Month: August 2006

KILRUSH is the only area in Clare that had less people signing on last month than in the previous July.

According to the Central Statistics office there were 4,099 people on the live register in Clare this July compared to 3,922 in July 2005. The Mid West recorded an increase of 226 people during the same period.

While the Ennis, Ennistymon and Tulla areas all recorded an increase, the figures released in the last week show the number of people on the live register in the Kilrush area has decreased when seasonally adjusted.

The number in the West Clare area signing on in July this year was 579, 15 people less than July last year.

The number in Ennis had increased from 2,374 to 2,523, Ennistymon from 549 to 571 and Tulla from 405 to 426. There are more men on the live register in the Banner County than women, with 2,138 men signing on and 1,961 women.

Just 711 of all of the Clare people on the live register are under the age of 25.

When seasonally adjusted the numbers on the live register nationally had reduced by 2,400.

Government Chief Whip and Minister of State Tom Kitt said the decrease reflected a strong underlying labour market performance.

“Our unemployment rate of 4.4 per cent remains one of the very lowest in the EU, and the outlook remains favourable,” he said.

The Live Register includes part-time, seasonal and casual workers who are entitled to Unemployment Assistance or Benefit, and is not therefore a measure of unemployment.

A SECURITY guard who worked at the Irish Aviation Authority’s Shannon operation settled his claim for unfair dismissal against his former employers, Pegasus Security last week.

Kevin Cusack of Ruan in Ennis took the case to the Employment Appeals Tribunal sitting in ennis last week against the Authority and Pegasus.

But the Tribunal ruled in favour of an application by the Aviation Authority to be stood down from the claim as it found that the security firm was Cusack’s direct employer.

Cusack had also told the Tribunal that his case was one of claiming constructive dismissal but chairman John Fahy, ruled that only an unfair dismissal case could be heard by the Tribunal.

After an adjournment to allow Cusack to consult with an adviser from SIPTU, the former employee told the Tribunal that the matter had been settled and that he wished to withdraw his claim.

Details of the settlement were kept confidential and asked if he was happy with it, Cusack replied that he was satisfied “under the circumstances.”

The Tribunal allowed six weeks for the settlement to be concluded.

JUDGES for the Tidy Towns competition were expected in Ennis over the weekend to see if the town has maintained the high standards it set last year.

While no advance warning of the committee’s arrival is given, adjudicators have visited the town on the August Bank Holiday weekend in previous years. Last year Ennis was named the tidiest town in Ireland but competition rules state that Ennis cannot win the overall award again this year. The Ennis Tidy Towns Committee hope though that Ennis can defend its title of Ireland’s Tidiest Large Town.

The total points awarded to Ennis has increased every year since 1998. The total then was 240 and last years winning tally was 279 points from a possible 300. In 2001 Ennis was named the tidiest large town and in 2002 it received a gold medal in the European Entente Florale Award.

Chairman of the Ennis Tidy Town’s Committee, Donal Griffin is upbeat about Ennis’ chances in the upcoming competition.

“We have no warning but experience would say that they (judges) would usually visit around the August Bank Holiday weekend. You can’t win the big award two years in a row but we would hope to win again in the large town category. It is probably fair that you can’t because there are around 20 towns that could win it every year”

Mr Griffin who has been Chairman for 12 years, said the committee are pleased with preparations so far and praised the efforts of residents associations and the local business community.

“You see a huge amount of people out and residents associations have been very proactive in looking after their own patch. I was around town last week and there was shopkeepers tending flowers at 8pm so I think people have really taken to the competition. Ennis Town Council of course also play a substantial role and the Friary and the Cathedral have also been very helpful providing information in newsletters”

Since being named Ireland’s tidiest town other accolades have fopllowed. Earlier this year President Mary McAleese visited the town to pay tribute to the massive community effort and unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion.

“The visit of the President was a major highlight. Ennis has had massive exposure on local, national and international media, its been great from a public relations point of view its been great. People have also embraced environmental issues and have shown real pride in their town”

The final results of the competition will be announced at a ceremony in Dublin castle on September 4.

SHANNON and Doonbeg could be the locations for two new nature reserves, Clare County Council announced this week.

The nature reserves will be the topics for discussion at two county council workshops being held in association with Clare Biodiversity Group on August 12 and 13.

The public meetings come less than a fortnight after the people of Miltown Malbay, Quilty, Spanish Point and surrounding areas were asked to help identify a potential location for a nature reserve in their area.

In Doonbeg, residents are being invited to give their opinion at the workshop to be held in the local community hall, on Saturday, August 12 at 2pm. Locations already identified by the council as potential wildlife reserves include Doonbeg Bay and Tullaher Bog.

“There is a great diversity of wildlife and habitats in and around Doonbeg such as the coastline and bogs further inland,” said Biodiversity Officer, Elaine Keegan.

Similarly in Shannon, another workshop will be held at The Oakwood Arms Hotel on Sunday, August 13 at 2pm.

The local community will again be asked for their input into the creation of a wildlife area before being shown the proposed nature reserve site in the town.

“In Shannon there is an area of wetlands behind the Leisure Centre which is a possible area for a nature reserve. It would be very accessible considering it is so close to the town centre,” Ms Keegan concluded.

LAST week’s decision by American Airlines to discontinue their Boston to Shannon service has been hailed as the first step in relegating Shannon to a regional airport according to Clare TD Pat Breen (FG).

Deputy Breen called on the Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, to put in place a package of measures to assist the airport saying that the region needs more than photo opportunities from the Minister.

“All airlines now operating transatlantic services to Ireland are gearing themselves up for Open Skies and are realigning their services with this in mind,” said Deputy Breen.

“Of course, as I have continuously warned, in every country where there is an Open Skies agreement, airlines choose to fly into the capital city. In Ireland’s case they will operate into Dublin only and Shannon will simply become a regional airport.”

A spokesperson from American Airlines said last week that the airline will phase out its daily flights from Logan International Airport to Shannon on October 28. The spokesperson described the move as “essentially an economic decision” aimed at operating fuller and more profitable flights.

The airline will continue to service Shannon by re-routing their Chicago Service, which currently operates through Dublin, and replacing their existing B757 with a B767 on this route. The pullout is the second negative story for the airport in recent times and has sparked fear in some quarters that it will trigger a chain reaction of withdrawals.

“The ending of this service is another major blow to the hard pressed tourism sector in the Mid-West Region and to the small businesses in the area who were providing auxiliary services. Coming hot on the heels of the decision by World Airways to transfer its business to Germany, it will also raise further fears about the future of the In-flight Catering Section at the airport,” continued Mr Breen.

“The current uncertainty in relation to the future of transatlantic services is having a negative impact, which could lead to a lack of confidence in tourism development in the Mid-West, if remedial urgent action is not taken.”

This news comes just days after doubt has been cast over the continued use of Shannon Airport by American companies contracted by the US Government to transport troops. Prestwick Airport has emerged as the front runner to draw some of the lucrative business away from Shannon.

THE number of people arrested on suspicion of drink driving over the Bank Holiday weekend was significantly reduced when compared with other holiday weekends, as gardaí mounted one of the biggest ever crackdowns.

Several checkpoints were set up all over the Clare Garda Division over the weekend and four drivers were arrested. This compares with seven, during the August Bank Holiday weekend last year.

It is a huge decrease on the figure for the last Bank Holiday weekend, in June, when 13 drivers were arrested. It also shows a sizeable reduction, when compared to the May Bank Holiday weekend, when nine drivers were arrested on suspicion of drink driving. There were also nine arrested during the Easter Bank Holiday weekend in April.

However, The Clare People has learned that the number of people arrested on suspicion of drink driving during July showed a 150 per cent increase, when compared with the same month last year. Forty-five were arrested last month, compared with 18 in July 2005. Two arrests were made in Killaloe, and one each in Kilkee and Ennis. Those arrested will face court appearances within weeks.

Gardaí say the reduction in arrests over the weekend indicates that the dangers of drinking and driving is being taken on board, in the wake of the introduction of random breath testing. More than 400 drivers in the Clare Division – which takes in parts of North Tipperary – were breath tested randomly over the weekend, none of which yielded positive results.

Sergeant Brendan McDonagh of the Traffic Corps said the reaction to the random breath testing has been “positive.” There appeared to be a “very high rate of compliance” to the new law which prohibits the use of handheld mobiles while driving.

“At the moment, we are advising people about the dangers of using mobile phones while driving. Anyone we see using a mobile phone while driving, we pull over and advise them to get hands free kits,” he said. “There seems to be a very high rate of compliance here. We are delighted to find that and hopefully it will make a major difference”.

Gardaí say they will continue the crackdown on drink driving. 283 drivers were arrested in Clare last year and up to last week, the number of arrests in the county had risen by 62 per cent, when compared to the same period in 2005.

BALLYVAUGHAN-based author, Sarah Poyntz, has expressed dismay at what is happening in the Burren.

Ms Poyntz, who writes a column on rural life for the Guardian newspaper in the UK, recently described to her half-a-million readers how she had come upon tourists loading stones from a wall in the Burren into the back of a car.

She received letters from Guardian readers in the US and the UK in response to her column, in which she wrote, “Our walk began badly. We came upon visitors who were dismantling one of the glories of our Burren – a stone wall, a normal single wall.

“The stones were being loaded into a car. I asked the visitors to return the stones to the wall and waited while it was done, explaining that it is forbidden to remove or disturb stones or plants and how people dig up the rare flowers and cart away rocks for suburban gardens.”

This week she told The Clare People : “I do enjoy writing the Country Diary for the Guardian , but I have thought of giving up writing it because I feel terrible at what is going on in the Burren. People are uprooting flowers, removing stones, creating small little dolmens all the time. It is not a good situation”.

Ms Poyntz said that the flowers and rocks were being removed “due to the lack of wardens on the ground because the Government won’t pay for them”.

She added that the fields in the Burren are now full of ragweed and “this poisonous weed is choking flowers like the orchid,” adding, “I am not hopeful for the Burren”.

Ms Poyntz also expressed her dismay over some of the “dreadful houses” that have been allowed to be built and their impact on the Burren landscape.

Recently, Clare County Council has secured a €1.6 million plan to end the continuing environmental damage to the Burren and rejuvenate the area’s tourism industry. This follows Failte Ireland and the Department of the Environment allocating €1.6 million to an integrated management strategy for the Burren.

Ms Poyntz concluded, “Whatever needs to be done, needs to be done soon.”

THE skipper of the boat on which Boris Yeltsin spent Friday fishing has described meeting him as a “humbling experience.”

Seasoned angler and boatman Willie O’Callaghan, from Ennis, said it was “an honour to be asked and trusted to take care of Mr Yeltsin for the day – it is something I will never forget.”

Mr O’Callaghan, who runs Liscannor-based O’Callaghan Angling Cruises, had the task of organising a day of fishing for Mr Yeltsin, and had to ensure that the visit remained secret. The skipper’s 42-foot angler cruiser, True Light, was thoroughly inspected by security personnel ahead of the excursion.

“I am sure they checked my credentials to make sure we were up to the job. They told us what they needed for the trip and everything was in place when they arrived,” he said.

Mr Yeltsin was accompanied by his grandson and son-in-law, Russian security personnel and members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit. The party of 12 arrived at Liscannor pier early on Friday where they were met by Willie O’Callaghan.

“When I was introduced to Mr Yeltsin, I went weak at the knees. It was a very humbling experience to stand before a great man like that. He is an absolute gentleman,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

“We left Liscannor at 9am and spent the morning fishing about seven miles off Hag’s Head. Mr Yeltsin hooked a good few and was delighted. I had arranged lunch on Inis Óirr, and had a horse and carriage collect Mr Yeltsin at the pier and take him to the hotel. He was amazed there are still little islands in Europe with such a relaxed and friendly way of life. There was a trad session in the hotel and he was really taken by it, even clapped along.”

Mr O’Callaghan continued, “On the way back from Inis Óirr, Mr Yeltsin wanted to do a bit of shark-fishing but unfortunately we didn’t catch any. He spoke a lot with the people with him but the only words of English he used were ‘no problem’. He obviously enjoyed himself and gave me a big hug before he got off the boat.

“It was one of those things you think will never happen to you. You read about a man like that or see him on the telly but you never think you will be taking him shark-fishing,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

Ostán Inis Óirr chef, Darren McNamara from Scarriff, said, “I got a call from Willie O’Callaghan at 11.30. He said he had 10 VIPs with him and they wanted lunch in a private room. Sure, Willie is always having the craic with me so I said no problem, I’ll sort ye out. Not sure whether he was joking, I cleared a room and got it ready anyway.”

FORMER Russian President Boris Yeltsin returned to Moscow on Sunday following a three-day private visit to Clare, part of which he spent shark-fishing off the west coast.

Mr Yeltsin’s last visit to Clare made international headlines when an Taoiseach, two ministers, a guard of honour and an army band were left standing on the tarmac at Shannon Airport. Yeltsin had agreed to make a stopover on his way back to Moscow from the US, but it was more like a sleepover as the Russian leader failed to appear from his aircraft, sparking a minor diplomatic incident.

On September 30, 1994, Albert Reynolds and the Irish and Russian greeting parties were left standing for over an hour as Mr Yeltsin’s plane inexplicably circled Shannon Airport. They then waited for a further 15 minutes after it landed, before they were told the president was too tired, and then too ill, to see them. It was rumoured that the vodka-loving leader had enjoyed his favourite tipple on the journey from Washington. He finally appeared in Moscow to set the record straight, saying, “I just overslept. The security services did not let in the people who were due to wake me”.

Mr Reynolds denied at the time he had been snubbed saying, “I completely understand. Mr Yeltsin was acting on the orders of doctors who said it would be better for him not to get off the plane. He suffers from bad blood pressure. When a man is ill, a man is ill”.

Mr Yeltsin arrived in Shannon on Thursday, almost 12 years after that diplomatic gaffe. On this occasion, there there were no dignitaries to meet him.

The former President was whisked off amid tight security to the fivestar Dromoland Castle where he stayed for three nights. Mr Yeltsin travelled to the Cliffs of Moher on Thursday and enjoyed a day’s sharkfishing on Friday off the Clare coast, breaking for lunch on Inis Oír. His boat, skippered by local man Willie O’Callaghan, returned to Liscannor shortly after 6pm.

Three officials from the Russian Embassy were on hand to meet Mr Yeltsin, who smiled and waved to a dozen or so onlookers. Although frail and requiring assistance alighting from the boat, Mr Yeltsin was in good spirits, sitting at the front of the private coach which awaited him and waving for photographers as he was driven away.

LAUGH-a-minute comic, Peter Kay has splashed out on a retreat in the lakeside village of Killaloe.

The British comedian is reputed to have paid €1 million for the mansion on the shores of Lough Derg, and he will have some famous neighbours in his new home.

One of the most recent new residents in the area was Euro-millions winner, Dolores McNamara.

Gay Byrne’s daughter, Crona, also lives in the area and she was in the news recently when her home was broken into by a gang who made off with jewels, including a ring which was a gift from the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson.

Kay is entertaining at the Trinity Room’s third birthday bash. VIP guests at the knees up include Munster men, Peter Stringer, Ronan O’Gara and Paul O’Connell as well as comedian Pat Shortt and Miss Ireland, Sarah Morrissey.

The 33-year-old Bolton-born Kay appeared on stage with Billy Joel at his gig in Croke Park last weekend.