• Operations between Dec 11^th & 17^th impacted
• Comes ahead of busy Christmas schedule

 

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Tourism and Aviation Cathal Crowe is expressing disappointment at the cancellation of Aer Lingus’ Boston flights to and from Shannon Airport at one of the busiest times of the year.

The airline has confirmed that its flights between Boston Shannon are not operating between December 11^th and 17^th, with passengers booked onto various services being accommodated on flights in and out of Dublin instead.

There have also been some ongoing tactical cancellations in Dublin Airport.

“It’s very disappointing to see this happening,” said Deputy Crowe.

“We are building up to the Christmas season – a time of year when there’s usually an increase to air travel, as people fly home to Shannon to spend time with loved ones.

“For decades, Shannon Airport has beena famous gateway to expats and Irish immigrants in North America who yearn to be home at Christmas time and many Irish people have in recent years tried to squeeze in a visit to iconic US cities like New York in the build-up to December 25^th.

“Whilst I appreciate that the technical difficulties that Aer Lingus are experiencing are unavoidable, it’s unfortunate that Shannon Airport has to lose out on one of the busiest weeks of the year.

“Transatlantic flights to and from Shannon are an integral part of Aer Lingus’s annual flight schedule.

“Passengers will be very discommoded by this move but Aer Lingus have assured me that they will accommodate them on alternative flights in and out of Ireland.

“I’ve been in contact with Aer Lingus on the matter but there’s very little change that can be politically affected here, as Aer Lingus trade as a commercial company and make all of their own decisions.

“I hope that 2024 will see Aer Lingus and other airlines, including Ryanair, commit heavily to Shannon Airport once again.

“Shannon has enjoyed a great resurgence since Ireland has emerged from the Covid pandemic but Shannon Airport management, and the many people in the Midwest region who are staunch advocates for the airport feel that it can grow even further.

“As my party’s Aviation Spokesperson and a TD for Clare I will continue to work to ensure Shannon’s future growth.”

Statement from Aer Lingus

“Aer Lingus has had to make a number of tactical cancellations to our US operations between 11th and 17th Dec due to aircraft availability in this period. Any impacted customers have been re-accommodated onto alternative flights and will reach their US destinations. We plan to operate flights over the Christmas period as scheduled. Flights in both directions are impacted and it’s only Boston for the relevant period. There have been ongoing tactical cancellations in Dublin also.”

• Both communities still waiting on news
• Memo imminent but must be expedited

 

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe is calling on the government to expedite a memo through Cabinet, which will see sewerage schemes approved and funded for the villages of Broadford and Cooraclare.

It has been a lengthy wait for both communities, who continue to seek news on their long-awaited schemes.

“I am calling on colleagues in government to fast-track a memo through cabinet to have sewerage schemes for Broadford and Cooraclare approved and funded,” said Deputy Crowe.

“People in both communities have campaigned for more than 40 years to have this essential infrastructure built and in this day and age, it is absurd that raw sewerage is still being discharged into local water courses.

“Minister Darragh O’Brien has been very supportive of the concept of bringing sewerage schemes to both Broadford and Cooraclare and I have been meeting him on an ongoing basis to press the case for both villages.

“In August 2021, Minister O’Brien visited the county to discuss the merits of schemes for both villages with Clare County Council management and he also paid a visit to Broadford.

“Since then, hopes and expectations have been rising that schemes would be announced – but a lot of indicative dates have come and passed.

“I remain fully confident that Minister O’Brien will fulfil his promise to deliver one-off rural sewerage schemes throughout the country and I remain highly hopeful that Broadford and Cooraclare will be beneficiaries of the same.

“My understanding is that a memo from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage will go before Cabinet and that agreement there will be required before the schemes can be finally approved.

“I met with Minister O’Brien again this week and have urged him to expedite this process.

“There have been far too many false dawns for both villages over the years and I don’t plan on being a politician that lets them down.

“When Fianna Fáil entered government in 2020, I dig my heels in and said that the provision of rural sewerage schemes should be amongst our red-line issues entering government.

“My demand has been positively supported by Minister O’Brien throughout his tenure as a cabinet minister and I am confident that he will deliver for Clare.

“It is essential that we also plan for this scheme to operate on a multi-annual basis – there are several more communities in Clare including Carrigaholt, Doolin and O’Brien’s Bridge that desperately require these schemes.

“A multi-annual fully funded scheme is the only way of ensuring the archaic practice of having sewerage effluent leaking into local rivers is ended.

“If Ireland doesn’t fully grasp that problem, we will face sanctions from the European Commission.”

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• NIAC has recommended an immunisation programme
• Similar moves have been made in UK

 

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe is calling on the government to approve funding for a national programme for immunisation against shingles.

It comes as the National Immunisation Advisory Committee has made a recommendation for a vaccination programme to be rolled out for over 50s and over 18s at higher risk.

“I am calling on the government to look at fast-tracking proposals for a national immunisation plan for shingles,” said Deputy Crowe.

“Many adults contract shingles each year, and it can be a very sore and debilitating illness lasting many weeks for older people in particular.

“A bad bout of shingles can keep a person bedbound and significantly reduce mobility.

“In Britain, the NHS provides free vaccinations against shingles for adults, and I would love to see a similar scheme rolled out here in Ireland.

“It’s estimated that the immunisation cost would be in the region of €500 per adult and this would give 10-year immunisation against the virus.

“I think that this represents good value for money and on the basis that it provides a decade of cover against the virus, works out at around €50 per annum, per adult.

“We have seen during the Covid pandemic how the state was able to quickly and significantly ramp up vaccination, and I think the capacity layers and indeed administration of vaccination that the state acquired in those years should not be lost.

“Potentially, immunisation against shingles could be part of a suite of vaccinations given annually to Ireland’s adult population.

“Any mitigation measure that keeps people out of the acute hospital system should be viewed in a very positive light.

“At the moment, the Health Technology Assessment is underway – and I’m hoping that this now gets approval in funding.”

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• Major school transport crisis brewing in Clare
• Driver shortage to blame

 

Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Cathal Crowe is calling for a reverse in the policy of Bus Éireann to stop anybody over 70 years of age driving on school bus routes.

It comes as six school transport routes in Co. Clare are now left without a bus, due to driver and vehicle issues, leaving children across the county with no way to school.

“I am calling on Bus Éireann to immediately reconsider their policy of having a cut-off point at 70 years of age for drivers operating school bus services,” said Deputy Crowe.

“At the moment, there is a crisis in terms of trying to provide enough drivers to fulfil all designated bus services throughout the country and in many instances, private coach operators who have contracted themselves to the Department of Education and Bus Éireann have highly competent drivers over the age of 70 who are unable to fulfil morning and afternoon school runs.

“Bizarrely, these same drivers are allowed during the day to bring children to and from school matches or swimming lessons – so long as it’s not a school drop-off or collection.

“It makes very little sense to me and has left so many communities strung out as we begin a new school year.

“The obvious change that needs to happen here is that Bus Éireann change their policy so that drivers over the age of 70 can continue to drive school buses, subject to regular medical check-ups.

“A change to this effect would immediately free up several hundred drivers who could readily slot into morning and afternoon school bus services.

“In my own constituency, there are now six bus routes without drivers fulfilling them which is hugely discommoding parents.

“Some are taking time off work or carpooling and most of these parents found out that there wouldn’t be a service on the last day of the school holidays – they had no lead-in time to make alternative plans, even if they could,

“This crisis will only be ended when there are more drivers available.

“A policy change, which could be taken by the board of Bus Éireann very quickly, would go a long way to resolving this crisis and ensuring that children have a seamless school journey without parents being inconvenienced.”

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