Clare Fm - Podcasts

It's been suggested people in West Clare no longer feel protected by their local Gardaí. It follows an incident at a home in Coore last week in which a resident sustained minor injuries after two men arrived at their door after 9pm and stole a sum of cash before fleeing. The annual conference of the Association of Garda Superintendents recently heard criticisms of the merger of Clare and Tipperary's Garda Divisions last year, with the assocation's president pointing out that only one superintendent is based in the county now compared to four prior to the amalgamation. Ennistymon Fianna Fáil Councillor Shane Talty believes locals have good reason to feel they're more vulnerable to crime now than they once were.

Scariff is currently holding the AIB Press Photographer of the Year Exhibition. Clare Arts Office, in conjunction with Scarriff Library Gallery, is hosting the Exhibition, along with the Press Photographers Association of Ireland (PPAI). There is Clare interest in the Exhibition, aside from the choice of venue. To find out more, Alan Morrissey was joined by Clare Champion Photographer, John Kelly. Photo (c): Clare FM

Are neighbourhood watch patrols needed to combat theft and anti-social behaviour in Clare? It is a suggestion that has been made, following an incident in West Clare described by Clare’s Crime Prevention Officer, Sgt Catriona Holohan as a “distressing experience for the homeowner”. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by Fianna Fáil Councillor from Ennistymon, Shane Talty. Picture (c): Garda Siochana

Today is World Mental Health Day. The Samaritans are highlighting the importance of World Mental Health Day and urging anyone who is struggling to reach out. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined by Jennifer Vickers, a volunteer for Samaritans in Ennis. The Samaritans can be reached 24/7 on the freephone number 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.ie

Today is World Mental Health Day. The Department of Psychology in Mary Immaculate College in partnership with parents, HSE, Tusla and Clarecare have launched a new study to examine the experiences of parents living with mental health challenges. To find out more about the survey, Alan Morrissey was joined by Psychology Professor at Mary Immaculate College, Niamh Stack, Clarecare Family support service team leader, Joanne Peril and a parent from Ennis, Tracy Dsane. Photo (c): Clare FM

Florida has been hit by what is being described as the worst storm to hit the state in over a century. Ahead of Hurricane Milton making landfall, Alan Morrissey spoke with Chief Meteorologist at the US meteorological consulting firm, Weather Tiger, Dr. Ryan Truchelut. To discuss the travel implications caused by Hurricane Milton, Alan Morrissey was joined by Ennis Travel Counsellor, Gearoid Mannion. Photo (c): WikiImages from pixabay via Canva

The Dáil has heard that an elderly North Clare woman spent nine hours in University Hospital Limerick's Emergency Department this week before leaving without being treated. Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan has revealed that the woman presented at the Dooradoyle facility at 1pm on Monday with an issue related to swelling of the eyes before "giving up" and returning home at 10pm. It comes in a week when the UL Hospitals Group has urged the public to consider all alternatives before presenting at the facility's Emergency Department as it claims it's caring for "an exceptionally high number of unwell medical patients". Deputy Quinlivan the experience of the woman is just a snapshot of the horror stories he hears about the facility day in, day out.

Futureproof Clare has signed an open letter to coalition leaders calling for a renewed ban on Liquified Natural Gas. It follows a High Court decision to overturn the refusal of planning permission for contentious plans by Shannon LNG to construct a storage terminal, power plant and regasification unit off the coast of Ballylongford in the Shannon Estuary. Under the new planning bill passed in the Dáil last night, LNG terminals are now considered "Strategic Infrastructure Developments", meaning such applications can bypass local authorities and be made directly to An Bord Pleanála. Scariff based Futureproof Clare spokesperson Dr Sinéad Sheehan believes it's a terrible decision.

A Clare Senator has put any potential suspicions to rest by confirming he's not a Russian spy. It comes in a week which has seen reports circulate concerning a politician in the Oireachtas who has allegedly been recruited by Russian intelligence. Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín was the first to rule himself out - revealing earlier this week that he was previously offered a trip to Moscow including a stay in a five-star hotel and a chance to meet Russian president Vladamir Putin. Members of both houses of the Oireachtas have been quick to proclaim their innocence, and speaking in the Seanad, Tulla Fianna Fáil Senator Timmy Dooley has called for transparency from all TDs and senators. Senator Dooley's party colleague Senator Malcolm Byrne, meanwhile, says there's a strong case to support his innocence.

A member of the Ennis 2040 board has proposed putting aside funding for the upkeep of businesses affected by the ongoing public realm works in the county town. It follows previous calls from business owners for a moratorium on commercial rates in order to offset the loss of business caused by the disruption. Although the works to upgrade the streetscape of Ennis Town Centre only began last October, traders, residents and local representatives haven't been shy in expressing their frustration with the pace at which progress is being made. Clare County Council announced in September of last year that it had entered into an €11.5 million two-year contract with Shareridge Limited for the delivery of enhancement works at High Street, Bank Place, O’Connell Square, O’Connell Street, Old Barrack Street and Barrack Square. As per the contract, construction must conclude by next October or penalties could be incurred by the contractor. Following backlash from traders regarding the effect the works are having on the

The Clare based Deputy Leader of the Green Party believes a General Election is imminent. Speculation has ramped up over the date voters will be going to the polls after pallets of election posters belonging to Tánaiste Micheál Martin and billboards with Taoiseach Simon Harris were spotted across the country this week. Both party leaders have however expressed their desire for the Government to run its full term, until next February. But Inagh Green Party Senator Roisín Garvey believes given the recent lump sump payments included in Budget 2025 and the coalition's favourable position in the opinion polls, she's confident an election will be called for next month. Clare's Government TD meanwhile insists there's crucial work to be done before the Dáil can be dissolved, such as passing the Finance and Social Welfare Bills to make Budget 2025 legally binding. Meelick Fianna Fáil Deputy Cathal Crowe says there's a strong chance of a pre-Christmas election though.

The new season of Clare Museum’s Lecture Series will get underway this evening. Mary Cahill, an archaeologist and former Keeper of Irish Antiquities at the National Museum of Ireland, will give the opening lecture. Clare Museum’s lecture series runs from October through to May and, this season, talks will take place on the second Wednesday of each month, at 7.30pm. To learn more about this, Alan Morrissey was joined by Curator of Clare Museum, John Rattigan and Lecturer, Archaeologist and former Keeper of Irish Antiquities at the National Museum of Ireland, Mary Cahill. Photo (c): Clare FM

A recent social media post by the Mid-West Hospital Campaign group stated that they were contacted by people expressing major concerns at the current state of the Emergency Department in UHL, with plenty of online commentary about current overcrowding conditions there. According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation’s Trolleywatch figures, yesterday the daily record for presentations at University Hospital Limerick was broken, while 118 patients were waiting for a bed at UHL on Tuesday morning. In early February last, one hundred and fifty patients were left waiting for beds at UHL - the worst day in history for hospital overcrowding at any facility in the country. To talk more about this, Alan Morrisey was joined by Clare Social Democrats election candidate, Hillary Tonge and Mid-West Hospital Campaign Limerick General Election candidate, whose daughter Eve passed away due a blood clot that went undiagnosed after spending 17 hours on a trolley in 2019, Melanie Cleary. Photo (c) Alan Place

We have spoken about anti-social behaviour in Shannon on Morning Focus before, and it appears to be an issue in the town once again. Mike O’Loughlin, who is a member of Shannon Community Group, has been highlighting incidents of anti-social behaviour in Shannon on social media recently. Mike has questioned the anti social behaviour in a Facebook post asking why the Garda in Shannon are not patrolling the streets. To discuss this further, Alan Morrissey was joined by Mike O’Loughlin. Photo (c) by Stephen Todd from Getty Images via Canva

Shannon Airport has topped a national customer experience ranking. Ireland's Customer Experience Insights (CXi) Report 2024, widely regarded as a benchmark for customer satisfaction, has ranked Shannon Airport in the top spot in the travel category and ranked 4th overall. The placement means Shannon Airport now leads the travel sector and ranks as the highest-rated airport in the country. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined by Head of Marketing for The Shannon Airport Group, Tim Ryan. Photo (c) Shannon Group

Clare County Council has expressed confidence that public realm works in Ennis will conclude by the end of next year. The local authority commenced an €11.5 million two-year contract with Shareridge Limited last October for streetscape enhancements at High Street, Bank Place, O’Connell Square, O’Connell Street, Old Barrack Street and Barrack Square. The ongoing works in the town form part of Phase Two of the Ennis Public Realm Regeneration Project and as per the contract, this phase must be wrapped up by October of 2025. Senior Engineer with Ennis Municipal District Seán Lenihan says penalties on the contractor can be applied if the works run on beyond the deadline.

It's claimed a landmark moment has been reached for Clare's disabled community. The Government has confirmed it will ratify the optional protocol of the United Nation's Convention on the rights of people with disabilities, over 6 years after the main body of the legislation was passed in Dáil Eireann. The measure will ensure a system is in place for people with disabilities to take complaints directly to the UN if they feel they're suffering a human rights violation in Ireland. Ennistymon Fine Gael Senator Martin Conway believes it's a major step forward, but admits much more barriers must be broken down to achieve equality.

A Government Minister claims investment is being put into Clare to protect the county's IDA-supported jobs. It comes as data from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has revealed the number of people employed in Clare as a result of foreign direct investment has dipped under 6,000 for the first time in a decade. The level of growth in jobs supported by the Industrial Development Agency in the Midwest region as a whole was just 2.6% last year compared to 5.8% in the Midlands. Speaking during a visit to Clare, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and the Employment, Emer Higgins, has been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons the Government is prioritising regional development to ensure counties like Clare remain as attractive as urban centres like Dublin.

The Clare branch of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service is warning further hospital cancellations in The MidWest are highly likely unless urgent supply issues are addressed. The IBTS has issued a pre-amber alert, which means all Irish Hospitals have been asked to conserve their use of blood. An additional 2,000 donations are needed over the next month to restore adequate blood supplies and clinics will take place at the West County Hotel in Ennis on Wednesday 18th and 23rd and in Kilrush Community Hall on Thursday 24th. Broadford based IBTS Recruitment Executive Alex O'Connor says hospitals will have difficult decisions to make, if supply isn't met.

A former Mayor of Ennis believes it's "disappointing" that environmental concerns have resulted in another setback for the Ennis Data Centre. After ruling to uphold Clare County Council's 2022 decision to grant planning permission for the data centre on the Tulla Road in April of this year, An Bórd Pleanála has now told the High Court it won't oppose an appeal to quash this decision. Following this week's decision, Art Data Centres will decide at a hearing later this month if they wish to defend their case. Ennis Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat Daly, who's previously spoken in support of the development, is hopeful the project materialises in the future as he believes it would be a net positive for Ennis and its environs.