Clare Fm - Podcasts

Fr Brendan Quinlivan presents this week's Beyond Belief and hears from Bishop Breandan Leahy of Limerick and Bishop Alan McGucian of Down and Conor who are representing the Irish Church at the Synod, currently underway in Rome. Fr. Laurence Gallagher joins us to share details of an upcoming mission in Miltown Malbay. Bishop Fintan reflects on his appointment as the Irish Church Delegate to the Jubilee Holy Year happening in 2025 as well as the new pastoral from the Irish Bishops on the question of migration.

Stephen Fletcher leads our Sunday prayer for Sunday 13th October 2024 the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time and the 20th Sunday after Trinity

There are calls for traffic congestion in Ennis to be addressed before the implementation of the Town Bus Service. The long-awaited public transport service in the county town is due to be put in place before the end of next year and Clare County Council claims it "will result in less vehicles on our town centre roads". Despite this, Ennis Fianna Fáil Councillor Antoinette Baker-Bashua has this week called for "temporary traffic management measures" in the town to alleviate congestion caused by the ongoing public realm works and related road closures. She says while the Town Bus Service is much anticipated, something must be done in the meantime.

Two Clare communities are set to redevelop major local amenities on the back of a new funding boost. Tulla United Soccer Club and Kilrush Rugby Club have each been granted €25,000 under the Healthy Ireland initiative. The allocations will go towards the development and upgrade of pitch side walking tracks at both facilities. Clarecastle based Fine Gael General Election Candidate Leonora Carey believes it will bring major benefits for particularly for, the Winter months.

Coming up on the show, we will look ahead to this weekends TUS senior and intermediate football semi finals, we will preview the intermediate camogie decider, hear about this years Minor A hurling final along with a big Sunday afternoon for Clare teams in the FAI Junior Cup.

The Department of Health's Chief Nursing Officer has addressed concerns over safe staffing levels at UHL. It comes amid reports from the INMO that 2,000 nursing and midwifery posts remain unfilled nationwide, and claims 200 vacancies exist at UHL.

Responding to Ennistymon Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway, Minister Stephen Donnelly confirmed the timeline for HIQA's MidWest ED report could not be expedited ahead of next Summer due to the workload involved. But not before tensions flared between the coalition colleagues over both party's respective handling of the health portfolio.

The EPA is demanding Uisce Éireann expedites upgrades to sewerage infrastructure in Clare amid significant human health and biodiversity concerns. A new report published by the organisation today found that raw sewerage continues to be discharged from Ballyvaughan and Kilkee every single day, while Lahinch's Wastewater Treatment Plant failed to meet EU standards. Kilmihil's WWTP has been named on a priority list, meaning upgrade works must be carried out urgently to prevent harm to local waterbodies. As it stands, Uisce Éireann is hoping to deliver new WWTPs in Kilkee and Ballyvaughan by 2027 and in Lahinch by 2029. Senior EPA Wastewater Inspector Caroline Murphy has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan that projects in this county require a renewed sense of urgency.

Cold water has been poured on the prospect of a statutory inquiry into the death of Shannon Teenager Aoife Johnston at University Hospital Limerick. It follows a special meeting of the Oireachtas Health Committee this week, which confirmed the timeline for HIQA's impending review of Emergency Department capacity in the MidWest cannot be expedited. The bulk of the meeting was dedicated to issues arising at University Hospital Limerick and saw the MidWest HSE Regional Executive Officer, the Chief Nursing Officer and Health Minister all in attendance. Several TDs and Senators levelled criticism at the absence of the former Beaumont Hospital CEO, Ian Carter who has this week been appointed to lead day to day operations at Dooradoyle. Responding to Ennistymon Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway, Minister Stephen Donnelly confirmed the timeline for HIQA's MidWest ED report could not be expedited ahead of next Summer due to the workload involved. But not before tensions flared between the coalition colleagues over

It's claimed streams of adults and children in Clare have been left waiting in pain due to serious failings with the Dental Treatment Services Scheme. In 2021, Clare County Council passed a motion with the aim of "preventing the collapse" of the service when 17 dentists were operating under the programme. Since then participation has plummeted, however, and now just six dentists located in Ennis, Sixmilebridge, Scariff and Killaloe are providing services to medical card holders in Clare. Shannon Sinn Féin Councillor Donna McGettigan says the Government's inaction has caused "disgraceful waiting lists". President of the Irish Dental Association HSE group, Dr. Maura Cuffe claims public dentists in this county are facing significant barriers.

A demonstration will take place at the entrance to Shannon Airport this Saturday at 1pm in support of Irish neutrality and in opposition to the use of the airport by the US military for the transport of weapons and soldiers. The Irish Anti-War Movement is condemning what it describes as “the continued use of Shannon Airport as a de-facto US military base, facilitating the transfer of munitions to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).” To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by founder of Shannonwatch and former UN Peacekeeper, Dr Edward Horgan and by Ennis native and People of Clare Against Genocide member, Sarah Geraghty Photo (c) Shannon Group

The West County Hotel in Ennis is the venue for a public meeting to mark the first anniversary of Israel’s ongoing onslaught on Gaza. Senator Frances Black is set to speak at the meeting on “Time for Action – Pass the Occupied Territories Bill.” The meeting is being organised by the Clare branch of Sadaka – the Ireland Palestine Alliance. To find out more, Alan Morrisey was joined by the Chair of Sadaka-the Ireland Palestine Alliance, Éamonn Meehan and Independent Senator, Frances Black. Picture (c) https://www.sadaka.ie/

After 15 years of serving the people of Ennis and the wider population of County Clare, EMC Autos will hang up their tools for the last time later this month. Its owners, husband and wife Eoghain and Michelle McMahon have taken the difficult decision for a number of reasons, chief among them being difficulties achieving work-life balance, increased insurance costs, recruitment issues and intense pressure caused by the NCT backlog. Although Michelle and Eoghain will be sorely missed, its customers can rest assured that another garage will take its place as Glenny Auto Works will open on Monday the 4th of November under the ownership of Eamon Glenny. Clare FM's Seán Lyons has caught up with Michelle McMahon to hear about her and Eoghain's experience of running the business since 2009. Photo (c): Clare FM

Éigse Thomáis Uí Aodha returns to Miltown Malbay this weekend. This year will be the sixth year that the annual Irish-language festival will have taken place The festival takes place in memory of Tomás Ó hAodha (1866-1935), a major literary and cultural figure at the time of the Gaelic renaissance and a native of Miltown. To tell us more about it, Alan Morrisey was joined by a member of the organising committee, Séamus Mac Mathúna. Photo (c): Clare FM

A map to zone areas off Clare's coast for offshore wind projects will be developed next year. It comes just one week after ESB received planning permission to convert Moneypoint from a coal-fired to heavy fuel oil facility, ahead of its eventual transition to a renewable energy hub by the end of the decade. The Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce report, launched last June is aiming to create 10,000 new green jobs in the region by 2035, but crucial to this is a Designated Maritime Area Plan, which the Government has yet to develop. Responding to Clare Senators Roisín Garvey and Timmy Dooley in the Seanad, Minister Ossian Smyth confirmed a D-MAP will be made for this county next year.

The Health Minister is adamant that the former UL Hospitals Group CEO Collette Cowan's new position within the HSE is not a promotion. Professor Cowan has been on administrative leave since the HSE commenced a disciplinary investigation involving six people, in relation to the death of Shannon teenager Aoife Johnston at University Hospital Limerick in December of 2022. Ms Cowan has since been appointed as an integrated healthcare area manager within the newly created HSE MidWest body. Responding to Clare Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe at the Oireachtas Health Committee, Stephen Donnelly insists that as the position of UL Hospitals Group CEO no longer exists, the new role has a smaller span of control.

Clare's Junior Cert class of 2024 has been reacting with delight this afternoon. Having put pen to paper in June, over 1,600 students in this county received their long awaited first ever state exam results today.

The Bishop of Killaloe will represent Ireland in a prestigious role for the upcoming Holy Year. Every 25 years, the Catholic Church holds a jubilee year to mark the birth of Jesus Christ, with the hopes parishoners can "re-establish their relationship with God." The theme for the Jubilee Year of 2025 is 'Pilgrims of Hope' and will involve a special youth pilgrimage to Rome. Bishop Fintan Monaghan who's been selected as the Irish delegate for Jubilee year, says it will bring major benefits to the county.

A Clare Doctor insists its of paramount importance that people across all sectors of society understand the difficulties facing women during menopause. Clare County Council will be hosting an event at Glór Theatre in Ennis from next Thursday which will cover the impacts on mental health, diet, nutrition, physical activity and sexual health for women going through their respective journeys. The menopause occurs naturally in women, generally between the ages of 45 and 55 and marks the end of the menstrual cycle, but can lead to symptoms such as weight gain, difficulty sleeping and fatigue. Ennis GP Dr Máire Finn who will be giving a keynote address at the event says every experience is unique.

A Clare planning consultant and former county Mayor believes a landmark bill passed in the Dáil will do little to tackle the housing crisis and will remove all power from local authorities. Under the new Planning and Development Bill 2023, County Development Plans will last for ten years rather than the current six and there will be a definitive timeline set for judicial reviews and planning appeal decisions. Additionally, though, as part of the plans any public submissions to zone land for residential use or otherwise will be disregarded if they're judged to interfere with an overall national strategy. Clonlara Independent Councillor Michael Begley has been telling Clare FM's Daragh Dolan that while speeding up the judicial review is positive, the bill will create new obstacles for local communities.