Month: September 2006

MEMBERS of the Labasheeda and Carrigaholt communities have resolved to go to Dublin to argue the case for a speedy solution to the sewerage crisis in the coastal villages.

Labasheeda School principal Liam Woulfe told The Clare People , “We believe that we are now left behind because of our coastal location.

“Pollution of water will still go on contrary to department guidelines while they debate money issues,” he said.

Cooraclare has been removed from the group sewerage scheme, which also included Carrigaholt and Labasheeda, as it did not require a foreshore licence. The acquisition of a licence could hold up a sewerage scheme by up to two years. An economic review of the Cooraclare Scheme shows that it now meets the Government’s water pricing policy. The report is now with the Department of the Environment and a decision on the scheme is expected in the next week.

Meanwhile, a draft economic review of the Labasheeda and Carrigaholt schemes shows a cost of €17,000 and €15,000 per house respectively.

These revised costings are also expected to be with the council soon.

According to Mr Woulfe, there is room for manoeuvre with the Labasheeda scheme, such as an alternative discharge mechanism or temporary storage on land.

“There isn’t room for change in Carrigaholt, outflow will have to be piped out to sea,” he said.

Senator Brendan Daly (FF) said the priority now was to get the schemes for the three villages completed.

A LACK of volunteers has forced the suspension of scouting activities in Ennis.

The 1st and 4th Clare Scout Group which is based in Station Road, Ennis, has been forced to suspend all scouting activities until enough volunteers come forward to help continue the service.

The association currently caters for 150 children from around 130 families in and around Ennis.

Letters have been sent out to parents and a public meeting on the issue will be held on Thursday, September 21, at 8.30pm in the Scout Hall.

Scout leaders say that suspending activities is a “drastic measure” but felt they were left with no other option.

The association has operated in Ennis for 79 years and scout leaders say a number of steps have to be taken for scouting to continue.

The group is looking for ten people to be members of a Parents and Friends Committee which is required under the constitution of Scouting Ireland.

In the letter, the group states; “Without this committee we should not be operating, our Group Leader with the help of scouters has carried out the burden for the past 12 months. A practice which is now going to stop. The scouters have enough work to do giving life skills to your children”

The group also say that at least eight new scouters are required in order to meet Child Protection Guidelines

“Under our Child Protection Guidelines, we have to keep within the recommended ratio of adults to children and should not operate if we do not have enough scouters to ensure the safety of your children.”

If the numbers are not met, the group say children looking to join the scouts may have to be placed on a waiting list until places become available.

All people applying for positions in the scouts will be vetted by the Gardaí and trained by Scouting Ireland.

The group say activities may be suspended indefinitely unless a committee is appointed at Thursday’s meeting.

The decision came the same week as Taoiseach Bertie Ahern claimed the spirit of volunteering was dying out in Ireland.

Addressing a taskforce on active citizenship, Mr Ahern said, “It is not just about the practical, day-today pressures which shape how we live. There is a concern that we have become more materialistic, maybe even more selfish. And if we have, I believe many people would conclude that, for all our new wealth, we are much the poorer.”

AS WORK begins on the Western Rail Corridor today, the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has reiterated his commitment to having the Ennis to Athenry section of the track up and running by 2008.

Responding to a question put to him by The Clare People , Mr Ahern cited the completion of the Ennis by-pass and the “reopening of the Ennis to Athenry rail line in 2008” as two of the main investments in infrastructure in the county.

Iarnród Éireann began clearing work on the unused railway line between Claremorris and Collooney this morning. This €5 million project, using funding received under the CLÁR programme, represents the first physical work made in the reopening of the corridor.

“The people of rural Ireland have a right to expect top-class, 21st-century infrastructure,” said Éamon Ó Cuív, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

The announcement by the Government of the phased re-opening of the Western Rail Corridor is the largest ever re-opening of a rail line in this island.

The purpose of the works, begun today, is to re-establish the boundaries, prevent further deterioration of the line section and prevent any development that may otherwise impinge on the proposed detailed works required for the reopening of the line.

A MAN charged in connection with an investigation into a spate of car damage in Ennis and Shannon has been handed a 10-month detention sentence.

Shannon District Court heard that Erol Ibrahim’s fingerprints were found on three cars which had either been broken into or damaged, last April.

Ibrahim (18), of 87 Hilltop, St Patrick’s Road, Limerick, stole a mobile phone from a car parked outside a house at The Hawthorns, Limerick Road, Ennis; a CD player and CDs from a car outside a house in Tullyglass, Shannon; and damaged a car at Ballycasey, Shannon.

Detective Garda Stephen Ryan told the court that 20 cars were either broken into or damaged in Ennis and Shannon, between April 25 and 27, 2006.

During the subsequent garda investigation, fingerprints were taken from three cars and they matched those of the accused.

The garda said that the total cost, between the theft and the criminal damage, in respect of the three cars, amounted to €1,000.

Defending solicitor, Caitriona Carmody, said her client left school last year and has been trying to find employment. The court was told the accused has a number of previous convictions, including for criminal damage, theft and public order.

Judge Joseph Mangan imposed two 10-month detention sentences and a five-month sentence, at St Patrick’s Institution, with the sentences to run concurrently. He fixed recognisances in the event of an appeal.

ENNIS Chamber of Commerce has said proposed large scale retail parks on the outskirts of Ennis will not have a draining effect on the town centre providing there is a balanced “retail-mix”.

In recent months, plans have been lodged with Clare County Council and Ennis Town Council for the development of a number of retail parks at locations on the outskirts of Ennis.

The most recent example was when plans were lodged by a Galway businessman for a series of commercial developments at a 48-acre site in Skehanagh, Clarecastle. Other similar developments have been mooted for locations on the Clare Road, Quin Road and Ballymaley.

The chamber says such developments are welcome, but according to chamber CEO Rita McInerney, it is important that the ‘retail-mix’ is appropriate to the type of development.

“We have committees appointed to review all of these applications and we will make our own submissions to the council.

“With these type of developments, the retail mix is very important.

“In many cases, ‘white goods’, which are bulky items such as furniture or appliances that require transportation, are usually sold in retail parks.

“Shops selling boutique goods, as is the case in Francis Street, should be sold in the town centre. We have got to get the mix right. Ennis is unique for shopping compared to many other large cities. This independence should be preserved and protected,” she said.

The chamber is concerned over the growing number of vacant commercial units in the town centre and say the cost of changing the use of a building is prohibitively high.

THE Government’s indecisiveness and ultimate U-turn during the past week on the enterprise role of Shannon Development in the Shannon Free Zone, has wasted potential enterprise creation for Clare.

That is the feeling being expressed by Clare Fine Gael Deputy Pat Breen, following the revelation in last week’s edition of The Clare People that the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Michael Martin, had decided not to implement his controversial plan to allow the IDA take over the foreign enterprise mandate in the Shannon Free Zone from the development agency.

However, the Minister informed Shannon Development that its indigenous industry mandate would move to Enterprise Ireland.

According to Deputy Breen, “the whole fiasco illustrates that there is no overall policy for employment creation and balanced regional development. The original decision was made in July 2005, amid widespread criticism. Now 15 months of potential enterprise-creation have been wasted with this Government shilly-shallying and there is a glaring gap on Minister Martin’s Web site where this new announcement should be,” said Deputy Breen.

“The original decision to strip Shannon Development of its enterprise creation functions was made under the cover of ‘an enhanced regional economic development role’ for the agency.

Minister Martin also stated that ‘Shannon Development supports this recommendation and it will be implemented as soon as practicable.’

“Not only has the recommendation not been implemented at all, but it has taken well over a year to arrive back at where we started,” he added.

THE Taoiseach has urged the HSE and the National Hospitals Office to ensure that all necessary procedures are dealt with as speedily as possible so that further development of Ennis General Hospital is advanced.

He said he was standing by commitments about the hospital given to Peadar McNamara and the Hospital Development Committee last year.

“The truth of the matter is that this Government has, and will continue to, invest in the development of Ennis hospital. Our plans for a capital investment of almost €30 million to upgrade facilities at Ennis are progressing – admittedly slower than we would prefer,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Ahern told

that a decision to station 40 probationary gardaí to operate security at Shannon airport is an issue for the Garda Commissioner and senior Garda managers.

“When it comes to the deployment of gardaí, these issues are dealt with by the Garda Commissioner and senior Garda Managers. They are the experts and they use their expertise when it comes to the deployment of the resources they are provided,” he said.

“In relation to Shannon, the gardaí have stressed to me the comprehensive nature of the training programmes that their new police recruits are put through. They have also reassured me that all officers posted to duty in Shannon will be subject to supervision and instruction from experienced Garda managers in relation to their duties and what is expected of them. he said.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern has this week described Clare junior minister Tony Killeen (right) as ministerial material.

In an interview with The Clare People the Taoiseach said, “Since his promotion to Minister for Labour Affairs, Tony Killeen has shown a great ability to solve complex problems and address issues of importance in the workplace.

“Tony has shown his capability as a minister, and I look forward to working with him up until the next election and beyond it.”

The Fianna Fail leader would not say, however, how many Fianna Fáil seats would have to be secured in the next election for a Clare minister to be appointed.

“There is no doubt that we want to regain the seat we lost here in 2002. Clare has always had a proud Fianna Fáil representation, and in the next election we will be going all out to take three seats,” he said.

With the departure of Minister for State Síle deValera from the political scene next summer, the Taoiseach said it was important Fianna Fáil put together a strong team to contest the next election.

“Brendan Daly has resolutely defended the interests of Clare people for many years, and I am confident that next summer he will return to the Dáil to continue his good work for the Clare people. Timmy Dooley completes our team. He brings energy and drive, ensures that issues which matter to the people of Clare are made priority and resolved,” said the Government leader.

He said the current Fianna Fáil representation of two Ministers of State and two senators meant that Clare retained a powerful voice in Dublin.

“After the next election, I am confident that Clare can again have three FF TDs who represent the county in the Dáil and in Government Departments,” added Mr Ahern.

“Fianna Fáil are proud of our record of delivery in Clare. Working with the people of Clare, we have made good progress across a wide spectrum of issues. Now we want to build on this progress,” he said.

FIANNA Fáil may claim to be fit and healthy in Clare, but one wonders about the benefit of an injection of new blue blood suggested by its leader this week.

When answering questions about how difficult it was to encourage young people into the party, the Taoiseach said, “In people like Timmy Dooley, Cathal Crowe and Joe Carey, it is clear that we have young and eager people within our Party.”

It what could have been described as a Freudian slip, or even wishful thinking, but more likely a typo, the Taoiseach described how the future of the party was strong and secure in its young people, including “Joe Carey”, member of the well-known Fine Gael dynasty.

But the young Fine Gaeler was last night adamant that he was still a member of the party his father served as TD, and would be running for them in the next election.

Such an acquisition as Carey would indeed have been new blood for Fianna Fáil.

However, the Taoiseach maintained that the party was not having difficulties locating young eager candidates to march with the soldiers of destiny.

“Absolutely not, that couldn’t be further from the truth. I believe that the Fianna Fáil ticket here in Clare has a superb balance between experience and youth. Fianna Fáil in Clare has a very vibrant organisation and we are gifted with some fine young politicians for the future,” he said.

“Ógra Fianna Fáil in Clare is also one of the most active nationwide. Indeed, last year’s Ógra conference held in Ennis last February, and organised by the local Clare Ógra organisation, was hugely successful. They have also revived the De Valera Commemoration at which I was privileged to address last September. So I believe that youth and vitality are not something which Fianna Fáil are in any way lacking in county Clare.”

The Fianna Fail leader was also adamant that experience was important in any Government.

“It is important in politics that experience is not underestimated. Knowledge of the intricacies of the political system can be vital.”

“In Brendan Daly, Clare has a politician with this in abundance. I think it is also worth noting that Brendan will not be the only candidate contesting the next election in their 60s and that is good for Clare.”

Senator Daly will be joined on the hustings by Junior Minister Tony Killeen and Senator Timmy Dooley.

THE solicitor for a man accused of assaulting a 60-year-old in Kilrush has strenuously opposed his client being held in custody and has called for the ‘charade’ to end.

Martin O’Brien (25), of St Senan’s Terrace, Kilrush, is charged with assaulting Paddy Kelleher, causing him harm, at Crawford Street, Kilrush, on July 18 last.

Bail had been refused in the District Court and a bail application in the High Court last month was also unsuccessful.

Judge Joseph Mangan refused bail in the District Court on July 31, and said that intimidation of a “most serious, most sinister and most massive” nature had taken place.

He said he was left “without a scintilla of a doubt” that various witnesses have been subjected to intimidation.

He made the ruling after gardaí said they would not tolerate a ruling by one particular family in Kilrush.

Gardaí alleged at that time that Mr Kelleher was being “bullied” into pulling out of the case and that the course of justice was being perverted.

This was after Mr Kelleher, of Crawford Street, Kilrush, said the “wrong man” was in court and that he wanted the case dropped. “I am just nervous about it. That’s it. I don’t want no hassle,” he said.

The accused appeared in court, in custody, last Friday. Inspector Michael Gallagher said he was seeking to have him further remanded in custody.

“A file has gone to the DPP today. It is up to the DPP then,” said Inspector Gallagher.

Defending solicitor Pat Enright said he was opposing that application.

“This is his seventh appearance. He has been in custody since July 27 last,” he said.

He said it was the defendant’s belief that the alleged injured party had withdrawn his statement.

“He is innocent until proved guilty. He is serving time for a case we believe won’t go ahead,” said Mr Enright.

“This charade must end sooner rather than later. I don’t see why a file was not sent to the DPP before now,” he said.

Judge Joseph Mangan remanded the accused in custody, to appear again in court later this month.