• 7 locations will be targeted
• All encouraged to get involved

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe is pleased to announce that the annual South Clare Spring Clean will proceed this year, in a safe, socially distanced manner.

Volunteers of all ages are being asked to come forward and make themselves available on April 1^st, to pick up litter and generally make the area look cleaner, tidier and more attractive for the residents.

“This is my 16^th consecutive year organising springs cleans in the South Clare area,” said Deputy Crowe.

“They have, thankfully, been hugely successful in times gone by but this year because of the Covid-19 restrictions, it will be different.

“Nonetheless, I expect a large participation as usual as I know a great many of fantastic volunteers look forward to this day each year.

“The schedule will take in seven meeting points – we’ll begin at Westbury Church at 9:30am, Shannon Banks at 9:45 and Carraig Midhe at 10am.

“There’s two simultaneous starts in Meelick at 10:30am – one at The Tavern and the other at the community hall – then Parteen school at 10:45am and McMahon’s Bar in Ardnacrusha at 11am, so there’s plenty of scope for people to fall in wherever suits.

“For anybody that is in a position to help us out, I’m asking them to bring their own gloves and hand sanitisers while litter pickers and bags will be made available on the morning.

“Of course, we are still operating within a 5km limit on movement so if you are further out than that, you won’t be able to give us a hand this year unfortunately.

“All of the rubbish collected will be taken away and disposed of, thanks to Clare County Council and the Shannon Municipal District office and as per pervious, years An Taisce will be on board to help with the supply of bin bags and other materials involved in collection of rubbish.

“Over the years there has been a marked increase in illegally dumped materials right around the county but as always, rural areas bear the brunt of this.

“I have seen a spike in my own locality in South Clare in particular and it can be particularly frustrating to see larger items such as fridges and mattresses thrown into hedgerows when they can easily be recycled at any one of the various sites around the county.

“Over the years, these clean ups have exposed some more alarming items dumped in the countryside including the carcasses of dead horses, bags full of soiled nappies and so on.

“These are items that should be disposed of in a much safer, sanitary way and when this isn’t done, they pose a serious health and environmental risk.

“Sadly, the perpetrators don’t seem to care too much and while I wish these clean ups were not needed, it’s heartening to see that there are so many people out there who do, in fact, care about their community and want to see it looking its best so they participate in these events.

“During the clean, people are advised to either stay well apart and be by themselves or else remain in their own bubble to ensure social distancing is complied with and that we all stay safe. Please also bring your masks and any other PPE you feel you may need and I look forward to joining you on April 1^st to give the place a proper cleaning!”

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• Hailed as lifeline to travel sector
• Will take some time for benefits to be felt

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson for Tourism and Aviation Cathal Crowe has welcomed the confirmation that an EU Covid travel certification plan is being progressed.

The European Union executives have stated that the ‘digital green certificate’ will cover documents from people who have been vaccinated, people who have not been vaccinated but have documents of a negative test result or recovery from Covid, as well as children with test or recovery documents.

“I’m so glad that European Union nations are starting to coordinate a plan for the resumption of international travel,” said Deputy Crowe.

“This can’t happen soon enough. The aviation and tourism sectors are both on their knees and there is no doubt that these two sectors are the ones most ravaged by Covid-19.

“Unfortunately, they are also likely to be the two sectors to encounter the slowest recovery.

“There is much cause for hope, though, as Ireland and other EU countries ramp up their vaccination plans.

“As countries like Ireland start to vaccinate large numbers of the adult population, we need to look strategically at a resumption of international travel and this is where this certificate’s importance becomes all the more evident.

“While it may not be to everyone’s liking, for the next number of months, I envisage that those who have been vaccinated should be shown more leeway in terms of boarding flights and travelling overseas.

“At a recent Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting, I asked An Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Minister for EU Affairs Thomas Byrne to lead this dialogue at an EU level.

“Minister Byrne, I know, has since spoken to number of his counterparts in Europe, with a view to having a safe return to international air travel.

“Airports already have a lot of existing infrastructure to screen passengers as they filter through the concourse – there are multiple security and passport checkpoints and this will add another layer of verification; that being of Covid vaccination.

“There will be some who will say that this is an impediment on their civil rights to move freely throughout the EU but we do also need to consider that Covid has taken away all normal rights and any small measure that can see a restoration of these needs to be expedited urgently.

“I share some of the concerns being articulated by those in aviation and tourisms that these provisional new travel cert plan may take a number of months to agree and implement and I don’t think we can wait that long.

“Without some certainty for the summer season, we risk seeing more volatility in the sector and as Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Tourism and Aviation, I’ll be using my voice to champion for a rapid progression of these plans at all levels.”

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• Funding approved under Additional Accommodation Scheme
• Two new state-of-the-art classrooms

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe has welcomed the announcement of funding for St Joseph’s Secondary School, Spanish Point under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2021.

Minister Norma Foley has signed off on a new science lab, to include a prep area, a new technical graphics/Design and Communication Graphics room and ancillary works.

“Today’s announcement will be very welcome news for students and staff alike at St Joseph’s, Spanish Point,” said Deputy Crowe.

“This school is known throughout West Clare as being a fantastic one that for many decades has offered a top-class education to the youth of the area.

“These state-of-the-art facilities will help in the modern delivery of science and DCG lessons.

“Since the government took office last summer, I’m glad to say there have been a number of school projects which had been in the doldrums for some time and are now moving along with speed – the biggest locally being the Ennistymon schools amalgamation, which is expected to go to construction in the coming weeks.

“As a teacher, now serving as a government backbencher, I will continue to use my political voice to champion for better educational facilities throughout the county.

“We are fortunate that in Norma Foley we have an Education Minister that is a former secondary school teacher and knows all too well what issues are at play.

“I look forward to continuing to work with the Minister to progress developments in Clare.”

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• Group will report back by end of July
• Will examine directing state services to PO network

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe has welcomed the announcement that an inter-departmental group co-chaired has been established to examine the feasibility of directing more Government business to the post office network.

The group will comprise of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and will report back to the government by the end of July.

“I hope that the inter-departmental group will examine ways in which the nationwide network of more than 900 post offices can be sustained and protected,” said Deputy Crowe.

“I see the introduction of a Public Service Obligation (PSO) as being key to plugging the annual €17 million funding shortfall the network faces.

“Measures, including the establishment of a community banking system to be operated by An Post must also be considered as a means of bringing a regular income to post masters.

“As has been well documented now, the Kiwi Bank, operational in New Zealand’s post offices, has had a transformational impact.

“A community banking system differs from the agency banking being suggested by Bank of Ireland in post offices, in that it would ensure that profits would be channelled within the local community as opposed to bank shareholders.

“The sale of postage stamps alone won’t save or sustain post offices like Broadford.

“We need to grasp the issue of post office decline once and for all and I see the establishment of this inter-departmental group as being significant in terms of offering solutions but it must get to work quickly and implement revolutionary changes if this is to be a success.”

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