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STAFF shortages, overcrowding and continuous cuts have resulted in “dangerous conditions” for patients and staff at Ennis General Hospital.

Early last week one nurse was left alone to care for 22 acutely ill patients in the county hospital, while care assistants replaced nurses in vital areas of care. The under pressure staff are also dealing with overcrowding at the hospital, as 12 to 15 patients are regularly cared for over-night in the medical assessment unit.

Nursing staff have to be taken from other wards to care for patients in the unit, which was added as part of the hospital reconfiguration programme and is supposed to be closed at night. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Association described the situation as unacceptable stating “this level of care is dangerous for patients.”

Sources close to staff at the hospital told The Clare People that they are concerned for patients and frustrated that they do not have the time to care for patients the way they should and would like to.

INMO Industrial Relations Officer, Mary Fogarty explained there is an acute shortage of nursing staff at the Ennis hospital since the monitorium was put in place. This has been exacerbated by recent retirements.

“We are very concerned about the standard of care across the system,” she said. While the staffing freeze does not allow vacant nursing posts to be replaced, the HSE is employing care assistants through an agency at € 12 per hour in an attempt to fill the widening staffing gap.

“While care staff have a vital role to play they cannot replace nurses. They do not have the education or experience,” she said.

Ms Fogarty was also critical of the reconfiguration process that took 25 beds out of Ennis General Hospital without having replacement infrastructure in place. “This is a very inefficient way of managing,” she said.

TWO West Clare women are setting up a support group for people suffering from the little known condition fibromyalgia.

The condition, which is on the arthritis spectrum, affects people physically, mentally and socially.

Support from other people with the condition is essential for those who believe they are suffering alone, and up until now no such support group has existed in the county.

When Doonbeg woman Bernie Sexton was diagnosed with the condition she had never heard of it before.

She believes it affected her for many years before she sought treatment and then took another year for doctors to diagnose fibromyalgia. Ms Sexton explained that it is a very difficult condition to diagnose as it does not present in blood tests or x-rays.

It is also a very individual condition affecting everyone differently.

This can make it very difficult to explain to others and for others to sympathise she said.

Chronic pains in the muscles, fatigue, sleep problems, and painful tender points are just some of the symptoms that affect those with the condition.

Bernie’s symptoms made it difficult for her to continue working so she retrained as a librarian, a job she finds allows her to move when she needs to and sit when it is required.

“I found when I was diagnosed I was very isolated. I would have loved to have had a group in the early days,” she said. Bernie was not alone in her belief that a support group was needed in the county.

Margaret Labrum was having the same idea and together the women are setting up the West Clare fibromyalgia support group, which will service the whole county.

Ms Labrum, who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2008, said the support group would not only raise awareness of the condition but also provide information, support and shared experiences among members.

She said for many people at the beginning it feels like they are going insane, as their symptoms don’t add up. She like many with fibromyalgia, has chronic pain, which can prevent her from living her life the way she would like.

“You can go at that level for a while and be fine and then something triggers a flair up and the pain is too much to carry on.”

The first meeting of the group will take place at 11am in the Kilrush Family Resource Centre on April 19 and all are welcome to attend. Further information is available from the founders of the group on 087 838 3499 or 087 6528769.

THREE people are due to appear in court in Ennis tomorrow in relation to their alleged roles in an incident at a primary school in the town last Tuesday.

Conor Mahon (21), Rose Mahon (22) and Laura Molloy (21) are charged with alleged offences arising out of an incident at the Holy Family Junior School, Station Road, Ennis on March 20.

All three appeared before Ennis District Court last Wednesday.

Conor Mahon, of Ballaghboy, Quin Road, Ennis, is charged with possession of a slash hook at the school contrary to the firearms and offensive weapons act and with engaging in threatening and, or, abusive behaviour.

Conor Mahon’s wife, Rose Mahon, a mother of two, also of Ballaghboy, Quin Road, Ennis, is charged with causing € 1, 500 worth of damage to the windows of a vehicle belonging to Thomas Sherlock on Station Road.

Her sister, Laura Molloy, of 21 An Pairc, Bruach na hAbhainn, Ennis, is also charged with causing € 1, 500 worth of damage to the windows of a vehicle belonging to Thomas Sherlock on Station Road.

Both sisters are also charged with provoking a breach of the peace.

Garda Trevor Shannon gave evi- dence of arrest, charge and caution in respect of Conor and Rose Mahon. Garda Bríd Troy gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in respect of Laura Molloy.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that the State were objecting to bail for all three accused on a number of grounds.

Judge Patrick Durcan refused bail applications for Conor Mahon and Laura Molloy.

They were remanded in custody to appear at Ennis District Court on March 28.

He granted bail to Rose Mahon subject to a number of conditions. She was ordered not to have any direct or indirect contact with a named family; to stay away from the Holy Family School, environs, staff and students; stay away from certain housing estates in Ennis; reside at Ballaghboy, Quin Road, Ennis; observe a curfew from 9pm to 7am and to sign on twice weekly at Ennis Garda Station.

Judge Durcan remanded Rose Mahon on bail to appear in Ennis District Court on March 28.

A YOUNG driver who admitted speeding in the Gallows Hill area of Ennis last summer has been ordered to pay money to the disabled driver’s association.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Daniel Nesbitt (19) with an address at 15 Old Military Barracks, Kilrush Road, Ennis, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving a vehicle without due care or attention.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that a resident in the Gallows Hill area of Ennis observed Nesbitt driving in the area on August 15, 2011.

Insp Kennedy said a complaint was made regarding speeding, breaking and handbrake turns. He said the accused was subsequently interviewed and admitted his wrongdoing to Gardaí.

The court heard that Nesbitt has no previous convictions.

Solicitor Tara Godfrey described her client as someone who is easily impressed by people performing stunts in cars.

She said Nesbitt had been advised that he could lose his license as a result.

Ms Godfrey said her client is a “high-spirited car enthusiasts who didn’t realise the full implications of his actions”.

Judge Patrick Durcan described Nesbitt as being “all gearbox and no brain box”.

“He needs to wake up quickly,” he added.

Judge Durcan ordered Nesbitt to pay € 350 to the disabled driver’s association by May 2.

He added, “He better wake up quickly. This kind of carry on will not be tolerated.”

THE committee responsible for Traveller accommodation is to recommend that Clare County Council not build any more Traveller accommodation units in the county.

The Chairman of the Council’s Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee (TAAC) confirmed yesterday that the recommendation would go before next month’s meeting of the local authority.

Green Party councillor Brian Meaney told a meeting of councillors in the Ennis West Electoral Area that the TAAC has proposed not to go ahead with the recommendations contained in the Traveller Accom- modation Plan.

Cllr James Breen (Ind) said the Council should not provide any more Traveller accommodation until all existing units are in use.

Responding to questions, Cllr Meaney said there are ongoing efforts to ensure “mandated attendance” by Travellers at meetings of the TAAC. The recommendation follows a report released last October that showed that the council spent € 20 million on Traveller accommodation over the past 10 years. The council has invested in 10 group housing schemes and one temporary site in the county that were put in place over three Traveller accommodation programmes since 2000.

The report showed that the council incurred high security costs on the Beechpark group scheme in Ennis, which was the subject of criminal damage and remains the subject of threat and intimidation since 2010.

The report states that a total of five units of accommodation had been destroyed by arson attack in the previous 22 months (Beechpark, Ashline, Ballymaley).

In a motion at yesterday’s meeting, Cllr Meaney called for members of the Traveller community living on an illegal encampment in Barefield to allow and elderly ill member of their community to take up housing allocated to her. The Barefield encampment is currently the subject of legal proceedings by Clare County Council.

AMID the controversy about the controversial route of the Limerick Northern Distributor Road, Clare County Council has this week revealed that it is to publish a report outlining why it cuts straight through Clonlara and Parteen.

The Draft Constraints Report on the 10k road that will link Coonagh with the Parteen/Ardnacrusha area before crossing the Shannon to the University of Limerick will be issued on April 10.

The project is being led by Clare County Council, in conjunction with Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council, with project manager Tom Tiernan revealing that “the publication of a Constraints Study at this point in the consultation process is rare and is not in accordance with guidelines.

“In an effort to ensure residents and public representatives are fully engaged in the consultation process, however, the council has made the decision to release draft constraints information,” he added.

Meanwhile, an additional public consultation meeting in relation to the Limerick Northern Distributor Road goes ahead this Tuesday from 3pm until 8pm in the Raddison Hotel, Ennis Road. The meeting follows on from the decision to extend the closing date for submissions by a period of two months until May 11, 2012.

Information on the emerging Preferred Route Corridor for Phase 2 will be on display with Local Authority personnel and representatives of Roughan & O’Donovan Consulting Engineers available to answer questions. All comments received at the consultation will be recorded and members of the public will be able to make submissions to Clare County Council up to May 11, 2012.

Views expressed during the consultation exercise will be considered in the context of the emerging Preferred Route Corridor for the scheme. Design of the Limerick Northern Distributor Road (Phase 2) will progress based on the corridor to be confirmed following the public consultation process, leading to the publication of an Environmental Impact Statement and Compulsory Purchase Order in due course.

The Draft Constraints Report will be published on April 10 on www. clarecoco.ie, www.lcc.ie and www. limerickcoco.ie. It also will be on display in the Westbury Area Office, Aras Contae an Chláir, Limerick City Hall, Limerick County Hall and Limerick County Council’s Area Office in Annacotty.

CLARE County Council has no plans to send its staff to doorsteps around the county demanding the household charge. According to a spokesperson for the local authority, there are no plans at present to send council staff to collect the controversial tax, as there has been no communication from the Department of Environment and Local Government. It is also unknown how many Clare people have paid or registered to pay the € 100. “There is no figure for the amount paid by the council, other than to say the vast majority of household charge payments made are done online or via the postal system,” the spokesperson said. However, the local authority is giving every chance to the majority of the county’s householders who have yet to pay to meet the March 31 deadline by opening the council offices – Aras Contae and Chláir on Saturday. All owners of residential property in Ireland are liable for the household charge on each residential property they own from January. This includes those properties that are liable for the € 200 charge on Non-Principal Private Residences (NPPR). Owners of Irish residential properties who live outside Ireland are also required to register for and pay the household charge. Householders have until Saturday to pay the € 100 charge, after which financial penalties apply on an increasing basis. The late payment fee to apply in the case of a household charge paid within six months of the due date is 10 per cent or € 10. Later than six months and not later than 12 months after the due date, it rises to 20 per cent of the amount due. With just five days to go, an estimated 1.2 million householders nationally have yet to pay.

PLANS are in place to extend one of West Clare’s tourist and family attractions. Clare County Council is considering ambitious plans to add a museum and craft units to the Vandeleur Walled Gardens.

Under the blueprint for the future of the historical garden, the old stable block on-site is to be re-developed along with a maritime-themed museum and a small number of craft units. It is also proposed to enhance the entrance to the garden and provide an entrance from the main top car park.

All of these ambitious plans will be carried out subject to funding.

“It is expected that these works, if approved, will begin towards the end of the year,” said marketing manager for Kilrush, Siobhan Garvey.

Meanwhile, the Board of Kilrush Amenity Trust Ltd this week made the decision to extend the offer of free entry to the Vandeleur Walled Gardens for the remainder of 2012. Following the success of the free entry trial in August 2011, it was decided to offer free entry again from October 11 to April 12. However, the Board has now agreed to extend this offer further to include all of 2012.

As it is, the Vandeleur Centre complex currently includes a coffee shop selling home-baked treats, breakfast and lunch from 10am to 5pm daily.

The Vandeleur Walled Garden offers a complete range of plants for sale and advice is available at all times from the head gardener and his staff.

Children can follow the ‘butterfly trail’ and play within the live willow structure and garden maze and, for bigger children, there is a life-size chess game on the lawn.

If the plans to extend the facility go ahead, there will be even more to attract families to the tranquil gardens on the outskirts of Kilrush town.

The garden will host an open day on Sunday, April 22 from 1pm to 5pm. This will include a local craft fair, and the head gardener will be on hand to give advice on planting, with special offers on plants sold on the day.

Nora LEAHY
of Rathflynn, Maurice’s Mills. Funeral mass onTuesday at 11 o’clock at Inagh Church with burial after in adjoining cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Kevin O’NEILL
of Ballanacragga, Newmarket-on-Fergus. Late of Carolville, SteelesTerrace, Ennis. Funeral Mass today,Tuesday, at 12 noon in Milford. Burial afterwards in Lemenagh Cemetery, Newmarket-OnFergus. No flowers please. Donations, if desired, to Milford Hospice, Limerick. May he rest in peace.

Ellen MORRISSEY (née Walsh)
of St. Patrick’sTerrace, Kilrush. Formerly of Ballynakea, Quilty,. Laid to rest in Mullagh. Donations, if desired, to Regina House, Kilrush. May she rest in peace.

Patrick (Paddy) CULLIGAN
of Lissycasey. Formerly of Ballycorane, Knock and Brooklyn, NewYork. Laid to rest in Burrane Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

William (Willie) MacNAMARA
of Inagh, Ennis. Laid to rest in Inagh. May he rest in peace.

A UNIQUE event has been organised by a group of Ennis teens to keep alive the spirit of one of their friends who lost her life to cancer.

The ‘C the Bright Side’ Masquerade Fundraiser will celebrate the positive outlook of the late Ciara Conroy while raising funds for the support group CanTeen Ireland.

The brave and inspiring 16-year-old passed away from cancer in 2010.

A young fashionista, Ciara kept a blog inspiring people to C the Bright Side.

When she was diagnosed with cancer, Ciara was supported by CanTeen, a nationwide support group for young people aged 12 to 25 years old who have or have had cancer.

CanTeen organise day and weekend outings throughout the year and provide a much needed supportive social network for teenage cancer patients and survivors.

A member of the organising committee said, “Ciara made many friends through CanTeen and this provided her with an unspoken support system that helped her flourish in times of difficulty and offered her strength.”

Now ten of her friends from Coláiste Mhuire and St Flannan’s College in Ennis have decided to raise awareness and support for this charity in memory of their good friend.

The masquerade fundraiser will take place on April 3, in the West County Hotel, Ennis.

The event will allow those attending to put their best dress or suit on, as it is a formal wear event. Those who don’t have their own masks can get some at the door on the night.

The event is strictly over 16s, with parents, teachers and older friends also invited to attend.

One of the organisers, Doria Orfali, who is Ciara’s cousin, said that there would be a bar sectioned off and available to the adults only on the night.

“Entertainment for both adults and young adults will be provided separately to ensure everyone will enjoy the evening,” she said.

Tickets for the event cost € 25 and are on sale at the Irish Music Shop and the West County Hotel reception.

Special guests and entertainment include popular and upcoming band Hermitage Green, talented singer Clodagh Lawler and Spin South West DJ Eoghain Fitz.

There will also be a casino table as part of the adult entertainment on the night.

Those planning the event are hoping for a night of colour, fashion, fun and laughter – a reflection of the courageous Ciara Conroy.

UP TO 100 jobs, including work in construction, are to be created in the West Clare town of Miltown Malbay in the coming weeks.

Within a six-week timeframe, ground will be broken on the Ennis Road to build the € 4 million SuperValu supermarket and community development for the town.

Included in the development will be the town’s first ever playground.

The much-needed community facility will be provided by the new supermarket owners, John and Claire Jones, as well as a commercial astroturf pitch.

In addition to the 50 to 60 permanent jobs created by the supermarket, further construction jobs will also be created in the next few weeks.

The new development will consist of a 10,000 square supermarket, 140-space car park, relief road for the town, a children’s playground and an astro-turf facility with associated dressing rooms and lighting.

The family behind the plans have 175 years of business experience in the West Clare town.

The Joneses, who currently operates a Centra supermarket at Church Street, Miltown Malbay, are the seventh successive generation of the family to operate a business in the town since 1838.

The new SuperValu supermarket is expected to be open by the end of the year.

Yesterday (Monday), SuperValu announced that it would add approximately 400 jobs over the next year nationally, as five new stores are added to its network over the next 12 months.

The stores will be opened as part of a € 20 million investment programme, which includes the refurbishment and revamping of 30 further stores.

“Despite a tough trading environment, 2011 was a good year for SuperValu, with two billion in retail sales and achieving market share of almost 20 per cent. We serve over two million customers per week and we believe it is our value proposition, our Irish sourcing policy and shoppers’ desire to shop locally in order to support their local communities and local jobs that are driving this success,” said Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, SuperValu.

“SuperValu has 195 stores and is the only retailer with a store in every county. SuperValu remains committed to local employment and sourcing from Irish producers.

“In 2011, the total purchases of Irish goods and services made by SuperValu was worth over € 1.5 billion to the Irish economy, serving to both create and protect almost 30,000 Irish jobs in the farm, food and retail sector,” he said.