Tag Archives: Deputy Pat Breen

Nine towns and villages in Clare have been allocated grants totalling €944,000 under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. A figure of €200,000 will be provided under the scheme for Tradaree Food Hub in Newmarket- on- Fergus. A sum of €100,000 each in funding will be given towards building conversions for digital hubs in Kilrush and Kilkee, the multi-service innovation centrein Ennistymon, the streetscape rejuvenation in Clarecastle, the Cnoc na Gaoithe expansion in Tulla, the community centre refurbishment in Miltown Malbay and the economic gateway project in Scarriff/Tuamgraney. Furthermore, €80,000 is nbeing provided for the pier and camping area in Kildysart and €64,000 for the development of two walks in Doonbeg. The scheme, which was launched in April, focuses on projects which can help to enhancen and develop rural towns and villages, with a particular emphasis on stimulating economic development. “A particular emphasis has been placed on projects which have the capacity to support the economic development of rural town …

COUNCILLOR Ian Lynch has hit out at a lack of investment in Clare and a failure to make proper use of the Shannon Estuary. In a letter to Deputy Pat Breen, Councillor Lynch stated, “I see a recent announcement that the Government is seeking preclearance for freight from the port of Limerick, making the port of Foynes a shipping hub for Europe. “While the announcement is a welcome one for the region, it again shows the Government’s lack of commitment to County Clare and long-term foresight to maximise the Shannon Estuary’s potential. It’s hard to imagine why the Government would limit such a positive prospect to a port that is restricted for vessel turnaround and draft. This is even harder to imagine when the Shannon Foynes Port Authority controls the shipping to the second-deepest water port in Europe at Moneypoint but yet it remains undeveloped.” He feels the estuary is West Clare’s best hope of economic recovery. “The Shannon Estuary …

CLARE TD Pat Breen has claimed a European recession could follow if Britain votes to leave the EU. “If the UK votes to leave the EU, we will find ourselves in unchartered waters. There is no precedent for such a move. No other country has ever sought to exit the EU. Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union would come into play. Under this article, a country would automatically cease to be a member of the EU two years after it lodges official notification to withdraw if, in those two years, there is no agreement by the UK or member states to extend the date or a withdrawal agreement is set at a different date. Either way, there would be huge uncertainty and given the volatility of the markets, it is more than likely that the uncertainty would precipitate another European-wide recession.” He said travelling across the border could become more difficult. “Could Brexit mean the return to border …

  Clare County Councillor, Mary Howard has been officially declared as the third Fine Gael (FG) candidate to contest the forthcoming General Election in the county. Last week, speculation was rife that Councillor Howard would be added by the Fine Gael National Executive Council to the party ticket in Clare at the weekend and has proved to be correct. The former Ennis Town Councillor stated it is a “huge honour” to be asked and also to be considered capable of being part of the local FG team. Despite her late entry into the race, she is looking forward to working with her running mates outgoing FG deputies Pat Breen and Joe Carey to maximise the party’s vote in Clare. “I love my job and my county and I would really love to take it to the next level. I have a proven track record of a strong work ethic and I am a team player thus I would love for …

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe, has allocated €100,000 for the hosting of Fleadh Cheoil na h-Eireann in Ennis this August. The allocation is part of Fáilte Ireland‘s national funding of just over €1.8 million for 23 key national festivals and events. Welcoming the news, Chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Pat Breen said the return of the Fleadh to Clare is a major boost.  During the 10-day event over 300,000 additional visitors are expected into the county as well as 4,000 competitors and 9,000 session musicians and it will generate €40 million in income for the local economy. “There was a 14% increase in overseas visits to Ireland for the first eleven months of 2015 and the most recent figures show that revenue in the sector has increased by 16% to €4.2 billion. A significant factor in this growth is the festivals and events on offer in all parts of the …

Clare men and women have been encouraged by local Fine Gael TD Pat Breen to apply for one of 600 new positions available with An Garda Síochána. The recruitment campaign is now underway and applications are being accepted until January 5. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald formally announced on Friday the opening of a recruitment campaign for new members of An Garda Síochána next year. The 600 new gardaí, to be recruited next year, will bring to 1,150 the total number of new recruits since the reopening of Templemore in September 2014. “So far 295 new recruits have completed their training and are now are on the ground in communities nationwide as fully fledged members of An Garda Síochána. It is expected that successful candidates from the latest recruitment campaign will enter the Garda College from mid-2016. “Serving as a member of An Garda Síochána is a great privilege, but the position comes with great responsibility. I know …

The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, under the chairmanship of Deputy Pat Breen, will convene tomorrow (Wednesday) to discuss the current situation in Gaza. Mr Raji Sourani, director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, will appear before the Committee. Mr Sourani is a prominent human rights lawyer from Gaza, and has been working for human rights in the region since 1977. He will provide committee members with an update of the current situation in Gaza, and will discuss issues of accountability for violations of international law in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade has a deep interest in the situation in Gaza and committee members are keen to ensure that Ireland continues to make a positive contribution to what is a very challenging situation,” the Clare Fine Gael TD said. “This meeting affords us a valuable opportunity to receive a first hand account of the current situation in Gaza, whose inhabitants face many difficulties …

A new 150-bed multi-million euro elderly care facility on a greenfield site on the outskirts of Ennis is the preferred option of the HSE to deal with infrastructural deficits in St Joseph’s Hospital. Following discussions with HSE senior management, Deputy Pat Breen said providing a new geriatric hospital on the outskirts of the county town is being prioritised by the authority, following criticisms of the physical environment in St Joseph’s in a report by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). In its response to the report, the HSE confirmed it has examined options regarding the design and layout of the centre and has also undertaken an option appraisal exercise. “Arising from this, a proposal has been prepared outlining the costs required to enable the centre to meet HIQA environmental standards. The provider is committed to the long-term future of the centre,” the HSE stated. While a number of options are being explored concerning the provision of long-term elderly residential …