CLARE County Council has come under fire for giving the go-ahead to contentious plans for a €40 million hospital in Ennis.

OPPONENTS of a planned €40 million private hospital on the outskirts of Ennis yesterday outlined their opposition to the project at an oral hearing.

ROCK concerts at Slane Castle — which has attracted international icons such as U2, the Rolling Stones and this year it will host Kings of Leon — would be “seriously threatened” if the bypass of Slane is built to the west of the village.

ENNIS Town Council has put on hold contentious plans for a €40 million retail park.

THE company behind a €100 million wind farm in Co Clare also plans to create a 360 degree visitor viewing platform on the site.

THE hotel element of a €460 million sports and leisure complex planned for a rural site in Tipperary will not go ahead if a proposed casino is not allowed, promoters have confirmed.

A COMMUNITY which fought long and hard for a motorway connection is about to see “all its dreams come true” next Monday when plans for a junction connection are unveiled.

THE multi-million dollar Breeders’ Cup racing fixture could leave the United States and come to Ireland if a sporting and leisure complex gets the go-ahead, according to champion trainer Aidan O’Brien.

MAJOR players in the horseracing and leisure fields are expected today to publicly back a proposed €460 million hotel, casino and entertainment venue on an 800-acre rural site.

PLANS for a major retail development in the west Clare town of Miltown Malbay have been thrown out by a local authority.

THE setting up of a seaplane service from a pontoon on the Shannon near Limerick city centre has come under fire from rowers.

A FARMER who came to prominence after a multi-million euro land deal has failed in a bid to stop a couple building a family home on a neighbouring site.

AN APPEAL by the Department of the Environment against a Clare community’s decision to build a graveyard extension on the outskirts of Ennis “is unwarranted and heavy handed”.

HERITAGE body An Taisce has objected to plans to revamp one of Co Cork’s best-known hotels.

THE oldest hunt in the country has been denied planning permission for kennels after Bord Pleanála upheld an objection by the Brothers of Charity.

A MOVE to demolish buildings containing popular seaweed baths in Ballybunion, Co Kerry, has been turned down by An Bord Pleanála.

MAYO’S Conor Mortimer is contemplating undergoing knee surgery which could rule him out for the majority — if not all of — the 2011 season.

EXECUTIVES at multinational energy company Shell believe the Irish state could be in possession of massive gas resources off the west coast, “up to 20 times” the scale of the already discovered Corrib field.