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A GROUP of Clare farmers have proposed radical changing to the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), which they believe could prevent as disastrous fodder shortage, like the one seen over the past month, from happening again.

The United Farmers Association (UFA) have gained much support in Clare since they formed a number of months ago.

The organisation supports a redistribution of the money paid to Irish farmers under CAP with smaller farmers, such as those in Clare, ben- efiting more, while larger farmers, more common in the eastern counties, would get proportionately less.

Clare spokesperson for the UFA, Joe Corbett, has proposed a change to CAP regulations which he feels would unlock large landbanks of good farmland which are currently not being used to its potential.

The scheme involves allowing inactive landowners to lease their land with their Single Farm Payment (SFP) being split between the landowner and the leasing farmers.

Currently landowners will lose their SFP if they lease their land making leasing unattractive for both parties.

This system, according to Joe, would allow both parties to share the benefits of increased production on the land as well as sharing the SFP associated with the land, a system which he believes would lead to an increased production on Clare farms.

“Farmers who want to retire or maybe want to get employment off the farm need to be incentifised to lease their land. They can’t be expected to lease their land for less than they would get if they had the minimum stock levels as set out under the SFP,” said Joe.

“A person in this position will get 50 per cent of his SFP and get more than the remaining 50 per cent from the farmer who is leasing the land. The leasing farmers will then get 45 per cent of the SFP for the land, which will subsidise the cost of leasing, but he will be able to more than make this up from increased productivity on the land.

“This idea will unlock the production potential that is in this land and it will see the land owner and the active farmer sharing that potential.”

The UFA scheme would also see the remaining five per cent of the SFP used for an emergency hardship fund to be created to help farmers in times of extreme hardship, such as the recent fodder crisis.

A GREATER focus on environmentally-friendly water-based activities at Ballyalla Lake could create opportunities for employment around Ennis, a meeting has heard.

Rowing clubs and businesses involved in water sports were among those to address a public meeting called to discuss issues concerning the future of Ballyalla Lake.

Ennis-based businessman John Dillane said anything that provides employment for young people in Ennis must be encouraged.

He said, “We’re coming into a time of the year where students are going to be looking for summer jobs and there are very few out there…A lot of things could be done around Ballyalla to generate summer employment.

Mr Dillane, a former President of Ennis Chamber, added, “It is extremely important that we do something that will create jobs for young people in the town.”

Alan Coote of Clare Kayak Hire told the meeting that there is demand for a water sports centre near Ennis.

He explained, “At the minute everything seems to be up around Lahinch. There is nothing in the town. I see people doing kayak trips in Corofin, Inchiquinn but I really think there is a need in Ennis for a water sports centre.”

Mr Coote, who runs kayak and stand up paddleboat classes, said any increased activity would not impact on the wildlife in the area.

He said, “There would be no motors, no pollution. The noise would be minimal for wildlife and people around the area. I think there is an opportunity to create jobs. In Ennis it could be all year around with the schools. There are around 5,000 school kids in Ennis. I talked to a good few people who said they have to factor in the cost of travelling for school trips. They would rather there was something in the town.

“Everything I’m talking about doing is going to be real eco-friendly. There isn’t going to be any noise pollution. We won’t be going in around where the birds are,” added Mr Coote.

Síle Ní Dheargáin is the co-founder of the popular Clarecastle-based Fergus Rowers Club

Ms Ní Dheargáin said access to Ballyalla has been hugely beneficial for the club.

She said, “Every Saturday we have Ballyalla Lake taken over from 11am to 3pm in the day. We have the two boats going constantly. We have one senior rower out on the boat, training them in. It’s a really safe environment; there are no currents. In Clarecastle there is a tidal aspect so you need that bit more experience to bring in boats when the tide is going out.”

Ms Ní Dheargáin said Ballyalla could be improved from a water sports perspective by the addition of secure storage space for boats and other facilities such as handrails and a pontoon.

AN estimated € 240 million of ordinary hard-working Clare people’s money is being put under threat by a Government policy that “requires credit unions to give banks preferential access to creditors”.

According to MEP Marian Harkin (Ind), there are up to 66,000 people from the banner county, who are members of the county’s nine credit unions, and they must insist their public representatives oppose the Government policy and that of the Central Bank and regulators.

The MEP for Ireland North West accused the Government and the central bank of threatening the future of the credit union movement in the interests of banks, which, she said, had undermined the country’s economy and caused incalculable harm to individuals, families and the entire social fabric of the country.

“It is astounding, to say the least, that the Central Bank acting for the government, is attempting to weaken the credit union movement in the interest of the banks and in doing so is undermining a financial support mechanism which has, unlike the banks, done nothing but good for the community. The latest spokesperson for ‘official Ireland’ to engage in an unworthy attack on the credit unions is the registrar of credit unions Sha- ron Donnery. In her speech to the AGM of the Irish League of Credit Unions last weekend, she has warned of dire outcomes for the peoples’ credit movement if they fail to concede to the banks. For the Regulator of Credit Unions to demand concessions for banks, which broke every rule in the book by pushing excessive mortgages on people, is totally unacceptable.

“Even more unacceptable is the pressure being exercised by various representatives of ‘official Ireland’ that the banks must have preference over credit unions in debt recovery,” she said. “The banks, and the Central Bank, as their regulator, have lost any moral or business right to main- tain that mortgage repayment has primacy over the repayment of credit unions which are community-owned not for profit financial institutions.

“Over € 100 million of credit union funds were written off in the failures of Anglo Irish, AIB, Bank of Ireland and TSB. In no way can credit unions again be sacrificed to the benefit of badly-performing financial entities, many of whom are now raising interest rates on mortgages,” she said.

The nine credit unions in Clare include Derg Credit Union, Scarriff; Ennistymon and District, Ennistymon; Fergus, Lissycasey; Kilrush; SFADCo Staff, Shannon Town Centre; Sixmilebridge; St Peter and Paul, Clarecastle and St Francis, Ennis.

CLARE farmers are within touching distance of an end to the fodder crisis – one of the worst feed shortages to hit the county’s farms in decades.

Clare IFA chairman, Andrew Dundas, believes that the next ten days are critical with any remaining fodder running out and grass growth just starting to begin in earnest.

The organisation helped to harvest a further 1,100 bales of silage from land banks at Shannon Airport last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday more than twice what they had predicted they would get from the site.

This mean that 2,300 bales of silage were harvested from the airport over the past two week. While these bales have already been allocated to Clare farmers and are likely all used up – they provided a vital stop gap to get farmers through the worst of the crisis.

“We have gotten a bit of heat and grass is starting to grow. It will take a week or two to get going properly but hopefully the end is in sight,” said Mr Dundas.

“The next few days are the real pressure time on farms but at least an end is, hopefully, in sight. Shannon Airport came at the critical time – there were a lot of farmers in a critical situation over the last 10 days and the bales [from Shannon Airport] really saved them.

“This was about getting people over the hump and I think it made a big difference in the county. I would say all those bales are eaten at this stage – but they were there at a crucial stage.”

One silver lining of the fodder crisis was the way that the local farming community – including the farming organisations, co-ops, marts, local businesses and farmers – came together to see themselves through the crisis.

“A bit of growth is crucial now. It will take a few weeks for the grass growth to come back and hopefully that will be the end of it,” continued Andrew.

“There was a great effort right across the farming community in Clare to get through this. Everyone worked incredible hard and a lot of organisations and people out there deserve a lot credit. It was a real cross community effort – from Shannon Airport to the marts, co-ops and all the agri-businesses. It was a great community effort.” Tue07May13

COMMERCIAL companies, including organisations that have a charitable ethos are erecting clothing banks on public and private property in Clare without permission, according to Clare County Council.

Some of these banks are duping people into believing they are donating to charity, while they are really contributing to a multi-million euro private enterprise.

Clothes recycling is a multi million-euro business in Ireland with charitable organisation using second hand clothing as a form of fundraising. What is not sold as clothing is shredded and used as industrial rag cloth. However not all clothes banks are for charity, including some that claim to be.

Clare County Council has adopted a policy of putting warning notices on offending banks and removing them from the sites if the warning is ignored. A lack of legislation however makes it impossible for the local authority to regulate clothing banks, and it is therefore impossible to calculate how many clothing banks are in the county.

Not all clothing banks are erected illegally however. Clare County Council has 17 sites with Clare County Council Clothing Banks on them. These include the five recycling centres and 12 bring bank sites. Some of these sites have a single clothes bank, while others have two, which is dependent on the amount of clothing being brought to the sites and if there has been a history of issues with clothing be dumped at sites with banks overflowing.

Clare County Council does not rent space to companies and clothes banks that are installed at Clare County Council sites as part of an agreed contract are not belonging to any charity at present. Charities have tendered for this contract however and it is expected that charitable contracts will be awarded shortly.

While the local authority only put Clare County Council clothes banks on council property, there have been issues with private individuals or companies illegally installing banks on council property. The council has issued warnings and removed these banks when they are discovered.

A spokesperson for Clare County Council said that there are a number of clothing banks also on private property, both with and without the owners’ permission. “Numerous companies and charities place clothes banks on private property including sites where Clare County Council have bottle banks. This may be with the agreement of the owner of the property and sometimes a financial agreement takes place between both parties. There are occasions where clothes banks are put on private property without the permission of the owners and Clare County Council have been contacted in relation to this, looking for the banks to be removed,” he said.

“There is no legislation in place for dealing with this and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) do not consider clothing banks to be a waste stream, therefore waste permits are not required to install clothing banks on properties.

“A lot of clothes banks may advertise charities on them but the charity may not own the banks. The charities get a percentage of the profit from the banks. There are also a lot of questionable charity names on some banks,” he added.

A MAN who committed a series of offences on Holy Thursday that included the theft of two Jack Russel terriers has paid compensation of € 1700 to victims of his crimes.

William Donovan (20) appeared at Ennis District Court on Wednesday having previously pleaded guilty to a number of offences committed in North Clare on March 28.

Mr Donovan, with an address at 54 Clancy Park, Ennis admitted stealing two tan and white terriers worth € 200 from 18 Ardnaculla, Ennistymon on March 28. The dogs were returned to their owner.

He stole an alloy wheel at Station Road, Lahinch. He also entered a building on Station Road, Lahinch as a trespasser.

Mr Donovan admitted damaging the front window of Kenny’s Pub, Lahinch, causing € 1000 worth of damage.

Mr Donovan broke a window at the Claremont Hotel causing € 125 worth of damage.

The court was also told that the accused smashed the window of a silver Toyota Avensis before attempting to hotwire the car.

The court heard Mr Donovan then broke the windscreen of another car, belonging to the mother of the previous car owner, causing € 400 worth of damage.

Gardaí stopped Mr Donovan around 40 yards from where he stole the alloy wheel.

The court heard the accused’s car had only three wheels as it appeared a tyre may have blown out.

The court heard that gardaí were able to trace Mr Donovan’s movements on the day by following the tracks made by the three wheel car.

On Wednesday, solicitor Tara Godfrey told the court that Mr Donovan’s family had gathered € 1700 for compensation to injured parties.

Of the series of incidents on Holy Thursday, Ms Godfrey said;

“There was a lot of prescription drugs taken and he lost the proverbial run of himself.”

However Ms Godfrey added that Mr Donovan is a “completely different person” from the one who appeared in court in March.

She told the court that her client is committed to entering a residential treatment programme.

Addressing Mr Donovan, Judge Patrick Durcan said; “You’re a young man and there is no reason why you can’t face up to challenges in life.”

Judge Durcan placed Mr Donovan on a probation bond for nine months. He ordered him to abide by all directions of the Probation Services.

BED and breakfasts in Kilrush have a reported a 20 per cent increase in business compared to the May bank holiday last year.

The boost in bed numbers has been attributed to the National Famine Commemoration 2013, with event beginning on Friday night last.

Accommodation providers in West Clare from Lissycasey to the tip of the peninsula are also preparing for an upcoming busy week and weekend, as events building up to the National Famine Commemoration in the area’s biggest town attract new visitors to the west of the county.

The Kilrush marketing and development officer Síobhan Garvey said early estimates suggest that the 10 days of events and Sunday’s ceremony will give the town an economic boost of approximately € 100,000.

The full financial impact will not be known for a few weeks however.

Honorary secretary of Kilrush Chamber of Commerce Mary Rose Counihan added that while it is not known exactly by how much the town’s businesses will benefit, it will provide an economic boost.

She agreed it was likely to be worth over € 100,000.

“It is bringing people to the town who would not usually think of visiting the area,” she said.

“The town is literally buzzing. There are loads of people around that would not normally be around.”

In the past few days lecturers and speakers, along with their family and friends, have been checking into B&Bs and hotels in the area.

History enthusiasts have also been availing of the lectures and events that are being provided free of charge in West Clare, many staying a number of days.

This weekend 46 ambassadors are also due to visit Kilrush as part of the official commemoration ceremony.

It is understood some of these diplomats have already booked into the five star Doonbeg Lodge, with more expected to stay in other hotels in the county. And despite the inclement weather which endured during the opening ceremony in Carrigaholt, enthusiasm for this national event continues as week-long events have been organised by the local council and community.

ALMOST 80 per cent of Clare householders have paid the household charge. Householders have until today (Tuesday) to ensure their registration for the property tax is in the post and appropriately post marked.

It is possible to register on line before May 28.

While it is unknown how many Clare properties have been registered it has been revealed that 79.5 per cent of property owners in Clare are compliant with last year’s household charge.

Homeowners in County Clare who have not yet registered their property for the Household Charge, as opposed to the property tax, are being reminded that the charge can be paid up to June 30. As of May 1, a total of 36,400 residential property owners in Clare have registered their property for the Household Charge, equating to a compliance rate of 79.5 per cent compared to the national compliance rate of 74% (1,198,091 households).

Residential property owners are also being reminded that they will be required to demonstrate compliance with the Household Charge legislation when selling a property; non-compliance will complicate the conveyancing process.

Meanwhile those with a second property have added property bills before the end of next month.

Clare County Council has reminded property owners affected by the Non-Principal Private Residence (NPPR) scheme that the deadline for payment of the € 200 charge for 2013 is June 30. The annual charge applies to any residential property in which the owner does not reside as their normal place of residence.

It also applies to vacant residential property and properties where the owners live abroad. NPPR property owners are liable for the charge in 2013 in addition to the half-year Local Property Tax.

Seamus Halpin, Senior Executive Officer, Finance Department of Clare County Council, said; “The NPPR Charge, which was introduced under the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 set an annual charge of € 200 per residence, with a significant late payment fee. A € 20 late payment fee will apply in respect of each month or part of a month per each annual charge during which the charge remains unpaid. Anyone who has not registered and is liable to the NPPR charge has already accrued significant late payment fees on their property.”

THE futures of many of County Clare’s post offices are under threat, according to one Clare postmaster, as they could lose the contract for social welfare payments.

The Government must wake up to the threat to post offices in County Clare, the annual conference of the Irish Postmasters’ Union was told by Clare-born postmaster Tom O’Callaghan at the weekend.

Mr O’Callaghan from Kildysart, who is a postmaster in Upper William Street, Limerick, told the delegates to the conference in Fitzpatrick’s Hotel, Killiney, Co Dublin, that the future of hundreds of post offices nationally, and a number in Clare, were in the balance due to the fact that the social welfare payments contract is being internationally tendered.

“We understand that there is a very good chance that in the short term An Post will retain the contract but a second tender is to be issued in June that could result in a major transfer of the social welfare payment system to an electronic form,” he said.

“We are not against new technology or progress but the public are entitled to access their money in the way that best suits their needs. We do not yet know the full terms of the new tender but we are very concerned that it will force the successful tender to rush headlong down the e-commerce route.

“The Government should be very wary of the consequences, not just for an estimated 400 post offices that would close immediately if An Post were to lose the contract, but also for Irish society. It would be catastrophic,” the West Clare man warned.

Mr O’Callaghan, who represents postmasters in Clare, Limerick, Kerry and Kilmallock, told the delegates that the public were being forced more and more into using banks that don’t want to see customers, are forever increasing or introducing new charges and in whom the public have little trust. “As we saw last year people can also go weeks without having access to the cash in their bank account,” he said.

“Another issue we have with Government is their failure to utilise the outstanding network of 1,100 post offices throughout the country to provide additional services to com- munities,” said Mr O’Callaghan. “We commissioned the accountancy firm Grant Thornton to validate our figures and they established that by allowing the public to renew their motor tax in post offices it would save the taxpayer € 60 million.”

“We also believe there is a real opportunity to develop a system of electronic form generation where forms can be printed as required at post offices for a small fee; forms can be updated on request, and these services would save the Government money. Hospital charges could also be paid through our network.”

INTERNATIONALLY renowned acoustic group Lúnasa have announced their plans to break a Guinness World Record next month in Ennis.

The group is calling out for more than 1,020 musicians to take part on June 21 in Abbey Street car park, Ennis, in order to break a world record for the largest tin whistle ensemble.

Tracy Crawford, of Ennis Roots Music Weekend, has said that the event has received a massive response from an international audience because of its promotion during Lúnasa’s American tour and that they are expecting a lot of visitors from overseas.

Bands, groups, and music schools have also been invited to take part alongside anyone who wants to learn to play ‘The Siege of Ennis’ on the tin whistle for the first time.

According to Tracy, “The event is for everyone and it’s a chance to take up an instrument. It will be very exciting to try break the world record and we are really looking forward to it.”

The current world record for the largest ensemble of tin whistlers stands at 1,015 which was achieved at an event organised by Scoil Acla in Keel, Achill Island, on July 31, 2010. The ensemble performed the “Dawning of the Day”.

Custy’s and The Irish Shop in Ennis have a range of whistles available for the event in store.

“When purchasing a tin whistle,” Tracy continued, “make sure and tell them that you are taking part in the Guinness World Record Attempt to claim your free copy of the ABC tune notation.

“We chose the ‘Siege of Ennis’ because of its obvious connection with the county and to make it interesting we are going to play it in two different keys.”

Tracy has also announced that the weekend will further feature an International Street band competition and the chance to perform with the Kilfenora Ceilí Band.

The event coincides with the Gathering 2013 and will feature a free open air concert by Lúnasa, Socks in the Frying Pan, The Kilfenora Ceilí Band and special guest Maura O’Connell.

For video tutorials and more information on the record attempt visit www.ennisrootsweekend.com.