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ENNIS and Ballyvaughan flew the flag for Clare at the inaugural ‘Tourism Town Awards’ initiative that were promoted by Bord Fáilte, but had to be content with the minor placings as the overall award went to Portmagee in South Kerry.

The awards, which were organised as an added competition to the National Tidy Towns Awards, saw both Ennis and Ballyvaughan nominated as being among the 10 finalists shortlisted for the overal prize out of 100 entries around the country.

Clare and Kerry were the only counties with two centres seleted to be among the 10 finalists, with the other finalists being Portmagee and Killarney (Kerry), Clonakilty, Dundalk, Kilkenny, Letterkenny, Trim and Westport.

“The towns were nominated for a number of reasons,” a Fáilte Ireland spokesperson revealed. “It was because of their sense of place, how they tell their unique story to visitors, the tourism products available in the towns or villages, the local involvement and the development, promotion and marketing of tourism towns,” the spokesperson added.

As the overall winner, Portmagee received a certificate and a € 10,000 grant toward developing itself as a tourism destination, while the Tidy Towns committees in Ennis and Bal- lyvaughan received € 1,000 grants to accompany their certificates of merit.

Ennis’ nomination for the award completed a memorable year for the county capital in Tidy Towns competition. In 2012, Ennis was named Ireland’s Tidiest Large Urban Centre, won the national Gum Litter Taskforce award, was the regional and county winner of Tidy Towns and was one of three Clare centres to pick up gold medals in the overall competition.

FINAL confirmation on whether commercial drilling will take place off the Clare coast in 2013 is expected before Christmas.

Chrysaor E&P Ireland Ltd, who now own the majority stake in both the Spanish Point and Burren gas and oil fields within the Porcupine Basin, undertook a vessel-based geotechnical and environmental survey of the Spanish Point Field in September.

While initial results for this resource have been described by the company as very positive, an official announcement on the survey, and the prospects of commercial drilling taking place next year, is expected to be made in the coming weeks.

According to Chrysaor, planning is already well underway for a programme of drilling off Spanish Point over the next two years.

“In 2013, subject to normal governmental consents and rig availability, the group intends to drill a Spanish Point appraisal well to confirm volumetrics and reservoir properties,” said a company statement.

“If that well is successful, the group will return in 2014 to drill a second Spanish Point appraisal well, frac-test the original Spanish Point appraisal well and drill the first ranked exploration prospect.”

The cost of drilling two explorations wells on the Spanish Point field is likely to run to between € 80 million and € 100 million.

Chrysaor now own a 62 per cent share of the exploration licence for both the Spanish Point and Burren fields. Irish company Providence Resources’ share of the license has been diluted to 32 per cent while Sosina Exploration also owns an 8 per cent stake.

Providence, who held a majority share of the licence when interest in the “Clare” fields was reignited in 2007, told The Clare People at the time that they would not be bringing any gas on shore in Clare.

Chrysaor have not indicated how they intend to bring the gas and oil ashore.

Latest estimates indicate that Spanish Point contains about 200 million barrels of oil equivalent, with peak production estimated to be 70,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

This is estimated to be enough gas to fill Ireland’s entire domestic gas need for the next 50 years.

Gas and a small amount of oil was discovered in the field in 1981 but was deemed to be too difficult to recover at the time.

However, with increases in gas prices and improvements in exploration techniques, the prospect is now thought to be profitable. A c o n sist e n t we e k o f sin g le – fig u re t e m p e ra t u re s b u t n o re a l fre e ze . Ne xt we e k lo o ks sim ila r. No Wh it e Ch rist m a s o n t h e c a rd s t h is ye a r 🙁

AN Bórd Pleanála has determined that issues raised with it regarding a contentious wall across a contested right of way have been dealt with previously.

James McNulty had asked the planning appeals board if development works (between the period 20042008) from the end of the public road L61041 across Doonbeg Golf Course to the public beach at Doughmore Bay, Carrowmore, Doonbeg, including the closure obstruction of the established public right of way to Doughmore Beach and the movement and alteration to the natural line of the public vehicular right of way at this location was considered development.

In his submission, the Cree man said he requested a declaration on the question from Clare County Council but had received no declaration.

An Bórd Pleanála concluded that the question being asked had already been dealt with and adjudicated on previously. The report said, due to “the evidence of the site inspection by the Board’s Inspector, where no works are apparent, it is considered that the substance of the case have already been determined and any further question has not been clearly articulated to enable the formulation of a determination.

“In deciding not to request further clarity in the matter, the Board considered that the substantive matter regarding previous works have already been dealt with,” it concluded.

A decision was made in May 2010, to a previous submission on the issue by Mr McNulty along with Theresa McNamara of Ballykeelaun House, Parteen. They appealed against a decision by Clare County Council to grant subject to conditions permission to Doonbeg Golf Club Limited for a development comprising retention of a gravel path, a dry stone retaining wall along a section of boundary between the golf course property and a neighbouring property, and the alteration of ground levels over an area of 300 square metres on the golf course to the west of the dry stone retaining wall.

At the time, An Bórd Pleanála upheld the local authority’s decision regarding that gravel path but refused permission for the retention on the contentious “dry stone retaining wall”.

“It is policy of the planning authority, as set out in the West Clare Local Area Plan 2009, to protect public rights-of-way and to keep them free from obstruction. This policy is considered to be reasonable,” the board said in May last year.

THE first standalone plan for Shannon that will be the new blueprint for the growth and development of Clare’s second largest town over the next six years was officially launched at a ceremony in Shannon Airport on Monday.

The Shannon Town & Environs Local Area Plan has been produced by Clare County Council and contains objectives to establish a strong and vibrant town centre, maximise the potential from Shannon’s location on the Estuary, increase the town’s tourism potential and establish Shannon as a low carbon town.

It also provides sufficient zoned land to cater for an increase in the current population of 9,673 to a target population of 11,972 by 2017.

Meanwhile, the plan has anticipated proposals for the development of an aviation services hub at Shannon airport by zoning a 2000-acre landbank around the airport.

The area covered by the plan includes the town of Shannon, Shannon International Airport, Shannon Free zone, Smithstown, Westpark and some adjoining hinterland, including Hurlers Cross.

The launch of the plan, which was an objective of the existing Clare County Development Plan, has been welcomed by the Mayors of Shannon and Clare.

Town Mayor Michael Fleming described the plan as a “unique blueprint” for the future economic and social development of the town and surrounding community, while Senior Planner at Clare County Council, Gordon Daly said “implementing this plan by working with all those who have an interest in Shannon is now the priority for the council”.

“While Shannon’s importance as an aviation hub and as a significant employment centre is recognised in its designation as one of nine Gateways along with Limerick in the National Spatial Strategy, the council is keen to stress that the plan is also one for the town itself and the people who live there. The council is particularly pleased that the final plan is the result of the high level of engagement received from the people of Shannon during the plan making process.”

“For the first time since the town was established during the 1960s, clear objectives to establish Shannon as a tourism destination in its own right have been set out,” he stated.

“Amongst the objectives is the development of an aviation museum at Shannon Airport, as well as improved aircraft viewing point. The aim is to build on existing facilities such as Atlantic Air Venture and Ballycasey Craft and Design Centre.

“The plan also identifies a site at Illaunagowan point on the Shannon estuary close to the centre of the town for a potential tourist/interpretative development associated with the Shannon Estuary,” he added.

CLARE County Council is to make a submission to the Electoral Commission in an effort to retain the current local authority boundaries and save the North Clare or Ennistymon Area of the local authority.

A joint motion put forward by three councillors from West, North and East Clare at last night’s December meeting of Clare County Council requested that the council lobby the Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan (FG), to have some flexibility in how the electoral areas of Clare are divided, in an effort to ensure that the five traditional electoral boundaries in Clare are allowed to continue in their current form.

While no formal decision has yet been made, it is likely that the Ennistymon Local Area and the West Clare Local Area will be amalgamated, while the East Clare, Ennis and Shannon Electoral Areas will remain. The criteria for deciding on the number of councillors who represent each area has also been changed but it is not clear as yet whether this will mean a reduction in the overall number of councillors.

The motion was put forward jointly by West Clare Cllr PJ Kelly (FF), North Clare Cllr Richard Nagle (FF) and East Clare Cllr Joe Cooney (FG).“If this goes ahead, it seems that the Ennistymon Area council would be a prime candidate for abolition. I think that we need to make the submission and hope for the best,” said Cllr Nagle. Cllr Kelly said that a “small bit of flexibility” by the Minister for the Environment would result in a a situation that was “not too different from what it is like at the moment”.

Speaking on the motion, North Clare Cllr Joe Arkins (FG) said that the local areas of the council represent different community blocks in Clare and should not be altered.

“An electoral area should be a community area – Ennistymon has very little in common with Kilrush and probably even less in common with East Clare,” he said.

CARERS from all over Clare took to the streets of Ennis on Friday, following an impromptu meeting through Facebook, to raise their concerns about budgetary cuts to the Respite Care Allowance.

Among the 40 to 50 people that took part in the protest were parents of young children with disabilities, older parents of adults with special needs and full-time carers of the elderly.

All had one clear message – the cut to the respite grant was the last cut they could even contemplate bearing on top of all the previous hardships they had endured in previous budgets.

One of the organisers, Niamh Daly (pictured above), said the protest organised in Dublin by the Carers Association was an indication at how upset people were but, as most carers cannot travel to protest, the carers of Clare decided to have their say on their own streets.

“Carers cannot all get to Dublin but, at the end of the day, we have to have our voice heard,” she said.

Many more Clare carers were unable to attend the protest as the people they care for are house-bound and therefore could not come to Ennis.

It is not just the cut to the respite grant, however, that is affecting Clare’s carers. Family carers, providing unpaid care to family members and loved ones, have been seri- ously affected through the number of cumulative cuts, including the cut to the Household Benefit Package, increases to the prescription charge from 50 cent to € 1.50, the new carbon tax on fuel and the drug payment scheme threshold increase from € 132 to € 144.

The Carers Association said it was extremely disappointed with the level of reduction of over 19 per cent in the respite grant paid to over 77,000 family carers, 20,000 of whom receive no other support from the State for providing full-time care for a family member from their own resources.

The grant is designed to be used by carers to buy in home care or pay for residential respite care for the cared-for person in order to give the carer a much needed break from their caring role.

However, The Clare People has learnt that many carers are using this grant to pay for necessary therapies and services for those they are caring for.

A TEENAGE actress with very strong North Clare connections has had her big international television break playing the role of an abducted girl in a drama reminiscent of the Madeleine McCann disappearance.

Fourteen-year-old Lauryn Canny, whose mother Nicola comes from Corofin, has been wowing audiences all over Europe with her performance in the four-part mini-series Amber.

The series, which has been commissioned by RTÉ but has yet to be broadcast, has been shown in a number of countries across Europe and as far afield as Australia. The drama tells the story of Dublin teenager Amber Bailey and the attempts made by her family and friends to find her.

Lauryn is currently in Morocco where she is shooting her first feature film alongside Juliette Binoche.

“That was her breakthrough role. It was commissioned by RTÉ but they haven’t shown it yet. She always wanted to be an actress. She never went to stage schools or anything like that but just because of her personality people always said that she was going to end up on the stage,” said Lauryn’s mother, Nicola.

“She absolutely loves it. She’s trying to find the balance between doing this and keeping up with school work as well. But her dream is to be a professional actor and do this for a living. She flew off to Morocco on Friday to be in a film with Juliet Binoche entitled 1,000 Times a Night . Lauryn is actually playing one of the lead roles – she is playing Juliet Binoche’s daughter. U2 drummer Larry Mullen is also in the film.”

Along with their Corofin connections, the Cannys also have a number of relations in the Shannon area.

“We come to Clare a good bit. We celebrated Lauryn getting the role down with my nan in Corofin, Lauryn’s great-grandmother. We found out that she got the role on Friday night and we all headed off to Clare for a big family night on the Saturday,” continued Nicola.

CLARE Green Party councillor, Brian Meaney has suggested that the Clare County Development Plan be changed to allow for fracking to take place, but only if it undertaken by a member of the local community.

The suggestion was made at last night’s December meeting of Clare County Council following a motion by the Green Party councillor concerning the status of a ban on fracking, which was asked for by the elected members of Clare County Council earlier this year.

In response to this motion, Ger Dollard, Director of Services with Clare County Council, said that it was not within the legal remit covered by the County Development Plan to place an outright ban on any activity – or any “crude exclusionary policy”.

Cllr Meaney then suggested that instead of introducing a ban on fracking, the council could take a “more creative” approach to the issue and change the County Development Plan to allow for fracking, but only by Clare people.

“We really don’t have a lot of power to change our own County Development Plan in order to reflect the needs of the elected members,” said Cllr Meaney.

“There is an awful lot going on with the energy companies. They are building up a reasonable expectation that they are going to be able to exploit this gas. The EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] and the European Commission still have not taken a proper look at whether this can be extracted properly. We still don’t know how people are going to be affected by this most intrusive of activities.”

In his response, Mr Dollard also said that there was no “hesitancy” from Clare County Council to deal with the fracking situation in the Clare Basin.

“The council will keep the matter under review and monitor progress at national level on the assessment of the issues and report back to the elected members in due curse,” he said.

“The council can be assured that there is no hesitancy on the part of the planning authority but any proposal must accord with law and be based on any national guidance on the issue.”

After successful test in West Clare, UK based company Enegi Oil confirmed last week that it intends to apply for a fracking license from the Department of energy next year.

CHAIRPERSON of the Shannon Airport Business Development Task Force, Rose Hynes, confirmed yesterday that negotiations are at an advanced stage with Ryanair, but admitted that the airport should not be beholden to Michael O’Leary.

Speaking at last night’s meeting of Clare County Council, which was hosted by Shannon Airport, Ms Hynes confirmed that talks were ongoing with a number of carriers, including Ryanair.

The Bellharbour native, who is expected to head up the new company which will manage Shannon Airport and Shannon Development from January of 2013, also confirmed that the local property of Shannon Development, and its rental income, will be folded into the new company in July of next year.

“We have spoken to many airlines and Ryanair is one of them. Ryanair is the largest airline in Europe and they are right on our doorstep. We haven’t concluded a deal but we have to grow our numbers. We are talking to a number of airlines and the interest has been high. One does not want to be beholdant to Ryanair, that is a dangerous place to be.

“Before July 1 of 2013, the lands of Shannon Airport and their rental income will transfer to the new company. The airport is starting off with funding facilities available to us. I’m not going to get into the numbers but there will be openings for us.”

Responding to questions from councillors at last night’s meeting, Ms Hynes also confirmed that keeping Aer Rianta International as part of the new Shannon Airport organisation was never within the remit of the Task Force.

“It wasn’t a negotiation – the government own all the assets and it [Aer Rianta International] was not on the table. It wasn’t a case of trading one thing off against another,” she said.

Current Director of Shannon Airport, Mary Considine said that the rights of staff at the airport will be protected under the transfer.

“We have gone through a period of consultation with ICTU but we have also been talking to people here on the ground – they are the people who will ultimately deliver this change for us and we need to be conscience of that,” she said.

“There are some worries among staff members but it is important to stress that their terms and conditions will be the same after the separation.”

FOUR people suspected of involvement in dissident republican activity arrested in Clare on Wednesday were released without charge.

Three men and one woman aged in their late 20s and 40s were arrested as part of a planned Garda search operation.

They are all detained under the pro- visions of Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939, at various stations in County Clare.

The search took place in premises in Ennis, Shannon, and East Clare.

It is understood items such as paramilitary style clothing and laptops were also recovered in the searches.

The four were released at various stages on Thursday from Garda Stations in Shannon, Ennis, Killaloe and Ennistymon.

Files are being prepared for the DPP.