be ready to be operational by Monday, November 9”. However, it has now been confirmed the long-awaited modular unit will come on stream in three distinct phases, starting with 20 beds next Monday and will not be fully operational until January. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has told Deputy Cathal Crowe a new 20-bed ward, which is part of the 60-bed unit will open next Monday, this will be followed by a further 20 in December and the final 20 will be up and running in January. “A state-of-the-art facility will be in place at UHL now, and the timing couldn’t be better …

FRUSTRATION is growing South-East Clare over repeated water breaks involving an old water mains pipe coming from Corbally that is supplying water to householders in Parteen and Westbury. Residents are becoming increasingly concerned with the frequency of water breaks with eight disruptions in the Parteen and Westbury area this year. Grainne Flynn, Ballykeelaun, Parteen, who has two children, said residents needed a proper water supply to have showers and wash clothes. She said the interruptions in the water supply were happening too frequently and even when the water comes back she can’t really depend on it because the pressure can be low for days. She is annoyed with the amount of times she has to call Irish Water to unblock a public sewer manhole outside her back garden, which she can’t access. She described the smell after overflows as “disgusting”. When this public manhole overflows, workmen acting on behalf of Irish Water have to go through property owned by one …