Author: admin

A Fianna Fáil Councillor has said that a clause in the Planning Act 2000, linked to a collapse in the number of affordable homes built in Clare, “has made a veritable ass of the intention of the original legislation.”

A mere 14 affordable houses have been provided in Clare in the five years since the controversial Part 5 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, was enacted.

“It makes the whole lot ineffective and inoperable,” said Councillor Tom Prendeville.

The Act originally stipulated that 20 per cent of all housing developments should be made available for affordable housing, or that sites for such housing should be provided by developers of all private housing schemes.

In 2004, the Government amended the act to allow developers make a financial contribution to local authorities in lieu of providing affordable housing, or sites.

The amendment has resulted in €365,840 been paid to the Clare County Council in two years, and as few as 14 houses contributed under the scheme.

From 2001 to 2003 inclusive, no financial, or housing contributions were made to the council under Part 5, with €121,900 contributed in 2004. All of the 14 affordable houses in the county were allocated in 2005, as well as €243,940.

Councillor Prendeville lays the blame for what he describes as the “buy out” clause in the failure of the system with the Government.

“The county council has no option but to accept it,” he added.

Cllr Madeleine Taylor Quinn (FG) said that there should be no opportunity for buy out.

Independent Cllr Martin Lafferty told the adjourned March meeting of the council that people who qualified for social housing could no longer afford houses, even under the scheme.

Describing the situation as a “thundering disgrace” Cllr Martin Conway (FG) blamed the financial institutions for the spiralling cost of houses.

Meanwhile, the councillors agreed with Cllr Bernard Harahan (FF) that the council give due consideration to single fathers when allocating houses in the future.

In response to the motion, a council official said that consideration was given to this category when allocating dwellings.

“In recent allocations the council has commenced accomodating fathers who have either joint custody or approved access to their children,” she added.

A NORTH Clare-based legal firm is to demolish an extension to its offices it built without planning permission.

Architects for solicitors Chambers & Co. have confirmed that the extension at Parliament St., Ennistymon, is to be knocked.

Earlier this year, the council refused an application to retain the building.

The council had served a warning letter on the firm, after finding that the extension was built without planning in Ennistymon’s Architectural Conservation Area (ACA).

Now, in a letter to the council, on behalf of Chambers & Co., architects, Leahy and Conway, have confirmed that the extension will be demolished in due course.

However, the company is planning to build a new extension to replace the one that is to be demolished with a number of variations.

That plan is facing opposition from neighbours, Sean and Carmel Conway.

“This extension, which is similar to what presently exists, will have a very serious and detrimental effect on our home, our privacy and natural light,” the couple claim in their objection.

“The proposed alteration by Chambers to rear to the their offices on Parliament Street will result in the virtual loss of natural light to a substantial portion of the upstairs of our home.

“Prior to the construction of their unauthorised development, we benefited from sunlight for much of the morning, early afternoon and brightness from what remained.

“If this new proposed development does go ahead, the situation will not change and we will continue to have virtually no daylight for much of the upstairs.

“The proposed structure is not appropriate, or suitable, for Ennistymon that has a wealth of history and tradition. Furthermore, it will overshadow its neighbouring houses on both sides in a similar manner as the present unauthorised development does presently.”

The Conways also claim that the structure constitutes a comprehensive overdevelopment of the site.

“This issue has upset us very much and is now going on for several months.

“What is being proposed does nothing whatsoever to address the issues that we have raised previously.”

A decision is due on the application later this month.

CLARE County Council has granted planning permission for a €40 million development that is set to transform the village of Clarecastle.

The council has granted planning to Tom Lavelle and Adrian Callanan for 92 new homes, 25 commercial units and a crèche on Clarecastle’s Main Street.

Clarecastle member of Clare County Council, Bernard Hanrahan (FF) said, “The development will bring the heart back into Clarecastle. The village’s Main Street has suffered in recent years with shop closures, but this development will bring life into the village.

Councillor Hanrahan said that the proposed development “will make Clarecastle more like a town, but we don’t want to lose its village identity, but this is a very progressive development”.

“Progress in Clarecastle has been held up because there has been no bypass, but that is all about to change.”

The decision by the council coincides with plans being lodged by CLS Crystal Partner Ltd for 219 residential units at Clareabbey, Clarecastle.

The development includes 72 semidetached homes, 21 terraced homes, 22 townhouses and 104 apartments in three residential blocks.

Cllr Hanrahan said, “It is inevitable and welcome that these lands around Clareabbey are to be developed because of the ease of access on to the Ennis bypass.”

The zoning of large parcels of land for residential housing in and around Clarecastle and the provision of infrastructure through a Serviced Land Initiative (SLI) has made the area a target for developers.

Allied to the zoning is the opening of the Ennis by-pass next year which will open up further areas of land and make Clarecastle a more attractive place to live with the by-pass marking the end of grid-lock in the area.

In relation to the Lavelle/Callanan development, the Council granted planning permission having regard to the area zoned as a local service centre and the high quality layout, design and finishes at an important gateway.

It granted planning permission having regard to the nature, scale and intended use of the site, the policies of the County Development Plan and pattern of development, it will not seriously injure amenities and not be prejudicial to public health.

The Council state that the development will not have a significant negative impact on the area.

A CLARE punter has scooped almost €700,000 tipping the top 10 national hunt horses for the season.

Brian Munnelly, a meteorologist at Shannon Airport, placed a €16 bet in the UK ‘totetentofollow competition’ winning €689,000 after the Grand National on Saturday.

Ironically, it was a horse with strong Clare connections and winner of the Grand National, Numbersixvalverde that helped the 60-year old to scoop the prize.

Speaking from his home in Shannon town last night, Mr Munnelly said: “I was leading the competition going into the Grand National and didn’t have any horse running in the race, but the man coming second had backed ‘Hedgehunter’, which of course finished second in the race to Numbersixvalverde.”

If ‘Hedgehunter’ had won the National, Mr Munnelly would have lost out but in the end, he won by one solitary point after leading the competition since Christmas.

The single man said that he intends to use the majority of the winnings to buy a property in Dublin where he has spent most of his life.

Due to retire later this year, the Wexford-born man said: “I have spent 30 to 40 years of my life in Dublin and I’m looking forward to returning there when I retire.”

“I don’t expect any big change to my life. I won’t be going too wild with my winnings and buying big cars or anything like that.”

He said he plans to settle on the northside of Dublin where his parents hail from. “I won’t be too ambitious in the home I will be purchasing.”

Mr Munnelly found out that he had won the competition 20 minutes after the Grand National. He said: “I did not have a horse in the National so I was sweating,” he said.

The champion tipster put his success down to luck and a lifetime of watching horse racing.

“I have been going to Cheltenham for the last 35 years and I watch a lot of racing and I’ve got a lot of knowledge from it, so it’s time it paid off,” he said

Advising would-be punters, Mr Munnelly said: “Do your research and be lucky.”

The ‘totetentofollow’ works in a similar way to fantasy football with contestants picking 10 horses to follow throughout the season.

Each horse picks up points for winning races with bonus points available for winning prestigious races such as the Cheltenham Gold Cup or the Grand National.

Among Mr Munnelly’s successful tips were Irish pair War of Attrition and Brave Inca, winners of the Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last month.

THE Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, has rejected the findings of a recent IBEC survey that the “Open Skies” aviation deal could result in companies exiting Clare and the Mid-West region.

He said he could see no reason why companies in the mid-west would be forced to relocate as a result of the new regime.

“The additional access to the US, as well as the increased numbers of US tourists into Ireland, will greatly benefit Irish tourism, aviation and business links generally in all parts of the country,” he said, in response to a Dáil question from Clare TD James Breen (Ind).

Minister Cullen rejected a further call from Deputy Breen to carry out an economic impact study into Open Skies.

In a survey published by the employers group last month, one in five companies based in the Mid-West said they would consider exiting Ireland, if there was a substantial reduction in flights arising from the forthcoming Open Skies arrangement.

Open Skies is due to commence in November, with the ratio of Dublin/ Shannon flights to the US, changing from 1:1 to 3:1 in favour of Dublin before an outright Open Skies regime starts in April 2008.

According to the IBEC report, the 30 per cent drop will cost the tourist sector along the west of Ireland €75 million each year and result in a 10 per cent drop in airport revenue.

Twenty five companies surveyed agreed that a substantial reduction in US services at Shannon “could trigger decisions to relocate the company from Ireland.

“A serious reduction in connectivity could, in the medium to long-term, affect future investment, with knockon implications for employment and the sustainability of facilities in the west,” the report states.

The Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) is anticipating a 30% drop from the existing 700,000 passengers on transatlantic routes.

Management of one of the largest companies in the Shannon Free Zone, US owned Avocent International employing 150 people, warned that access problems on US routes would effect future commitments to Irish operations.

KILLALOE was a community in shock at the weekend as local people absorbed the news that one of the town’s most popular residents had died. Publican, Tom Elliffe, lost his fight for life after a serious operation last week.

Tom was well-known locally as a businessman and a very active community worker, who got involved in organising and promoting the town’s festivals and community organisations. Tom – who was just 62 years old – was the manager of Brendan Grace’s Bar, and it was he who sold the pub to the Dublin comedian in 2002. His partner, Lorraine Cantillion, told how Tom remained actively interested and involved in the business, which they bought together in 1990 and which is currently undergoing refurbishment.

“Even though it was not Richardson’s any more, he was so looking forward to seeing the renovations done,” she said.

A native of Tullamore, Tom worked for many years in Irish Steel and as a barman in Cork.

Another of his passions was darts. Tom was Chairman of the Irish National Darts Organisation. He and Lorainne had a business together supplying dart boards, darts and other equipment to pubs.

The Killlaoe publican was closely involved with the community council and the organising committees for the Brian Ború Festival and the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

“He loved animals and children and particularly his boxer dog, Jessie,” said Lorraine.

A saddened Brendan Grace gave the eulogy at the funeral as one of Tom’s closest pals.

“When the pub reopens I know that Tom’s spirit will grace the bar. Here was the captain of the ship,” said Brendan.

Speaking of Tom’s warmth and humour, the comedian told how the very first time he walked into the bar, which was then Richardson’s, “Tom asked was I Brian Ború and would I like to be Brian Ború in the festival.

“I agreed because I liked him as soon as I met him.

“The night I opened the bar in my name, I was making a toast and joked that it was great to find a pub that I couldn’t be thrown out of. Tom curled his lip that way he did and said ‘don’t be too sure about that.’”

Tom is survived by Lorraine, his children, Don, Joe, Pamela, Audrey and Valerie, his 93-year-old mother, Lily, two brothers and six sisters.

A SENIOR member of Clare County Council said yesterday that council planners should be able to carry out their daily work without the fear of physical threat.

Leader of the Fianna Fáil group and trenchant critic of the council’s planning system, Councillor PJ Kelly (FF), was commenting after a 42year-old father of two, twice refused planning permission to build a marina, was fined €400 for assaulting a senior council planner.

Michael Bent of Ballymanogue, Scariff pleaded guilty at Scariff District Court, to assaulting Gordon Daly, former senior executive planner with Clare County Council, at a nightclub in Scariff on September 25 last year.

Mr Daly told the court that Mr Bent “became very aggressive and menacing, started pushing me in the chest, caught me by the throat and said ‘you’ve interfered in my life and you don’t like me interfering in yours now do you?’.”

Mr Daly said that he took this to be a reference to his then job with Clare County Council and Mr Bent being refused planning permission.

Prior to last September’s assault, Mr Bent superglued himself to the doors of the Clare County Council in February 2004 in protest at being refused planning for his proposed marina development.

In court, Mr Daly said that his girlfriend’s cousin intervened, placing herself between him and Mr Bent.

“I felt very threatened, shaken, shocked and also embarrassed given that the incident was viewed by a large number of people in that area of the pub,” said Mr Daly.

Solicitor for Mr Bent, Raymond O’Meara told the court that what happened on the night “was completely out of character for Mr Bent”.

“Mr Bent was intoxicated and things got out of control. Mr Daly suffered no injury as a result of the assault,” he said

Mr O’Meara said that Mr Bent has since apologised for his actions, however, Mr Daly said that he had not received any apology at any time.

Mr O’Meara told the court that Mr Bent had no previous convictions, was a member of the fire-brigade and was prepared to make a charitable donation.

After hearing the evidence, Judge Joseph Mangan imposed a fine of €400

“No one can tolerate this type of behaviour and it should not happen,” Cllr Kelly said.

AN English company has failed to secure the go ahead for a “Wellness” destination spa hotel near Killaloe.

An Bord Pleanala has refused planning permission to Unfinity Ltd., of Worcestershire, England to develop a 28-bedroom hotel on 37 acres of land.

Last August, Clare County Council refused the application, ruling that the proposal would seriously injure the amenities of the area and generate dangerous traffic congestion on local roads.

The council’s planners also warned that the development’s scale, siting and design would fail to integrate into the rural landscape.

In their appeal to An Bord Pleanala, the company said their proposal was aimed at a niche market known as “Wellness” destination spas.

“The destination spa’s sole purpose is to provide guests with lifestyle improvement and health enhancement through professionally administered spa services, physical fitness, educational programming and on-site accommodation.

The Board refused planning permission on a number of grounds following their inspector’s recommendation to refuse.

The Board stated that the site of the proposal was located outside any identified settlement in a rural area under development pressure and it was the policy of the council to encourage the development of integrated tourist facilities in, or adjacent to, existing settlements.

“This policy is considered reasonable. It is considered that the proposed development, located in a rural area lacking certain services and infrastructure, would militate against the preservation of the rural environment and, by reason of its scale, setting and design, would fail to integrate into the landscape and would seriously injure the visual amenities of the area.

“The proposed development would, therefore, contravene the provisions of the Development Plan and would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”

THE search is on for the next Clare Rose and entries are now being invited to choose our representative in the Kerry Festival.

Entrants can complete an application form and return it to Clare Rose, c/o Clare FM, Francis Street, Ennis with a sponsorship fee of €200.

Clubs, societies, associations, businesses, family or friends are invited to nominate contestants. The Gala Rose Selection will be held at the West County Hotel, on May 12, and the new Clare Rose will contest the Irish Regional Final in Tralee on June 9 and 10.

Eligibility criteria for the International Rose of Tralee contest include that entrants must be aged between 18 and 28 years, be of Irish birth or ancestry and be single without children. Closing date for applications is Friday, April 28.

A MAN who was “caught red handed” with ten Rohypnol tablets claimed in court that he took them to come down off another drug.

Josef Duna (39), of Pineview Estate, Killarney, and who is originally from the Czech Republic, admitted possessing the Rohypnol tablets – commonly known as the date rape drug – and three wraps of speed, in Ennis, in July 2005.

The court was told the street value of the drugs was €110.

Defending solicitor, Tara Godfrey, said her client paid over money to the alleged supplier when gardaí arrived on the scene.

She said her client, a father-ofthree and a kitchen porter, moved to Ireland six years ago. He hadn’t taken drugs for five years before this incident and was not a regular drug user, she said. The solicitor pointed out that one of the uses for Rohypnol was for an acute sleep disorder.

“The speed he was found with is a particularly potent form of speed. The Rohypnol tablets were to come down off the speed,” she said.

She said her client was in a position to offer money to the court poorbox and that he was at a low risk of reoffending.

Judge Joseph Mangan adjourned the case, to allow for a professional report on drug and alcohol abuse to be carried out.