Tag Archives: rescue services

KILLALOE Coast Guard has repeated its plea to motorists to stop blocking access to its station on the shores of Lough Derg. Amid record temperatures in recent days, visitors flocked to Killaloe to enjoy the water-based amenities. The parking situation in the Pier Head area was described by the coast guard as “unbelievable”, with blatant disregard for signage asking people to keep the entrance to the rescue base clear. The heatwave proved to be a particularly busy time for the coast guard. Volunteers had to respond to a number of calls and found themselves hampered by the presence of abandoned vehicles on approach routes and in front of the entrance to their station. Last Wednesday (July 21), while responding to a call about a vessel disrupting a swimming area, the coast guard encountered a series of obstructions. “While our crews were responding to this call-out the entrance to Pier head was again blocked by cars [that had] been abandoned in …

A BAN on the use of inflatable toys at Clare beaches and waterways is in the offing, as part of a review of bye-laws designed to improve safety. Mayor of Clare, Councillor Mary Howard, proposed updating the regulations to ban the toys. She described them as being “meant for the pool in Ibiza, not Ballyalla, Killaloe or Lahinch”. The motion, which received a warm welcome at the monthly meeting of Clare County Council, comes on foot of a number of near misses over the summer months when children got into difficulties. Over the summer, lifeguards around Clare and other coastal counties, reported a sharp rise in the use of air mattresses, inflatable rings and other toys. Councillor Howard said that despite the known dangers, many people were still buying the items because they were inexpensive and widely available. “It was just €5 in one shop last week for what was either an inflatable unicorn or a flamingo,” she remarked. The …