Author: admin

A MAJORITY of members of Clare County Council have voted in favour of re-zoning an 80-acre tract of land at Stonehall near Newmarket on Fergus that could facilitate the development of a large-scale renewable energy plant in the area.

A total of 17 councillors voted against an amendment proposed by Fianna Fáil councillor Pat McMahon that called for the E3 enterprise zoning site to be removed from the draft Shannon Town and Environs Development Plan 2014-18. 12 councillors voted for the amendment.

Developers Carbon Sole Group have proposed developing a 70MW Combined Heat and Power (CHP) facility at Stonehall.

The proposal is strongly opposed by locals in the area who have voiced concerns over the safety and suitability of the proposal.

A large crowd of people living and working in the Stonehall area attended last Wednesday’s council meeting.

In putting forward the amendment, Cllr McMahon said a renewable energy development could be better facilitated in Shannon Industrial Estate.

He said the proposed power plant would be 43 stories high while three to four trucks would carry fuel to the plant every hour. Cllr McMahon said the proposal represents “an attack on the local community”.

He added, “Nobody that I’ve met is against enterprise but it has to be in the right location.”

Senior planner Gordon Daly set out the reasoning behind the proposal to zone Stonehall for renewable energy developments.

He said the area has good infrastructure, is physically suitable and is relatively unpopulated.

He said the Council had placed a strong emphasis on being pro-enterprise. Mr Daly said this approach “would not be worth anything unless you give it effect”.

He added, “We do believe it is more appropriate to zone more enterprise land in Shannon.”

Mr Daly said the area had been targeted specifically for renewable energy development in order to prevent a migration of businesses from the industrial estate.

He said the area could become a cluster for renewable energy industries.

Mr Daly told the meeting that at a time when the farming industry is under pressure, raw materials for renewable energy plants would be sourced locally.

Responding to suggestions that such developments would be better suited to the existing industrial estate, Mr Daly said there isn’t 80 acres of land in the free zone with characteristics similar to the Stonehall site.

Mr Daly said the planning application process would deal with concerns with regard to any future developments at the site.

He said, “Zoning is not a fait accompli for planning permission.”

He added, “We would recommend in the strongest possible terms to retain this zoning…It would be an opportunity missed for this county.”

Fine Gael councillor Sean McLoughlin supported the zoning of lands at Stonehall. He said if industry is not attracted to Shannon, emigration would become an even bigger problem than it already is. “I want jobs for Shannon,” he said.

THE top official with Clare County Council has rejected suggestions that the local authority entered into a “deal” when it met with the backers of proposed power plant in Stonehall 15 months ago.

County manager Tom Coughlan was responding to comments made by Fianna Fáil councillor PJ Kelly at last week’s council meeting.

Cllr Kelly asked if the council had entered into a “quasi contractual arrangement” when it met Carbon Sole Group, the developers behind a proposed Combined Heat and Power facility at Stonehall. “Did we walk into a trap here?” he added.

Mr Coughlan said he totally refuted any suggestion that the council entered into a deal with developers or investors.

He said the council had met with the backers of the Lynx Cargo facility in Shannon and had met other potential investors.

He said the council is always interested in job creation initiatives but added that the local authority “do not compromise on planning”.

He said any meeting with inves- tors or companies is aimed at getting “badly needed jobs” into Clare.

Senior planner Gordon Daly had earlier told the meeting that his first contact with the developer occurred 15 months.

He said the council regularly met with people on enterprise related matters and are “very clear on why we meet them”.

He said the council “had nothing to hide” and that he was “entirely comfortable” with his role in the meeting.

Mr Daly was responding to questions from Cllr PJ Ryan who also asked if the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) had made contact with the council over the rezoning of land at Stonehall proposal.

Mr Daly said the DAA had made a submission welcoming the proposal.

“Ye’d be disappointed if we did not have a good relationship with bodies in Shannon,” he added.

Director of Service Ger Dollard said there are no development proposals for Stonehall before the council.

However he said that it is important that the council show it is “serious about enterprise and renewable energy”.

THE Clare TD who admitted his party had its eye off the ball when it came to the first Lisbon Treaty will be hoping that his team is playing as one in the run up to the Fiscal Stability Treaty referendum as he receives the captain’s arm band.

Fianna Fáil’s Timmy Dooley has been appointed Director of Elections for the May 31 referendum by party leader Deputy Michéal Martin.

The Clare TD will now be hoping that his home constituency will fol- low in the tradition of previous European referenda and return a yes vote.

The Banner county had the largest acceptance on the western seaboard of the second Lisbon Referendum with 72.3 per cent vote in favour of the referendum.

It was also one of the few counties to support the first Lisbon referendum.

Deputy Dooley admitted at the time that the FF focus wasn’t total: “There was a lot going on within the Fianna Fáil organisation on the occasion (of Lisbon 1.)”

This time around, the Fianna Fáil party leader has entrusted the Clare TD with a strong yes campaign for the Fiscal Stability Treaty.

“Timmy, as a member of the SubCommittee on the Stability Treaty, has been making a constructive and positive contribution to the debate so far and I have no doubt he will continue to add to the standard of the debate in the weeks ahead,” said Mr Martin.

The newly appointed Director of Elections has been critical of the current Fine Gael-Labour Government’s approach to the referendum.

He said, “The debate in the Dáil and public comments by ministers show that the government is presenting the Treaty as part of its economic recovery plans.

‘This is a foolish approach almost designed to turn away people who support the Treaty but do not endorse the government’s strategies.

“Allied to the fact that the Government has abandoned past practice of active coordination with other proEU parties and a picture is developing of a government more committed to getting a political boost than maximising the chances of a large yes vote,” said Deputy Dooley.

A NEW strategy aimed at guiding the way for future retail development in Ennis will be launched in the town tonight. The retail commitment document has been drawn up by members of Ennis Development Forum.

Rita McInerney of Ennis Chamber of Commerce explained, “It’s a vision document for the town. It follows on from the support we got for our submission on the proposed development on the Limerick Road. The Ennis Development Forum wanted to take a more positive approach. It’s giving businesses something to commit to for the future of retail in the town. It’s still in its early stages.”

Details of the retail document will be outlined at an event for local businesses in the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis tonight.

‘Boosting the bottom line for retailers’ will focus on the retail industry. The event is organised by Ennis Chamber of Commerce.

The meeting will also discuss a recent survey carried out by Retail Excellence Ireland to determine the impact the Tesco Extra opening of twelve months ago had on the viability and vitality of Naas town centre.

A total of 81 retailers were surveyed and asked key questions on whether any decline could be attributed to the opening of the new out-of-town Tesco Extra.

The results indicated that 94 per cent of the surveyed businesses experienced decrease in their turnover with nearly half of those decreasing in business by more than 15 per cent. All of the respondents indicated that up to a third of the decline was directly caused by the opening of the new Tesco Extra.

At least 56 retail jobs have been lost among the 81 stores surveyed since the opening of the new development – that is 70 per cent of the town centre stores suffered job losses.

Ennis Chamber, Ennis Development Forum and the Ennis Street Associations recently made submissions to the An Bord Pleananla appeal by developers for a comparable size 70,000 square foot Tesco on the outskirts of Ennis.

Patrick (Paddy) McNAMARA
of Clonkett, Cranny. Peacefully at home. Funeral mass at St Mary’s Church, Cranny onTuesday at 11 o’clock. Burial afterwards in Kildysart Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Patrick, (Paddy) O’RIORDAN
of 7 Cullina, Ballina. Peacefully at Limerick Regional Hospital. Funeral mass onTuesday at Our Lady and St Lua’s Church, Ballina at 11.30am. Burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Johanna GARVEY, nee Kearse
of 5A Cooper’s Place, Ennis (formerly of Cahermurphy, Kilmihil). Funeral mass onTuesday at 11 o’clock with burial afterwards in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Colm CASEY
of Beachpark, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Gerard CORBETT
of Ardnacrusha, late of Mulgrave Street. RequiemMass onTuesday at 11amat Truagh Church, with cremation afterwards in Newlands Cross Crematorium. May he rest in peace.

Mairead O’DONNELL, (née Molony)
of Bridge Street, Scariff. In her 93rd year. Laid to rest in the newcemetery, Moynoe. May she rest in peace.

James SHANNON
of Killenagh Ennistymon. Laid to rest in Killenagh cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Kieran BARRY
of Ennis Road,Tulla. Laid to rest inTulla.

Peter FINNEGAN
27 St Senan’s Road, Ennis, Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Ann FOGARTY, (née Hayes)
of Carrowcraheen,Tubber. Late of Newmarket on Fergus and Quin. Laid to rest in Blakemount Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Mortimer (Murt) GUTHRIE
of Loughville, Lahinch Road, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Seamus BOLAND
of Killaloe, Clare. Formerly of Kilbane, Broadford. Suddenly. Laid to rest in Reilig Lua, Killaloe. May he rest in peace.

Patrick McNAMARA
of Ardane, Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge. Laid to rest in Kilmurry Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Nora (Norrie) POWER
of 3 Considine’sTerrace, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Josie McGRATH, (née Ryan)
of Derry, Barefield, Ennis, formerly of Glenbane, Lattin,Tipperary. In her 90th year. Laid to rest in Lattin,Tipperary. May she rest in peace.

Francie MORGAN
of Bannagher, Dysart, Maurices Mills. Laid to rest in Dysart Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

CLARE County Council is examining eight unfinished housing estates in Clare where they believe that safety and security has become an issue. The local authority revealed at last night’s meeting of Clare County Council that it has written to a number of developers and financial institutions reminding them of their responsibility to ensure the safety of their developments. The local authority has also confirmed that it now believes that half of the county’s Category 4 ‘ghost’ estates no longer fall into this category, the worst category of estates. According to the local authority, only three of the six housing devel- opments that have been classified by the Department of the Environment as unfinished and developer-abandoned, or Category 4 estates, should still be in the category. The council say that they intend to contact the Department of the Environment and inform them of their opinion on this. Speaking at last night’s meeting of Clare County Council, Director of Services, Ger Dollard said that the local authority is deploying “quite a lot of resources” to the issue of the Category 4 developments and said that safety was the responsibility of the developer. He was responding to a joint motion put forward by Cllr John Crowe (FG) and Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) which asked for details on the condition of so-called ghost estates in the county. “It is the responsibiity of the property owner, developer or receivers to ensure that the site is secure and safe,” said a council spokesperson. “The council has written to developers and receivers with housing developments on the unfinished list, explaining to them their responsibilities in relation to the safety of the site.” Speaking on last night’s motion, Cllr John Crowe said that some Clare estates were in a “very, very bad condition”. “There are estates which are not even one quarter finished and no place for children to play in. There are open drains and other dangers,” he said.

A ONGOING mystery involving the suspected finding of a rare Narwhal stranding in Liscannor Bay, was resolved yesterday with new photographic evidence revealing that it carcass removed by Clare County Council belonged to a long-finned pilot whale, and not its rare Arctic cousin.

The Kilrush based Irish Whale and Dolphin Group yesterday published new photograph of the mammal beached on Clohane strand near Liscannor last month. The photographs, which were supplied to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group by Brian and Teresa Kelly, confirmed that the mammal found in Liscannor was not a Narwhal.

In a statement, the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group said the Clare County Council has received “unfair” criticism about their actions in removing the whale.

“The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group were always skeptical that the whale was a Narwhal, a species nev- er previously recorded in Ireland. We record over 150 strandings per annum, making it unlikely that in missing this one, that we’d miss a species new to Ireland,” said the statement.

“Over the last few weeks there has been a lot of discussion, especially locally as to what had happened to the whale, and why Clare County Council removed it without reporting it to the IWDG.

“Clare County Council have received unfair criticism of their actions and we hope they will continue to be supportive of the IWDG by re- porting stranded cetaceans to IWDG before disposal.”

The Narwhal is a medium-sized whale that lives year round in the freezing waters within the Arctic Circle.

The whale is recognisable because of a single tusk, which all male Narwhals possess. There has never been a confirmed sighting of a Narwhal in Irish waters.

So far in 2012, four pilot whale have beached on waters along the Clare coast, with 16 washing up along the Irish Atlantic coast.

MEMBERS of Clare County Council last night agreed that Aer Lingus had treated the people who use Shannon Airport as second-class citizens, after passengers were left stranded when their plane was rerouted to accommodate a DublinBoston flight.

Cllr Sean McLoughlin (FG) told the meeting that on March 29, 187 passengers were about to board a flight at Shannon for Boston when they were told there was a technical difficulty with the plane.

It emerged, however, that two of the flight’s “VIP passengers” were then flown to Dublin on the plane and the plane was used for the Dublin-Boston flight.

Cllr McLoughlin said that, on March 30, the plane was then used to take the remaining 185 stranded passengers to Boston, a day later than scheduled.

“Aer Lingus are treating people who use Shannon Airport as second-class citizens and have been doing so for years. I, for one, will be glad to see the back of the Dublin Airport Authority out of Shannon,” he said.

He called for the council to write to Christopher Mueller, CEO of Aer Lingus, “to ask him to stop the Aer Lingus practice of cancelling flights from or to Shannon and use the Shannon plane to fly to or from Dublin, when the Dublin plane is out of action.”

Cllr Joe Arkins (FG) said he used the airport on March 30 and was made aware of what had happened.

“It is an indictment of how Aer Lingus looks at Shannon Airport in the first place and Clare secondly,” he said.

He said the county manager and mayor of Clare should write to Aer Lingus and “point out how slighted they feel by the treatment of County Clare and the passengers using the airport.”

Shannon councillor Cllr Patricia McCarthy (IND) said the national airline treated Shannon with contempt and it could not be allowed to continue.

Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) raised concerns that incidents like this erode the confidence of the travelling public.

THE family of a Clarecastle Christian Brother accused on RTÉ of child abuse while serving a missionary in Africa have renewed their call for the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) for an inquiry to be launched by the Minister for Communications, Pat Rabbitte.

This demand for justice for Brother Gerard Dillon has been sounded out in the wake of the leaking of the BAI report into RTÉ’s defaming of Galway priest, Fr Kevin Reynolds, in the Primetime Investigates ‘Mission to Prey’ programme.

This programme also aired a claim by South African man Tyrne Selmon that he was abused by Brother Dillon.

Amanda Dillon, a grand-niece of Brother Dillon who died in 2005, has said there needs to be a full investigation into the research carried out by RTÉ.

She also reiterated her family’s call on the State broadcaster to provide evidence of the accusations made against Brother Dillon.

“We’ve had no solid evidence come back to us about how they managed to source this abused person who has never made his allegation in the public domain ever before, nor to the school, nor to the brothers, nor to the police.

“That allegation has just never, ever been made,” said Ms Dillon.

A spokesperson for the BAI has said it is “in correspondence with the family” and “it doesn’t comment on the correspondence as it relates to the families only”.

However, the Dillon family have been told that their complaint would not be investigated because it was made over 30 days after the RTÉ programme was broadcast last year.

“To not look at our complaint on the basis of what we would perceive as a small technicality, that really doesn’t feel fair and doesn’t seem balanced against the huge fallout from the programme,” said Ms Dillon.

THE first meeting of Ireland’s newest political party, The Irish Citizens Party, will take place in Ennis in the coming weeks.

The party, which was founded last week by West Clare man, Jim Connolly, has styled itself as a humanitarian party which promises a number of “radical ideas” on how to approach the future of Ireland.

Mr Connolly, who has ran both as an Independent and Labour candi- date in previous elections, says he will not be putting his name forward for election again, but says that he hopes to have a number of candidates in Clare and other counties in time for the local election in 2014.

“I will extend an open invitation to everyone who wants to attend that meeting. There will be no membership fees charged, nothing like that. The meeting will be about throwing the idea of the party around and seeing what people think of it,” he said.

“I need people to get involved for this to progress. This is entirely peo- ple-orientated but there are a lot of radical proposals to it that people may need time to absorb.

“In my view, there is no alternative but to go back to basic humanitarian values, and a system based on rules that the people are happy to live under. I have decided to launch this party long in advance of any election. I have declared that I will not be running again for politics. I think there is need for this party, but it is the party itself that will select the candidates and I won’t be one of them.

“What I am bringing is the drive to set it up but also I have a track record for setting up organisations that work. This is not for financial gain or any other motivation like that; this is about me trying to respond to what is going on in Ireland over the next few years, however long I am alive. I want to combat what has been happened and where it is going.”

Mr Connolly, who is also the founder of the Rural Resettlement Ireland and the man behind the Open Fairs – which are designed to promote new small businesses – believes that his party can spread beyond Clare before the 2014 local election.

“Democracy starts at a local level but I have seen how quickly an idea can spread. The Open Fairs have spread so quickly, due largely to the internet, and they are now taking place throughout the country. We are in a new era and things can happen faster and bigger than ever before. We are talking about this in Ennis today but there is no question that this can be talked about in Donegal or Dublin next week,” said Mr Connolly.

INDEPENDENT thinkers such as Ann Cronin, Madeline McAleer and Sarah Ferrigan would be welcomed into the newly formed Irish Citizens Party, according to party founder Jim Connolly.

Mr Connolly, who secured 978 firstpreference votes in last year’s general election, says that he would welcome the inclusion of anyone in the Irish Citizen’s Party but he hopes especially to give a voice to groups that currently lack political leadership.

“It is possible that a lot of the candidates [who ran in the 2011 General Election in Clare] would have similar views to the ones set out for the Irish Citizens Party. This party is open to everybody. I think if you look into it, you’ll find that the current political system does not give a voice to a lot of different groups and we would hope to address that,” said Mr Connolly.

“I think one of the great scandals of my lifetime is the tens of thousands of people who are locked into urban disadavantage and the endless cycle of despair and are never ever given a political voice. These people would be more than welcome in the party. I want it to cater to every group. There is no party in Ireland based on humanitarian principles and that is the gap that I wish to fill.”

According to Jim, one of the main motivations for setting up the party is to make Ireland better for his eight grandchildren, all of whom live in rural West Clare.

“I set up organisations that have involved thousands of people and brought thousands of people to live in the West of Ireland. But also, I have eight grandchildren who are now living out in West Clare; they are the people I am living for. They are the people who make me want to try and build a better Ireland,” he continued.

“I think you need to try. If you sit back and complain, then you have lost before you start. If you say no, maybe you are avoiding the possibility of failing down the line but you’re also making sure that nothing will change. If you say yes to something, then something may happen.”