Month: September 2006

A NEW approach to muscle rehabilitation has been unveiled at the Ennis Leisure Complex.

An exercise machine specially designed for people with limited mobility was installed yesterday on a three-month trial basis at the complex.

The exercise/physical therapy unit, known as MOTOmed Therapy, can be used by people in wheelchairs and until now had only a limited availability. Ennis is the only facility of its kind to have access to the machine designed by Lyncare Ltd, a company specialising in the distribution of rehabilitation products.

Ennis was chosen after an initiative spearheaded by two members of the Clare branch of Multiple Sclerosis, Ireland.

Having seen the benefits of the MOTOmed in the University of Limerick, Anne Dunne and Enda O’Gara, with assistance from local Green Party councillor Brian Meaney, lobbied to bring the service to Ennis.

Speaking at the launch, Enda O’Gara and Anne Dunne said the exercise equipment provides an essential service to people dealing with a loss or partial loss of mobility and co-ordination due to an accident, stroke or conditions like MS and Spinabifida.

Mr O’Gara thanked the initiative shown by Ennis Town Council, Clare County Council and Lyncare Ltd. in making the specialised exercise equipment available for the three month trial.

“It is up to the people who are in need of this exercise machine to show that there is a demand for it, as its usage over the three-month trial will determine if monies will be made available to purchase this and perhaps other units,” he said.

Ennis Leisure Complex Manager, Jackie Coote, said that as it was a public facility, the complex had to be accessible and usable to as many people as possible and this was another way this was being achieved. There are two hoists for wheelchair users at the pool and four wheelchair-accessible machines already in the gym. The latest equipment should make it easier for people with disability to access a very worthwhile physical therapy and exercise in a way that is no different from any of the other exercise regimes at the complex.”

Lyncare Sales & Marketing Director, Andrea Lynch, said the system being provided at the Ennis complex included training for all the staff so it can be adapted to suit a range of clients with various conditions.

It is hoped the machine will be installed on a permanent basis once the trail elapses.

A MAN who damaged three cars and assaulted two off-duty gardaí has been jailed for a year.

Mark McCarthy (20), of Millbrook House, Ennis, pleaded guilty to a number of charges, in relation to incidents at Woodquay, Ennis, on July 10 last year.

Inspector Michael Gallagher told Ennis District Court that the accused “made a nuisance of himself,” damaging three cars and assaulting two gardaí, who were off-duty at the time.

One of the gardaí was struck in the face and the other was kicked in the leg. The court was told that 10 days after this incident, the accused robbed an elderly woman at her home on the Turnpike Road in Ennis. He was jailed for four years at Ennis Circuit Court for that offence earlier this year.

Defending solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client “went on a bit of a binge” at that time.

“He has received significant sentences for this week of madness,” she said.

Inspector Gallagher said the accused has several previous convictions, including convictions for burglary, public order and criminal damage.

Judge Joseph Mangan jailed McCarthy for six months, for one of the criminal damage charges. He jailed him for three months for each of the assaults. The sentences will commence at the end of the four year sentence he is currently serving.

The judge took into consideration the other matters and fixed recognisances in the event of an appeal.

A MAN who burgled an Ennis business has been jailed for four months.

Anthony Marshall (34), of Toormore, Ruan, pleaded guilty to entering Fitzpatrick’s business premises on the Tulla Road in Ennis, on June 15 last, and stealing household goods, worth €250.

Inspector Michael Gallagher told Ennis District Court that the defendant was driving a white van. He pulled into the back of Fitzpatrick’s and raided an outhouse.

The accused escaped through a field and the van was taken to Ennis Garda Station, for a technical examination.

Marshall went voluntarily to the Garda station the following day and the goods were recovered.

Inspector Gallagher said the accused was “well known to the courts,” and had several previous convictions, including convictions for possession of drugs and road traffic matters.

Defending solicitor, Una Moylan, said her client, who had not drank in 10 years, had had a few drinks on the night of the incident.

She said that the accused, a father-of-four, regretted the incident.

“His last larceny offence was in 1994. He has more or less stayed out of trouble since then,” said Ms Moylan.

Judge Joseph Mangan said he would impose a five month jail sentence. However he noted that the goods were recovered and reduced this to four months. He fixed recognisances in the event of an appeal.

A PROPOSED 82-berth marina and clubhouse at Killaloe Sailing Club have been refused because of the undesirable precedent it would set in the Lough Derg area.

In June, Killaloe Sailing Club lodged plans for the facility at Ogonnelloe on the shores of Lough Derg, but An Taisce expressed concerns over the development.

The National Trust stated that there was a risk that the southern end of Lough Derg would become overdeveloped with regard to the plans for the marina.

An Taisce also stated that public services in Killaloe were overstretched and any huge development would be premature. The proposed site is not close enough to necessary services, it was claimed.

In response to the club’s plan, and without seeking additional information from them, the council refused planning permission on five separate grounds.

The council ruled that granting permission would set a precedent for this type of development in isolated locations and detached from all settlements. The development, if permitted, would result in an adverse obstruction of a vulnerable landscape, resulting in a degradation of views from the scenic route outside of any settlements within a rural setting.

The council was stated dissatisfied, on the basis of the information submitted, that the proposed development would not result in the intrusion into the lake, a National Heritage Area and onto its shore. This would contribute to the erosion of the character of the lake shore, thereby seriously injuring the amenities of the area.

The council also ruled that the proposed marina development “would set an undesirable precedent for further similar developments at other rural locations outside settlements, which would, in themselves and cumulatively, be contrary to the preservation and enhancement of the amenities of Lough Derg and would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and development of the area.”

Nor was the council satisfied that the proposed development would not result in a road traffic hazard and would therefore be contrary to the proper planning and development of the area.

The applicants now have one month in which to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanala.

THE Irish Rural Dwellers Association has issued a “wake up call” to the current Government.

The lobby group, that has its headquarters in Kilbaha, has published a pre-election review of the Fianna Fail/Progressive Democrats contribution to planning in the country.

Entitled “Four Years Seeking Radical Change in Planning under a Fianna Fail – PD government”, the booklet criticises the role of An Taisce as well as planners’ qualifications.

“There is absolutely no point in either Fianna Fail or Progressive Democrat TDs knocking on rural doors promising radical changes in planning if they get re-elected because, if they don’t do it now when they have the power to do so, their credibility about the future is meaningless,” the book states.

When contacted by The Clare People, westClare based Jim Connolly, president of the organisation, said the group had no plans to run a candidate in the upcoming general election.

“We are a non-political group,” he said.

The IRDA is made up of leading academics in rural development, as well as rural bodies, opposition TDs and MEPs.

In this its latest document, the group has included an application form for new members.

It says its aim is to unite all rural dwellers and people of “goodwill towards rural Ireland”.

It aims to achieve this, “in the context of peaceful, multi-cultural co-existence in the common cause of ensuring, by legal and constitutional means, the growth and maintenance of the dispersed village, sraid bhaile or street village and the clachán, or clustered village.”

WHEN the Revenue Commissioners transfer to Kilrush in November, the town will welcome 70 new civil servants and not 50, as originally planned.

Unlike many towns listed as locations for Government offices under decentralisation, Kilrush has proven popular among workers.

So popular a location is Kilrush for civil servants, it is believed the original 50 positions could be filled twice over.

The number of employees is now expected to reach 70, including part-time employees and job share workers.

The lease for the decentralisation offices has been signed, but the Office of Public Works is remaining tight-lipped as to its exact location.

Local knowledge suggests however that the relocating civil servants will share a building already occupied by Bill Pay in Cappa.

A third of the 50 Revenue Commissioners’ staff destined for the West Clare town are believed to be coming from Ennis, another third from Limerick and one-third from Dublin.

Welcoming the move, Kilrush Senator Brendan Daly (FF) said the new jobs would help in Kilrush’s rejuvenation.

The Cooraclare politician pointed to the renovation of old buidings, planting flowers and ongoing work to attract new businesses to the town.

He said the influx of civil servants would encourage further service industries to the west Clare capital, creating a vibrancy in the town.

While other towns across the country, including Shannon, have been struggling to encourage civil servants to relocate, Kilrush has never had a problem enticing Government staff.

FULL-TIME lifeguard cover, which had been available at the county’s 12 beaches over the summer, drew to a close at the weekend. A team of 24 lifeguards was on duty at the beaches throughout July and August, but this wound down on Sunday.

Clare County Council’s Water Safety Officer, Liam Griffin, said if the weather was exceptionally good in September, the county’s four biggest beaches – Lahinch, Spanish Point, Fanore and Kilkee – might be manned at weekends.

“We would not normally man them in September, but if the weather is very good, we will. We will review it from weekend to weekend,” he said.

He said that while the good weather in July ensured the lifeguards were very busy, overall the summer passed off without any major incident.

“We are happy that there were no serious incidents,” he said.

Lifeguards did offer assistance in a number of cases, including one involving a collision between two surfers in Lahinch in July, which resulted in one young man being treated at Ennis General Hospital for a foot injury.

Lifeguards also afforded attention to a UK tourist who suffered a heart attack in Lahinch, last Thursday week. The emergency services were called in, but the man, in his 60s, died later in hospital.

Mr Griffin said that while lifeguards would not be on full-time duty during the winter months, surfers were been encouraged to take car on the waters.

“There are notices displayed on surf beaches outlining details of surfing guidelines. There are areas where we ask surfers to go, and other areas for swimmers. We haven’t had a collision between a surfer and a swimmer for years,” he said. “We were happy with the summer. Everything went very smoothly and members of the public were very cooperative.”.

People also complied with a notice not to swim on Lough Derg, due to the presence of algal blooms, in July. This issue was addressed within a short period.

THE way is now clear for one of Ireland’s best-known hotels, Dromoland Castle, to proceed with a €1 million plan, after no protected bats were found in the vicinity of a proposed wellness centre.

Earlier this year, Clare County Council put the plan on hold and requested that the hotel carry out a survey of bats in the area. The council stated that there were “a number of bat roosts in the buildings and structures of the hotel including hibernation sites for Lesserhorse Shoe bats”.

The Lesserhorse Shoe bat receives protection under the EU Habitats Directive.

Duchas, the Heritage Service, stated that it had no objection to the proposal, but requested that a bat survey be carried out.

Already, two major redevelopments in the same region of Clare – at Carnelly House and Ballykilty Manor – have encountered planning difficulties as a result of protected bats.

At Carnelly House, the developers are set to spend €120,000 on measures to protect the bats. The news that there are no bats residing where they intend building their wellness centre will come as a relief to Dromoland’s owners.

The survey states: “No bats or sign of any bats were found within the proposed development area. There are no recommendations in regard to bats as none were found to be present within the proposed development site.

“Annex II species under the EU Habitats Directive will not be affected by the proposed works.

In explaining the background to their development plan, Dromoland Castle states that, “Being one of the country’s premier hotels . . . (requires) the constant upgrading of the facilities provided.

The hotel claims that its continued success is based on it being a destination luxury hotel with facilities that out rival similar facilities elsewhere. The hotel states that the provision of the new facilities will enhance the sustainability of Dromoland.

TOUR operators have put a number of alternatives to charging €60 per coach when the Council’s new €31.5 million visitor centre at the Cliffs of Moher becomes operational to Clare County council.

The Irish Tour Operators Association (ITOA) is opposed to the new pricing structure and in a bid to have the Council reverse its plan met with the offfical leading the project, Ger Dollard in Dublin last Friday.

President of the ITOA, Brian Murray said that the ITOA executive “put forward some interesting suggestions in terms of what we would propose for alternatives to generating revenues at the site”.

Mr Murray described the meeting as ‘positive’, stating that a “frank and open discussion” had taken place.

He said, “We explained that we couldn’t work at the proposed €60 charge. Mr Dollard said that he would hold a meeting with his colleagues and revert back to us.”

The ITOA has also expressed concern over a new booking system at the Cliffs and Mr Murray said: “We agreed that ITOA members would talk to officials at the Cliffs site in order to try to agree upon a system.

Mr Murray said that the ITOA has a Council meeting on Wednesday and was anxious that the Council’s response to the ITOA’s alternatives would be in place by then.

Commenting on the meeting to The Clare People yesterday, Mr Dollard said, “The Council had a very useful meeting with the ITOA on Friday last.

He said, “At the end of the day we are both in the tourism business and it is in all our interests that the Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience operates to the highest standards to give an exceptional visitor experience for every visitor as well as putting forward a very positive image for Irish tourism.

“I am confident that the Council and the ITOA can work positively together in a collaborative fashion to develop the full potential of the Cliffs of Moher New Visitor Experience.

A NUMBER of well-known Clare musicians have expressed concern over Clare County Council’s plans to expel buskers from the Cliffs of Moher and hold subsequent auditions for musicians at the tourist attraction.

A letter signed by 43 performers from the Irish traditional music world states that they are concerned, “at the intentions of the Clare County council in relation to the performance of traditional music at the Cliffs and urge the council to establish dialogue with the musicians”.

Currently, 19 musicians and traders at the Cliffs are facing injunction proceedings in the Circuit Court which are due to be heard next month.

Those from Clare to have signed the letter include Martin Hayes, Tola Custy, Tony McMahon and author and broadcaster, PJ Curtis.

Other well-known musicians offering support to the buskers include Christy Moore, Liam O’Maonlai, Mary Black, Donal Lunny and Frankie Gavin.

Under the name of ‘Fili Amhranaithe Ceoltoiri na hEireann’ (FACE) or ‘Musicians, Singers and Poets of the Irish Tradition’, they state that the proposed injunction against buskers at the Cliffs “has serious implications for present and future members of our organisation”.

“The council will not communicate with the musicians involved. Communication with the musicians is vital to establish a coherent agreement.

“They are best placed to advise the council how to manage music at the Cliffs in the most appropriate way.”

PJ Curtis told The Clare People , “The council is engaging in bullyboy tactics by seeking to evict the buskers and its actions are anti-freedom of artistic expression.”

The council’s project leader, Ger Dollard, confirmed that the council may hold auditions as part of the expressions of interest process to license buskers at the Cliffs when the new centre becomes operational.

He said, “I recognise that there are genuine concerns amongst individuals regarding the overall situation.

On the one hand, the council is in a difficult position trying to rid the site of indiscriminate substandard busking which does nothing to add to the visitors experience or image of Irish tourism.

“On the other hand, meanwhile, the council respects those buskers who have engaged in a positive activity respecting the best traditions of the site.

“I would hope that people will bear with us as we work our way through this necessary process, which is in the best interests of all those genuinely interested in maintaining the required standard at our famous tourist attraction.”