Tag Archives: Pat Dowling

THE significant contribution to Irish culture by the founder of the GAA will be celebrated next Sunday, with the inaugural Michael Cusack Day in Carron. A Shane Gilmore sculpture representing the central role of gaelic games in communities across the island of Ireland will be unveiled, exactly 173 years on from Cusack’s birth in Carron. A tree for each county will also be unveiled, along the Burren Fairy Trail and GAA Trail near the Michael Cusack Cottage, thanks to the support of the TOMAR Trust. Sunday’s event also will feature the launch of Going WeLL, a national wellness experience programme being developed nationally by the GAA to encourage people to take better care of their mental and physical health, and by so doing, to reconnect with their communities. Going WeLL is being rolled out on a pilot outreach basis to a range of communities, schools and FET (Further Education and Training) Centres from the Michael Cusack Centre this winter. It …

CLARE people are able to pay their respects to the late John Hume with the opening by Clare County Council of an online book of condolences. Mayor of Clare, Councillor Mary Howard, is inviting members of the public to sign the book and join people from all over Ireland and beyond in marking John’s legacy as “an inspiring and courageous politician and peacemaker who helped to redefine politics and was instrumental in bringing about peace”. “John Hume is widely acknowledged as having played a crucial role in the Northern Ireland peace process. His vision for communities finding a way of living together peacefully is an inspiration to all of us,” she added. Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling, said: “I invite people to sign the online Book of Condolence and add their names to the many tributes paid to John Hume by people around the country and all over the world.”  The Book of Condolence can be signed …

The innovative work carried out by the staff of Clare County Council during the Covid-19 crisis will be highlighted on #YourCouncilDay, which takes place on Wednesday, July 1. Clare’s swift reaction to the demands of lockdown saw the Library Service introduce several initiatives including a contact and collect service, a cocooning book delivery service and more than 40 online story-time, drawing and craft workshops for children. The library also offered its 75-piece toy and sensory collection to parents of children with complex needs, and distributed 500 wellbeing packs to those that are cocooning. A writing competition for children and teenagers was launched on May 4 and more than 100 entries were submitted under the theme ‘County Clare 2020: A Day in My Life’. The competition was offered as an alternative creative activity for children and teenagers by the Clare Library Service after the schools were closed on March 15. The winning and highly commended stories were selected by award-winning children’s …

THE Clare Economic Taskforce held its inaugural meeting at Áras Contae an Chláir, Ennis, today (Friday). The taskforce was convened by Pat Dowling, Chief Executive of Clare County Council, to inform and guide appropriate economic measures that will stimulate job creation in Clare. The group comprises public and private sector leaders and is chaired by retired Ambassador Noel Kilkenny, former Consul General of Ireland in New York. The Clare Economic Taskforce will assist Clare County Council to: Identify the immediate priority actions required to maximise the area’s local and regional economic potential; Develop future resilience in the local and regional economy. The Taskforce will progress medium and long-term projects and actions; The Taskforce will examine how Clare, as part of the Mid-West region, can facilitate and enable decentralised employment opportunities; The Taskforce will examine how national, EU and international capital investment opportunities can underpin Clare’s future economic growth; The Taskforce will build economic confidence in Clare and the Mid-West region; …

CLARE County Council has approved the commencement of work on the complete refurbishment of all toilet facilities within the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Centre. Clare contractor Jada Projects Ltd has been appointed to complete the project. Clare County Council signed the contract, which is valued at €208,444 ex VAT, earlier this month. The improvements include a full refit of the toilets on the ground floor and first floor. The works will see the unisex model that was in place revert to separate male and female toilet facilities. It is expected that the works will be completed in July. Mayor of Clare, Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy, said: “The toilet refurbishment will be a welcome improvement to facilities at the world-class visitor attraction. With 1.6m visitors to the cliffs in 2019, it is crucially important to maintain high standards of accessibility, convenience and hygiene in Visitor Centre facilities – perhaps now more than ever, given the public health requirements to combat Covid-19.” …

QUESTIONS are being raised about why a multi-million housing development planned for Meelick has been shelved at a time when private rented accommodation is securing monthly rents of up to €1,300. Deputy Cathal Crowe has written to Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy asking for an explanation why this major development of 70 new housing units was not sanctioned by his department. “It is hugely regrettable that this project is not being developed at a time when there is an immense need for housing in the area. I liked this development because it almost had a 50 50 split of affordable and social housing. “There is a huge demand for housing in South-East Clare. Rents are averaging between €1,300 and €1,500 a month, which is some of the highest in the county. “There is huge rental pressure because of proximity to Limerick City and this housing development needed to happen,” he outlined. “There are other land parcels for sale in Meelick and …

AN ECONOMIC taskforce is to be set up to address the massive financial impact of the coronavirus on Clare economy, which the council’s CEO has likened to that of a “juggernaut”. Members of the local authority were updated on the measure, as they gave unanimous backing to a cross-party motion to freeze commercial rates for the duration of the crisis. At their monthly meeting, councillors heard that the authority anticipates a hit this year of €19.7 million. They agreed that central government must compensate for this loss. Calling for “a complete freeze on the collection and charging of commercial rates… for the duration of this pandemic and for a time after at the very least,” Councillor Mary Howard said business owners were distraught. She also called for a “mandatory fund” from central government to compensate councils. “I’ve been getting calls from tearful people who didn’t know when they would be able to re-open their business,” she said. “Some still don’t …

DRAMA was kept to a minimum when members of Clare County Council gathered at Glór in Ennis for their first full meeting since the lockdown. The state-of-the art auditorium, which has capacity for 485, enabled the attendance of councillors, media and the general public, while also ensuring social distancing. “It’s great to see you all,” said CEO Pat Dowling. “We’ve missed you – a little.” Monday’s meeting coincided with the first day of Phase Two of the road map for the re-opening of Ireland and provided an opportunity for local authority members to assess the impact to-date of Covid-19 on Clare, and to consider the actions needed and the choices to be made to turn the county’s fortunes around. Any councillor considering making a song and dance, in a venue more accustomed to theatrical performances than political ones, would have been dissuaded by the CEO’s sombre account of the economic impact of the coronavirus. Outlining the additional expenditure of €500,000, …