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Tag Archives: Minister Eamon Ryan

2025 date stands for Moneypoint

Minister Eamon Ryan rules out extension of power plant’s use in current guise despite fears over supply of energy HOPES that Moneypoint Power Generating Station could stay open longer than the proposed 2025 shutdown in its current form to deal with power shortages have been dashed by Minister Eamon Ryan. Eirgrid has warned that Ireland won’t have enough electricity to meet demand for the next five winters, if action isn’t taken. In a key report, the company outlined this is due to the closure of older power plants and a rise in demand for electricity. The report has promoted the Commission for Regulation of Utilities to recommend that older power stations, which were due to be decommissioned, are kept open to boost supply. Deputy Michael McNamara highlighted concerns about what will happen when Moneypoint ceases to burn coal in four years’ time. Like the Transport Minister, Deputy McNamara looks forward to the Moneypoint plant becoming a green energy hub. The …

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‘Green influence’ blamed for lack of action on Henchey’s Cross

THE Green Party influence in government has been blamed for a lack of funding to address safety concerns at a junction on the main arterial route into East Clare. News that the Department of Transport is prioritising Active Travel funds over grants for specific road schemes angered members of the Killaloe Municipal District this week, when they learned that a large-scale application for works at Henchey’s Cross on the R352 had been refused. The matter was raised by Councillor Pat Hayes after The Schedule of Municipal District Works for 2021 was outlined at a district meeting this week. The Killaloe Cathaoirleach welcomed the allocation of €100,000 this year and sought clarity on what last year’s figure of €150,000 had been used for. “A man rang me just the other day to ask if somebody needed to die at this junction before action is taken,” the Fianna Fáil member said. “There was another serious incident there lately and the situation needs …

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Walks at windfarms proposed for Clare

PUTTING in walking and cycling trails at the site of Clare windfarms was among the ideas mooted at a recent Active Travel briefing for the county, attended by Transport Minister Éamon Ryan. The well-attended event, which was organised by Green Senator Róisín Garvey, highlighted cycling and walking projects in the county and looked at how funding and staffing resources might be captialised upon for Clare. Acknowledging that the issue could be controversial, Senator Garvey noted that there are a number of windfarms already in Clare and several other developers looking for planning permission. “Even retrospectively, they could make good cycling and walking trails, it’s been put to me by a number of people,” she said. “Can recreational trails be incorporated into windfarm planning? It might be something to think about. I know they give some money to communities for things, but there’s a lot of land around wind farms, they do take up a lot of space and maybe it’s …

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Minister bows to pressure and approves €58m road linking Coonagh and Meelick

By Dan Danaher TRANSPORT Minister Eamon Ryan has bowed to considerable political pressure to finally approve the completion of the final phase of a €58 million major road linking Coonagh with Meelick. Questioned several times by Clare and Limerick Dáil deputies from all parties, Minister Ryan had stated he was continuing to consider the recommendation from Limerick County Council regarding the award of the main construction contract for the scheme. This had prompted stinging criticism locally that it meant the final phase of Coonagh to Meelick Distributor road was being effectively shelved. However, Deputy Cathal Crowe has now welcomed Minister Ryan’s confirmation on Limerick’s Live 95 FM that “Phase One of this long-awaited project can finally go ahead”. Deputy Crowe said this news on Wednesday brought an end to a significant amount of doubt over the future of the entire project in recent weeks, which has been 12 years in the making. “I’m grateful that Minister Ryan has taken time …

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Calls for bike sharing scheme roll-out in Clare

SHARED bike schemes for a number of Clare towns were mooted at an online Active Travel briefing last week. The event which was attended by an expert panel, including Transport Minister Éamon Ryan, heard calls for a Dublin-based scheme whereby bikes are available for short-term rental at a variety of locations, to be rolled out outside of the capital. “The Dublin Bike Scheme is great, is there any chance of that being rolled out in towns?” Green Senator, Róisín Garvey, who organised the online event, asked. “Is it a private enterprise, because it would work in Shannon, it would work in Ennis and in Kilrush, maybe. People have been talking a lot about this.” The minister noted the popularity of the scheme as well as some pitfalls. “I think we could and should [extend it],” he said. “It is a private scheme. In Dublin, it was JC Decaux who did a deal with the council, they’re the signage company. I’ll …

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Reduced speed limits mooted as boost for cycle tourism

SLOWING traffic on some routes around Clare has the potential to increase cycling tourism, the minister for transport has told an online Active Travel briefing. Responding to queries from some of the 200 people who attended the event last Thursday night, Éamon Ryan discussed the possibility of encouraging cycling by reducing speed limits. Minister Ryan outlined how he had operated cycling tours for 15 years before his political career and brought thousands of people around Clare, by bike. “I’ve real experience of it,” he said. “My sense is that I could do that on the existing road network. Sometimes, you pick your roads, but it doesn’t always have to be segregated to my mind. In my mind, all our country roads, local roads, should be suitable for cycling. It depends on the volume, but critically, it depends on the speed. “I always judged it in terms of that old-fashioned things when you’re driving along and if someone’s walking or cycling …

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Active Travel projects poised to capitalise on ‘transformative’ funding

CLARE will ‘have its hand up’ when it comes to accessing a recently-unveiled fund of €1.8 billion, a briefing on the Active Travel has heard. The online event with Transport Minister Éamon Ryan was attended last Thursday night by up to 200 people and facilitated by Green Senator Róisín Garvey. Among the expert panel was Senior Engineer with the Project Management Office (PMO) who told the minister that Clare County Council is “a winning local authority,” ready to capitalise on the transformative opportunities offered by the fund. At the outset, the Green minister said his department would work with authorities who were willing and able. “If other counties aren’t willing or aren’t interested, that’s fine,” he said. “We’ll get those who are to show best example and best practice.” Minister Ryan who, at one time, ran a cycling tourism enterprise in Clare, outlined his vision for the Active Travel initiative, citing his own memories of this county. “I always remember …

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Major funding boost for West Clare Greenway project

THERE has been a welcome boost for a long-cherished plan to create a greenway along the route of the old West Clare Railway, linking Ennis to the towns of Kilrush and Kilkee. This week, Minister for Climate Change, Communications Networks and Transport, Eamon Ryan announced funding €255,000 for the project. The allocation will enable the start of an active consultation phase involving landowners along the route, with a view to creating another world-class visitor attraction in Clare. The funding, which was allocated under the Carbon Tax Fund 2020, represents a total allocation of €4.5m to 26 greenways and provides support for feasibility, planning and design. The allocation to the West Clare Railway Greenway Project will progress the proposed amenity past concept and feasibility stage and allow Clare County Council to start actively engaging with landowners on route selection and preparation of the statutory consent phase of development – namely planning permission, environmental impact assessment and preliminary design. It is envisaged …

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