Tag Archives: Eir

CONTROVERSIAL plans to replace an existing telecoms mast in Scariff with a much higher structure have resurfaced, now that the developers have lodged an appeal.  While the Council rejected permission for a 21m structure in the town, Eir have now told An Bord Pleanála they are willing to reduce the height of the mast to 18m, if necessary. Making the offer to reduce the height, the appeal document warns that refusal “will reduce the quality of service to the wider area” and “result in a reduction for other digital coverage providers to gain representation on it”.  In documents submitted by agents Towercom, Eircom Ltd, trading as Eir, acknowledges the Council’s refusal of planning permission on the grounds of mast’s visual impact on the town and a scenic East Clare route. However, the appellant “respectfully disagrees” with the local authority’s rationale.  Documents submitted to An Bord Pleanála describe the proposed new mast, at the Eir exchanfe at the Connacht Road, as …

A CONTROVERSIAL plan to install a 21-metre mast in the centre of Scariff has been defended by its developers, on the basis that it will future proof the area’s communications needs.  Proposals lodged by Eir at the end of last year, sparked considerable local alarm over moves to replace a 12m pole at the exchange of The Connacht Road with a much larger structure. A total of ten objections were lodged, including one with a petition containing 48 signatures.  Against that backdrop, County Planners contacted Eir in February seeking Further Information (FI) on a number of of aspects of the mast plan. The company has now responded.  Planners had raised concerns over the proposed location of the mast, which would be just 15m from a number of local homes and the potential for “an over-bearing, imposing effect”. They also said the proposed mast would be “highly visible” from locations including the R352, a designated scenic route.  In its recent response …

CONTROVERSIAL plans for a 21-metre telecoms mast in Scariff have prompted a major objection from a group calling itself East Clare Community Residents, writes Fiona McGarry. Eir proposes to replace a 12-metre wooden pole, at its exchange on The Connacht Road, with a much higher mast with dishes, antennas and other equipment. When submissions closed at the end of January, a total of 11 objections had been made. One of those is a detailed document with 48 signatures on behalf of East Clare Community Residents. Deputy Michael McNamara, has also made a representation on the file, “requesting the need for Clare County Council to engage with those who have made submissions and those who have concerns within the wider public to ensure those concerns are addressed in the planning process”. The 14-page objection from East Clare Community Residents raises concerns about the impact of the proposed mast on the Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) of Scariff and Tuamgraney. It outlines detailed …

FURTHER objections have been lodged in response to a plan from Eir to install a 21-metre mast on its exchange in Scariff.  Submissions are currently being accepted on the planning application, which could see the replacement of an existing 12-metre wooden structure with a much higher telecommunications mast with dishes, antennas and other equipment.  More concerns have been voiced locally, in recent days, this time from residents of the nearby Connaught Road and Derg View development. Additional letters of objection have estimated that the proposed structure would be located just ten metres from some of the homes in the adjacent estate. The submission contends that a mast on the scale of that proposed should not be allowed in such close proximity to the residential development.  Another submission, on behalf of a local family, says their property is already overlooked by the existing mast. “Increasing the height as proposed will result in an even larger eyesore”, the objection drawn up by …

A PLAN to install a 21-metre mast at the Eir exchange in Scariff is being considered by Clare County Council. If successful, the application from Eircom Limited, trading as Eir, would see the replacement of an existing 12 metre wooden pole with the much higher telecommunications mast with dishes, antennas and other equipment.  The plan has already encountered some opposition locally with objections from a number of residents. To-date, three people living close by have told planners the development will impact negatively on them, in terms of their enjoyment of their homes and gardens. They had also said that the structure will overshadow their family homes, and that they have concerns about the development  being located in the centre of a residential area.  In its letter of application, Eir argues that the new mast would be screened by the exchange building and by mature trees, and that it is essential to 3G and 4G coverage for homes and businesses. The …

HOPES have been voiced of an end to a long-running problem for customers on eir’s mobile network across North West Clare. For several months now, customers have been frustrated by difficulties in achieving stable connections for calls and mobile broadband. The situation prompted an outpouring of anger from home, farm and business customers relying on the service, particularly during the pandemic. Such was the level of severity that the issue was raised in Dáil Éireann when Deputy Michael McNamara appealed to the Tánaiste to investigate the powers of the regulator, ComReg. The Independent TD was sharply critical of what he described as a failure to deliver on promises made in the Programme for Government. He raised the issue directly with the CEO of the company, Carolan Lennon after she faced an onslaught of criticism during an appearance before the Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications at the end of last year. Since raising the matter in the Dáil last month, …

EIR have still not responded to a formal request from the local authority for clarity on who members should contact in emergencies during phone and broadband outages. Councillor Pat Hayes said that despite recent revelations by Eir’s Chief Executive about problems in staffing its customer service function, the council had received no formal response to a query sent some months ago. “Considering that the company was once State owned and now it’s privately owned, I can’t understand why it never recognised or placed any value on customer loyalty,” the Chairperson of Killaloe Municipal District said. “People still ring their local councillor on a regular basis because they get no satisfaction from Eir, or can’t get through at all to them. As councillors, we would like to know who we can speak to within the company, but as yet, have had no reply from the company. I am hoping that, in terms of broadband, the National Broadband Plan, who have agreed …

FRUSTRATION at poor broadband across large sections of East Clare has intensified as more people try to work and study from home in response to the pandemic. One Tulla resident has told The Champion of her efforts to improve her family’s service which has involved contacting ten different providers, to no avail. The women, who lives just a few kilometres from the town, is a customer with Eir and uses a mobile broadband dongle. “I originally had broadband through the phone line and the service was very poor,” she explained. “The mobile device is supposed to provide wireless internet for up to ten devices, but if you have any more than two connected, it is a disaster. I’m working from home and my daughter was in Leaving Cert, so her studies had to take priority. At best, the service is okay, but that’s all. It is affected by bad weather too, which doesn’t help.” After trying ten different service providers …