Month: May 2008

AN independent advocacy service for people with intellectual disabili- ties has been launched in Clare.

The Citizens Information Centre in Clare has appointed Greg Duff to the post, which is geared towards reach- ing out to those with intellectual dis- ALOU LW Coe

Mr Duff previously held the post as advocacy resource officer with the Citizens Information Service in Limerick and Tipperary and will slot into this new post.

“This post is geared towards peo- ple with intellectual disabilities who have issues. Like every person in society, they should be allowed to ac hieve their full potential. People want independent living,” he said.

“Previously I was building the ca- pacity of advocacy into companies by supporting the staff and volun- teers. Now I will be doing the advo-

cacy myself,” he added.

In his new post, Mr Duff – who lives in Shannon and is a member of the local town council – will be working one-on-one with those with intellectual disabilities.

“People with intellectual disabili- ties just want the same opportunities as everybody else,’ he added.

“We need to identify if there are gaps where we can compliment what is there,’ said Mr Duff.

He will be based in Ennis, but will build up contacts throughout the county.

The Manger of the Citizens Infor- mation Centre in the county, Paul Woulfe said the new post will ensure everybody has a voice.

“This is a specialist service, mak- ing sure their interests are put first and foremost,’ said Mr Woulfe.

“Initially he will work with clients from the Brothers of Charity,’ added Mr Woulfe.

A KIN VARA teenager has been cho- sen from more than 39 million peo- ple to travel the world at the expense of social networking website Bebo.

Roxanne MHughes-Monteiro was last week picked as one of six young people, plucked from every corner of the globe, who will take part in a 6 month long Big Brother style online competition.

The Gap Year will follow the six Bebo travellers on a globe-trotting journey that will be documented on the site through video diaries, blogs and photos.

“We are trying to get Bebo users to engage with us. When we’re in cer- tain areas we’re hoping people will recommend places to go and things

to do,” said Roxanne.

Roxanne, who has just turned 19, qualified for the competition by tak- ing part in an interactive audition process which involved the creation of a video postcard about her dream gap year.

Hughes-Monteiro is the only Irish participant in the series and she will be joined by Canadian Andre Tar- diff, New Zealander Lewis Whaitir1, American Cara Cioni, Dave Brett from the UK and Amy O’Connor from Australia.

The series is being produced by Endemol, the company responsible for reality shows such as Big Brother and Fear Factor. The Gap Year group begins its journey on May 21 at a lo- cation yet to be announced.

“The Gap Year is the first truly interactive reality series, giving Be- boers a unqiue layer of interactivity — the chance to literally steer the fate of the contestants’ global journeys,” said Bebo president Joanna Shields.

“International events on the travel agenda include Rio Carnival in Bra- zil, the Chinese New Year in China and the Full Moon Party in Thai- land,”

‘Each contestant will face an array of challenges, watched by Bebo us- ers who will also be able to commu- nicate with them and vote in weekly polls which will directly influence how the journeys unravel.”

Roxanne was already on a year out between school and college as she was Saving up to study in New York. Bebo users will keep up with Rox- anne and the rest of the globetrotters by tuning into the series online www. bebo.com/thegapyear

Roxanne’s own page is available on www.bebo.com/RoxanneHugheslIre- land.

last week com- plaining that anti-social behaviour, and joyriding in particular, is forcing the early closure of Dromore Woods and Nature Reserve.

These claims have been refuted by a local NPWS spokeswoman, who did reveal that a number of cars have been broken into at the woods in re- cent times and that it had been used as a “racetrack” for joyriders in the past.

‘There has been some cars broken into out in the park but that is not the

reason that it is being closed at 7pm. The gates are closed at 7pm because they close the gates in Coole Park at 7pm. The decision was made so as to make the two parks uniform,” said Emma Glandville of the NPWS.

‘In the summer we close the gates at 7pm and in the winter we close them at 5pm. That’s the way it’s al- ways been.

“There are two people who’s job it is to take down those barriers and it would not be fair on them to have them going out later in the evening.

“There was a problem with joyrid- ing in the past but we put ramps in and that put paid to that. We have had young people going in and using it as a racetrack.”

Ms Glandville also confirmed that decisions on the opening hours of Dromore Park was not taken locally.

However, a national spokesman for

the NPWS declined to comment on the matter and also refused to con- firm that the NPWS had any role to play regarding the administration of Dromore Woods.

This is not the first time that the issue of antisocial behaviour have emerged in relation to Dromore Woods.

The matter was previously raised in a Dail debate by current Minister for State at the Department of Agricul- ture, Trevor Sargent (GP).

Responding to these allegations, the then Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, former Clare TD Sile de Valera, confirmed that the woods had suffered “continuous and unac- ceptable incidences of vandalism’.

She also confirmed that, at that time, the woods stayed open until 9.30pm in the summer and 7.30pm in the winter.

TWO Clare fundraisers have set themselves a target of €5,000 for St Luke’s Hospital, Dublin, in the Reeks Challenge.

The reeks are those famous McGil- lycuddy mountains in Kerry and the challenge is to climb four of them on Sunday, May 25, a most appropriate choice of date since it’s the feast of Corpus Christi (Body of Christ).

The latest examples of great Clare tradition of volunteerism are Jim McMahon of Ennis and Kerry na- tive, Chris Whittencome who now lives in Tulla.

Jim told the attendance at a func- tion to launch the fundraising in the Ennis Adult and Community Educa- tion Centre, Clonroad Business Park, that he was motivated dually: by the death of his father, Brendan (Lahi- nch Road), from cancer a year ago, and his own brush with a form of the disease in his early 20s.

Wheels Within Wheels Motorbike Project was the catalyst for the Ennis event, presenting a Bike Night of in- formation on building bikes, racing,

grasstrack racing, motocross and the like, all inspired and got together by another McMahon, Jacko from Mar- ian Avenue, Ennis, himself a formi- dable fundraiser for various causes.

Enthusiastically hosting the occa- sion was the Education Officer of Clare Vocational Education Com- mittee, Dr Sean Conlan (latterly the head of Clare Adult and Com- munity Education Service) and a dedicated biker for 30 years when a priest friend gave him a motorcycle that would take him to Dublin and Maynooth for his initial third-level lectures.

There too to lend their support to the Reeks Climb campaign were the chairman of Clare Vocational Education Committee, Cllr. Tommy Brennan, along with fellow Town Cllr Johnny Flynn and County Cllr Pat Daly, something that was deeply appreciated by the St Luke’s cam- paigners.

A group of participants from Clare last week completed a seven week HSA Approved First Aid Course run by the Limerick Division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. The Course was run in the local Head- quarters of the St John Ambulance Brigade in Parnell St. in Limerick, on Tuesday evenings from 7.00pm to 10.00pm. The Deputy Mayor of Lim- erick Clr. Gerry McLaughlin and the P.R.O. of the St. John Ambulance Brigade Ursula Stokes presented the First Aid Certificate to a total of 24 People on the night, which came from Clare and Limerick.

The Deputy Mayor Clr. Gerry McLaughlin congratulated all the participants for their attendance and Graduating with flying colours with the HSA Approved First Aid Course

which is valid for three years. He gave particular praise to the 7 peo- ple from Clare who travelled long distances to complete the Course. He thanked them and encouraged them to continue to help out in their local communities when the need arises. The Superintendent of the St. John Ambulance Brigade Philip Tuohy congratulated the class not alone on completing the 18 hour course, but also graduating with the HSA Certi- fication valid for three years. He paid tribute to the major effort that each and every one of the participants had to make after completing an eight hour day at work, home, or college, and then having to attend for another three hours every Tuesday evening, for seven weeks. Mr. Tuohy said he hoped it was a pleasant and informa- tive time and that the class would have retained some of the informa-

tion that was given; he also asked that the class continue to read the First Aid Manual and to hold small practice sessions between them- selves where possible. Congratula- tions and Certificates were awarded on Elizabeth Murray Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare, Teresa Nihill, and Bridget Conlon from Clonlara, who were un- able to attend the presentation.

The St. John Ambulance run First Aid Courses at different intervals thoughtout the year, further infor- mation can be obtained by contact- ing them on 061-412480, or email at styjohnambulancelimerick@hotmail. com

STXMILEBRIDGE is set to become Clare’s fastest growing village with planning applications before Clare County Council valued at over €130 million set to transform the local community.

According to the 2006 census, the population of Sixmilebridge ex- ceeded 2,000 for the first time in liv- ing memory with the the population registered at 2,029, representing an increase of 15.7% on the previous

ere

Now, in a development expected to increase the size of the village even further, Cormac Quigley is seeking to construct a €55 million develop- ment comprising of 221 residential UUObLRSE

The plan involves 75 two bedroom duplex units; 38 three bedroom semi- detached dwellings; 25 three bed- room townhouses; 22 three bedroom duplex units; 34 two bedroom garden apartment units; 10 one bedroom garden apartment units;10 three bed-

room stepdown garden apartments; 6 three bedroom detached dwellings and three four bedroom detached OM ob b areas

Mr Quigley is also proposing a creche as part of the project.

Separately, Fordmount Develop- ment have recently lodged further information on plans for a mixed-use scheme comprising residential, retail, community and commercial uses on a nine acre site bounded by the Lim- erick Road. This plan involves retail floorspace of 13,367 sq.m and 79

residential units.

The retail aspect of the project in- volves a convenience anchor store; 9 retail units; an off-licence; an office/ commercial/community suite; 5 non- retail services units; a bar/restaurant; a bank facility; a hot food take-away and a creche as well as 389 sqm. an- cillary floorspace.

There is also provision for 276 car parking spaces.

These applications coincide with a proposal to develop the village’s first hotel while Clare hurler, Niall Gil-

ligan has also lodged planning ap- plications aimed at revitalizing the village centre.

Rinn Construction Ltd has already secured planning permission for 33 homes and is seeking approval for a further 32.

The local national school is already trying to cope with the rapid scale of expansion and secured planning per- mission for a temporary classroom last year, while the local GAA and soccer clubs are also expanding their facilities.

THE founder of the Irish Rural Dwellers Association, Jim Connolly has complained to County Manager, Alec Fleming about a verbal attack on him by a senior council planner.

Last month, Scottish-born planner Bill Sansum responding to a claim from Mr Connolly (below) that ru- ral dwellers are suffering from an imported “British ideology in the planning system” said that as a for- eign national and planner working in Clare, he took strong exception to this sort of “gratuitous, offensive and paranoid drivel’.

Mr Connolly has now written to Mr Fleming and the Ombudsman stating that any attack of this kind made by a local authority employee on a mem- ber of the public was in breach of the code of conduct for employees and brought the Council into disrepute ‘‘as well as shattering any confidence in the planning system vis-a-vis fair- ness and impartiality”.

“As a private citizen pursuing my

democratic right to lobby for legisla- tive change in planning and to public- ly challenge what the IRDA contend is a historically accurate planning ideology of forced urbanisation on rural Ireland which has its origins in the UK, I object in the strongest pos- sible terms to the personal attacks made about me in newspapers by planners employed by local authori- (one

“T also refer to the Ombudsman’s Guide to Standards of Best Practise for Public Servants which “clarifies citizens rights and the principles of good administration which include objectivity and impartiality and the need to avoid unfair discrimina- wo) eae

“It is not just a damning indictment of the planning process that indi- vidual planners are permitted to vent their spleen in the media on private citizens going about their legitimate, democratic pursuits, but confirms the behaviour of many planners as being personal, autocratic, arrogant and unaccountable.

In his comments last month, Mr Sansum said that by attacking local authority planners in this way and as a soft target, Mr Connolly did the IRDA no credit whatsoever.”

Mr Sansum said that the IRDA’s arguments in favour of loosening up the rules for more one-off hous- ing in rural areas don’t stack up as Government policy was moving the other way.”

He said that as a professional plan- ner, he was accountable to Irish law and Irish guidelines on planning.

AN BORD PLEANALA has ig- nored the objections of a number of residents’ associations to give the go-ahead for a €45 million housing development near the O’Keeffe oil depot in Ennis.

Dismissing objections from _ resi- dents in Pine Grove, Oak Park, Wil- low Park, Tobarkeel and Drehid- nagower Road against the 241 house

plan by Michael Lynch Ltd, the ap- peals board also overruled the strong recommendation of its own inspec- tor to refuse the application on four separate counts.

Two years ago, Ennis Town Council granted permission for the scheme at Drehidnagower Road, Lifford, and an inspector’s report into the appeal was delivered in January of last year.

However, in finally making its de- cision on the appeal, the Board has

significantly reduced the number of units in the proposal due to concerns over the impact the development will have on the Ennis floodplain.

The Board ruled that five apartment blocks be omitted and 28 terraced TO leehe

In her report, the inspector said the development was contrary to the En- nis Development Plan because of its excessive density, its inappropriate urban style site layout and its nega-

tive impact on existing houses.

She recommended refusal on the basis that the development didn’t take account of the basic principles of good urban design; would result in a substandard form of development with diminished on site residential amenity; would be out of character and visually obtrusive in the town- scape, with consequent serious injury to the visual amenities of the area.

In deciding not to accept the In-

spector’s recommendation to refuse permission, the Board had regard to the location and zoning of the lands in Ennis and considered that the modifications required addressed the Inspector’s concerns in relation to flooding, traffic safety and the order- ly development of adjoining lands.

The proposed development would, therefore, be 1n accordance with the proper planning and sustainable de- velopment of the area.

THE PROMOTERS of the €150 million Doonbeg Golf Resort are to finally implement the terms of a High Court agreement struck four years ago in relation to a disputed right of way.

This follows four locals settling their claim with the golf club over its failure to date to implement the terms of the High Court deal reached in February 2004. This prompted four locals in Doonbeg to lodge pro-

ceedings at Ennis Circuit Court.

The case was due to be heard at Ennis Circuit Court last Wednesday. However the court was told the case nE:YeMoleres soln O(oreb

A spokesman for Doonbeg Golf Club said yesterday that “we are hap- py that the matter has been resolved to everyone’s satisfaction”.

As part of the terms of the High Court agreement, five locals agreed to an alternative right of way lead- ing to the golf club to build a bar- rier across the existing right of way

which traverses the 15th hole of the golf course to Doughmore beach.

The five that secured the agree- ment with the golf club were Thomas Considine, James O’Leary, Chris Carroll, Sinead Carroll and Simon O’Donnell, who has since passed on.

Arising from the High Court set- tlement, Doonbeg Golf Club built a six foot high wall across the disputed right of way.

However, this precipitated An Bord Pleanala ruling that the club acted 1l- legally in building the wall and that

decision is now the subject of sepa- rate High Court action by Doonbeg Golf Club.

In the circuit court action, the sur- viving four involved in the original High Court settlement lodged papers alleging that Doonbeg Golf Club “has failed, refused and neglected to take the requisite steps to comply with the Terms of Settlement and has failed to meet its obligations on foot of the settlement”.

The four claimed that no steps had been taken by Doonbeg Golf Club

to register the four’s right of way as a burden on their title deed; that no steps have been taken by Doonbeg Golf Club to register the right of the four to drive onto Doughmore beach and that Doonbeg Golf Club has failed to extend the existing carpark by July 1, 2004.

Following the settlement, it is ex- pected that a public consultation process will soon be initiated to al- low the works be carried out, which includes a car-park for 30 to 40 cars at the site.

A SECOND man has been arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a young boy in east Clare at the weekend.

A 19 year-old was taken to May- orstone garda _ station yesterday evening.

Gardai investigating the stabbing to death of Roman Vysochan yester- day afternoon released a 16-year old whom they had arrested on Sunday.

A file is being prepared for the Di- rector of Public Prosecutions.

Another 16-year-old who was stabbed in the leg in the attack 1s in a stable condition in hospital.

Roman, originally from _ the Ukraine, was found wounded on the main Limerick to Killaloe road, opposite the entrance to the Carrig Midhe estate in Corbally at 11pm.

He had stab wounds to his chest and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Mid-West Regional Hospital.

Two knives were found at the scene. Gardai arrested a teenager from the Moyross area in Limerick city and it is understood they may be seeking to speak to a second youth in relation to iW slomrAlARATO@

The dead boy had lived with his family in Ashley Close in Westbury for the last three years and joined St Munchin’s College a year ago.

A statement on behalf of the school said, “The prayers and thoughts of the community of St Munchin’s Col-

lege, Our Patron Dr Donal Murray, Bishop of Limerick, Trustees, Board of Management, Staff and Students are today with the family of Roman Vysochan a fifth year student who died tragically on Saturday night.

The whole school was shocked to hear of the tragic circumstances of Roman’s death. This is a difficult time for both the family, and the lo- cal and school communities. The school has put in place counselling for any pupils who may feel the need of help over the coming days.”

Meanwhile, local Labour Council- lor Pascal Fitzgerald has called for counselling to be made available to all of the dead boy’s friends. “They are getting together at the scene and they are very traumatised. They will need help dealing with this terrible shock”.

The councillor, backed by other local representatives has repeatedly called for a garda station to serve the Corbally area.

‘‘Ardnacrusha is a small rural sta- tion. A lot of people in Westbury wouldn’t know how to find it. With developments in recent years, we have thousands of people living in this area. Our community guard does a great job but he can’t be here all the time. We need a dedicated station for the area, with a garda presence.”