Month: July 2006

THE WINTER Olympics Torch arrived in Ennis yesterday as part of a new campaign highlighting the Samaritans 24/7 service.

The Ennis branch of the Samaritans was one of twenty branches visited by members from the organisation’s headquarters.

A specially decorated car was dispatched from Dublin early on Monday morning with a team of volunteers who aimed to visit 20 branches from Coleraine to Cork. The team arrived in Ennis early yesterday morning where they were greeted by volunteers and other representatives including the Mayor of Ennis, Joe Reidy (FF).

The Samaritans chose July 24 to officially launch a fund-raising and awareness campaign entitled Open 24:7 . The date has been specifically chosen to remind people that as a registered charity, their branches are open 24 hours a day to offer confidential and emotional support to anyone experiencing emotional distress.

In the Ennis branch alone, there are over 80 volunteers on call seven days a week. The organisation hopes that by highlighting the extent of the service, they will be able to reach out to more people. There are 1,958 volounteers in branches nationwide.

According to a spokesperson for the Samaritans, “There are always volunteers on duty throughout the day and night, ready to support those in need of confidential and nonjudgemental support.”

Mayor of Ennis Joe Reidy (FF) paid tribute to the work being done at the Ennis centre.

“This is a very important awareness campaign that is needed throughout Ireland. Its important that a service such as this is highlighted as much as possible. The volunteers who maintain the service 24 hours a day, seven days a week are doing a fantastic job keeping the service going. They are providing a wonderful service.”

Mr Reidy (FF) said the Samaritans provided an essential service in Clare and across Ireland.

“It is important that the 24/7 service is highlighted as some people in need of help might be afraid to reach out”.

The campaign was launched in Dublin by the recently elected Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Vincent Jackson, who commended the Samaritans on the “wonderful work they do.”

The entourage also carried with them the Winter Olympic torch from the recent Turin Olympics.

A spokesperson added; “In many ways the Samaritans can often seem like a light in the darkness for many who may be sad or worried or despairing because of a time they are going through. That time could happen to anyone at any time and that is why the Samaritans will always be there.”

A SOLICITOR’S letter from the Whelan Group informing a number of residents living near its flagship quarrying operation that the company was seeking to issue proceedings against them has been described as an ‘unwarranted threat’.

At the An Bord Pleanála oral hearing into plans by the Whelan Group to extend its quarry by 40 acres on the outskirts of Ennis last week, consultant Peter Sweetman said that a letter was received by the residents on Christmas Eve, 2004 with a warning that Whelans were going to issue proceedings against Cairn Hill Environmental Protection Group Ltd and its members.

Acting on behalf of the objectors, Mr Sweetman described the letter as an ‘unwarranted threat’. He said, “The residents were not told what the proceedings were about. This letter is the only consultation made by the developer with the local residents.”

Mr Sweetman read a submission from the Whelan Group at the oral hearing last Wednesday accusing Cairn Hill Environmental Ltd of objecting to every single development lodged by the Whelan Group and expressing its serious concern that the whole objective of Cairn Hill Environmental Protection Group Ltd was to appeal any development made by Whelans.

Mr Sweetman said, “The objective of the Cairn Hill Environmental Protection Group Ltd is to protect Cairn Hill from the Whelan Group.”

Plans were lodged for the quarry extension in 2004 and earlier this year, Clare County Council granted planning but limited the extent of the area to be quarried.

Mr Sweetman told the oral hearing that the application which is the subject of the appeal was invalid in law and “a blatant example of project splitting”.

The Whelan Group also appealed the Council’s recent decision on the proposed quarry extension, claiming that the jobs of 110 people could be under threat because the Council restricted the multi-million euro expansion of the operation to a ten year lifespan.

The Whelan Group is seeking permission to extend the life of the quarry by 26 years and will have an operating capacity of producing 370,000m of limestone product a year.

IF PLANNING permission is granted for the Whelan Group’s multi-million euro extension to its flagship operation at Fountain, Ennis, it will be the first time that quarrying activity on the site will be within the control of Clare County Council.

That is according to solicitor John Shaw, in his closing statement on behalf of the council, to an An Bord Pleanála hearing.

“In relation to the enforcement on this site over a period of time, it is only fair to say that if permission is granted, this will be the first time that quarrying activity on this site will be within the control of the planning authority.

“It is important to emphasise that. Any powers that we had before were strictly in relation to licensing matters.

“From the objectors point of view, all quarrying would be subjected to the rigours of the planning and development act and the controls therein.”

The oral hearing took place over four days in Ennis last week and the Whelan Group, led by two senior counsel spent an estimated €250,000 over the four days in providing 22 expert witnesses and legal advice in a bid to secure planning for the extension to the quarry. The life-span of the quarry will be limited to only a further 10 years if the council’s conditional planning is affirmed by An Bord Pleanála, endangering the jobs of the 110 workers at the site.

Mr Shaw said that this decision was appropriate and the 10 year gap could allow for development in technology and law to allow planning permission be reviewed.

Acting on behalf of the Whelan Group, Eamon Galligan SC in his closing statement said that the proposed development was acceptable and would have no significant adverse impacts on the existing environment. Mr Galligan said that the Whelan Group had put in place a considerable degree of infrastructure and it would be undesirable to transfer it elsewhere.

Consultant for the objectors, Peter Sweetman, said that the proposal should be turned down on a number of grounds: that the entrance to it represents a traffic hazard; that the proposal would result in a consolidation and intensification of an unauthorised development on site.

He said that the Board could not be satisfied that the proposal would not result in an unacceptable risk to groundwater pollution with regard to the location of the site within the Drumcliffe Springs.

He said that the proposal was completely unsustainable as a development.

Mr Sweetman said, “No decision should be made on the application as it is distinctly part of two other planning applications.”

A decision on the application is due towards the end of this year.

CLARE County Council has given the go-ahead for a retail park on the northern outskirts of Ennis.

Earlier this year, three companies lodged plans with the council to develop a range of large retail outlets at Ballymaley Business Park.

Galvin Construction, Ennis Industrial Properties and Gainsbridge Properties Ltd were seeking to change the previously granted planning to three large retail warehouse units.

The companies are also seeking to construct seven retail warehouse units and two light industrial units on the 23-acre site.

In requesting the developers to sub mit revised plans, the council had stated that it has “serious reservations in relation to the proposed development”.

Now as part of the grant of permission, the council has ordered that three blocks of the development “should be light industrial in its entirety in the interests of proper planning and development and also due to the loss of other permitted light industrial units on site and the general lack of other industrially zoned land in Ennis”.

The council concluded that the proposed development “would not seriously injure the amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity, would not be prejudicial to public health and would otherwise accord with proper planning and sustainable development of the area”.

Outlining the need for the development, the developers told the council that “there is a clear need for the proposed development when taken together with other retail warehouse proposals in the area and the development would see the introduction of a retail warehouse offer in the north of Ennis that will better service the shopping needs of a growing population in that area of Ennis”.

The developers state that the “development would not have an adverse impact on the town centre of Ennis or any other centre as established in the retail impact assessment accompanying this application”.

They say that there “is more than sufficient capacity for a retail warehouse development of the proposed scale at this location”.

The developers also state that the development “would ensure that the rural population of the catchment has easy access to a full range of retail warehouse operators in one location”.

The developers point out that the vast majority of existing retail warehouse space is located outside the defined Ennis town centre.

CLARE’S young people had an audience with delegates from Clare County Council last week to discuss issues concerning them. The representatives from Dáil na nÓg, the Irish Youth Parliament and Comhairle na nÓg, the youth council, made the presentation on Monday, July 17 before elected members of the council including former Mayor of Clare, Councillor Flan Garvey (FF).

The presentation was to address the need to establish a structure whereby representatives of young people could meet with local authorities or relevant committees.

The representatives, Joshua Asubiojo, Nicole Carmody, Róisin Shaughnessy, Daniel Flannagan and Dolores McNamara, addressed the council representatives on several other issues including the need to fully implement the physical education curriculum, the provision of improved sports facilities, education and exam pressure and the risks and benefits associated with technology.

The group thanked the council for the opportunity to speak and made a special reference to the ‘proactive’ policies being implemented by the council on provision of play and recreational facilities.

Dáil na nÓg was established to give the children and young people of Ireland the opportunity to have a voice and represent their views on a national level. The young delegates can let decision-makers in government know about issues that affect their daily lives, including education and play facilities. Comhairle na nÓg, which has 37 participating schools around the county, is run by local county development boards to give children a voice on a community level.

GARDAÍ who travelled at 90mph in pursuit of a driver on a stretch of road between Lahinch and Ennistymon failed to make any ground on him, a court has heard.

Patrick Moroney (21), of Aughiska, Lisdoonvarna, was before Lisdoonvarna District Court, accused of dangerous driving, on December 18, 2004.

Garda Pat Nagle said he saw a car taking off at Main Street, Lahinch, in the early hours of the morning.

The tyres on the car were spinning and it travelled in the direction of Ennistymon, pursued by the Garda car.

“It travelled at enormous speeds. We were travelling at speeds of up to 90mph but we couldn’t make any ground,” said Gda Nagle.

He said the accused drove in the middle of the road for most of the journey and a car had to pull in to avoid a collision, at one stage.

Gardaí lost the car as it approached Ennistymon and eventually stopped it on the Ennis road.

Defending solicitor Michael Petty said his client admitted he was speeding, but was not driving dangerously. Mr Moroney told the court he was speeding, but denied that a car had to move in to avoid a collision.

Judge Joseph Mangan said he would convict the accused of driving without due care and attention.

However, Supt Eamon Dolan pointed out that a charge of dangerous driving could not be reduced to driving without due care and attention, unless the latter charge was before the court. Judge Mangan then dismissed the charge.

THE life and times of Michael Cusack will be the central theme up for discussion at this years Merriman Summer School when it takes place Lisdoonvarna next month.

The programme for this years school, which will be officially announced at the deValera library in Ennis later today (Tuesday), contains a variety of discussion, lectures and talks marking the centenary of the death of the Carron man who founded the GAA.

The Summer School will be officially opened on August 19 by the former President of the GAA, Seán Kelly, will give a talk entitled ‘Cusack and The GAA Today’.

“The overall theme of the Merriman this year is Michael Cusack and his time so we will be talking a lot about revival and renewal, both in terms of sport and culture in general,” said Michael Griffin, Director of this year’s Summer School. “We will be looking at the people who were in favour of this change and also those who were not in favour of it.”

Indeed, the ideals of James Joyce on citizenship and the cultural nationalism movement will be used as a counterpoint to Cusacks during the Summer School.

“For some people Cusack is a very contentious figure. There is something strange about him and people see him in very different ways. There are a lot of issues about the notions of citizenship which are very much still important questions in today’s society,” continued Mr Griffin.

“On the Wednesday evening there will be a performance of the Cyclops episode from Ulysses. It is a controversial episode where a character appears who is believed to be based on Michael Cusack. There is a clash in Joyce between his own cosmopolitan side and the cultural nationalism that is represented in the Cusack character.”

Other highlights of the Summer School include a seminar on ‘The Ranch War Around Carron’ with Breandán Ó Cathaoir and lectures on the ‘Narrative of Hurling’ by Daithí Ó hÓgáin and ‘Irish-Ireland: Self Delusion Then and Now’ by John Murphy and Chaired by the former Director of RTE Bob Collins.

“Directing the Summer School has been a hugely fulfilling experience and I am delighted to have been called on,” continued Mr Griffin. “It is a rare opportunity to mix extra curricular activities, such as sort, with academic life. To be allowed to place a figure who was iconic in his context is a challenge but also something that I have very much enjoyed.”

STAFF at Shannon Aerospace are expected to reject a Labour Court ruling which says they should adopt new work practices.

The 800 employees were told they should cooperate with the new practices in exchange for an increase in wages.

But it’s being predicted that the Labour court ruling will be rejected when the results of a ballot are announced this week.

The Labour Court accepted the findings of an independent report, which said that the company would be in serious financial difficulties if the work practices which they are seeking are not introduced.

But SIPTU, which represents the majority of the workers, holds that the Shannon company is in a position to honour national pay deals because it is in profit.

A spokesman for the company said that it “needs to expand to survive – we need that economy of scale to compete against similar operations in eastern Europe,” he said.

He added that the company is “planning to introduce a manufacturing type system to aircraft maintenance but this will not involve any loss of skills.”

The spokesman also said that while the company is in profit, the current returns to the sole shareholder were inadequate to justify continuing investment in a very competitive international environment.

But he added that there could be a large amount of leeway in relation to pay increases in the future. Having started from a low salary base in 1992, the spokesman said, the company paid separate increments on top of national agreements “to ramp people back up to the norm.”

The union spokeswoman said they would not be making any comment until after the result of the ballot is announced.

Meanwhile, it now looks likely that the Friday deadline for tenders in the sale of the Great Southern hotel group – including the one at Shannon Airport – will be postponed.

The industrial dispute which was referred to the Labour Court last week was at hearing for four hours, but no recommendation is expected until tomorrow (Wednesday).

SIPTU, which represents 700 of the group’s 1,000-strong workforce, has been fighting on issues including payments for voluntary redundancies and pensions.

The union has a mandate for industrial action from its members.

The sale of the hotel chain is now expected to carry a condition that the new owners must offer staff a new pension deal with the same funding rate as the old one.

A FAMILY who travelled more than 100 miles to visit the seaside in Kilkee was unable to enjoy the planned day out, because unleashed dogs roamed freely on the sand.

Distraught mother Anne Frances Doocey told The Clare People how she had planned a visit to the seaside with her young daughter Kay while on a day long visit to her native county, from her new home in Portlaoise.

The 12-year-old girl with special needs was looking forward to a rare visit to the beach last week.

But the young family were to be disappointed, because the presence of dogs on the beach prevented them from enjoying their day.

Ms Doocey said, “at least five dogs ran around without any leads” and there were many more on leads.

Her nine-year-old daughter Kay was too afraid to venture on to the beach with the animals at large, she explained.

The angered mother said she was not prepared to let her daughter on to the beach “for hygiene reasons as well”.

After spending some time in the pool and sitting on the wall close to the beach, the young family returned to their Midlands home very disappointed.

Ms Doocey said she was disappointed for her daughter.

“It is just not good enough. The dogs were barking and running around where the children were playing,” she said.

“Kay was petrified of them,” she added.

Earlier this year Clare County Council passed by-laws banning members of the public from walking their dogs on the county’s beaches from June 1 to the end of August.

As Kilkee has its own local authority, Kilkee Town Council, these by-laws do not apply in the seaside town.

Under the county council’s regulations, the public face fines of €125 if they take their dogs on to the beach, even with a lead, between 11 am and 6 pm during these summer months.

In cases that go to court, an individual can face a fine of up to €1,270. No such fines are applicable in Kilkee.

Kilkee Town Mayor Claire Haugh (FF) has appealed to dog owners to keep their pets on a lead when walking on the beach and to clean up after them. “The onus is on the dog owner,” she said.

A TEENAGER charged with dangerous driving causing the death of two Kilkee teenagers almost three years ago is to be extradited back to Ireland from the UK today (Tuesday).

Galway native David Naughton (18) is to appear before Kilrush District Court tomorrow, in connection with an execution of a bench warrant for his arrest, which is outstanding since he absconded in February 2004.

He is accused of dangerous driving causing the deaths of Stacey Haugh (16) and Lorna Mahony (13), at Moyarta, Carrigaholt, on October 17, 2003.

Mr Naughton absconded while on bail for the charge of dangerous driving causing the deaths of the young Kilkee pair.

He was apprehended by the authorities in London in March.

Mr Naughton was jailed in London last April for offences committed in England while on the run from the courts here and was due to be released yesterday. Gardaí have now travelled to London with a European Arrest Warrant and are expected to return to Ireland later today with the teenager.

At the time of the crash, Mr Naughton was living in Westside House, a unit for homeless adolescents in Galway city, where residents are allowed to leave the unit unaccompanied.

He first appeared in court in Ennis on October 24, 2003, a week after the fatal crash.

Mr Naughton, who was 16 at the time, was remanded in custody to St Patrick’s Institution in Dublin, but was granted bail at his next hearing. He was later returned to St Patrick’s for breaching his bail conditions, but was again released after telling a court that he had been assaulted by other inmates while in custody. Soon afterwards, he fled to England.

A bench warrant for his arrest was issued at Ennis District Court when he failed to appear for a hearing in February 2004. It was the following May, when he first came to the attention of police in the UK, that it was confirmed he had fled to England.

The book of evidence has yet to be served in the case relating to the deaths of the two girls. It is expected it will be served prior to the next sittings of Ennis Circuit Court in October.

However, with the current backlog of criminal cases, it is unclear whether the case will be heard in 2006.