Month: September 2006

THE future of the campaign to secure a second entrance to Gort from the Gort/Crusheen dual carriageway hung in the balance last night as a meeting between south Galway politicians and the Gort Regional Alliance for Community and Environment (GRACE) went into overtime in a local hotel.

The ongoing situation has seen the National Roads Authority (NRA) at odds with Galway County Council over the construction of a second entrance. The NRA have advised GRACE that because of the growth rate of the town, Gort should have a second entrance onto the bypass. This point is disputed by Galway County Council. Council officials argue that the population of Gort does not justify a second entrance.

The latest census figures reveal that the population of Gort has grown by 53 per cent in the last six years. GRACE have examined the planning situation and zoning in the town and believe that the increase will continue in the foreseeable future.

The group have lodged a submission to the environmental impact study for the proposed roadway and are currently awaiting a response.

Aside from the bypass issue, the meeting also heard plans for the creation of a water and sewerage system for the town. These are already at an advanced state.

GRACE also announced preliminary plans to launch a Wealth from Waste project in the town. This project, which would be the first of its kind in Europe, would include a major recycling facility.

A public meeting is due to take place to discuss all of these issues in Gort on October 6.

THE latest JNLR figures show that Clare FM’s listenership and market share have dropped in the most recent survey published.

The figures show that Clare FM’s daily listenership, or reach figures, have dropped three points to 45 in the period from July 2005 to July 2006.

The JNLR figures show that the station’s market share has dropped by 2.7 points to 32.3 in the most recent survey.

The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) state that “for the purpose of comparison, figures for this survey period are compared with the April 2005 to March 2006 period reflecting the rolling nature of the listenership survey”.

The figures also show that Clare FM’s weekly reach figure is at 74 points – down one point on the previous survey. The 74 total compares to RTÉ Radio One achieving 40 points and Today FM achieving 30 points in the same survey.

The figures published show the Clare FM listenership is up one point on the corresponding period for 2004-05.

Managing Director of Clare FM, Liam O’Shea said yesterday, ‘’We are pleased to see that the key indicator of how many people are listening to Clare FM – the listenership figures – are up in comparison to this time last year, and at a time when there are more and more players in the radio market here in County Clare.

He added, “We are, by a long distance, the number one station in the County with more listeners than RTÉ1 and 2FM combined, and with more than twice the listenership of Today FM. The same also applies to market share with Clare FM, although lower than this time last year, it is still nearly double the market share of its competitors.

“Clare FM’s weekend listenership is also very strong with our listenership and market share being more than all of the competition combined. We are all very proud of that and are very grateful to our listeners for this.

Commenting on the station’s Shannon optout service, Mr O’Shea said that the service “was a unique innovation for Clare FM and we are pleased with how the service is doing, but it is too early to have any official listenership figures at the moment”.

THE Clare Tourism Forum has failed in a bid to secure funding from Fáilte Ireland to boost the tourism industry in Clare and will have to re-apply.

Addressing yesterday’s Clare County Council Special Policy Committee (SPC) on Economic Development, Bernadette Kinsella said that the application by the Clare Tourism Forum had failed as the application didn’t qualify and a new revised submission would have to be made.

SPC member, John Madden said that Clare and the mid-west appeared to be the poor relation in comparison to other areas of Ireland where tourism funding was concerned.

“We are not getting the financial support that other areas are getting. We must actively pursue our politicians to ensure that we get our fair share.”

Disappointment was also expressed at the continued failure by Shannon Development to appoint a tourism development officer for Clare.

Ms Kinsella said that no progress had been made on the issue. Clare County Council first proposed the post last year and in response Shannon Development said that it would take the lead.

Chair of the SPC, Cllr Richard Nagle (FF) said: “It is particularly disappointing because if Shannon Development had not said that they would establish the post, there would be a tourism development officer in place by now.

He added: “We were delighted at the time that Shannon Development would be making the appointment so at the moment we are in a limbo situation.”

Cllr Nagle said that both he and Ms Kinsella would be meeting with Shannon Development representatives at a Clare Tourism Forum meeting today and would be seeking answers to the questions that were made at the meeting in relation to the Tourism Development Officer post.

Senior Planner, Liam Conneally, told the meeting that the Clare Tourism Forum had become a serious entity and was achieving a buy-in from the local tourism industry.

Mr Madden agreed stating that the forum vehicle was something that people could hang their hat on rather than any other agency. Cllr Nagle said that the SPC would be writing to the county’s Oireachtas members on the need to secure tourism funding.

A CLARE County Council-led delegation will depart Shannon Airport tomorrow (Wednesday) for a factfinding mission to the Spanish cities of Girona and Barcelona.

During the visit, the delegation will meet with officials from the County Council of Girona, Costa Brava Tourism, Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Barcelona City Council and the newly-appointed Director of Girona International Airport.

The trip, involving six councillors, three officials and four “sectoral representatives”, will cost €16,345.

Addressing the September meeting of Clare County Council, Councillor Richard Nagle – Chairman of the Planning and Economic Development SPC – said that the visit was part of the local authority’s ongoing education and training programme for Strategic Policy Committees.

Ms. Bernadette Kinsella, Director of Services, Economic Development and Planning, Clare County Council, pointed out that Ryanair’s expansion at Shannon Airport had made Clare one of the best-served regions of its size anywhere in Europe.

She added that there was huge potential for the development of tourism and business in the mid-west.

“We now have to formulate a policy whereby Clare’s economy can capitalise upon the increased number of passengers flying into Shannon Airport.

“This fact-finding trip to Spain will determine how such tourist agencies as Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and the County Council of Girona have profited from Ryanair’s increased business at Girona International Airport,” Ms. Kinsella added.

The 13-strong delegation is made up of representatives of Clare County Council’s Planning and Economic Development Strategic Policy Committee.

Those travelling on behalf of the SPC include representatives of the county’s agriculture, tourism, industrial, community and economic development sectors.

SPC member and President of Ennis Chamber of Commerce, John Madden will represent the local business and commercial sector.

The four-day tourism drive is the latest in a series of council initiatives geared towards the promotion of Shannon Airport as a key gateway to County Clare’s many tourist attractions.

Over 3,000 tourists are expected to visit County Clare via Shannon Airport over the coming months as a result of recent tourism promotion drives.

THE only woman candidate standing in Clare at the next General Election has placed the issue of domestic violence against women at the forefront of her election campaign.

Former Clare TD, Madeleine Taylor-Quinn, has revealed a set of key policy proposals, aimed at helping victims and catching the perpetrators. The measures cover an entire gamut, from institutional reform through to practical assistance for women who feel a lack of confidence in the capacity of the criminal justice system to protect them.

“One in four women in Ireland experience sexual abuse in their lifetime and at least one in five who have an intimate relationship experience systemic violence from a partner. I share the view of Amnesty International that, while violence against women is largely perpetrated by men, the majority of men are not perpetrators. However, those who are violent must be effectively dealt with by our criminal justice system, and their victims carefully protected from them,” she said.

She emphasised that individuals and agencies such as Clare Haven House should be fully supported and resourced.

“A central issue is that the vast majority of victims do not report what has happened to them, partly because there remains a stigma and shame around domestic violence, but very frequently because women lack confidence in the criminal justice system to protect them. The overwhelming majority of reports by women do not result in a conviction, so adding to the lack of confidence in the system and to the risk to victims. Moreover, domestic violence in the household has a deep effect on children. Witnessing domestic abuse is deemed a form of child abuse in child protection guidelines.”

She said that organisations, including Amnesty, report increasing calls to helplines, but that these were inadequately resourced to cope, leaving vulnerable victims to cope without appropriate help.

SOARING energy costs could see Clare faced with €387 million of electricity costs by 2010.

The startling prediction was made by Pat Stephens, Manager of the Clare-Limerick Energy Agency, as he addressed members of Ennis Town Council last week.

Figures show that, since 1990, Clare’s energy spend has increased from €64 million to €241 million in 2005. The figures don’t take into account electricity consumption at Moneypoint, Shannon or Aughinish.

Maximising County Clare’s renewable energy resources will be one of the issues discussed at an open meeting of the Clare Environmental Forum in the offices of Ennis Town Council at 8pm on Monday, September 18, 2006. Pat Stephens will brief those in attendance on the benefits of harnessing such resources as forestry, wind, hydro, wave, tidal and energy crops.

Mr Stephens warned, “The people of County Clare face energy costs of €387 million by 2010, if they fail – in the meantime – to produce electricity and heat from wind, water, and solar energy sources. This 100 per cent increase on energy costs since 2005 is having a damaging impact on personal finances, environmental emissions, climate change and sustainable development.”

Mayor of Ennis Joe Reidy (FF) said responsibility for energy conservation rested with each individual person. Councillor Johnny Flynn (FG) said more needed to be done to highlight the issue.

Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind), Chairperson of Clare County Council’s Environment, Emergency Services and Consumer Protection Strategic Policy Committee has urged members of the public to attend the open meeting of the Clare Environmental Forum.

THE chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business Deputy, Donie Cassidy called for maths and science to receive double points in the leaving cert examination, when the group met in Ennis yesterday (Monday).

The Westmeath TD believes that students studying maths and science should receive double the number of points in their State exams.

He said it was necessary for students to be interested in the sciences, if they were to be attracted into high skilled enterprise to the country.

Clare Minister for Labour Affairs, Tony Killeen warned, “the country will have great difficulty holding on to low skilled jobs” in the future.

“We are going to have difficulty competing at low skill level because it can be done more cheaply elsewhere,” he added.

He said it was now vital that Ireland had a well-educated workforce.

“We will continue to attract investment provided we invest in training our workforce,” he said.

Meanwhile, the committee learnt that Clare women were doing it for themselves in the world of new enterprise.

CEO of the Clare Enterprise Board, Eamonn Kelly, told the gathered Oireachtas members that 46 per cent of all start ups in the county under the current National Development Plan were being under taken by women.

In the 12 years of the County Development Board, it has assisted 436 enterprises in the county, creating 1,317 jobs.

“Our capability development programme provided an extensive range of training, mentoring and consultancy services and the demand for these programmes truly reflects the value placed on them by the participants,” Mr Kelly told the committee.

Addressing the committee Minister Killeen said that 30,000 women have been enticed back into the workforce. He said the Government was committed to this.

A FRENCH national has appeared in court, charged in connection with an alleged stabbing in Ennis on St Stephen’s night.

Toufike Lenaabdi (26), of 17 Glennoul, Tivoli, Cork, is charged with intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to Patrick O’Neill (24), contrary to Section Four of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

The alleged incident occurred at an apartment in Millstream Court during a party on December 27 last. The alleged victim is from west Clare.

A number of people who were attending the Christmas party were interviewed by gardaí, who investigated the alleged incident.

Giving evidence before Ennis District Court last Friday morning, Sergeant Frank Naughton said he arrested the accused in Tivoli, Cork, at 6.15pm the previous evening.

He brought him to Ennis Garda Station, where he charged the accused with the alleged offence.

In reply to the charge, the accused said, “I did it, but not intentionally or recklessly.”

Inspector Michael Gallagher told the court the charge was a “serious” one and that the DPP directed that a Book of Evidence be prepared.

He said he would agree to bail being granted, on €1,000 (own), €1,000 (independent) sureties and a cash lodgement of €500.

Defending solicitor Siobhán McMahon said her client lived with his partner in Tivoli and was a head pastry chef in a Cork hotel, where he had worked for the past six or seven months and earned €450 a week.

“He has €500 cash. He can get an independent surety for €500, as opposed to €1,000,” said the solicitor. Judge Joseph Mangan accepted this.

He imposed a number of bail conditions, including that he sign on at Mayfield Garda Station twice a week; that he stay away from the alleged injured party and that he notify gardaí if he changed address.

The accused will appear in court again next month.

A SMALL group of Fianna Fáil literary sleuths are to embark upon a €2,600 expedition later this week to celebrate the work of an obscure writer.

Clare County Council has given the goahead for Cllr Tom Prendeville (FF), Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) and Cllr Bill Chambers (FF) to set out on the 400 round mile trip to Omagh for the fifth annual Benedict Kiely weekend.

It is costing the taxpayer €867 to fund each councillor’s attendance but at a recent meeting, it was agreed that the three councillors would make the trip.

The weekend away for the councillors marks the unofficial end of the 2006 summer school season, which has cost the taxpayer almost €25,000 to send councillors to various Summer schools around the country.

The most popular summer school for councillors this year was the MacGill Summer School at Glenties in County Donegal where it cost the taxpayer €9,135 to send seven councillors – six of them from Fianna Fáil.

Those that were given the go-ahead to travel to Glenties included Cllr Peter Considine, Cllr Patrick Keane, Cllr Patrick McMahon, Cllr Bernard Hanrahan, Cllr Cathal Crowe, Cllr Tom Prendeville and the only non-Fianna Fail councillor, Cllr Martin Lafferty (Ind).

The figures show that €2,514 was spent on sending two councillors to the William Carelton Summer School, €2,102 was spent on sending two councillors to the General Humbert Summer School, while €3,996 was spent on sending four councillors to a planning seminar.

One of the regular attendees of the summer schools, Cllr Tom Prendeville said: “I find that Summer Schools are very enlightening where you are able to hear talks from people on the social and economic changes affecting Ireland. I believe that there should be a greater attendance by councillors at these conferences and it would allow councillors acquaint themselves with visionary voices that you hear at these events.”

Deputy Mayor, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said: “A number of these conferences can be beneficial, but in terms of the Benedict Kiely weekend, I don’t believe that any benefit can be accrued either to myself in the role I perform, or to any of my constituents.”

CLARE County Council’s much trumpeted three-week long trip to one of Australia’s best known wine-growing regions suffered a blow yesterday when deputy mayor, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP), ruled himself out.

Last December, Cllr Flan Garvey (FF) announced details of the trip to Clare Valley between February and March next year. The only council expenditure would be on sending the Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

As it turned out, Cllr Garvey assumed the role of mayor in July and will be leading the Clare delegation.

However, Cllr Meaney yesterday ruled himself out of the trip. His decision will not come as a surprise, because has voiced concern over overseas council trips in the past.

“I don’t believe that the trip would benefit me or any of my constituents. It is also an election year. That is why I have made the decision not to go,” he said.

However, Cllr Garvey yesterday expressed optimism that the trip will be a major success.

Clare County Council has been twinned with the local council in the Clare Valley since 1986 and delegations from the Clare Valley are regular visitors to Co Clare. The twinning arose from a State visit by Dr Paddy Hillery, then President of Ireland to Australia in 1985.

The council is to shortly seek tenders from travel agents and Cllr Garvey said that “it is make your mind up time for councillors as to whether they wish to go on the trip”.

Cllr Garvey expressed hope that members of the Clare business, education and tourism community would join the council to form a Clare ‘trade mission’ that would also visit Sydney and Melbourne.

He was also hopeful that representatives from Spanish Point and Inagh, who have been involved in building links between the two areas, would go as well.

Cllr Garvey briefed councillors on the trip at their December meeting in Shannon. He said at the time: “I don’t know how many are going to come. Councillors have got to pay for themselves, but the mayor and deputy mayor are being paid for.”

He said the trip “won’t cost the council a penny, except for gifts to present to their counterparts in Australia”.

Three years ago, the then mayor, Patrick O’Gorman (FF) joined with the County Manager, Alec Fleming and their wives on a 12,000 mile round trip to the Clare Valley in Australia, costing €10,000.