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A WOMAN in her 70s was killed after she was struck by a car as she crossed the road, west of Kilrush yesterday evening.

The tragedy struck at Carnacalla, more than a mile on the Kilkee road outside Kilrush. The woman, who is from the area, was crossing the road at a crossroads with the intention of getting into a car shortly after 7.30pm.

She is understood to have been on her way to a bridge game when the accident happened. A young man from west Clare was driving the car which collided with the woman. She died instantly at the scene and the driver of the car was treated for shock injuries.

The Scenes of Crime unit was dispatched to the accident location and roads remain closed this morning. Gardaí say road conditions were wet at the time and there was also a dense fog in the area.

This latest victim is the third pedestrian to be killed on the county’s roads this year and is the ninth road fatality in Clare in 2006 – five of the fatal accidents happened in west Clare.

Meanwhile, there was chaos on the streets of Ennis yesterday evening after a garda chase which lasted up to 30 minutes and culminated in the the arrest of three young men from Limerick who were travelling in a NIssan Primera car.

An unmarked garda car was rammed and two cars were damaged in the incident, which began at around 7pm. Gardaí gave chase to the Primera through several parts of the town. It was eventually halted at a cul-de-sac in Claureen Drive on the Lahinch Road at around 7.30pm after it hit a pier.

One young man was arrested at the scene and two others went into hiding but were arrested shortly after. The three – two 16-year-olds and an 18-year-old – were detained at Ennis Garda Station last night.

The drama arose after mobile phones were reported stolen from a shop on O’Connell Street at 7pm and this led to the chase. Gardaí believe the Primera may have been stolen in Limerick.

ENTERPRISE, Trade and Employment Minister Michael Martin has strongly hinted that more jobs are on the way for the Shannon Free Zone.

In response to a Dáil question from Green party leader, Trevor Sargent, Minister Martin confirmed that investment proposals on behalf of three new companies seeking to establish operations at the Shannon Free Zone have been considered by Shannon Development.

“This year, Shannon Development hosted 11 first time itineraries to the Shannon Free Zone on behalf of companies. 20 new enquiries have been handled by Shannon Development in the course of the year to date and these are at various stages of progression,” Mr Martin said.

“Shannon Development is confident that it will continue to secure significant new foreign direct investment projects for the Shannon Free Zone in the future.

Earlier this year, two sizable company expansions, Halifax Ireland and Sykes International, and one sizable new operation, Digital River Ireland, were announced for the Shannon Free Zone, amounting to a total job creation potential of 635 jobs over the next five years.”

The IDA has statutory responsibility for the attraction of foreign direct investment to the Mid-West, except for the Shannon Free Zone and Minister Martin revealed that in 2006, the IDA hosted five site visits in Clare.

“IDA Ireland advise me that the Mid-West has excellent prospects in terms of attracting additional foreign direct investment in 2007 and beyond. In particular, IDA Ireland believe there is very significant scope for the region to grow as a centre of excellence in research and development activity.

Clare Green party election candidate, Cllr Brian Meaney said that the news that more jobs are on the way for Shannon was very positive and highlighted the folly of the Government considering to transfer the promotion of the Free Zone to the IDA.

“The statistics show that Shannon Development has been very pro-active in attracting foreign direct investment into the Free Zone. This is contrasted with the IDA which has managed only five site visits to Clare this year.

“This is a matter of concern with it becoming more and more difficult to attract foreign investment into Ennis’s Information Age Park and other peripheral areas of Clare.”

IRISH SOLDIERS putting their lives on the line to keep peace in Liberia won’t be getting any Christmas presents – because the army have no plan to fly even the smallest gifts in.

And the personnel from the Western Brigade – which includes Clare – have also had their rations cut in time for Christmas, courtesy of a new UN regulation.

A concerned father, whose soldier son is serving in-country, contacted The Clare People after learning that the presents which he and other family members sent on will gather dust in the army store until the tour of duty ends.

“At least last year we were able to send some small items in padded envelopes. This year we can’t even do that. The most we can send is a letter. That’s just miserable for people who are away from home.”

The dad – who asked not to be named to protect the soldier’s identity – said that he is “very disappointed. They are a long way from home, in a stressful situation and some small token for Christmas means a lot. As far as I can see, the army is on a money-saving exercise. Even if they only organised a onceoff delivery for Christmas and kept the no parcels or padded envelopes for the rest of the year, it would be something.”

In a seperate move, the UN has ordered that soldiers rations be cut back from 6,500 calories per day to 4,500 calories.

“I got an email from Liberia and they didn’t even have any butter for their toast. That’s pretty basic,” the army dad said.

An army spokesman said that the force do not deliver Christmas gifts, parcels or padded envelopes to troops in Liberia at any time of year “because there is no civilian postal system in Liberia. We employ a courier company to bring letters out but we do not deliver parcels”.

The spokesman added that parcels can be delivered to soldiers on duty in the Lebanon because there is a civilian system in place.

He added that the calorie-control cuts are coming directly from the UN but Irish army chiefs are satisfied that they are “more than sufficient” for the soldiers needs.

The spokesman said that he is in regular touch with the logistics officer, the officer in charge of importing all of the troops supplies in Liberia.

“The food isn’t like home, granted but he said there have been no complaints.”

CHRISTMAS may not be until next week but Santa came early to Ennis Your A Star contestant, Susan O’Neill.

Singer Susan romped through to the final of the competition when she scooped 27 per cent of the vote on Sunday night.

“I was just shocked – I couldn’t believe it,” a delighted Susan told The Clare People .

Susan’s qualification for the final in the Helix in Dublin on January 14 is a step closer to her dream of winning the coveted recording contract which could launch her on a career in music.

She is one of just two female contestants to qualify and both of them are from Clare. Ardnacusha’s Maeve O’Donovan – daughter of Irish rugby team coach, Niall O’Donovan – has also qualified for the final 12.

Rice College student Susan said that she was “completely shocked when I realised I was going through. The standard was so high”.

She added that the support of family, neighbours, friends and Clare people generally was very much appreciated.

“From the moment I came off stage, my phone was ringing the whole time. I really want to thank all the people who voted for me and I’m hoping they’ll do it again”.

But after the euphoria of going through on Sunday, Susan had to get down to brass tacks again and record a selection of songs which she must whittle down to one for the final of the competition.

“I’ll be working on the songs. I have to really perfect them,” said Susan, who admits that with all the excitement of the competition she had almost forgotten about Christmas.

“I haven’t even done any shopping yet,” he said.

Susan will be one of 12 finalists who will compete in the Helix for the dream contract to record with Thomas Black. The final will be televised live from the Helix on the night, after the remaining contestants have been chosen in the heats. “I hope all the people who supported me will doit again on the night. It is such and important chance’’ said Susan.

€285,000 was paid out of Killaloe Diocesan funds last year for what Bishop Willie Walsh described as the “ongoing fallout from the tragedy of sexual abuse by a small number of clergy in the distant past”.

The payment was funded principally from part of the proceeds raised by sale of land at Bishop’s House in 2001 and the stewardship trust set up by the Irish Episcopal Conference.

Commenting on the publication of the 2005 diocesan accounts on Monday, Dr Walsh said the payment reflected the continuing demand in time and resources for healing and reconciliation as a result of the clerical abuse scandal. Costs for the training and employment of child protection workers are also included in the payment.

The accounts show the diocese had a net surplus of €92,735 on an income of €772,352 with expenditure running at €679,617. This compares with a net surplus of €212,934 in 2004 when income was €951,908 and expenditure reached €738,974.

Bishop Walsh said the accounts did not fully represent the generosity of parishioners throughout the diocese as the normal collection taken up at churches on weekends went directly to the parish for essential running costs including upkeep of churches, halls, parochial houses, schools and general administration.

Parishioners are asked to contribute directly towards the support of their priests and a new salary system for the payment of priests was established in 2000 which guarantees a basic minimum annual income for each priest working in the diocese.

In conjunction with this scheme, parishes were asked to review their contributions towards the support of their priests. The suggested guideline for parishioners is that they contribute 1 per cent of their annual net income. According to Bishop Walsh, the response has been very generous with the majority of parishes meeting their targets.

In 2005, the basic annual salary for a priest in the diocese was €20,000 rising with increments for years of service and responsibility to €24,600.

2005 saw many special appeals being made to support people in other parts of the world arising from natural disasters, emergencies and ongoing injustice including the Trócaire Tsunami appeal and collections for the victims of the Pakistan earthquare and Hurricane Katrina. A further €1,048,784 was donated through parish churches in the diocese for the needs of the missions and the developing world during 2005.

THE ARMY are to be called in to deal with future flooding problems in Clonlara. Defence Minister Willie O’Dea has pledged he will call out the troops if the River Shannon breaches its banks again.

Residents spent days doing battle with the might of the river to keep it out of their homes last week. Many, including a 77-year-old woman, a heavily pregnant woman and a family of six had to be evacuated.

Today, Springfield woman Nora Mason (77) is back in her home but her daughter, Geraldine Quinlivan, said she is “a prisoner because of the stones and sandbags we have had to keep heaped at her door. We can’t risk taking them away and she can’t get out because she walks with a Zimmerframe.”

An angry Geraldine told how her mother’s home “would have been ruined but for the efforts of my husband, brothers and sons who were down there until 5am on Friday morning, fighting to keep the river out of my mother’s house.”

The ESB have come under fire for the timing and way in which water was released through the Parteen Weir and Ardnacrusha dams, but a spokesman for the company said it was necessary because of the heavy rainfall bringing extra flows of water into Lough Derg.

“The water was being let down for days before this. There has to be better management and better communication about this,” said Geraldine.

Local Councillor Cathal Crowe had a meeting with Minster Willie O’Dea and he has “given assurances that he will use the army to assist residents if this happens again”.

In the meantime, the Fianna Fail councillor wants the river dredged at strategic points and he is “asking for the road to be repaired where part of it was washed away”.

Cllr Paschal Fitzgerald also wants to see the river tackled and cleaned, a move which local people have demanded.

“It’s not good enough for Minister Tom Parlon to tell people they have to live with it. The river needs to be cleaned and people here are rightly angry about this. Who is going to pay for the clean-up where septic tanks have overflowed into people’s gardens and what about the damage to the road?”

And while the flood waters have receded, the residents say their anger is not going to drain away.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil Senator Brendan Daly believes that had a bill introduced to the Dáil years ago got the go-ahead, Clonlara may not now be under water.

“Several years ago, I introduced a Private Members’ Bill to establish a Shannon river council, the purpose of which would be to bring together the various organisations with responsibility in this complex area. The Commissioners of Public Works, fisheries, Bord na Móna and a range of environmental bodies have an interest in this issue,” he said.

The west Clare senator was critical of the delay in the various bodies coming together to respond to the flooding issue. He said the meeting on Thursday last was “a bit late in the day.”

AS the fourth anniversary of the murder of Seán Poland looms close, his family is still holding out hope that his killers will be caught.

Mr Poland (39) was shot dead at his home at Blackwater, Ardnacrusha, on New Year’s Eve, 2002, after he answered the door to a group of men. They tied up and attacked his partner, Joanne Lyons, and made off with a sum of cash.

Although a number of people were arrested in connection with the murder, no-one has ever been charged. The investment of major garda resources into the investigation has failed to result in any charges being brought. Mr Poland’s sister Marie Horgan – who lives in Ballyheigue, Kerry, is still hoping that the murder will be solved.

“It does not get any easier, where there is no closure. We are still holding out hope. You couldn’t put closure on it, especially when you see other cases being solved. It is heart-breaking, especially when we knew he was innocent. Seán was a good person,” said Marie.

“We will never get over it. If we could find out who did it and why, it would help in some way,” she added.

She hopes that someone’s conscience will affect them or that someone’s memory into what happened that night will lead to a breakthrough.

“People talk. Someone has to have heard something and we would appeal to people to go to any garda station and let them know,” she said.

She said every killing in Limerick brings her brother’s death back to her. Yesterday’s murder of Noel Crawford (40) at O’Malley Park in Limerick was particularly chilling, given that he was around the same age as Seán.

Seán was a bricklayer by trade and was also a second-hand car dealer. His family originally hailed from Clontuskert in east Galway and Séan grew up just miles away in Portumna. The family moved to the Ardnacrusha area when Seán was very young. His brother Ray lives just 100 yards from where Seán had lived with his partner.

“Seán was a happy-go-lucky fella with a big heart. He would do anything for you. The family was very close always,” said Marie.

While most families are looking forward to New Year’s Eve celebrations, the Poland family will gather in Clontuskert, for Seán’s fourth anniversary mass, and will pray that his killers will be caught.

A SENIOR Garda said yesterday that Clare Gardaí are to target a number of individuals based in Clare in cooperation with the Criminal Assets Bureau in the new year.

Acting Chief Superintendent John Kerin said that Gardaí are to focus their attention on half a dozen individuals or so who show wealth with no apparent means of income and this will be done in co-operation with CAB.

However, he said that there was an absence of gun-related crime in Clare in 2006, with no murders taking place, compared to two in 2005.

“Is that down to good policing or just good fortune? Thankfully, we don’t have the criminal elements that they have in Limerick.

“But is it only a matter of time before some of them start moving out here to escape Limerick and set up house here and certainly if they did, that would be a problem for us.”

Acting Chief Supt Kerin said that there were no armed robberies in Clare last year and while that was most unusual he hoped it would continue.

He said that the number of serious assaults this year was on a par with last year while minor assaults were down by 11 per cent.

To date this year, there have been 1,000 arrests for public order in Clare.

“Ennis is the main centre for public order offences, but I would still say it is not as bad it used to be.

“The Gardaí are a lot stricter, make arrests quicker, intervene earlier and we are putting more people on the streets. Even with that, there have been some nasty enough incidents during the year.

“I am reasonably happy and of course I would prefer if some of the assaults didn’t happen, but the lads throughout the county are on top of the public order situation”

He said that drink-driving arrests were up 72 per cent on last year – an increase of 197 to 469 to date this year.

“Last year, we had twelve fatalities on Clare’s roads and this year is it seven. That is a drop of 40 per cent but we are working off small figures. Seven is a relatively low figure and we want to keep it as low as possible,” he said.

THE significant increase in burglaries and theft in Clare this year is partly attributed to the growing number of people taking heroin.

That’s the view of Acting Chief Superintendent John Kerin who said that the growing number of people using heroin and cocaine in Clare was a particular source of concern.

He confirmed that arrests for people selling drugs this year is up to 46 from 26 last year – an increase of 77 per cent.

Supt Kerin said that people don’t appreciate what a drug-related conviction will do to their prospects of securing a visa for the US or Australia or securing a job in the public sector.

“We believe that if we control our drugs trade, we control our crime and if we don’t control it, more and more young people become involved in it.”

He also expressed concern that that younger offenders are getting involved in public order incidents where there is a lack of respect for anyone in authority. He cited an incident last weekend in Ennis when Gardaí gave chase to two youths and, when they came back, found their patrol car had been broken into although they were only gone two minutes.

“We got one person and the other is being interviewed today. There is that kind of breakdown with young people and the biggest problem would be drink – and drugs – related.”

Giving a commitment for larger numbers of Gardaí policing rural areas, he said that if they got additional resources, they would be deployed to rural areas where people want to see more Gardaí.

Supt Kerin said that additional Garda resources have been assigned to Lahinch, Miltown Malbay, Sixmilebridge and Tulla.

THE developer of the €50 million plus Kilrush Marina Project is expected to be announced in mid-January, following the postponement of a meeting of interested parties until then.

It is believed the preferred bidder for the development of a hotel, apartments and commercial units on the marina is awaiting final approval from Departments of Finance, and Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

In summer 2005, Shannon Development received 11 expressions of interest for the development of the prime site around the Kilrush Marina. The number was then whittled down to three and eventually one.

Kilrush Town Council voted to rezone areas of the town in December last year to include further commercial development at the marina.

It is believed the development will be phased over five to seven years with each phase signed over to the developer only on completion. Promises have been made that the marina will continue in its present form, with plans to extend it by 100 berths up to 220.

The boat yard may have to be relocated towards the lock gates, however.