Tag Archives: Ennis Municipal District

MOVES are underway by a “global leader” to create a ‘Centre of Excellence’ in Ennis with an employment boost of up to 100 jobs predicted. While the Council has not revealed the name of the company involved, it is understood that Vitalograph is behind the proposal. Liam Conneally, director of economic development with Clare County Council has described the plans as “exciting”. In order to bring the plans to fruition, the council are set to sell a building at the Ballymaley Business Park on the Gort Road for €1.2 million to the company. The sale of the property is to be brought before a full meeting of Clare County Council next week for approval. Ennis Municipal District councillors already voiced their support for the plans at their monthly meeting. The building at Block B in the Ballymaley Business Park had been acquired by the council in 2020 for the development of touchdown space for Foreign Direct Investment and the development …

THE cost of installing public lighting to an area of approximately 200 metres in length in Barefield is approximately €11,000 a meeting of Ennis councillors has been told. Residents in the area have been calling for the lights to be installed between the two public houses in the village as far as the school, Councillor Pat Daly outlined at the recent meeting. Ian Chaplin, acting senior executive engineer told the meeting, “There is existing public lighting at and around the school and the junction where the two pubs are located. “The area in between has been assessed and a quotation for installation of lighting was sought. The length in question between the pubs and the school is approximately 200m.” A quotation was sought for the supply and installation of five 10m columns and 54w LED fittings complete with ancillary equipment and wiring. “The cost of this work was quoted at approximately €7,000 and extra costs would be Civils work (€3,000) …

DISABLED parking spaces are regularly being “abused” according to Ennis community activist and member of the Clare Leader Forum Dermot Hayes. He was speaking as concerns were raised about a “shortage in availability” of disabled parking in Ennis at a recent meeting of councillors by Councillor Paul Murphy. There are a total of 78 disabled car parking spaces in the Ennis Municipal District urban area including four spaces due to be constructed later this year at Lower Market Street and the Friary Car Park the local authority has confirmed. Mr Hayes believes that greater enforcement is needed against those who misuse disabled parking, while also calling for more parking to be put in place suitable for the needs of people with disabilities. “People are abusing car parking for people with disabilities, it’s a regular occurrence all over the county and all over Ireland. “We fought hard and campaigned a long time for disability parking and the excuses of ‘I’m just …

IN perhaps a fitting end for somebody planning on joining the priesthood, Councillor Mark Nestor’s final Ennis Municipal District meeting saw him raise issues relating to a religious grotto and Drumcliffe graveyard. Before announcing he was stepping down from his role as an elected official the Fianna Fáil councillor raised two final motions at the September Ennis Municipal District meeting. The Cloughleigh-based councillor requested works be carried out on the steps beside the grotto in nearby Hermitage “to ensure they are safe for use for residents in the area”. Ian Chaplin, acting senior executive engineer, told the meeting the location has been assessed by Ennis Municipal District. “The steps leading up to the grotto are in an accessible condition including steel handrails to aid access to the grotto itself. The concrete base and mosaic style tile used at the top of the grotto has become fractured. “We will request the Rural Development Officer to engage with the residents association to …

WATER quality in parts of Ennis has been described as “deplorable” resulting in illness and malfunctioning appliances for concerned householders. Homes in Ard na Greine, St Michael’s Villas and St Flannan’s Terrace have been affected by “ongoing difficulities” with the quality of their water supply a meeting of the Ennis Municipal District heard this week. Councillor Paul Murphy highlighted the issue while urging the Ennis Municipal District and Irish Water to facilitate mains rehabilitation and road reinstatement works between Captain Mac’s Junction and Station Cross roundabout. Ian Chaplin, Acting Senior Executive Engineer confirmed that the Ennis Municipal District and Irish Water have been in discussions and a meeting is due to take place to finalise plans for the works. He added that the council is aiming to schedule works for a time that “least inconveniences the public”. According to Councillor Murphy these works were due to be carried out during Christmas of last year. He said that the issue needs …

AN Ennis councillor has resigned from the company set up to deliver Ennis 2040 objectives having appealed to An Bord Pleanala against controversial plans for a €450 million data centre. Councillor Johnny Flynn made the announcement he was stepping down from the Ennis 2040 (Strategic Development) Designated Activity Company (DAC) at the monthly meeting of the Ennis Municipal District. The development of a data centre at Toureen plays a central role in the Ennis 2040 plan where it is included among a number of ‘Transformational Projects’ for the county capital. Councillor Flynn told the meeting he did not want to “distract” from the Ennis 2040 DAC’s work after lodging his appeal against the development on the Tulla Road. He outlined that he has been engaged with the planning process for the site for a number of years including making a submission relating to its rezoning in 2019. Last month Art Data Centre Campus in Ennis became the first to be …

BIODIVERSITY measures introduced as part of Ennis Municipal District’s grass cutting operations have resulted in “excellent outcomes” the local authority have insisted following criticism of the service. Councillor Mary Howard told a recent meeting of the council she has received “numerous complaints ranging from grass not being cut to cutting done badly and grass not collected”. The council acknowledged receipt of two complaints relating to grass not being cut within contracted areas, saying these have been addressed. Contractors working on behalf of the Ennis Municipal District cut 75 acres of grass a year with a budget of €80,000 allocated for the task, with council officials describing the contractors as “highly professional”. Eamon O’Dea, senior executive engineer told the meeting that the contractors are “cutting continuously, they start at their first location and travel through”. He pointed out that the areas being cut are “public open spaces, they are not lawns or golf courses and if we want those standards then …

RESIDENTS living in an Ennis housing estate close to the Corrovorrin River are “concerned” that “significant” overgrowth in the river may lead to flooding, a meeting of local councillors has heard. The Ennis Municipal District at their recent meeting were requested by Councillor Johnny Flynn to arrange for the cutting back of growth and a clean up of the “overgrown Corrovorrin River” particularly at the bridge into Corrovorrin estate itself. The councillor described the river as “very important piece of the river network” which helps to deflect flood waters, alongside having value as an amenity. “The residents of Corrovorrin are concerned, the growth is quite significant, and they are concerned that any potential flood water might come on on the estate.” He referred to the “fantastic plans” contained within the Ennis 2040 document to develop a Wetlands and Enterprise Area, “linking the lung of Ennis” to the east of the town, expanding into lands between the town and the M18. …