Tag Archives: Ennis

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection, with special responsibility for Employment, Community and Social Support, Kevin Humphreys, will officially open the department ‘s newly established Intreo Centre at Government Buildings in Ennis on this Thursday. With the amalgamation of employment services, employment programmes, community welfare services and staff from other agencies and the Department of Social Protection, considerable work has been undertaken to develop an integrated service which reflects and addresses the individual needs of the department’s customers, particularly jobseekers. The enhanced service now available in Ennis for the people of County Clare provides employment and income supports in one place and offers a personalised employment advice, guidance and support service that is targeted to the individual needs of the customer.

UPDATE:15:00 A multi-vehicle car accident on the south-bound lane of the M18 motorway, on the Ennis side of Crusheen early today (Tuesday) resulted in the road being closed for over an hour. The crash occurred at approximately 7.30am and resulted in major diversions while the scene was being cleared and gardaí investigated. No one was seriously injured in the crash. Drivers heading from Ennis to Galway were initially asked to divert at the Tulla road junction, while, those travelling from Galway to Ennis as asked to divert at Gort through Tubber. However the route has since reopened. This morning’s crash is understood to have involved cars stopping to help a motorist who had skidded before a further vehicle skidded in the slippery conditions. Gardaí have issued an appeal to all road users to exercise particular care as the cold weather is set to continue over the coming days. “We would remind all motorists to drive as the conditions determine. We …

WHILE pre-Christmas and festive trading was certainly no worse than in previous years, there hasn’t been much evidence of increased spending in the Banner County, according to retailers. This week, Pat Kelly, manager of SkyCourt shopping centre in Shannon, said trading was quite similar to 12 months previously. “It was on a par with previous years, not better, but on a par with previous years. There was a lot of talk about the uplift but I thought we’d see more of it.” He said that Dealz, which sells goods at discount prices, had a very good Christmas but that most of the businesses at SkyCourt “generally found it was similar to last year, not the uplift we had probably expected”. Patrick Bourke, who has men’s clothes shops in Ennis and Kilrush, said there had been an improvement, albeit not a dramatic one. “We were busy, I have to say. We’d be up on last year, not hugely up. There were …

ENNIS councillors have backed a motion calling on Clare County Council to introduce a rent waiver scheme that would give traders who set up business, in premises that are vacant for more than two years, a 75% rate cut in year one, a 50% rate cut in year two and a 25% rate cut in year three. Councillor Tom McNamara called for a three-year commitment by the council on rates and for the council to put pressure on landlords to “do something to get the town back in action”. He said such schemes had been successful elsewhere and asked his fellow local councillors to push it strongly at council level. Councillor Pat Daly supported the proposal and said it would be better to see some money being collected and would help to sustain new developing retail units. Councillor Mary Howard said she agreed with the spirit of the motion and called on landlords to look at their rents for new …

HEALTH Minister, Leo Varadkar is coming under increasing pressure to tackle the chronic overcrowding in the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). Deputy Timmy Dooley said the HSE has stated the new emergency department (ED) in Limerick will not be fully operational until next year, due to its requirement to comply with national value-for-money procurement procedures. However, he believes the declaration of a national emergency would allow the HSE to set aside procurement procedures for a short period of time, in the interest of patient safety. “Overcrowding should be treated as a national emergency. If people are going to die as a result of the crisis that has emerged, it is obvious the mechanisms delaying the investment benefiting patients need to be set aside. “Work needs to be advanced to open the new ED as quickly as possible. The HSE has stated it will be 2016 before the new fit will be completed, due to procurement procedures, which is …

THE Voice of Ireland may have found an Ennis voice to represent County Clare ahead of the screening of Sarah McTernan’s audition in the New Year. The popular singing competition returns for a fourth season on Sunday January 4 on RTÉ One where the coaching panel made up of Una Foden and Rachel Stevens, Kian Egan and Bressie will determine who gets a spot in the series. Among those who are due to go on stage to perform in blind auditions in front of them is Sarah McTernan from Ennis. The 20 year old is currently studying vocals and dance at the University of Limerick and she will sing Who You Are by Jessie J for her audition. Speaking about her passion for music and reasons for going on the show, the Ennis woman says her Mum has always pushed her to sing and play instruments. However, she says she has only recently started gigging and writes some of her …

An 18 year old has appeared before a special sitting of Ennis District Court this Saturday morning charged in connection with the seizure of approximately €70,000 worth of drugs. Ronan Carroll with an address at Cahermore, Cree is charged with possession of cannabis for sale or supply at an address at Beechpark in Ennis. Evidence of arrest charge and caution was given by Garda Brian O’Callaghan, who outlined that the defendant was arrested in Ennis on Thursday night. The defendant was granted bail and was remanded to reappear before Ennis District Court on January 21 next.

The countdown has begun to the Irish Christmas Tree Throwing Championship, which takes place at Active Ennis Tim Smyth Park in Ennis on Sunday, January 4. All proceeds raised by the fourth annual event will go towards ISPCC Childline. The championship, which is based on age-old lumberjack traditions and is commonplace across Germany and Austria, will see members of the public competing to achieve the longest distance for throwing a standard 1.5 metre tree. John O’Dea from Limerick and Gary O’Growney from Dublin share the Irish record having both thrown their trees a distance of 10.2 metres, which is just under 2 metres short of the World Record currently held by Klaus Pubnaz, who hurled a tree a distance of 12 metres at an event in Germany four years ago. Last year’s U-12 section was won by Soran Drayas (9.2m), who finished ahead of second placed Aoife O’Gara (7.86 m). This year’s winner will once again receive the Irish Christmas …