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Dempsey denies rail corridor plans scrapped

The Transport Minister has denied plans for the Western Rail Corridor have been shelved under the government's revised capital programme.

Noel Dempsey has hit back at critics of the government's tightened spend on infrastructure, and says continuing rail services beyond the Ennis to Athenry line are still on the agenda, though he admits the time-scale has changed.

New “locals” pricing structure at the Cliffs

 

New pricing arrangements for local regular visitors to the Cliffs of Moher have been announced.

Residents in the North Clare area will have to fork out a once off charge of 12 euro to obtain a photo ID which in turn will allow them unlimited access to the cliffs from August until the end of 2011.

Open evenings on the pricing structures and information on how locals can obtain the new passes will be held at the North Clare attraction and in Ennis next month and again in September.

Repeated calls on Government for long-term Bawnmore funding

The Government is again being urged to provide long-term funding for respite care at Bawnmore as the Brothers of Charity confirm that the service will reopen on the 16t of August.

However Clare and Limerick families that avail of respite are unhappy at calls for them to fund raise 100 thousand euro to ensure the centre remains open next year and believe that this money should come from the state.

Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey says its unacceptable that vulnerable people should be asked to come up with the money

 

Half a million euro for Clare water services

Clare County council has been awarded half a million euro to help with the improvement of water services in the county.

The 504 thousand euro comes from the Government, and is part of a 20.5 million fund granted to local authorities nationwide.

The county council's portion of the funds will assist with the running costs on their water and sewerage treatment plants
 

Cowen appeals for calm over possible boundary extension

 

The Taoiseach has urged the people of South East Clare to remain calm and sensible about the possible extension of Limerick City into County Clare.

It follows calls from the Mayor of Clare, Christy Curtin, "to Leave County Clare alone", as he addressed Brian Cowen and other government representatives at the opening of the new Limerick Tunnel.

Plans submitted for Ennis Hospital development

It seems long awaited proposals for new wards and fifty extra beds at Ennis General have moved forward.

In a planning application lodged to Ennis Town Council The Health Service Executive is seeking permission to develop a two-storey ward building to connect into the existing county hospital on the Gort Road which is a protected structure.

According to the application the new structure will be at ground and first floor level and will include bedrooms, associated treatment rooms and staff facilities

Court appearance for Clare teacher facing sex offence charges

The Book of Evidence in the case of a County Clare teacher facing sex offence charges against a teenage girl is due to be served at Ennis District Court today.

The majority of the alleged offence occurred at a County Clare School over an two month period last year.

The 60 year old accused who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared before Ennis District Court last month charged with committing a total of 14 sexual offences against a teenage girl.

Shannon Tunnel opens today

 

Ennis to Limerick commuters will finally be able to take the Shannon Tunnel this afternoon.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen along with the Transport Minister Noel Dempsey travel to the Mid West to officially open the 660 million Euro project which bypasses Limerick City and take up 20 minutes off journey times to the West.

This new route under the Shannon River opens a new western corridor connects the N/M-18 Galway-Ennis-Limerick Road to the M7 Dublin to Limerick route and also completes the southern bypass of Limerick City