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A TOTAL of 26 people retired from Clare County Council during the first two months of the year, according to new figures.

A report presented at yesterday’s meeting of Clare County Council provided a breakdown of the retirements across departments.

There were 20 retirements in transport, water services and environment; two in housing, change management, cultural and emergency services and four in finance, information technology and human resources.

There were no retirements in planning, community, economic development and tourism. The highest number of retirements (17) took place among outdoor staff in the transport, water services and environment section. A total of nine indoor staff retired during January and February.

The figures set out the numbers of staff who retired from the council between January 1 and February 29, 2012.

In a report, deputy county manager Ger Dollard explained, “Only a very small number of retirements actually took place on the day of February 29, 2012, and so to show a more complete picture the retirements over the period January-February 2012 have been included. This is consistent with the projection of staff retirements as set out in the circular letter of February 9, 2012.”

Mr Dollard continued, “The circular letter made reference to efficiency measures already taken and achieved through meaningful consultation within the Framework of the Croke Park Agreement. Further significant change and a wide range of efficiencies must be implemented in the short term to achieve the fundamental public sector reform and structural change, which is now demanded by National Government. This will have to be achieved in the context of the above reduction in human resources and the reducing level of financial resources.”

The figures were compiled in response to a motion submitted by councillors Christy Curtin (Ind), Oliver Garry (FG) and Johnny Flynn (FG).

Cllr Johnny Flynn told the meeting that the figures showed the “stark reality of the loss of people on the ground”. He said this loss of staff was particularly evident in the En- nis area. Cllr Flynn added, “We are losing the expertise to deliver on the ground.” Cllr Curtin said, “We as a council are going to have the measure the impact of this.”

Cllr Gerry Flynn (Ind) said the motion had been submitted by three councillors with links to the Government parties. He urged councillors Johnny Flynn and Oliver Garry to highlight the impact of austerity on essential services with their Fine Gael colleagues. He said Cllr Curtin should use his influence with the Labour Party to raise the matter with them.

Noting the challenges posed by retirements and reduced funding, Mr Dollard told the meeting, “There is no quick-fix solution, no silver bullet. It’s just something that we have to work through.”

A PLANNED introduction of new speed limits on the county’s roads has been delayed for a month following yesterday’s meeting of Clare County Council.

The draft Road Traffic Byelaws 2012 were due to be adopted but have been put out for further discussion after a number of councillors expressed concerns about the consultation process.

Proposing the report for adoption, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) welcomed the introduction of a new 50 km speed limit around Barefield.

However West Clare councillor Pat Keane (FF) called for adoption of the byelaws to be deferred for another month to allow for greater discussion of the draft report at local area level.

Some councillors told the meeting that they had not received reasons why some of their submissions for amended speed limits had not been included in the draft report.

Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) requested clarification why only two of his 23 submissions had been included.

Councillors Oliver Garry and Gabriel Keating (FG) asked what the implications would be if the council delayed adoption of the byelaws.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) told the meeting that he had proposed a 30 km/h speed limit for all roads near schools and healthcare buildings. Cllr Joe Arkins (FG) said the byelaws should be adopted by the council and a new process initiated to deal with outstanding issues. He warned that an accident could occur in the delay that it takes for the new speed limits to be implemented.

Cllr Meaney said “serious speeding situations” have emerged in villages around Clare. “I would like to see this passed as a matter of urgency.”

Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) proposed that the process be deferred for a month but that no new submissions be received in the period.

Cllr Cathal Crowe claimed that the process had been “completely flawed”, a suggestion rejected by Cllr Cooney.

Responding to comments made by councillors Meaney and Arkins, Cllr Crowe added, “I don’t think elected members should be cornered by scare tactics.”

Cllr Meaney withdrew his proposal for immediate adoption of the byelaws but sought “categorical assurances that this matter would be dealt with by April”.

Deputy county manager Ger Dollard told the meeting, “If it is the wish of the council to defer then it has to be dealt with by the April meeting.”

THE war against drugs in Clare has taken a sinister turn this week amid claims that a meth-type substance disguised in a sweet was being distributed among school children in Ennis.

Coláiste Muire principal Jean Pound told The Clare People that the school authorities had been informed that a “highly dangerous” sweet-like drug was now available in the Clare area and that innocent school children could be targeted in its distribution.

And, amid fears that students at the all-girl secondary school in Ennis could be offered the drug during lunchtime when they are allowed to leave the school premies, Ms Pound, revealed that a warning for children to remain vigilant to the dangers of drugs was issued to all students last week.

“We got a warning for people not to take it from anyone that was offering it,” she said.

“We were told there was this substance going around that was highly dangerous and that it looked like a sweet,” she added. However, when contacted by The Clare People on Monday, Chief Superintendent of the Clare Garda Division, John Kerin, has moved to ally fears that school children are being offered drugs. “Part of school talks are to try to make children aware of the dangers of meeting strangers and not taking anything from them,” the chief superintendent revealed. “Maybe it was exaggerated by someone, but we don’t believe that there’s any basis for it that things like this are being handed out,” he added.

A POPULAR new stone sculpture in Ennis will aid tourism in the town, according to the Mayor of Ennis.

Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) said last week that the Market Day, installed in the market roundabout last week, has already generated huge interest on social networking sites such as Facebook.

Speaking at the March meeting of Ennis Town Council, Cllr Guilfoyle said, “We need all the attractions we can get in this town at the moment”.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) described the piece as a “fantastic piece of sculpture”.

He added, “The amount of people getting their photos taken is amazing. It’s going to become a major tourist attraction”.

Made from granite, the near 20 tonne work depicts the two farmers discussing the purchase of a cow. The sculpture was installed on the market roundabout earlier this month as a replacement for the Icarus statue, which has been re-located to the Rocky Road roundabout.

The piece was designed and built by local sculptor Barry Wrafter. Market Day was commissioned by the Ennis Sculpture Initiative who also covered the cost of transporting the sculpture’s pieces to Ennis.

The Ennis Sculpture Initiative has installed numerous sculptures along the riverside in Ennis, as well as creating street furniture in the town centre. The sculpture trail takes many forms depicting cultural, historical and sporting events as well as more

abstract pieces.

In recent years, the initiative has spent close to one million euros on sculptures in and around Ennis in recent years.

Noel Crowley, Chairman of Ennis Tidy Towns, said there has been a fantastic response to the sculpture.

He also paid tribute to the efforts of the Sculpture initiative in ensuring the project was completed. “We commissioned it and paid for the transport.

“The Council paid for the re-enforcement of the roundabout so it could be installed there”.

THERE have been calls for the 60 jobs created by the construction of a controversial new road maintenance depot near Ennis to be ring-fenced for Clare people.

40 jobs will be created during construction of the facility at the old GAMA site adjacent to the N18 motorway on the outskirts of Ennis. 20 permanent jobs will later be available at the 6, 500 tonne salt barn facility, which will be run by the National Roads Authority (NRA).

Details of the jobs were outlined at a meeting between officials from the NRA and Clare County Council last week.

The NRA will take charge of maintenance of the country’s motorway network with the proposed Tulla Road depot used to service the motorway in Clare and parts of Galway and Limerick.

Clare County Council has applied for planning permission to develop the site, a move that has attracted strong criticism from some local councillors.

The matter was raised at yester day’s monthly council meeting. Former Mayor of Clare, Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) said the county was already adequately served by salt depots at Beechpark.

He said Clare County Council could tender to operate the facility at Tulla Road and maintain the region’s motorway network.

He said, “Clare County Council carried out this work all along. Why should we have to tender. It’s a downright disgrace.”

Cllr Brennan added, “I still think this is another quango set up by the government.” He called for all jobs created by the project “to be filled by people in this county”.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said the junction layout near the proposed road depot should be re-designed to allow for proper on/off access to the M18.

He told the meeting that the current 100-metre access road was too short for buses and trucks to reduce their speed from 120 km/h to 30 km/h when they exit the motorway.

Acknowledging concerns over “compact junctions” along a stretch of the M18, county engineer Tom Tiernan said he was not aware if the NRA planned to address these issues through the development of the road maintenance depot.

He said the transfer of responsibility for the maintenance of Clare’s motorway network to the NRA would reduce the council’s workload by 10 to 15 per cent.

However he added that there was still a significant network of secondary and regional roads in the county to cater for.

In response to a question from Cllr Pascal Fitzgerald (Lab), Mr Tiernan said that he did believe the NRA’s new functions would have any impact on existing jobs at Clare County Council.

‘WARNING dog s**t on pavement.’ That was the advice on a large red sign held aloft by a member of Clare County Council in the council’s chamber last evening (Monday).

As he raised the sign, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said that the council should “throw its hat” at attempts to prevent dog faeces on the county’s footpaths, and simply warn people “in the most graphic way possible that there is poop on the streets.”

The councillor was responding to the fact that Clare County Council has issued just one on-the-spot € 150 fine in relation to dog fouling in the last five years. Cllr Meaney said that this anti-social behaviour by dog owners can lead to people contracting bacterial toxicosis.

“It is clear that an attitude that once existed, where you were allowed to throw the content of the chamber pot out the window, exists with these dog owners,” he said.

The councillor told the March meeting of the councillors that a 22year-old woman was distraught when she discovered her hands covered in dog excrement as she made her way through Ennis in her wheelchair.

Director of Services Nora Kaye said, “The enforcement of the dog fowling provisions under litter pollution legislation can be problematic in that it is necessary to observe the act of dog fouling taking place in order to take enforcement action. It can also be difficult to establish the owner or person in charge of the dog, who is deemed the responsible person under the legislation.”

Cllr Meaney said that as enforcement of the law was not working, the only option that seemed to be open to the council was to shock people into awareness. Cllr Bill Slattery (FG) agreed that shock tactics were becoming necessary.

The North Clare councillor said that when he visited Lahinch on Sunday, people were expected to pay € 2 to park their car, yet there were no bins available to dispose of dog faeces or any other litter.

“Clare County Council might as well go up and take down the signs in Lahinch because it is not being enforced. It is a disgrace,” he said.

Not all the members of the council were happy with the Green Party councillor’s approach to highlighting the issue. Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) claimed, “It is the most vulgar and ridiculous sign that has come into this chamber,” adding that it demeaned the council chamber.

THE last traces of the old Golf Links Hotel in Lahinch was demolished on Friday, as the area known as the “pump-house”, located on the southern most point of Lahinch beach, was removed by Clare County Council.

The structure, which has stood on the Lahinch seafront for more than 120 years, was originally built to service the old Lahinch Gold Links Hotel in 1890. The concrete pumphouse was used to pump fresh sea water to the hotel, which was then used to provide hot and cold, saltwater baths for its guests.

The hotel itself, which was located at the highest point in the village of Lahinch, was built to cater for the large number of tourists who flocked to play on the famed Lahinch Golf Course. It burned down in suspicious circumstances in the 1920s and the pump-house was all that remained of the historic structure.

Despite countless storms and high tides over the last century, the pumphouse has survived everything that the Atlantic Ocean has thrown at it over more than 120 years. The location, which could be accessed by a narrow cliffs side path, has been a popular teenage hangout for decades.

A spokesperson from Clare County Council confirmed that it has been concerned about the locations safety in recent times.

“The structure has become dangerous due to coastal erosion. Local groups have on numerous occasions in the past requested the council to remove this structure as it had become a gathering place for groups of youths and posed a serious health and safety risk to the general public,” said a spokesperson.

“So the works involved the removal of a serious health and safety risk.”

Over the last decade the pump- house has become a favourite hang out for the scores of local surfers who live in Lahinch and the surrounding area. A number of local surfers have expressed their disappointment that the structure has been removed.

It has also been suggested that one of the locals waves could be named in honour of the pump-house.

The old Golf Links Hotel was constructed a large tract of land which covered, in part, the area currently occupied by the Lahinch playground. It was build in close proximity both to the Golf Course and the Lahinch stop on the West Clare Railway, which is located on present day Station Road.

THE felling of the last tree in the village of Ballyvaughan has provoked an angry row within the local community – with a number of local groups claiming that it was cut down illegally.

The tree was located in front of L’Arco’s Italian Restaurant in the village – a premises owned by former Clare TD, Madeline Taylor Quinn, and her husband George Quinn.

Clare County Council confirmed to The Clare People yesterday that no permission had been sought for any tree felling work to be undertaken in Ballyvaughan on or before February 29, when the tree was cut down.

A spokesperson from the Ballyvaughan Tidy Towns committee said the people of the town are furious that the tree was removed.

“There is a lot of upset and anger among the people up here.

“Every member of the Ballyvaughan Tidy Towns Committee has been inundated with calls about it so we decided to contact Clare County Council and see what could be done,” said a committee member form Ballyvaughan Tidy Towns.

“The council agree that the situation needs to be rectified. People are really very angry about this situation and want this rectified.”

A spokesperson from the Ennistymon Area Office of Clare County Council contacted the Ballyvaughan Tidy Towns Group last week, confirming the council intention to seek to restore a new tree to the site on the village main street.

In a statement released to The Clare People yesterday, the Ballyvaughan Community Development Group said they were very “upset” that noone in the village was notified before the tree was cut down.

“We are very upset that the tree has been cut down.

“The Community Development Group are surprised and upset that this happened and also with the manner in which this has taken place,” said the statement.

“We now want to work with everyone involved in this situation and insure that a solution is found which would see a tree being reinstated for the village.”

The tree itself was planted more than 25 years ago and is the last of more then a dozen trees which were planted in the village at that time.

MANAGEMENT at Ennis Golf Club have moved to further improve security measures after a spate of recent break-ins.

The club, which has around 1,300 members, has been the target of three break-ins in recent months.

On Wednesday, February 22, the club was broken into by breaking a window. Nothing was stolen on that occasion.

On February 12 the cash register was stolen from the club shop when a person gained access to the premises by breaking the side window.

Damage has been repeatedly caused to windows at the club shop, a situation one committee member has described as “very annoying and frustrating”.

The premises is covered by CCTV and now management at the club have improved lighting at the front and rear of the club in an attempt to ward off intruders.

Honourary secretary John Cullinane said, “We have had three at least since last December. We don’t keep cash in the bar, the restaurant or the golf shop. Recently the breakins have been at the golf shop. The policy there is that we leave the till open so people can see that there is no money in it.”

Last year the club installed a new security system aimed at ensuring greater protection for staff and members. Members must now type in an access code at the main entrance door in order to gain access to the clubhouse at night. The measures were introduced last summer following incidents where intruders broke into the golf club.

Mr Cullinane continued, “10 days ago some guy broke the window but the alarm went off and he ran away. The guards told us that he faced into one of the cameras so they got him on CCTV. We’re looking at what else we can do in terms of security. The CCTV has been fairly good but when they get to the building they are ducking and diving trying to avoid it.”

He added, “There is a cost to the club every time that something happens. There is replacement cost to replace a window every time they break it. It’s very frustrating and annoying. We’ve had to replace the window several times.”

THE campaign by Clare turfcutters to continue what they say is their “age-old right” to cut turf at Tullaher Lough Bog in West Clare now moves to Brussels and will be won.

That’s the battlecry from chairman of the Clare branch of the Turfcutters and Contractors Association, Padraig Haugh, following last Thursday’s march on Leinster House and the passage of a private members motion in the Dáil in support of turfcutters in Special Areas of Conservation.

“I was up in Dublin,” said Mr Haugh, “and people were saying to me that I was hitting my head off a stone wall and there was no point going to Dublin marching and protesting, but we have achieved a lot.

“We have climbed the first hurdle against the directive from Europe which says that we cannot cut turf on Tullaher Lough Bog anymore. There are about 50 people who cut turf there,” he added.

Mr Haugh became chairman of the local branch of the Turfcutters and Contractors Association after a public meeting was staged in Garrihy’s of Moyasta last November and since then has taken the campaign to keep Tullaher Lough Bog open to turf cutters in west Clare.

“There is a high bog area and it’s very small and we are very happy to keep that preserved,” said Mr Haugh, “but there was another portion added into the Special Area of Conservation that’s 1400 hectares and there was no necessity to do that, because the EU is denying people a right to do what families have been doing for hundreds of years there.

“As turf cutters we are determined to fight for the right to cut turf. I’ve cut turf every year since 1948 and we are hopeful that these people in Brussels will see that what we’re looking for is only a small thing.

“We’ve already got concessions from the Government in that they are giving another € 1,000 onto the € 1,000 and a new top up payment of € 500. That’s down to the campaign and we won’t stop until we are allowed cut turf on Tullaher Lough again,” he added.