Tag Archives: Deputy Cathal Crowe

SHANNON Airport looks set for yet another body blow following reports that Aer Lingus are considering moving their transatlantic services to the United Kingdom. Aer Lingus have a number of aircraft based in Shannon and two of them are A321, which is a narrow bodied aircraft with long range with a smaller capacity than bigger A330. They are ideal for long haul flights from Shannon as they are cheaper to run than other aircraft and can take smaller numbers of passengers. It understood some English airports have indicated they are interested in hosting these aircraft and developing transatlantic services from these locations. A Shannon Group spokesperson said the group is in ongoing discussions with Aer Lingus regarding the resumption of its Heathrow and transatlantic operations. “These long established services have been hugely successful and their resumption is critical for business and tourism across western and southern regions. “These and other services have been suspended due to advice against non-essential travel …

FEARS have been expressed about the serious implications any strike at University Hospital Limerick will have on patient care following the decision of the INMO to ballot for industrial action. Deputy Michael McNamara recalled there have been calls in recent months to reduce overcrowding in UHL and the need to increase medical facilities in smaller hospitals such as and Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals. The chairman of the Covid-19 Special Dáil Committee stressed the time for talking about these improvements was now over and it was time that action is taken to address serious shortcomings in UHL. If necessary, Deputy McNamara said Health Minister Stephen Donnelly should be asked to intervene to prevent the threatened strike. Deputy Violet Anne-Wynne called on Health Minister Donnelly to intervene in a bid to avert the threatened strike. She called for a recruitment campaign in UHL as staff like porters and cleaners are experiencing staff shortages. “I am shocked Minister Donnelly hasn’t stepped in already …

Clare Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe is in talks with ministerial colleagues ahead of an expected decision on the immediate future of the Shannon Heritage sites. As things stand, sites including Bunratty Castle and King John’s Castle are due to close at the end of the month while the likes of Craggaunowen and Knappogue Castles have remained closed since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. “I’ve spent quite a considerable amount of time this week chatting to my colleagues, including ministers with a decision-making capacity on Shannon Heritage,” said Deputy Crowe. “Minister Michael McGrath has confirmed to me that the file has reached his department and it is now being examined, with a decision due in the coming days. “I have reiterated the importance of these sites to Clare to the Minister, particularly given the year we have been facing. “This morning, I held an impromptu meeting with Shannon Heritage workers following a separate meeting I was at …

FIVE Clare towns and villages have received just under €115,000 as part of a new Government scheme to help them adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic. They are among 106 towns and villages across the country that will benefit immediately from €2.8 million in funding under the enhanced Town and Village Renewal Scheme. The local areas that will benefit from the initial tranche of €114,274 in funding are: Tulla: Social distancing community meeting space (€13.050) Tuamgraney: Improvements to East Clare Memorial Park, including footpaths, seating and boundary wall (€25,000) Kilkee: Reconfiguration of playground layout to allow for social distancing (€22,295) Carrigaholt: Provision of outdoor tables and seating with temporary awnings (€24,229) Killaloe: Provision of measures to promote social distancing in main pedestrian areas (€29,700) Welcoming the funding, Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey said the money will help communities to shop, socialise and work safely as they adapt to the post-Covid reality. “It is vitally important that we see an increase in …

A MULTINATIONAL discount giant can proceed with plans to develop a multi-million Euro foodstore in Westbury after An Board Pleanála dismissed a planning appeal. Lidl has been given the green light to construct a new discount retail outlet, coffee shop and car park in a major new development, subject to 16 new planning conditions. The supermarket discount store has estimated the new store and adjoining coffee shop could generate approximately thirty jobs in the local area. The development also includes the provision of 87 surface car parking spaces to the front of the site. The discount foodstore, which incorporates a sales area of 1,192 square metres will also accommodate a small café area, bakery, preparation area and staff ancillary spaces. A large chiller/freezer area together with a delivery and storage area is also to be incorporated within the building. The delivery area is to be located at the northern end of the building. The main public access is to be …

A QUIN woman has secured access to vital cancer treatment, after she and her husband went public about their health insurer’s initial refusal to cover the cost. Maria Meade had surgery, earlier this year, for an aggressive form of cancer and was recommended to start a course of the break-through drug Pembrolizamub. While her insurer, Laya, refused to cover the €150,000 cost of the immunotherapy treatment, citing  guidance from the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), the National Centre for Pharmaeconomics (NCPE), the company has now agreed to fund the drug on a three-month trial basis. Maria will start treatment next week. “Laya have agreed to cover the cost for three months,” Tom Meade explained. “There will then be a review and a report from Maria’s consultant oncologist, but we would be hopeful that there will be cover for ongoing treatment.” Earlier this month, the couple contacted politicians and the media over fears of the impact that missing out on the …

CLARE Deputy Cathal Crowe has emphasised the importance of the new Programme for Government delivering on regional development in the wake of stinging criticism of the lack of a senior cabinet minister from the West of Ireland. Deputy Crowe admitted he would have loved to have seen a senior minister from the Mid-West appointed to the cabinet. In an interview with the Clare Champion, he acknowledged quite a number of people had contacted him to express their concern about the lack of a senior minister from the region. However, the former Meelick Councillor pointed out he also respected it is the prerogative of the three party leaders to put forward names of deputies to become members of the cabinet. He was optimistic that the perceived geographical imbalance would be addressed by the appointment of junior ministers from the region. “It is always a good thing to have a minister in a county of from a region but we have seen …

CLARE Fianna Fáil TD, Cathal Crowe, has said that Irish Water has committed to “significant upgrades” to address water supply issues in Miltown Malbay. Residents in the Miltown and surrounding areas have been experiencing outages and interruptions to their supply for several months now and they are at their wits’ end. The most recent outage occurred when a water main burst on June 14 at Coore, which was later repaired. However, this led to a significant delay in supply returning to the Dunsallagh, Ballard and Glendine Group Water Schemes in the area, with supply eventually coming back on June 20. This, Irish Water says, it because of “major issues with the operation and maintenance of the Group Water Schemes”. “This has been a long-running saga for households in Miltown Malbay and so many surrounding areas too,” said Deputy Crowe. “It is completely unacceptable that some homes were left without running water for almost a week and in some cases longer, …