Month: May 2006

CLARE County Council officials are proposing to “de-bundle” the county’s proposed sewerage scheme in an attempt to speed up the much-needed service to some of the county’s villages and towns.

Villages close to the sea that require an off-shore licence for the new sewerage system will still have a long wait, however, as they apply for the foreshore licence and battle with the Department of the Environment over the controversial water pricing policy.

“In hindsight bundling has been a delaying factor for a number of schemes.

“The bundle only moves as fast as its slowest scheme,” explained council engineer Declan O’Regan.

The council official said that under the water pricing policy system, the sewerage scheme in Quilty will cost €16,000 per house, while the cost of the Feakle one will break down the same. Scariff, which is bundled with the two other villages, is estimated to cost €8,000 per house, €2,000 under what the government proposes to pay.

The cost of the Feakle and Quilty schemes include the €1.4 million off-shore work, an inclusion that had been described as ridiculous by west Clare councillor Christy Curtin.

“There is no allowance for the offshore work which is €1.4 million. There should be an allowance for that. There must also be an allowance for rural areas, otherwise it is a false economy,” he said.

It has also emerged that when the houses in the Quilty/Mullagh area were counted to estimate the cost of the scheme under the water pricing policy, 80 were ignored as they had private septic tanks.

A draft value for the water pricing policy in the area has been informally submitted to the Department of the Environment, according to the county council.

The local authority is awaiting comment from Department officials before making a formal submission.

Meanwhile, the council has advised that Cooraclare be de-bundled from the Carrigaholt and Labasheeda scheme when submitting the reviewed report for the scheme to the Department.

“Cooraclare is most economical of the three. If it has to wait for the off-shore licences it could be three or four years before they have a scheme,” said Mr O’Regan.

Mayor Pat Keane said he is disappointed for Labasheeda and Carrigaholt as he feels they will now be left behind.

“I don’t think it will benefit Cooraclare either, as it will be difficult to get someone in to do a small scheme,” he said.

A CLARECASTLE man has admitted kicking a taxi driver in a drinkrelated incident. Alan Kerin (22), of Church Drive, Clarecastle, pleaded guilty to assault, on May 3, 2005.

Inspector Kevin Moynihan told Ennis District Court that a taxi driver brought the defendant and others to Clarecastle on the date in question.

The taxi driver was assaulted with a bottle by another person. That individual is currently outside the jurisdiction. The defendant kicked the taxi driver, said the garda.

Defending solicitor Tara Godfrey pointed out that her client was in court last month, where he received a 20-month sentence, after pleading guilty to a number of offences.

These included theft and handling stolen property, between May and October 2005. He also admitted breaking into the parochial house in Clarecastle in October 2005.

“Six cases were dealt with that day. This is one of those cases that might have been dealt with at the same time,” said Ms Godfrey.

She pointed out that her client pleaded guilty at the first opportunity to assaulting the taxi driver and that the incident was drink-related.

Judge Joseph Mangan accepted that Kerin had pleaded guilty. He marked it proved and took it into consideration, with the sentence imposed last month.

OBJECTORS to a proposed pigeon loft in Ennis have cited An Bord Pleanála precedent where planning permission has been refused for lofts in urban areas.

Last month, Ennis Town Council granted permission to May Guilfoyle to retain a pigeon loft at her home at 26 Marian Avenue, Ennis, in spite of opposition from neighbours, John and Mary Flynn, 24 Marian Avenue.

However, in the appeal lodged by the Flynns, their planning consultant, Michael Leahy states, “We believe there is significant precedent in respect of An Bord Pleanála decisions in regard to pigeon sheds in narrow confined areas which establish that such facilities do injure the amenities of nearby premises”.

Mr Leahy referenced one such development in Jamestown Road, Finglas which was subject to a Bord oral hearing.

“In that instance, the inspector concluded that the development was contrary to the zoning objective for the area. We therefore believe that a similar logic should apply in this case,” he said.

“We do not see that the council has adequately sought to protect the Flynns’ amenity. While a pigeon loft may well be appropriate in a wide suburban location where there is adequate room for birds to come and go without interfering with their neighbours, this is certainly not the case in Marian Avenue where the birds have caused nuisance in regard to swirling, wheeling, feathers and bird droppings.”

Mr Leahy said that the Flynns will have no option to move if planning permission is granted.

“My clients object to the proposal on the basis of noise, nuisance, dirt and loss of amenity of their primary amenity space namely their facing back garden,” he added. “My clients’ children are afraid of the swirling of birds, and the noise and nuisance created by them.”

He added that the Flynns now regard themselves as prisoners in their own homes and “this has created an intolerable strain for them and creates a very difficult situation in which they cannot enjoy the reasonable amenity of their own private dwelling house.

A decision is due later this year.

THE second phase of the €130 million Doonbeg Golf Club project will be officially opened tomorrow.

The opening of the lodge, clubhouse, spa and suites is the culmination of a construction project which began in May 2004.

At the height of the season, it’s expected that Doonbeg will employ 220 people between full-time and part-time staff.

This is the development of the first phase of the physical infrastructure designed to complement the award winning links golf course designed by Greg Norman.

The course, which opened in July 2002, was selected as the Best New International Course of 2002 by Golf Digest.

This phase of the building project has seen the construction of the Lodge, the clubhouse and the interconnected accommodation in the Garden, Norman and Courtyard Suites.

The Lodge building, which is the centrepiece of the entire development, looks out over the first tee and the 18th green.

It contains 15 luxury suites, dining facilities, bars and a state-ofthe-art spa.

The Garden, Norman and Courtyard Suites which are connected to the Lodge and the clubhouse by a series of interconnected courtyards contain a further 32 luxury suites.

All but three of the suites have been sold in advance of opening. While the suites are privately owned, they are leased back to Doonbeg and form a bank of accommodation available.

The official opening will be performed by Buddy Darby, the chairman and CEO of Kiawah Development Partners KDP, the company behind the Doonbeg project.

Shannon Development today welcomed the opening of the club.

The development agency initiated the idea of a large scale integrated golf development at Doonbeg in 1995, “as part of the company’s strategy to develop integrated tourism projects of scale with the potential to have far reaching economic benefits throughout the Shannon Region and the western seaboard,” a spokesman said.

“Shannon Development identified the land bank required for the project, and working closely with local community and landowners we secured the 377 acre site,” he added.

The development company undertook an extensive prior consultation process with all relevant bodies which dealt with environmental and planning issues.

“KDP have succeeded in achieving an exceptionally high standard and quality facility at the Lodge which gives the area a five star facility which is unique in the country,” the spokesman said.

To celebrate the opening, the golf club is staging a fireworks display in Doonbeg village this Saturday.

The display will take place at the bridge on the way into Doonbeg at around 11pm. Everyone is welcome.

MORE than 200 Clare people die needlessly each year because of the effects of tobacco smoking. This is the message being promoted by an new Europe-wide campaign which was launched at the University of Limerick on Thursday.

The HELP Campaign aims to educate people, and young people in particular, about the dangers and damage that smoking can do to their health and lifestyle. HELP travels to regions around Europe and measures the carbon monoxide levels in the lungs of people in each area.

“People are genuinely interested in giving up smoking, they know every cigarette is doing them damage,” said event organiser Benoit Puissant. “Many people do not understand all the problems associated with smoking, and we are always trying to raise awareness amongst smokers that they should try to kick the habit.”

North Clare Councillor, Martin Conway (FG), travelled to Limerick to help launch the campaign in the area.

“As a young politician I feel that there is an extra responsibly on me to help educate young people about the dangers of smoking,” said Cllr Conway.

“Every family in the county has been touched by smoking in some way. As politicians we fight about a lot of different things but when it comes to health and smoking we have to have an extra level of responsibility to help people quit.”

While the campaign is aimed at all smokers, it is particularly concerned with young people and those who suffer from second hand smoke inhalation or passive smoking.

With more than 7,000 people dying in Ireland because of smoke related illnesses each year the Irish Cancer Society has come on board to help promote the HELP Campaigns message in Ireland.

“The campaign will be travelling to different locations across Europe over the next few months, spreading the word about the dangers of tobacco smoking,” said Siobhan Smyth. “It is not just cancer, smoking causes a variety of illnesses from heart disease to diabetes and people are dying from these every day.”

The HELP Campaign will return to the west of Ireland in the coming months and more Carbon Monoxide levels will be taken.

RESIDENTS living close to the Éire Óg GAA grounds in Ennis say they are shocked by a decision to allow the ESB build an 80 foot high mast.

The telecommunications mast for the ESB’s compound at Cahercalla More got the go-ahead after An Bord Pleanála chiefs overruled a strong recommendation from their own inspector.

“I am absolutely gutted by the decision,” a local resident told

.

“Citizens have no rights and everything is dictated by Government. It is an absolute disgrace that the Board has granted permission for this mast and ignored the recommendation of its own inspector.

“This mast will tower over all of us. It is extremely distressing. I feel absolutely powerless.

“There is no resource to any other body as our only option would be to seek leave for a Judicial Review which could cost between €25,000 and €100,000.”

The ruling may come against future objectors to mobile phone masts, because with regard to this mast’s height, the Board cited the presence of Ennis Cathedral spire.

Local residents had told the appeals board that the structure was of excessive height, out of keeping with existing development in the area and would effect a significant visual impact, including the protected view on the Rocky Road. They also claimed it would depreciate the value of properties in the vicinity.

The Board’s inspector agreed, writing, “The proposed development would set an unwelcome precedent for similar development within urban areas. The proposed development would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area”.

However, rejecting the inspector’s recommendation, the Board had regard to national policy, the commercial zoning of the site, and fact that the site consisted of an existing ESB substation.

When refusing planning permission, Ennis Town Council stated that the mast would materially contravene the Ennis and Environs Development Plan.

The Board stated that it noted that the council had decided to refuse permission. But it cited Department of Transport guidelines to conclude that it was not constrained in granting permission.

As a result, the Board granted planning permission.

FIANNA Fáil members in Clare will kick off the party’s 80 year anniversary celebrations over the weekend with a commemorative evening in Kilfenora.

The event, which has been organised by the Ennistymon/Miltown Malbay and North Clare sections of the party, is the opening event in a nationwide calendar of events taking place over the weekend.

Retiring Clare TD, Síle deValera, will be guest of honour at the ceremony which will take place in Vaughan’s Bar on Saturday evening.

“The main event of the celebration will be Síle deValera’s speech,” said one of the events organiser, Mary Crawford.

“She will speak on the topic of ‘Fianna Fáil: 80 years on’ and will be the only person to make a speech on the night.”

Another highlight of the night will be a special commemorative booklet compiled by the west and north Clare groups.

The booklet will include a variety of photographs from the last 80 years as-well-as messages from An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds.

“It is a compilation of all the things that people have picked up from over the years,” continued Ms Crawford. “All the photos that are in there have some significance for Clare people. For example, there is one great photo of Charley Haughey meeting a group in Miltown Malbay where his driver at the time came from.”

The event will be attended by Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Corofin’s Tony Killeen who remembers some of the parties biggest achievements in the county.

“Undoubtedly, Dr Paddy Hillery signing Irelands accession in to the EU was a major achievement for the party in Clare,” said Minister Killeen.

“Clare has also benefited from the economic revival over the last number of years and Fianna Fáil can claim a lot of the credit for that.

“I have a slightly different view of this from that of other people as I have attend Council of Ministers meetings in the EU and see the level of admiration that is there for the Irish success story.”

The Kilfenora commemoration will be followed on Sunday by a major exhibition of artefacts in University College Dublin. This exhibition will feature a significant amount of photography and election material and includes Fianna Fáil’s first ever policy poster.

CLARE County Council have revealed a €40 million shortfall in capital funding for the County’s water services program.

Alec Fleming, County Manager made the announcement at yesterday’s monthly meeting of Clare County Council at which members debated the lack of progress on the County’s water services investment programme.

Mr Fleming said that the provision of sewage treatment plants across the county was the “single biggest issue” facing the council at the moment.

Mr Fleming said that the Council was working hard to address the shortfall.

“On the positive side it does seem that a number of schemes are progressing and we are expecting progress on the Services Land Initative (SLI).

“The biggest problem is with sewage problems across the board, it is the single biggest issue facing us at the moment.

“We are negotiating that process. I would also like to tell councilors that there is a big capital shortfall.

“There is between a €40 to €50 million shortfall in the water services programme which we addressing,” said Mr Fleming.

Councilors had earlier called for updates on on the progress of water treatment proposals currently with the Department of Environment and Local Government.

The long running saga over the wait for treatment facilities in rural areas again came in for sharp criticism.

Cllr Joe Arkins raised the issue of the delay in a foreshore loicense for Ballyvaughan and Doolin.

“We have supplied all the necessary information and complied with all the conditions, why is it not progressing.

“We have been given no reason why these schemes are not progressing, this is not appropriate.”

Cllr Richard Nagle said the blame lay firmly at the feet of the governmnt and that the wait for water services was a disgrace.

“It is an absoloute scnadal, just when towns were about to benefit, the department moves the goalposts.

“We have been waiting two years for a foreshore license for Doolin and it has been years years since funding was announced.

“We are blue in the face talking about it at this stage, not €1 has been spent on the development.”

Tom Carey, Director of Services, said the Council was putting the department under pressure, but that no definite timeline had been given for schemes in Feakle, Quitly and Scariff, Cooraclare and in Doolin and Ballyvaughan.

He added that engineering difficulties had delayed the installation of the interim water treatment plant for Ennis.

CONCERN was expressed yesterday that all Turkish workers employed by GAMA, the Turkish company constructing the €190 million Ennis bypass, may not have received back-monies owed to them by the company.

Independent deputy, Joe Higgins expressed concern over the situation after the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Michael Martin said that he is unable to give guarantees that all GAMA workers have been paid their back-monies from the company.

The company is currently aiming to have the first phase of the Ennis bypass completed by October of this year. It will remove all heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) from Ennis.

Last year, as controversy surrounded GAMA over alleged under-payments, Clare County Council erected a wall of silence over their contract with GAMA following legal advice.

Along with the bypass project, GAMA has been involved in a number of other construction projects in Ireland and in a written Dáil reply to Deputy Higgins, Minister Martin said: “the Department wrote to GAMA Turkey’s legal advisers on 29 April, 2005 seeking certain details on each current and former employee, including the money transferred to Finansbank and the money transferred from Finansbank to their personal bank account in Isbank in Turkey.

“Some weeks ago a substantial volume of data was presented by GAMA to the Department and was examined by my officials. The information was not sufficient to enable me to assure the Deputy that all GAMA workers in Ireland, past and present, have received value for the amounts that were transferred into their personal accounts in Finansbank. GAMA has been asked again to supply the missing information.”

Minister Martin said that he was assured by GAMA’s senior managers, legal adviser and human resources consultant that all workers in Ireland, past and present, would have full access to the money transferred to their accounts in Finansbank.

In response to the Minister’s statement, Deputy Higgins told The Clare People : “it is very unsatisfactory and exposes the shortcomings in the level of transparency of how the workers were paid.

“The Turkish GAMA workers who were working in Ireland when this came to light received their money, but we don’t know about workers that had left Ireland prior to this becoming an issue. I want the Minister to continue to pursue GAMA to ensure that the payments have been made.”

County councillor Brian Meaney said: “GAMA has secured the largest ever public contract in Clare and it behoves the company to make all information requested by government available.”

THERE has been a “hands off” response to renewed calls for parts of Clare to be taking into Limerick in a boundary extension.

The latest call was made by the University of Limerick’s Professor Ed Walsh in a presentation made at a lunch organised by the Shannon and District Chamber of Commerce.

Professor Walsh said that Limerick “is currently at a disadvantage.

“The 40-year boundary dispute has sapped local political and administrative energy.

“The city boundary bears no relationship to the urban area.

“As a result Limerick lacks a coherent vision or future plan to entice a prospective investor,”

He was urging the ‘twinning’ of Limerick and Galway to produce a counter balance to Dublin as a centre for investment and growth.

To do this, it is necessary for Limerick to take control of the area surrounding it and not be at the dictates of three local authorities, he said.

“This region has failed to attract any major investment in the past decade.

“The debilitating 40-year boundary dispute needs to be resolved and the people of Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary should work together.”

But east Clare councillor Paschal Fitzgerald said that Clare should not be included.

“For Limerick City to take Limerick County is the natural conclusion but people in Clare have their own identity,” he said.