Month: July 2006

THE vast majority of people at Shannon Development have acted professionally in relation to the tensions that have arisen at the company.

That is the view of company CEO, Kevin Thompstone, who was speaking publicly for the first time on the tensions that have arisen between staff and the board.

Last November, 93 per cent of workers at Shannon Development voted in favour of industrial action, should alleged excessive interference by board members in the dayto-day running of the semi-state body, continue.

It was the first time in the 47-year history of the company that workers voted for industrial action.

Mr Thompstone said, “Yes, there have been tensions between board and executive, but we have been working to clear the air on those issues. While those tensions have been there, the vast majority of people have been acting professionally.

“Where issues have caused tensions, we have tried to resolve them and address them. That is something that we have had to live with.

“Sometimes, I feel like the meat in the sandwich. I say to staff that directors have significant responsibilities under company law and directors have got to take their responsibilities seriously,

“You have got to get used to that, don’t be interpreting a board member expressing views about how you do your work, that is part of the dynamic between board and executive in any organisation

“I have been saying to board members, everyone at Shannon Development comes to work to do a good job, people are proud of what they do and people feel that they have contributed significantly. We have got a good track record.

“Change is never easy for anyone to deal with. At the same time, going through a change-management programme in a public sector environment is very different to the private sector environment.

“I have been saying to board members that while change may not happen the way you would like to see it in private sector, there are people who are very committed to this company.

“I think ultimately, everybody wants to get to the same place: Shannon Development delivering the best possible results for people, investors and visitors to the region.

“You could argue that it is not surprising that tensions have arisen and I see it as part of my job to steer us through that and make sure we get through that and I am convinced that we will.”

He added: “The most important thing is to be honest with people. It is a combination of two groups of people trying to get to the same place, but maybe having differences around the best methodology of getting there.

“I strongly believe that to affect change in a company and deliver projects, you have got to bring people with you. You don’t have to be affecting mayhem all over the place to affect change and certainly that is the philosophy I would bring to the job.

“My approach is to put everything on the table, clear the air, then move on, that is hopefully the atmosphere that we’re getting into at this point.”

THE offer by Shannon Development to fund the Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) by €30 million over the first five years of its operation has been withdrawn, it emerged yesterday.

The move by Shannon Development makes the task for the SAA to produce a viable business plan more difficult. Already, the chair of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), Gary McGann has cast serious doubt on the SAA gaining full autonomy.

Last year, in response to moves by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to transfer the assets base of Shannon Development to the SAA, Shannon Development produced a counter-offer to fund the SAA with €30 million over the first five years of operation.

In announcing the new mandate for Shannon Development last July, Minister Martin noted the offer from Shannon Development.

The business plan is still being drawn up by the SAA. However the move by Shannon Development to shelve its proposed funding of the SAA now leaves a gaping hole in that plan.

Speaking after the publication of Shannon Development’s annual report, chief executive, Kevin Thompstone said: “Any funding issue that may or may or not exist for the airport authority will have to be resolved elsewhere. Funding of that magnitude to be transferred to the SAA is not provided for.

“We wouldn’t be planning any financial contribution to the SAA into the future.”

Mr Thompstone explained: “In early 2005, there was a proposal to transfer the assets base. We put forward an alternative funding model, which we worked out with the SAA and agreed how that would work and the amount involved.

“As it turned out, with the announcement of the new mandate, that proposal was effectively shelved at that point and as I understand it, the SAA is looking at alternative sources of funding.

“Things have moved on from the Shannon Development perspective. In our corporate plan, we have projects and initiatives that we need to deliver around the region that are going to be hungry for capital and funding is earmarked for those projects.

“The best way we can make a contribution to the airport authority is through development of flagship projects for the airport,” he said.

ENTERPRISE, Trade and Employment Minister, Michael Martin has confirmed he has approved the new corporate plan for Shannon Development.

The move to approve the plan brings a step nearer, the implementation of the contentious new mandate for Shannon Development, which strips the company of its enterprise functions in the Shannon region.

However, apart from the company’s chief executive, Kevin Thompstone, management team and board, no staff member has seen the contents of the corporate plan, because unions are refusing to co-operate with the new mandate, pending the completion of a clarification process around it.

In a Dáil response to Green Party leader, Trevor Sargent on the issue, Minister Martin said: “I have recently approved the Shannon Development Corporate Plan drawn up, at my request, to give effect to the new mandate. My colleague, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism has also indicated his approval.

“The plan sets out a clear and focused vision on the part of the company for its own future consistent with its mandate. As such it merits the support of all stakeholders in furthering the interests of the region.

“This process has not progressed as quickly as we may have wished, but it is more important to implement changes that all stakeholders can subscribe to rather than impose a unilateral solution that does not fully address the concerns of some of those stakeholders.

“Nevertheless, I expect this process to be brought to a successful conclusion very shortly and that the mandate will be implemented this year. There is no evidence to suggest that the process of engagement that has been undertaken with the staff representatives of the company has, in any way, inhibited investment in the region.

“Under the terms of the new mandate, Shannon Development is being given a more focused regional economic remit that will complement the roles of the national agencies, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, in attracting foreign direct investment and developing the indigenous enterprise base in the region.

“The company will also continue to be responsible for providing appropriate property solutions for both indigenous and overseas enterprises throughout the Shannon region and for the management and development of the Shannon Free Zone Industrial Estate.

Speaking to The Clare People , Shannon Development chief executive, Kevin Thompstone, confirmed that staff had not seen the contents of the corporate plan.

However, he said: “There is no big mystery to it. We have not been treating it like a top secret item, I would have openly shared the thinking around it.

“In essence, the gist of the plan is we are saying, Shannon Development is a regional economic company, our job is to make it easy for investors and visitors to imagine a bright future for the region, to exploit the opportunities, eliminate the obstacles to achieve that ambition and to build a hub of development and activity in the west of Ireland.

“In my role as CEO, it is important that we chart out what we are going to be doing over the next few years and I sat down with the senior management team, worked through that, over the past year and set out clear goals for the company.

“The key means to achieve those objectives: focusing on flagship projects, we will use property as a key tool to deliver those projects and we will use our role as a regional tourism authority to develop strategic marketing initiatives.

“That is the strategy, the plan is about fleshing that out by making sure that we have the capital and revenue resources in order to achieve it.”

Kilrush’s newly appointed mayor received a baptism of fire on his first evening in the chair.

The first town council meeting chaired by new mayor Stephen O’Gorman (FF) on Thursday last went out of control, as councillors argued among themselves about the traffic management plan, which was not even on the agenda.

At a debate on changing standing orders, Councillor Tom Prendeville (FF) proposed that the monthly meeting be changed from 7pm to 4pm on the second Thursday of every month.

Cllr Marian McMahon-Jones (FG) said the time was not convenient for her and proposed that the meeting be rescheduled for 9am.

The Fine Gael councillor said she felt the time discriminated against her as she would not be able to attend and this was non-democratic. She asked that the councillors reach a consensus on the time. Cllr Prendeville told the councillor however, “when you put your name on a ballot paper you have to be available. It is not non-democratic. We went through a sham with you and Deirdre (Cllr Culligan, Ind) on traffic bylaws. You and Deirdre couldn’t recollect voting to bring parking from 50c to €1.

“When you earn your consensus spurs you will get it,” a visible angry Cllr Prendeville said.

The issue of traffic by-laws, which have already been passed by the council, filtered through the order of business debate with Cllr McMahon- Jones asking the mayor “not to allow the badgering like I received here today.”

“There is a certain document on how to treat fellow councillors. Can I suggest we read it?”

“You treated us as fools,” Cllr Prendeville retorted.

As the council moved on to discussing traffic issues for a local school, the traffic management issue continued to raise its head.

“If that proposal had been included in the by-laws would you have voted for the by-laws?” Cllr Prendeville asked Cllr McMahon Jones, when she proposed the traffic plan for the school. When it was suggested that the issue be discussed by a council subcommittee Tom Prenderville said, “Personally I would find it hard to work with you in REMS (the subcommittee) again Marian.”

Other councillors asked that the meeting stay on course, but the heated debate continued. Cllr Liam O’ Looney (FF) asked the mayor to be stronger with some of the speakers.

THE trial of five anti-war protesters accused of the criminal damage of an United States Navy aeroplane at Shannon Airport nearly three and a half years ago has begun at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

The five accused are Ciaron O’Reilly (46), an Australian national and Damien Moran (25) both of Rialto Cottages, Rialto, Dublin; Nuin Dunlop (34), a US citizen and counsellor also living at Rialto Cottages, Rialto; Karen Fallon (35), a Scottish marine biologist at the same address; and Deirdre Clancy (36), a copy editor of Alverno Apartments, Clontarf.

They have pleaded not guilty to two counts each of causing damage without lawful excuse to a naval plane, property of the United States Government and to glass door panels, property of Aer Rianta at Shannon Airport, Clare on February 3, 2003.

In opening the case to the jury Mr Conor Devally SC (with Mr Luan O Braonain BL), prosecuting, said that the incident occurred during a time in which there appeared to be a build up of military personnel in the Middle East and Shannon Airport was being used by the US military.

Mr Devally said that the US aircraft was in a hangar owned by Aer Rianta and that a garda was on duty keeping watch. The garda was patrolling the hangar at around 2.45 a.m. when he heard a loud bang as though glass was breaking and then saw five people enter the hangar carrying hammers.

They proceeded to use the hammers on the aeroplane as the garda pleaded with them to stop. Some time later they put down their weapons. Mr Devally said that the accused persons admit they carried out certain acts on the aircraft but will argue that they had a lawful excuse.

Detective Garda John Duffy told Mr Devally that he took photographs of the scene following the incident and found hammers, wire cutters, a mallet and items which made up part of a shrine.

He agreed that slogans such as “the war ends here”, “put a stop to war”, “death port” and “pit stop for death”, were engraved in the handles of the hammers.

Det Gda Duffy also agreed with Mr Brendan Nix SC, defending Fallon, that a plastic blow up hammer with “hammered by the Irish” written on it was found in the hangar.

The hearing is scheduled to last for over two weeks and continues before Judge Miriam Reynolds and a jury of seven women and five men.

A JUDGE will rule this week if a young man is guilty of a charge of threatening to kill.

The accused, Darren O’Grady (21), with an address at Church Drive, Clarecastle, pleaded not guilty to the charge, arising out of an incident on June 17, 2005.

He also denies a charge of assault, causing harm, at the Queen’s nightclub on the same date. He has pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal damage to an apartment door, at Parnell Street, Ennis, on June 5, 2005.

Carol O’Doherty told the court yesterday (Monday) she was in the carpark of Ennis Garda Station with a number of people, on June 17, when the accused started shouting abuse at her.

“He said he was going to get us, one way or another. He called me a prostitute and a whore,” she said.

Ms O’Doherty said she had been seeing the accused at one stage. However, in his evidence to the court, the accused said he was going out with someone else and that, while he was “meeting” Ms O’Doherty, it was “just a fling.”

He said he called her names but that he never threatened to “get” her.

Mr O’Grady has also denied assaulting Joe Molloy, at the Queen’s nightclub, in the early hours of June 17.

Mr Molloy told the court the accused struck him with two head butts.

But Mr O’Grady said Mr Molloy grabbed him in a headlock and he hit him to defend himself.

GARDAÍ believe that drugs valued at €25,000, which were seized in east Clare last week, were destined for the market in the county.

An assortment of drugs, including cannabis, cocaine and 2,500 unidentified tablets, were seized during the search of a rented house in Mountshannon at around 8am on Thursday.

A total of €25,000 in cash – in sterling and euro – was also seized at the house, where a Dublin man in his 40s was arrested.

A woman in her 40s, also from Dublin, was arrested later that day, in the Mountshannon area, while a second rented house, close to Scariff, was searched. A quantity of powder was seized at that house, which has also been sent for analysis.

The woman was released later that night without charge, while the man was released without charge the following day.

“We are not sure what the tablets are, possibly ecstacy tablets or amphetamines. They have been sent to Dublin for analysis and, until this analysis has taken place, we do not know the exact value of what was seized,” said a Garda source.

“A file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, on the strength of the analysis,” added the source.

“The quantities would indicate that the drugs were for sale or supply. Other paraphernalia, which was found during the searches, would suggest this,” he added.

The operation was carried out by Killaloe gardaí, in liaison with the Divisional Drugs Unit and the newly-established anti-crime unit in the county.

FOUR young Limerick men accused of commiting public order offences in Lahinch have been ordered to stay out of north Clare for the rest of the summer.

Before Ennistymon District Court on Wednesday were John Slattery, Ballysheedy, Limerick; David Smith, Abbeycourt, Fr Russell Road, Limerick; Ian Dore, Huntsfield Avenue, Dooradoyle, Limerick; and Kieran Cummins, Meadowvale Close, Raheen, Limerick. They are all charged with being intoxicated in public and with engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour, at Main Street, Lahinch, in the early hours of Sunday, July 2.

The court was told that the four recently completed their Leaving Certificate examinations.

Garda John Cleary gave evidence of arresting Mr Slattery (18), at 2.40am. When charged, he had nothing to say in reply. The court heard he was working part-time.

Sergeant Michael Gallery said he arrested Mr Smith at 2.25am. The court heard he was not working, but was due to take up employment in Shannon.

Garda Cleary told the court that, in reply to the charge, Mr Dore had nothing to say.

The fourth accused, Mr Cummins, who works part-time as a labourer, told the court he intends to go to college.

Solicitor Tara Godfrey applied for free legal aid for the four accused. However, Judge Joseph Mangan refused in the case of three of them, after hearing that their parents were supporting them.

He told Ms Godfrey to make a written application for free legal aid in the case of Mr Cummins.

Superintendent Eamon Dolan told the court that he was applying to have the accused stay out of Lahinch.

“There was a major disturbance there last Saturday night,” he said.

The four were remanded on bail and ordered to stay out of the District Court area of Ennistymon, to abstain from alcohol and to sign on at Roxboro Garda Station every day. They will appear in court again in September.

A bench warrant was issued for the arrest of Dean O’Grady, of Cahercalla Heights, Kilrush Road, Ennis, after he failed to appear in court.

He is charged with being intoxicated in public and with engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour, at Main Street, Lahinch, on July 2.

WHILE Clare may have the least number of cancer sufferers in the country, the number of patients dying from breast cancer remains alarmingly high.

According to figures released last week by the National Cancer Register (NCR), Clare residents are 20 per cent less likely to develop cancer than the average Irish citizen.

In Dublin, which had the largest diagnosis of cancer in 2004, residents are 10 per cent more likely to be diagnosed.

Although a marked increase has been noted in the number of people, mostly women, being diagnosed in Dublin with breast cancer since the introduction of Breast Check there in 2000, the percentage dying from the disease is less than in Clare.

In Clare, 16 of the 36 people diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 died – that is, 44.4 per cent of the new patients.

In Dublin, the number of fatalities was at 30 per cent.

Experts conclude that early diagnosis is vital when fighting this form of cancer.

Meanwhile, Clare’s low diagnosis of lung cancer relative to Dublin has been explained by an East-West divide relative to smoking.

According to the Office of Tobacco Control, last year there were twice as many smokers in Dublin than in the west. Smoking is associated with 95 per cent of all lung cancers.

In 2004, 32 people in Clare, or 32 people per 100,000 of the population, were diagnosed with the cancer, compared to 552 people, or 58 per 100,000, in Dublin.

In total, 281 people from Clare were diagnosed with cancer in 2004; 180 died from the disease.

Twenty-seven men were diagnosed with prostate cancer during the 12month period, 16 died from the disease, while 40 colorectal cases were recorded; 26 were fatal.

But the number of cancer cases in an area differs from year to year. In 1994, there was 37 new cases of lung cancer in Clare, 21 new cases in 1996, while 43 were diagnosed in 2002.

Allowing for such variations, however, the NCR discovered an eastwest difference in cancer risks, with a much higher risk in the east.

While much of this can be explained by lifestyle, smoking and screening, some of the variations remain unexplained.

The HSE has this week blamed the delay in progressing the development of Ennis General Hospital on planning stages to do with “additional costings which had to be done”.

A spokesperson for the HSE told The Clare People that the costings had been completed and would be brought before the National Hospitals Office Capital Steering group on July 20.

Sources suggested this week that the hospital design had been with the financial director of the HSE in Naas for an estimated six weeks.

Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) described the delay in advancing the €20 million redevelopment of the hospital as “unacceptable” and a “disgrace”.

The HSE rather than the Government was the target of the most strident comments made to date by Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) on the Ennis hospital issue.

“We are trying to move ahead with this project and, unfortunately, somebody somewhere in the bowels of the Health Service Executive is not proceeding with or delivering on this project in line with best practice. Such a state of affairs is unacceptable.

“I understand there is a phase two report, which the HSE indicated to Senator Daly and me last week would be signed without delay, but up until yesterday no signature was appended to that document and that has slowed down progress on the project,” he said.

But, Cllr Madeleine Taylor-Quinn (FG) was critical of the senator’s outburst saying that it was time for him to stop trying to mislead the people of Clare, on the Government’s handling of the redevelopment of Ennis General Hospital.

“For the past number of days, Senator Dooley has been tripping over himself, running from newspaper to radio station, in an attempt to spin out a yarn that the delayed start of the hospital’s redevelopment has nothing to do with his hapless Government.

“The bottom line is that the long overdue upgrade of our hospital was put on the long finger some months ago, with the inexplicable and irresponsible decision, by Senator Dooley’s Government, to order a review of all general hospitals, including Ennis.”

A Fianna Fáil councillor and Clare representative on the HSE Forum West, Pat Daly, said he was disappointed that the design had not yet been signed off.

“It is important that the design is moved to the planning stage as soon as possible and not stuck above in a HSE office in Naas.”