Month: August 2006

ADULTS considering going back to college are being reminded by an Ennis-based organisation that they can avail of finance for the move under a grant scheme fo mature students.

The Ennis Citizens’ Information Centre spokesman, Paul Woulfe said that the service wants to make those considering going back to education aware that they may be eligible for financial help.

The deadline for applying for the Higher Education Grant Scheme, is on August 31.

“The Higher Education Grants Scheme provides means-tested grants to eligible students on approved courses. Application forms are available from your local authority.

“If you are already on a social welfare payment, the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) allows you to study at second and third level without losing your benefits,” said Woulfe.

Candidates have to meet certain criteria to be eligible for the BTEA, he added.

“Candidates are deemed mature candidates for the purpose of a grant if they are at least 23 years on January 1 of the year of entry or re-entry to an approved course of third-level education in an approved institution. Eligibility is normally calculated by comparing the reckonable income of the candidates in the year ending 31 December of the year in which they enter the course with the means test tables of the scheme in that year,” said Woulfe.

Working people who earn less than €37,650 can apply for a full grant and will also have their fees paid.

A sliding scale applies to candidates and the number of their dependant children will be taken into consideration.

“Higher Education can give people the opportunity they’ve been waiting for, to re-train, qualify or pursue the career they’ve always wanted and the Higher Education Grant Scheme may be able to help”, said Woulfe

Meanwhile, the CIC is warning other students to apply straight away for their grants as the August 31 closing date applies to them as well.

“Make sure you study all the documentation, seeking assistance if necessary,” advised Woulfe.

“This should cut down on the high level of incorrectly completed applications submitted, due to the apparent complexity of the form and the difficulty obtaining the necessary documentation for the income assessment.”

THE study is over, the exams completed and the points counted for more than 1,300 leaving cert students across Clare and the Class of 2006 is celebrating.

Almost 50,000 teens were logging on yesterday morning to see if they had the all important college offer.

Education experts were hailing the end of the points race as the CAO offered as many places as there were leaving cert students this year.

As a result points have dropped in major areas of interest.

There were however a small number of exceptions where courses such as medicine and architecture retaining their high access points.

Among the Clare students celebrating their successes yesterday was Maeve O’Dwyer from Doora. The 18-year-old St Flannan’s student was preparing for her first year in Mary Immaculate College in Limerick where she is to study primary school teaching.

While the course has come down five points in the previous year, the teenager had more points than were required last year for the course and was quietly confident of success.

She began looking for accommodation on campus after the leaving cert results were announced last week and by yesterday all her planning had come together as she secured her first choice course and accommodation within hours.

With their close access to Clare, Limerick and Galway have proved popular choices for many Clare students.

Ballyea’s Don Flannery is delighted to be heading to Galway to begin his course in environmental science. The 18-year-old former St Flannan’s student said a lot of his friends were moving to Galway and he had also secured accommodation.

Aidan Kelly from Ballybeg told The Clare People that Galway colleges were very popular among his friends.

The former Christian Brothers student was delighted when he received an offer of his first choice Arts course at NUIG.

Those who did not receive their first preference offer this time round are reminded that second round offers will be made on September 1.

Students are also asked not to panic if they think they will not get their preferred course as there are many other options other than the CAO process.

Meanwhile students have until today to complete an application form if they wish to see any of their exam scripts, which they can then view in their schools on September 1 and 2.

The result of any appeals will be issued by early October.

CLARE County Council has apologised to residents in Shannon after supply problems left homes in the area without water.

Homes in Shannon were left without water for much of last Tuesday as contractors carried out repair work to metering valves.

Executive Engineer Liam Murphy explained engineers encountered problems with a valve, meaning a wider catchment area than anticipated was affected and the work had lasted longer than expected.

“Repair work was being be carried out as part of ongoing maintenance of the system.

“It was planned that only a small area would be affected and notice had been given. It was then discovered that one of the valves wouldn’t hold and we had no choice, but to extend the work. There was terrible rain that day and the workers were out all day fixing the problem.”

Mr Murphy apologised to locals and added that maintenance work will continue. He said the project was roughly 50 per cent complete

“I apologise to all those homes and businesses affected. We would always look at these works from a strategic viewpoint, but you can never be 100 per cent sure. In these situations you can’t be alarmist and go around notifying every house in Shannon.”

Prior notification of the shortages were given to three local businesses.

Notices to the general public was given on local radio, but this method has been criticised as ineffective.

Shannon Councillor Patricia McCarthy (Ind) said that many residents in Shannon would not have been aware of the shortages since they don’t listen to local radio .

“The Council would normally advertise notice of these works on radio, but a lot of people in Shannon wouldn’t listen to it.

“I don’t think the method of notification was adequate enough. You can’t anticipate and plan for these kind of interruptions, but there should be a better way of letting people know.”

Shannon Councillor Gerry Flynn (Ind) was sharply critical of the Council saying that he along with local residents had been kept in the dark over the problems.

“What really annoyed me is that they didn’t contact me and they didn’t let people know in an adequate manner. I was getting calls all day from people who had no water.

“This caused major problems for people with young children and disabilities. There was people still in the shower when the water cut out.”

Councillor Flynn also criticised the fact that local businesses were given advance notification, but locals were not.

NORTH Clare is set to receive one of the biggest jobs boosts in its history with the announcement by Clare County Council yesterday of 100 new jobs at the Cliffs of Moher.

A major recruitment drive is expected to begin early next month with all positions likely to be filled before the start of the 2007 season.

The new jobs will consist of admission staff, rangers and grounds and maintenance personnel, with the council hoping to draw people from all over the county.

“The creation of over 100 jobs at the world famous site is excellent news not only for north Clare, but for the entire county,” said Katherine Webster, Director of the Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience.

“The new positions will also compliment the site’s improved visitor facilities, which are currently under construction.

“They include a major Interpretative area called ‘Atlantic Edge’, containing exhibits and displays on a range of aspects of the Cliffs of Moher.”

The announcement was made at the Milwaukee Irish Fest in America, where a delegation from Clare County Council are promoting the county as a tourist destination to more than 135,000 festivalgoers.

The Cliffs of Moher project has come in for an amount of criticism in recent times, but the President of Ennis Chamber of Commerce and owner of the Temple Gate Hotel, John Madden, has urged the people of Clare to get behind the project.

“Clare County Council’s commitment to improving the visitor experience at the Cliffs of Moher is a very positive one as far as many of those involved in the tourism sector are concerned,” commented Mr Madden. “It builds on the optimism, which we can already see around the county, in terms of new hotel developments.

“It will also encourage other businesses in this sector to further expand as the number of visitors to the county increases.

“The improved facilities, once opened next year, will create hugely positive knock on effects for the entire economy in Clare.

“Therefore, it is imperative that the local business community pledges its support to the project.”

Yesterday’s announcement came less than a week after Clare County Council announced that three leading tour operators from the USA, United Kingdom and Ireland had committed their 2007 tourist programme to the Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience.

The council also said that they expected more than one million people to visit the Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience in 2007.

A FULL frontal assault on the Government’s handling of the Open Skies aviation negotiations and the sale of Aer Lingus was launched last night.

In a blistering attack, former Clare TD Madeleine Taylor-Quinn (FG) accused Minister Martin Cullen of presiding over a “farce”. Her colleague, Deputy Pat Breen demanded written assurances on transatlantic passenger numbers from Aer Lingus.

Taylor-Quinn said that the sale of Aer Lingus was “not in the national interest. We are leaving ourselves very vulnerable, both economically and from a security point of view.”

She was commenting on the news that Open Skies has floundered over major opposition in the US to foreign ownership of American airlines, at the same time that Aer Lingus, the national airline, is being readied for sale on international markets.

“The US is concerned about its future in Open Skies. America is a huge global economy and here are we, a small island nation, selling off a national assest without a backward glance,” said Taylor-Quinn.

US Transportation Under-Secretary, Jeffrey Shane, confirmed US objections: “We’re not going to make the timetable we initially contemplated by the end of this month or early September. We can’t do it”.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the Transport Minister has nothing in writing from Aer Lingus on its promise to maintain 400,000 transatlantic passengers through Shannon Airport, after Open Skies.

Deputy Breen said the minister has “led the region on a merry dance. I want immediate answers from the Minister as to why he did not bother to request or receive assurances from Aer Lingus in writing.” The Transport Minister told the Dáil that he “did not request or receive these assurances in writing from the company”.

Last year, Minister Cullen said that he “sought and obtained assurances from Aer Lingus that . . . it will maintain the current level of transatlantic traffic with regular year round scheduled services”.

A HEARTBROKEN horse owner whose pony, Lizzy, went missing from a field in East Clare last month have been re-united with her after an appeal in The Clare People.

Sonny Hughes left the 19 year old pony grazing on land at Kappantymoore in Meelick, but she went missing from the field more than a month ago.

After an appeal in The Clare People , Sonny said he received a number of tips about Lizzy’s whereabouts.

The search led him to the Puck Fair in Kilorglin, Co. Kerry recently, where he finally tracked Lizzy down. Luckily, she had an ID mark which enabled gardaí to take her back.

“Now they are investigating how she came into the hands of the man I found her with. I just wanted to say a very big ‘thank you’ to The Clare People for helping me and taking an interest in the story.”

THE Clare show circuit moved west to Mullagh this weekend as hundreds of enthusiasts flocked to the village to taste the craic and atmosphere of one of Clare’s biggest agricultural events. The Community Sports Field in Mullagh was packed with people on Sunday as the show enjoyed a good crowd despite the distractions from Croke Park. While the men in saffron and blue came home disappointed there are few who left unhappy from Mullagh.

On of the highlights of the show was the foal competition which was won by Shellagh Barry from Inch with Anthony Clohessy fro Kilimer and Michael Walshe from Shannon qualifying for the All-Ireland final at the Mountbellew Show in September.

Other winners were Flan Casey from Kildysart in the sheep section, Deirdre Sexton from Mullagh in the dairy cattle section, Paul Devitt from Ennistymon in the commercial suckler cow section, Martin T from Mullagh in the commercial beef section and Michael Sexton in the purebred limousine section.

In the horse section Anthony Clohessy from Killimer took the prize for the brood mare, Alex Burns from Ruan in the riding pony section, Francis Murphy from Rineen in the hand fed pony and registered pony section and Shellagh Barry from Inch in the foal section.

The show also had plenty for everyone with amusements and athletics for the children, an information centre run by Michael Gleeson of West Clare Community Resources as-well-as a farmers market.

TWO people charged in connection with an attack on two Lithuanian brothers in Shannon last December have been returned for trial to Ennis Circuit Court.

Arturas and Aivaras Segzda sustained stab wounds in an incident, in the early hours of December 9 last.

David O’Loughlin (19), of Finian Park, Shannon, is facing four charges, while Jessica O’Leary, of Cronan Lawn, Shannon, is facing five charges.

At a sitting of the District Court in June, Mr O’Loughlin was charged with two counts of assault causing harm; possession of a knife; and possession of a knife with intent to cause injury.

However at Ennis District Court yesterday, one of the charges of assault causing harm was withdrawn and he was charged with assault causing serious harm, in relation to Arturas Segzda.

Detective Garda Andrew Hayes told the court the accused made no reply to charge after caution, yesterday morning.

Ms O’Leary is accused of two counts of assault causing harm; possession of a screwdriver; and possession of a screwdriver with intent to cause injury.

She is also accused of obstruction.

Inspector Tom Kennedy said the Book of Evidence was served on the two accused and said the Book had been adjusted to reflect the new charge in relation to Mr O’Loughlin.

Judge Leo Malone returned the two accused for trial, to Ennis Circuit Court in October.

MEMBERS of SIPTU working in the Shannon Airport Great Southern Hotel have voted in favour of a deal which would allow the sale of the hotel group to go ahead.

The 60-strong SIPTU group took part in the ballot last week of 750 workers at eight hotels around the country.

The hotel workers voted to accept a deal finalised in the Labour Court which would tie any new owners of the hotels to on-going negotiations with SIPTU.

Buyers would also have to maintain the same level of contributions to the employee pension scheme.

The package also includes eight weeks’ redundancy for workers leaving and a six-week loyalty payment to staff who stay on.

It’s expected that 300 workers will take the redundancy deal, although three-quarters of the current staff have less than three years service with the group.

Others have much longer service and will qualify for redundancy payments of up to €230,000 or loyalty transfer payments of up to €175,000.

The transfer conditions will apply to all of the 40 firms and consortia which have submitted tenders to buy all or part of the state-owned chain, valued at between €200 and €300 million.

The company said they do not expect the conditions will cause any delay on the sale but it is likely that the deal will affect the price which rival non-union hotel groups are willing to pay.

A MAN accused of robbing a shop in Ennis has been refused bail, after gardaí expressed concerns that he may not appear to stand trial.

Peter Flynn, of 4 Tower View, Battery Heights, Athlone, is accused of robbing €500 in cash and cigarettes valued at €100, at Hynes’ shop on the Gort Road in Ennis, on September 29 last year.

He is also charged with stealing a car, at Garrymore, Kilconnell, Ballinasloe, County Galway, on the same date.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told Ennis District Court yesterday (Monday) that the Book of Evidence had been served and the accused was to be returned for trial to Ennis Circuit Court in October.

He said he was objecting to bail, as the accused failed to appear in court on a previous occasion.

“There is a risk he may not answer the charge,” said the inspector.

Defending solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client had been receiving treatment in Athlone.

“In the absence of any evidence of threatening witnesses, there is a minimum risk of flight. My client lives in Battery Heights, Athlone,” said Ms Godfrey.

However, Inspector Kennedy said the accused “failed to honour commitments that he would present himself, prior to coming here on July 28 last.”

Ms Godfrey said, “It is a long time between now and October. He is innocent until proven guilty.”

Judge Leo Malone said he was refusing bail. “On the basis of the submissions by the inspector, there is a likelihood he might not turn up for trial,” he said and remanded the accused in custody.

Another man, Brendan Quinn (27), of Cracepark Site, Longford, charged in connection with the same incident, was also returned for trial to Ennis Circuit Court in October. The court heard the DPP consented to a return for trial, for both accused.