News from around the 32 counties of Ireland

Offaly

Councilors at Offaly County Council agreed to review the Fire and Emergency Service Plan ‘in the event of the council being in a financial position to do so’.

Edenderry’s Cllr John Foley called for the review in a motion he tabled during the June meeting of Offaly County Council.

Director of Services Frank Heslin gave a report on the operation of the fire services and said that 91% of calls were less than 21 minutes attendance times. He revealed that the greatest number of calls were in Tullamore and Edenderry with 108 each between January and May of this year, 47 each in Birr and Clara and 18 in Ferbane, with chimney fires accounting for the greatest number of these. “We are doing more with less,” said Mr Heslin.

Cllr Ger Plunkett said he was glad he abstained from voting to accept the plan. “I feel the people I represent in north Offaly are very vulnerable with the lack of stations,” he said. He said that Offaly should not be assisting Meath and Westmeath. “We should mind our own people in Offaly and forget about Kildare. Let them mind themselves.”
(Source: Offaly Express)

Roscommon

A Co Roscommon businessman is offering a landmark building in his home town, the former Rockingham Arms pub in Boyle, rent free to create jobs.

Gerard Kelly said that too many shops have closed down in his native town. Now in an attempt to create employment, and rather than see the premises become rundown, he is offering potential retailers free rent for one year.

Mr Kelly reckons there is nothing revolutionary about what he is doing and predicts that it will be a growing trend.  “I think it will be pretty commonplace. I have already seen free rent being advertised in other local towns.

His premises on the corner of Bridge Street and the Carrick Road has probably reflected all the changing  economic trends of recent times having operated as an estate agent’s and an internet cafe in the decade since pints stopped flowing there.

Now in what is being billed as “a sign of the times” a large advertisement, prominently placed in the shop window offering free rent, has passers-by doing a double take.

“My family has made a good living in Boyle over the years and I feel that if I could help get a business off the ground  and maybe even create a few jobs it’s better than having yet another shop closed up.”

While Boyle Chamber of Commerce has launched a successful initiative in recent months which has seen many shop fronts brightened up, the shutters are down on dozens of retail outlets.

“If you read the small print you will see that I am asking for a deposit to make sure whoever takes the building is committed,” Mr Kelly pointed out.

After just over a week he has been far from inundated, with just three inquiries so far.
(Source: Irish Times)

Sligo

A 19-year-old driver who performed 'doughnuts' in the middle of the road near a service station at 3.45 a.m. before driving off at speeds of up to 200 k.p.h. as he attempted to evade a patrol car was fined €1,000 and banned from driving for four years by Judge Kevin Kilrane at Sligo District Court.

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Nster.com