Tag Archives: Senator Róisín Garvey

PLANS for a €450 million data centre in Ennis have been described as “ill timed and ill placed” by Clare’s Green Party senator. The observation by Senator Roisin Garvey came as the developers submitted a response to appeals against the proposal submitted to An Bord Pleanala. A decision on the controversial plans for the Art Data Centre Campus near the Tulla Road is set to be made by An Bord Pleanala in the new year. Appeals against the development have been submitted to An Bord Pleanala by Clare Green Party, Futureproof Clare, Friends of the Irish Environment and An Taisce as well as three individuals. Senator Garvey commented this week, “At a time of huge energy security concerns this is ill timed and ill placed. “There is a moratorium by Government on Data centres and if any more go ahead in the future they will have to have access to renewable energy. “I think West Clare with its offshore wind …

GREEN Senator Róisín Garvey has called on Clare County Council to “do better” in terms of using funds allocated for cycling and walking infrastructure. The Inagh woman highlighted figures released by the National Transport Authority (NTA) showing that 81.3% of funds allocated to Clare under the Active Travel Fund were not spent last year. “In Clare our local authority was allocated €5,986,000 for walking and cycling projects in the Clare County for the year 2021,” Senator Garvey, Green Party Spokesperson for Rural Development and Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said. “However, according to figures released by the NTA, only €1,113,509 of this was spent. We need to do better for our community. It is understandable that the significant increase in funding since 2019 requires increased capacity, and there have been many additional challenges for our local authority during Covid. However, funding has also been provided for a new Travel Officer role, dedicated to local walking and cycling projects and we need …

THE plight of residents of Clare housing estates caught up in red tape over wastewater services has been raised by Senator Róisín Garvey. The Green Party member highlighted in particular the situation at Westcoast View at the Crosses of Annagh in West Clare. “The people there have been waiting many years for the estate to be taken in charge,” she told Minister of State, Thomas Byrne. “At this stage they have been waiting nine years. It has its own wastewater treatment plant and the position of Irish Water is that it is not responsible for taking in charge of developer-provided water services infrastructure. “Clare County Council can no longer legally take a private wastewater treatment plant, WWTP, in charge as it is no longer a water services authority. How will we remedy this situation? “From doing lots of research and from many emails over and back it seems a number of estates in west Clare are in the same predicament, …

SENATOR Róisín Garvey has criticised delays in cervical screening services, saying they are causing huge stress. The Inagh woman also shared her own experience of the worry that results when a smear test shows up irregularities. “Several women have contacted me to tell me that they have experienced a huge amount of stress caused by delays in getting results after they had an initial cervical smear test, and they experienced further delay, in cases where there were irregularities, in getting an appointment for a colposcopy procedure or have irregular cells removed and discover the final diagnosis,” she told Junior Minister Frank Feighan. “A few women have told me that they had to wait over five months. As a woman who has had a cervical smear test and irregular cells were discovered, I know that as soon as one is told irregular cells have been found one automatically thinks cancer, and one continues to think like that until one is told …

HERITAGE projects across county Clare are to benefit to the tune of more than €120,000 of State funding. Community groups from Spanchilhill to Spanish Point will receive funding from The Heritage Council. Initiatives to received support range from the preservation of local monuments to the creation of audio guides for those with visual or literacy issues. Green Party Senator Róisín Garvey outlined the full list of projects to benefit from the funding boost. “As spokesperson for Rural Development, I am delighted to announce securing funding of €120,621 in support of Heritage activity all over Clare and across a wide range of events and topics,” she said. “Thanks to my Green Party Colleague, Minister Malcolm Noonan, for the funding. Investing in our Heritage is important for ourselves and our communities as well as being another great draw for visitors to our beautiful county. “From Caherconnell, to Killaloe, Kilrush, Clooney, Spanish Point, Clarecastle, Shannon, Ketts Lough and for our cultural heritage with …

ASSURANCES have been given on the arrangements for school transport for Ukrainian pupils who have recently arrived in North Clare. Among them are 26 children who have been welcomed into St Augustine’s National School in Kilshanny. They are part of a group of around 500 people to take up residence in Lisdoonvarna in recent weeks. More than 100 children are being provided with educational facilities, based on availability in neighbouring schools. While the new arrivals were provided with private bus transport for a number of days, the Department of Education has not made any formal provision yet and the children have no other way to get to the school, which is around seven kilometres away. Councillor Joe Garrihy said Lisdoonvarna Fáilte are prepared to do all in their power to welcome new arrivals and ease their access to local services. “We have been searching behind every hedge for bus transport and everyone has been really cooperative, however we did have …

Green Party Senator Róisín Garvey said today, “I am delighted to announce more funding for swimming pools on behalf of my Green Party colleague Minister Catherine Martin’s Department. Senator Garvey said the €87,805.82 for eight Clare pools is very welcome adding, “It’s great to see businesses that had to close for so long getting supports to help them with their pools which are invaluable for both locals and tourists alike.” Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport & Media Catherine Martin TD has provided this aid through Covid Funding to support the sport sector. Ireland Active was appointed by Sport Ireland to administer the swimming pool grant scheme, supported by partners Swim Ireland. Senator Garvey from Inagh concluded “Now more than ever we see the importance of physical activity for our bodies, our minds and our social interaction. “The funding is an acknowledgement of the importance of our Sports sector and the positive impact swimming has for health and wellbeing.”

JOBS for Ukrainian professionals could help to provide support for those fleeing to Ireland and minimise the impact on services, Clare’s Fianna Fáil senator has said.  During a Seanad debate, all three of Clare’s senators commended the efforts made in this county to welcome refugees. Senator Timmy Dooley said that, after speaking to a number of health and education professionals, he believes they have the capacity to support their community.  He said that following his own first-hand experience in Ukraine and Poland, the scale of the crisis has not yet become apparent. “I do not think we have seen anything like the scale of the demand just yet,” he said. “I hope and I have great faith in the Irish people that they will stick with it. Everybody I have met wants to be part of the solution right now. “This will require holding the nerve as numbers increase. We are at 10,000. It is a long way to 100,000 …