Tag Archives: Deputy Joe Carey

Clare businesses have received €3,441,338 to date from the Government’s Covid-19 Restart Grant to help them get back on their feet. The figures were confirmed by local Fine Gael TD Joe Carey who said: “Clare County Council is responsible for administering the Government’s Restart Grant and has confirmed that small and micro businesses in Clare have now been allocated just under €3,5 million so far. “This is crucial to helping local businesses to get back on their feet after what has been an extremely difficult few months. The funding is designed to help businesses with the costs associated with reopening and re-employing workers following Covid-19 closures. Businesses can avail of between €2,000 and €10,000 for this purpose. “Getting these businesses back open is so important to the revival of our local economy here in Clare as they are such important employers.” Deputy Carey said his colleague, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar is overseeing “targeted supports” …

The possibility of transferring Shannon Heritage sites under the control of the local authority or the Office of Public Works must be “explored and supported”, Clare TD Joe Carey has said. Deputy Carey spoke out after he received confirmation that the Government is to carry out a review of the Shannon Group, which currently operates the heritage sites. Bunratty Castle and Folk Park and St John’s Castle in Limerick have reopened after the lockdown but are due to close again at the end of August. Other key sites such as Craggaunowen Castle, Knappogue Castle and Dunguaire Castle have not reopened, which has created great uncertainty among Shannon Heritage employees. Speaking after he met with Shannon Heritage workers on Monday, Deputy Carey called on the Shannon Group to make a formal application for further supports to enable the heritage sites to reopen on a year-round basis. The local Fine Gael TD said: “I have raised this in the Dáil on several occasions – including last week …

A LONG awaited multi-million euro re-development of Knockanean National School has been given the green light by Clare County Council. The plans submitted by the Office of Public Works (OPW) include the construction of eight new classrooms, with an existing four-classroom block built in 2011 retained and integrated into the new build. The new development will not result in an increase in student numbers at the school, with a condition of planning limiting school enrolments to 297 pupils. The number of enrolments can only be changed with another planning permission. According to the planning authority, “In the interests of traffic safety and free flow, the protection of adjacent amenities and to control the intensity of use of the site, it is considered appropriate to restrict pupil numbers to current enrolment levels in order to provide for a qualitative improvement of school facilities.” Councillor Johnny Flynn, part of the project team established to realise the new development, has described the planned …

A CLARE community organisation which has played a vital role in helping the elderly and vulnerable during Covid-19 has been awarded over €90,000 in funding. Obair in Newmarket-on-Fergus will be using the funds to help the South Clare Meals on Wheels service move to a new purpose built state-of-the-art kitchen. The organisation have been granted a total of €91,800 under tranche one of the Covid-19 Stability Fund for community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises. Siobhan O Driscoll, Youth and Community Development Officer at Obair explains the meals on wheels service is currently operating from the community cafe Cafe Fergus, however these facilities are “not suitable” for their needs. Since Covid production from the kitchens has tripled, going from delivering 12,000 meals in 2017 to a projection of 80,000 for 2020. They plan to move to a purpose built kitchen at the €1.4million New Tradaree Social Enterprise centre, with the new facilities able to deliver 250,000 meals a year. …

QUESTIONS are being raised about why a multi-million housing development planned for Meelick has been shelved at a time when private rented accommodation is securing monthly rents of up to €1,300. Deputy Cathal Crowe has written to Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy asking for an explanation why this major development of 70 new housing units was not sanctioned by his department. “It is hugely regrettable that this project is not being developed at a time when there is an immense need for housing in the area. I liked this development because it almost had a 50 50 split of affordable and social housing. “There is a huge demand for housing in South-East Clare. Rents are averaging between €1,300 and €1,500 a month, which is some of the highest in the county. “There is huge rental pressure because of proximity to Limerick City and this housing development needed to happen,” he outlined. “There are other land parcels for sale in Meelick and …

Thirteen months after resident GP Colm Hackett retired from private practice in Newmarket- on- Fergus, the HSE has finally found his successor. Dr Colum Galvin, the Principle Medical Director of Saffron and Blue Medical Centre in Clarecastle and a native of Ballynacally, will provide the GP service from Carrigoran’s Health and Wellness Centre, beginning on Monday, June 22. Dr Colm Hackett retired from practice in May of last year and in the interim the people of Newmarket-on-Fergus have been without a family doctor. Those that needed treatment had to travel to Dr. Yvonne Williams who was based at the Shannon Medical Centre. Locals were beginning to lose faith of a successor being appointed when the possibility of a new GP being in situ fell through last September. However, the long-running saga is now at an end. Local councillor Pat McMahon admitted it has taken a lot of time and work to finally get to this stage and the overriding emotions …

CLARE Civil Defence Unit’s emergency response capability will be enhanced when two new four-wheel drive vehicles are added to its fleet. The Defence Minister Paul Kehoe has allocated 32 new Ford Ranger crew cabs to the Civil Defence as part of the Government’s ongoing investment in the organisation and two have been earmarked for Clare. “Throughout our response to Covid-19, our Civil Defence and other volunteer agencies played a vital role in their respective communities. From transporting patients to hospitals, nursing homes and testing centres in Clare to the collection of medications and medical equipment – we are rightly proud of our Civil Defence volunteers,” commented Fine Gael TD Joe Carey. He added, “I welcome that the Government is continuing to invest resources in Civil Defence, in this instance through the provision of vehicles. These new vehicles will be an additional resource for those who give their time and work so hard in times of emergency. “This will further enhance …

A total of €35,000 in in funding has been allocated to carry out essential repairs and maintenance on the iconic O’Connell Monument in Ennis. Funding was allocated as part of more than €4.3 million set aside under this year’s Historic Structures Fund (HSF) and Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS) The funding will go towards ‘emergency and stabilisation’ works on the O’Connell Monument. Welcoming the announcement, Deputy Joe Carey said, “The funding is being released as we move to phase 2 of the Government’s roadmap to reopen our economy to ease the Covid-19 restrictions. It will help provide employment for many small businesses, conservation specialists and tradespeople involved in heritage-related construction activity in Clare. “These schemes will play a vital role in helping local communities to regenerate the areas where they live and work, and to protect our built heritage for future generations.  “As the phased reopening of our economy continues, it is hoped it will be possible that many of the projects under the two …