Tag Archives: Deputy Michael McNamara

DERELICTION in Clare towns needs a tougher approach, including the use of compulsory sales orders, according to Deputy Michael McNamara.  The Independent TD told the Dáil that such orders were successful in other countries. “It is done in Scotland and if it is good enough for that country, it might be worth considering in Scariff,” he said. Deputy McNamara was speaking during a special session the the Town Centre First Policy, unveiled last month by the Department of Housing. The document outlines a number of actions to tackle dereliction including the appointment of Town Regeneration Officers, investment, training for town teams, as well as local plans and national oversight.  Deputy McNamara said that he welcomed the plan, but had concerns about omissions, as well as the “political will” of some local authorities to tackle dereliction.  “To discuss what is in the plan, one of the main actions is that a town regeneration officer will be appointed to each local authority,” …

THE temporary Covid downgrading of National Driving Licence Service (NDLS) offices across the State, including the Clare office in Ennis Shopping Centre, has now been made permanent. The move was confirmed in the Dail to Deputy Michael McNamara by Junior Transport Minister Hildegarde Naughten who said, “The current NDLS contract, which was put in place with the front office service provider in 2021, no longer offers a walk-in service.” Customers would have to avail of the online service instead, she said, and a “verified MyGovlD account, which requires a public services card (PSC), is needed” to avail of that. “This is despite a Data Protection Commission investigation into the legality of the Public Services Card which found that there was no lawful basis for a person to be told they needed the card for anything other than accessing social welfare or benefits,” Deputy McNamara explained. In the Dáil on Thursday evening, Deputy McNamara raised the issue of difficulties encountered by …

THE government has been urged to reverse the planned end of coal-powered electricity generation in Moneypoint Power Generating Station by 2025 in the absence of alternative energy sources being available to fill the gap, writes Dan Danaher. The call was made by Independent Deputy Michael McNamara, who has criticised the Government’s policy of closing power stations during an energy crisis in the hope that they will eventually be replaced with green energy sources at an unspecified time in the future. In the absence of assurances that Ireland will have alternative energy sources in place by 2025, Deputy McNamara believes the government should reverse its decision concerning the proposed end for coal-powered electricity at West Clare power generating station. Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday night during a debate on a Bill introducing the €100 electricity credit scheme for householders, Deputy McNamara said growing concerns over Ireland’s energy security are being exacerbated by the closure of the country’s power stations and …

CLARE County Council is seeking an annual €3 million subvention for capital works to fund planned maintenance and upgrading of local Shannon Heritage sites, writes Dan Danaher. This was revealed at a briefing meeting involving senior council officials and Clare Oireachtas members on Friday. It is understood this is one of the authority’s key requirements before it will agree to the transfer of these key tourist attractions from the Shannon Group. The proposed grant, which will be subject to government approval, is being sought for about three years in view of the apparent deterioration in the condition of some of the Shannon Heritage attractions in the county. This would also help the council to cover some of the operational overheads to manage Bunratty Castle, Knappogue Castle and Craggaunowen. Deputy Michael McNamara said work is required to repair the roof on Bunratty Castle. Even though a lot of money was spent on improving the Walled Garden in Knappogue Castle a few …

Clare benefits from preferred route for Galway-Athlone cycleway TOURISM benefits for this region have been highlighted by Clare’s Independent TD, following the publication of the preferred route for the Galway-Athlone section of a leisure trail that will extend all the way to Dublin. This week, it was announced that a 140km cycleway will run through Ballinasloe, Portumna, Gort, Kinvara, Clarinbridge, Oranmore and then on to Galway City. “Route 5 will also dip into Woodford and Derrybrien,” said Deputy Michael McNamara. “Woodford is only 15 miles from Scariff which will be the starting point for the proposed new greenway to Limerick. “There are lots of clear opportunities here for the development of walking and cycling tourism and there are already very quiet routes across the Slieve Aughtys which connect Woodford and Scariff,” he noted. “What we have here is the potential to link a series of routes from Galway to Limerick, running through South Galway and East and South East Clare.” …

SCAM calls coming for “plausible looking” numbers are being highlighted by Clare’s Independent TD.  Deputy Michael McNamara said he is aware of two situations, in recent days, where people received a call from scammers purporting to be from Revenue. “In one case, a constituent got a call from what appeared to the a Clare number,” he outlined. “When the constituent asked him what part of the county he was calling from, he became abusive and hung up. In another situation, a young professional received a call from a Dublin number, again from someone looking for a funds transfer to Revenue. When that person Googled the number, a Court Service number appeared. They were so worried they actually transferred the money. You can imagine how vulnerable older people could be to these scams.” The Scariff-based TD said the facility of scammers to make numbers appear official, is a matter of concern. “These people are clearly able to appropriate numbers to make …

DESPITE concerns about efforts to pursue a prestigious heritage designation for Inis Cealtra, it has been confirmed it is in the running for UNESCO recognition. Independent TD Michael McNamara congratulated Clare County Council on the news that two of its six applications to become part of a new Tentative List of potential World Heritage Properties have been adjudged to have potential. “I am happy to learn that the Cultural Landscape of the Burren Uplands and Holy Island (Inis Cealtra) were adjudged by the Expert Advisory Group (EAG) appointed by the Minister last June to have potential as a World Heritage Property,” Deputy McNamara said. The Clare TD said the potential benefits of either Clare site receiving World heritage Site designation by UNESCO would have significant positive impact on tourism in the county, particularly in light of the unprecedented challenges now facing the domestic and international tourism sector. “World Heritage Properties are sites of cultural and/or natural heritage designated by UNESCO …

VEGETABLE growers need to sell their produce for more than the cost of production, according to a local Dáil deputy. Speaking in the Dáil recently, Deputy Michael McNamara acknowledged the importance of replacing imported horticulture with Irish horticulture. However, he warned it would be difficult to do that when carrots are for sale at 49 cent per bag. “There has to be some correlation between the price at which products are sold and the cost of production. I grew up in Clare and there was extensive market gardening in Kinvara, presumably supplying Galway mainly, and in Ogonnelloe, supplying Limerick. “That is all gone because who can compete? People think they are doing the world a favour when they are buying organic carrots from Morocco that have been flown in here. “Unless there is some type of link between the cost of production and the price at which produce is sold, there will be a difficulty.” “A further difficulty is that …