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IT’S crunch time for the Mid Western Regional Hospital Ennis this Thursday as the HSE’s Capital Steering Group meet to discuss the cost benefit analysis of the hospital’s development project.

The analysis has been sent to the HSE group for its meeting and a decision is expected almost immediately. PRIMARY school students across Clare are set to increase their knowledge of the county’s natural environment thanks to a new educational tool developed by the Clare Biodiversity Group.

An interactive CD-ROM titled ‘Exploring the Biodiversity of County Clare’ was officially launched in Ennis last Friday by Clare senior hurler Tony Carmody. The CD provides information on the county’s biodiversity and will act as a tool for primary school teachers to introduce the natural environment and a practical element to lessons.

Biodiversity is the variety of all plants and animals and their natural habitats and the CD-ROM features detailed information and photographs of some of the native mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, insects and plants found in Clare.

Explaining the need to develop the CD-ROM, Elaine Keegan, Biodiversity Officer with Clare County Council said the county has a rich variety of different animals and plants as well as some of the best examples of habitats in Europe but it was rapidly disappearing with animals and plants becoming extinct and habitats being damaged. It was imperative then that the younger schoolchildren should learn how to protect their surrounding natural environment.

‘Exploring the Biodiversity of

The HSE called for the analysis last August after it emerged that the first phase of the project, which was allocated €20.8 million, would cost in excess of €30 million.

The increase in cost was a result of changes to hygiene and other requirements in hospitals.

It is believed that the new costings sent to the HSE in Dublin include all necessary changes and are within the € 20.8 million budget. County Clare’ has been produced by Ms Keegan and Clare Heritage Officer Congella McGuire, with the imput of a number of other organisations and individuals who provided material for the project. The CD-ROM is linked to the Science and Geography curricula as both include a strong element of environmental awareness.

According to Elaine Keegan, “The study of plants and animals and their habitats through this CD incorporates basic literacy, numeric and computer skills and also provides a practical element to lessons. The CD is most suitable for 3rd-6th classes in primary schools. However, the local natural environment is also a strand

It is now hoped that the development, which was initially expected to go to planning last Summer, will get the seal of approval and be with Clare County Council in weeks.

Meanwhile, the Ennis General Hospital is awaiting formal written approval from the HSE before it orders a Computer Axial Tomography (CAT) scanner.

The expected confirmation must also include approval of funding for unit in younger classes, and the photographs and information could be a teacher’s resource for those classes. A copy of ‘Exploring the biodiversity of County Clare’ will now be sent to all primary schools in County Clare.”

Further information can be had from Elaine Keegan on ekeegan@clareccoco.ie or 0656846456. staffing and other costs estimated at €750,000 per annum.

Chairman of the Hospital Development Committee Peadar McNamara said that while the Mid-Western Hospitals Development Trust had already provided the capital funding for the CAT scan, commitment had to be given to the staffing of the service.

A new CAT scan has been ordered for the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick, which is currently responsible for patients in Ennis that require the diagnostic service.

The current scanner, which has broken down 16 times in 10 months, was condemned at this month’s meeting of the HSE West Forum Hospital’s Committee. Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said that the councillors present at the meeting were told the scanner was breaking down due to pressure of use and need of repair.

SENIOR members of Clare County Council yesterday defended overseas trips by councillors, claiming that they represented value for money to the taxpayer.

In recent weeks, local authority delegations from Clare have visited Barcelona, Norwich, Sweden and Scotland with the cost to the taxpayer approaching an estimated €35,000.

However, the council’s use of Ryanair on all the trips has cutback costs. Chairman of the council’s Transport Special Policy Committee (SPC), PJ Kelly stated that the trip to Prestwick in Scotland cost €13 each way along with taxes for each member.

Cllr Kelly was leading a delegation into coastal protection and coastal erosion in Scotland, while the 11strong group also investigated piers and harbours and sewerage plants in Scotland.

Cllr Kelly said, “The trip was unbelievable value for money. The trip was for five days, but I know that by day two, some of the lads would have loved to have come home, as we came across some atrocious weather.

“It was worthwhile and very strenuous. It was hard work. We could learn a lot from the way the Scots do things and they could learn a lot from us.”

Cllr Kelly said each member of the delegation was given £160 “pocket money”. He said, “You wouldn’t have been going home with money in your pocket.”

A separate council delegation headed for Sweden to investigate a town’s plans to become fossil-free by 2030.

Leader of that delegation, chairperson of the council’s Special Policy Committee for the Environment, Cllr Patricia McCarthy, said that the trip offered good value for money.

“You get out what you put into it and we were well prepared and the trip was beneficial.

“It is important that these trips do take place and I am very grateful for the people that did go along as it means time away from their families,” she said.

The trip to Sweden was Cllr Brian Meaney’s first trip overseas with the council in his two years in office. He is a regular critic of council’s overseas trips.

“I have always maintained that if a trip had educational value, I would consider it and the trip to Sweden was beneficial in the extreme . . .

“We saw what can be done and this area has shown the area the way forward in becoming fossil fuel free and a we also saw model whereby we could recover heat lost in the chimney stacks at Moneypoint and provide hot water for the town of Kilrush.”

ENNIS-BASED Mangans’ Wholesale has acquired McCambridge’s, the Galway-based food and wine specialists, in a deal that will broaden the Clare firm’s operational base in Connacht.

McCambridge’s is a long-established and well-known supplier of food and beverages to a wide variety of catering outlets including restaurants, pubs, hotels and coffee shops in the west. McCambridge’s staff will remain with the business, which will operate from Mangans’ premises at Monivea Road in Galway.

Head of Mangans’ Foodservice, Niall Mangan, said the two businesses will be combined before the busy Christmas period.

“We have admired the McCambridge business for some time. It is a perfect fit with ours and will broaden our geographic spread within Connacht. The resources of the two businesses will be combined within Galway City to serve the needs of foodservice professionals in the region.”

McCambridge’s Managing Director, Eoin McCambridge, said that the acquisition would mean increased buying strength and capability for the combined business and a substantially enhanced product range. He added that he planned to leave the wholesale business and concentrate on development plans for the McCambridge retail store in Shop Street, Galway. The retail shop will be unaffected by this transaction.

Mangans’ is a family-owned company with 74 years’ experience of food wholesaling and is the largest member of Stonehouse, a €1 billion Irish-owned buying group. Mangans’ operate in eight locations throughout Ireland.

LABOUR Affairs Minister, Tony Killeen, officially opened an information and education event for Survivors of Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), their families and carers, healthcare workers and professionals in Limerick last week.

The day was a collaboration spearheaded by The Peter Bradley Foundation, the ABI specific service provider, in partnership with BRÍ, the national ABI advocacy association.

The aim of the event was to give those affected by brain injury an opportunity to listen to a range of ABI specialists and to share their personal experiences of living with an ABI.

Minister Killeen said that, “every year about 10,000 people in Ireland are admitted to hospital with a head injury. Sadly, many of these suffer long-term ill-effects. Advances in medical science have dramatically improved survival rates. However, brain injured people and their families face huge challenges when they are discharged from hospital. Today, we seek to ensure that the gaps in the service are pinpointed and addressed”.

Mick Clavin, Chairman of BRÍ, highlighted that “brain injured people and their families can reach their fullest potential by pooling their experience in living with brain injury, and by seeking and advocating for and influencing the development of specialist rehabilitation services.

“If you want to know what a brain injured person wants, you ask a brain injured person”.

THE National Roads Authority will not use the controversial cable wire crash barrier system on the Ennis bypass, but has instead opted for a concrete wall which will run the entire 14-kilometre length of the new N18 dual carriageway.

The NRA has come in for severe criticism in recent years for its use of the cable system which motorcyclists have described as “lethal” and nothing short of “human cheese wire.”

Earlier this year, a 10km stretch of the N18 Shannon to Limerick dualcarriageway was fitted with the cable crash barrier. MAG Ireland, the Motorcyclists Action Group which represents 40,000 motorcyclists, slated the system as a “potentially life-threatening hazard to motorcyclists.”

The NRA has confirmed, however, that it has opted for a concrete barrier system, also known as the Jersey Barrier, for the new section of the N18 eastern bypass of Ennis, which will run from Dromoland to just north of Crusheen.

MAG Ireland spokesman Jimmy Kenny has said, “The crash barrier installed on the new Ennis Bypass is certainly an improvement on the cable system and is more motorcyclefriendly. It is definitely a move in the right direction that the Government didn’t opt for the cheap option this time and go with the cable system.

“We are still calling on the Government to remove all cable crash barriers and replace them with motorcycle-friendly barriers. The Government here went for the cheap option when it decided to use the cable system on other routes including in another part of the N18 in Clare. They didn’t consider the consequences for motorcyclists who collide with the barrier.”

The NRA has confirmed that the entire N18 Ennis Bypass mainline will have a continuous one-metre high concrete median barrier.

THE Government’s decision to require Romanians and Bulgarians to gain permits to work in Ireland, even after both countries become full members of the European Community next year, has been described as “offensive” and “discriminatory” by a spokesperson for the Romanian community in Clare.

It is estimated that there are in the region of 200 Romanian nationals living in Clare at present, while the numbers of Bulgarian nationals is believed to be much lower.

“There are about 20,000 Romanian immigrants in Ireland and, while most are located in Dublin, there are thousands all over the country, including in Clare,” said Cezar Gaman of the Romanian Society of Ireland.

“We are quite offended by the decision and we hope that the Government will change its mind. We believe that it is very discriminatory compared to Polish people and people from other countries.

“It is not very realistic in any case because it will be impossible to police.”

The Immigrant Council of Ireland has also criticised the decision, describing it as “politically motivated” and accusing the Government of failing to take account of the positive impact that foreign workers have had on the Irish economy.

“Freedom of movement of workers is one of the key fundamental freedoms for EU citizens,” said a spokesperson for the immigrant council. “It is therefore essential that hard evidence and rational policies inform fundamental decisions such as the right of EU citizens to work in Ireland.”

CLARE farming leader, Joe Carrick, has called for stiffer sanctions to be put in place against people who break the speed limit – including a system of fines based on income.

The Clare Macra na Feirme president also called for a graduated licence system which would only allow inexperienced drivers behind the wheel during daylight hours and would place an automatic ban for provisional drivers caught speeding.

“You should be fined in relation to what you earn,” said Mr Carrick. “A fine of €80 can mean the world for some people, but it is nothing at all to others. If you look at business executives, flying around from meeting to meeting, they would put down an €80 fine as a business lunch. It means nothing to them. You only ever have a driving test during the day time. I think that they should have tests at night time, or bring in a licence that only allows inexperienced drivers to drive in daylight hours.”

Speaking after a special road safety workshop organised as part of the Macra National Conference over the weekend, Mr Carrick also called for driving to be introduced as a subject in secondary schools.

“You have to learn from someone and education in schools is the best place to reach everyone. When you first get your provisional licence, you start to learn all of these bad habits. And then you try to lose them again before your test.

“Education would help people not to pick up the bad habits in the first place.

“If you are on a provisional licence and you are caught speeding, I would be in favour of an automatic ban. A car is not a toy, it is a deadly weapon and should be treated as such.”

Macra na Feirme launched a national road safety proposal last week calling for major overhauls to the current system.

“It is a big big problem. If you look at that village last week, there were five people killed out of a village of 200,” continued Mr Carrick. “A minute of madness can cause a lifetime of agony. That village will never get over that tragedy.”

Macra na Feirme have also proposed the introduction of a trainee license, which a person would be required to get before graduating to a provisional. This would involve young drivers only being allowed to drive while accompanied by a qualified driving instructor. After the completion of five lessons, the learner driver would then be eligible to apply for a provisional license.

CLARE County Council has expressed “serious reservations” over plans to construct a €50 million retail park on the outskirts of Clarecastle.

Earlier this year, Galway developer Stephen Harris unveiled a €50 million master-plan for a series of developments on a 48-acre site near the village of Clarecastle.

The 48-acre site was purchased last year from Clarecastle man JJ McCabe for over €18 million and is zoned commercial under the 2003 Ennis and Environs Development Plan.

Now the council has requested a raft of further information on the scheme, and has expressed serious concern at the retail impact of the development, its impact on traffic flows and volumes in the area and on the flooding regimes of the area.

The council points out that the Retail Impact Assessment (RIA) fails to take into account several other retail developments, including the Curley Development, Kilrush Rd, the Westgate Development, Kilrush Rd, a retail warehousing plan for Shannon and Clonroadmore Business Park.

The council has also requested Mr Harris to factor in the Gort Road mixed-use development in Ennis and the proposed Lyne/Connellan retail development south of Ennis.

The authority points out that, in the layout for the current development, little effort has been made to avoid areas of ecological value and the main fen area will be impacted directly.

“Within the overall 48-acre site, it would be possible, through the consideration of alternatives, to avoid major habitat losses.”

The council says that a comprehensive flood risk assessment for the entire area development and surrounding areas is required and should be based upon supporting detailed data to establish and assess these risks.

Plans lodged to Clare County Council by Mr Harris show a retail warehouse park, a motor sales village, a travel lodge hotel, drivethru restaurants, storage and distribution, and a petrol station for the 48-acre site at Skehanagh, Clarecastle.

Planning permission is only being sought for the retail park at this time in the south-east quadrant of the site.

CLARE County Council has paid almost €7 million to three landowners, including the Killaloe Diocesan Trust, for the provision of the long-delayed €25 million sewage treatment plant to serve Ennis.

The council has also confirmed that an additional €436,212 has been paid on auctioneering, legal and surveying fees as part of the project – these fees relate exclusively to land acquisition.

Last year, the council overcame a vital obstacle in proceeding with the works after objections to the ComOVER 100 companies throughout the Shannon region have signed up for a unique waste reduction project involving wanted and unwanted pallets.

‘The Pallet Exchange’ – an 18-month pilot project officially launched this week by Supply Network Shannon – will result in thousands of pallets being reused by participating companies in Limerick City, Shannon and counties Limerick and Clare.

The main objective of The Pallet Exchange is to address the imbalance that exists between companies requiring to source pallets and companies with excess pallets. A central clearinghouse has been established in the Shannon region to facilitate the storage and subsequent reuse of pallets.

Already, a number of companies in Tipperary and Kerry have expressed an interest in joining The Pallet Exchange program, Mr Whelan concluded.

Supply Network Shannon (SNS) is an open sectoral network of engineering and elecpulsory Purchase Order (CPO) were withdrawn.

The council was seeking to CPO a total of 20 acres: 17.41 acres from the Killaloe Diocesan Trust and 2.6 acres from local landowner, Peter Anthony Liddy.

After the CPO was first published, the Diocesan Trust sold the site as part of a 35-acre plot to Crystal Partners Ltd, which is operated by Ennis businessmen, Sean Lyne and Noel Connellan.

Prior to the CPO going to hearing in September of last year, the council withdrew the CPO after negotiations

with the parties resulted in the council

agreeing to purchase a greater site than

the 20-acre site – it has now agreed to

purchase 23.86 acres.

As a result of the larger portion of

land now purchased, the Killaloe Di-

ocesan Trust has sold, according to a

spokesman, “a very small portion of

land” to the council that was not within

the original CPO area.

The council in response to a Freedom

of Information Act request from The

Clare People confirmed that €6.83

million has been paid for the site,

though declined to state how much has

been paid to each landowner. tronics sub-supply companies located in the Shannon region. Since being incorporated as a limited liability company in 1999, SNS has introduced a number of initiatives aimed at reinforcing the Shannon region’s position as a world-class source of sub-supply products and services.

According to Maurice McLernon, Chairperson of SNS, “The Pallet Exchange is designed to benefit all sub-supply companies in the region, regardless of size or activity. The uptake so far has been very encouraging and is indicative of the benefits of collaborative networks.”

Further information on The Pallet Exchange is available on www.snshannon.com. Companies wishing to participate in The Pallet Exchange should contact Dick Whelan at 061329744/086-8198188 or email dw@almir.biz.

WATERWAYS Ireland is carrying out a series of inspections to ascertain whether cruise boat companies are complying with by-laws which prohibit the dumping of toilet waste into canals, rivers and lakes.

The move follows recent claims that a leading Irish cruise boat company told a customer to dump the contents of their on-board toilet into the River Shannon. Waterways Ireland has also said that this was the first complaint of its kind it had received but that it immediately launched an investigation. Clare County Council has also initiated a probe of the claims.

A Waterways Ireland spokesperson said the complaint was the first of its kind to come to their notice and an investigation was initiated immediately. They had also instigated a phased programme of inspection of vessels to ascertain the extent of non-compliance with the by-laws. However, Waterways Ireland said it would not necessarily prosecute the company at the centre of the allegations.

“If a customer is found to have breached the by-laws, Waterways Ireland would advise them of the breach. If the company rectifies the situation, Waterways Ireland would deem the matter settled. If the situation isn’t rectified then we would consider taking the matter further,” the spokesperson said.

According to the Shannon Navigation by-laws, “A toilet fitted to a vessel shall be so constructed and fitted as to prevent polluting matter from being discharged or passing into the navigation”.

Waterways Ireland provides pumpout facilities at some locations along the Shannon, others are provided and maintained by the relevant local authorities at other sites along the river.