Author: admin

RIVER levels in Ennis are being monitored twice a day in Ennis as authorities remain vigilant of flooding.

Records from Met Eireann show that the total accumulated rainfall recorded in County Clare from January 1 to November 30 stood at 872.2mm, more than the 845.1mm recorded during the entire of 2010.

In a statement, Clare County council says this December is also expected to see the mean rainfall total for the month being exceeded with further heavy rain forecast.

Ennis Town Manager Dollard said that river levels around Ennis are monitored twice a day and that the council would continue to monitor water levels throughout the winter period.

He stated, “Our experiences from severe flooding in Ennis, and East and North Clare in late 2009 have taught us that being prepared in advance is key to effectively managing flooding when it does occur.

As well as reviewing information contained on the council website, I would urge members of the public to visit www.flooding.ie to familiarise themselves with the range of actions that can be taken in advance of, during and after flooding events.”

Mr Dollard was speaking as Clare County Council launched an online advice and information guide to raise awareness of the importance of preparing for severe weather during winter.

The ‘Be Winter-Ready’ guide has been published on the council website, www.clarecoco.ie.

Work on flood prevention measures is currently underway at a number of locations around Ennis. Pipeline work has been completed on the Lough Girroga Flood Relief Scheme while additional site investigation works are due to start at Fioruisce on the Gort Road.

According to the council, the Watery Road/Elm Park Flood relief scheme will be placed on e-tenders. A temporary pumping system for the storm drain has been put in place at the Watery Road to cater for high river levels until permanent works are in place.

The council says it is monitoring the Fergus and Claureen river lev- els.

The planning process for the St Flannans, Toberteascain – Ballybeg Lake flood relief works has been delayed due to a requirement to carry out specialised works.

Meanwhile, Fine Gael TD Pat Breen has said that the Government remains committed to the construction of phase two of the Ennis Main Drainage Scheme.

Last week it was announced that the Office of Public Works (OPW) had terminated the tendering process with immediate effect.

Deputy Breen stated that Minster for State with responsibility for the OPW, Brian Hayes, is committed to funding the € 12.8m scheme, as previously outlined in the 2012 capital works programme.

COMMUNICATION from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in relation to the presence of unsavoury odours in the Smithstown area of Shannon has been criticised.

In a letter to the Shannon Town Clerk, Liam O’Connor, the EPA stated that it has been working with Clare County Council in relation to the issue. It stated that complaints were received in August and September and that several site and odour surveys were carried out in Smithstown and its environs.

“It is apparent that the odours in the Shannon town area are from multiple sources. All possible sources of odours at EPA licensed facilities have been and continue to be investigated and corrective and preventative actions implemented when necessary,” stated the EPA. “Other possible odour sources continue to be investigated by Clare County Council. The agency will continue to work with its licensees in Shannon to ensure they are not the cause of offsite nuisance odours,” it added, in its letter.

However, members of Shannon Town Council have expressed concern with the letter and have called for a meeting with the EPA. “That’s a disgraceful letter,” said Independent Councillor Gerry Flynn, at a meeting of the council last Tuesday. “I think it is high time that we call the EPA out of the tall grass. . . I propose we summon a representative of the EPA to a meeting to explain themselves,” he said.

Councillor Patricia McCarthy (Independent) said, “Reports went in. They did monitoring. We haven’t been told the outcome. The problem is they are self-monitoring,” she added. “They judge their performance from going into court and getting a conviction,” she said, adding that it takes a few years for this process to conclude. “It is a certain form of contempt for the public,” she said.

Fine Gael Councillor Seán McLoughlin said, “We want results, not that they got complaints. What was the actual result of the monitoring and what action are they going to take now?” he asked.

Sinn Féin Councillor Cathy McCafferty said, “It is a real concern for everyone. Whatever way the wind blows, the smell comes. We want to know what means and methods they are going to use to fix it.”

Labour Councillor Greg Duff said, “They have to have a more independent way of looking at things.” He said that “a high number of people” in Shannon get cancer which he said is down to a “combination of factors”. He said that real answers must be provided in relation to the odour issue.

Councillor Tony McMahon (Labour) said the odour issue has a significant impact on the “health of the community”. Fine Gael Councillor Vincent Coleman said that the letter “doesn’t relay new information. It doesn’t give solutions”. He said that people are “very nervous” in relation to the odour issue. “They don’t know what they are inhaling,” he said.

FIRST it stood at 9.43 per cent among general staff and was held up as the worst in Ireland – now it’s worse again as the percentage stands at 12 per cent among key frontline nursing staff.

These are the absenteeism rates at Ennis General Hospital, which have come under sharp focus again in the last week following the publication of the Health Services Executive ‘Heathstat Report’ for September.

“The issue is receiving maximum attention,” a HSE statement released to the The Clare People this Monday says. “The assistance of the Human Resources department has now been sought to assist the hospital in any additional actions required,” it adds.

According to the Healthstat figures, absenteeism rates among its 133 nurses during September were running at 12 per cent, a figure that is 8.5 per cent ahead of the target national absenteeism rate of 3.5 per cent.

These alarming figures come only three months after Minister for Health, James Reilly, pledged to put measures in place to tackle the problem at the hospital when it was revealed that absenteeism levels were running at 9.43 per cent, almost double the average for HSE hospitals around the country that stood at 4.85 per cent.

“We are putting in place a new initiative around this,” vowed Minister Reilly. “I’m not at liberty to say what it is just yet. In the next couple of weeks, I’ll be able to announce it,” he added.

In September, it was revealed in Ennis that every day an average of 22 staff were missing from the hospital’s daily workforce of 238, a rate of absenteeism that impacts on the day-to-day operation of the facility, resulting in the HSE having to employ temporary outside staff to cover for sick workers.

And a breakdown of these figures has revealed that the rate of absenteeism is worst among general support staff when it’s running at a staggering 18 per cent.

Now the Healthstat figures show that, of Ennis General Hospital’s 133 nurses, 16 were absent from work on each day in the month of September.

“The hospital accepts that the absenteeism rate is high but all elements of the HSE’s Managing Attendance Policy are being carried out,” the HSE statement says. “These include referrals to occupational health, return-to-work interviews, certification of absences etc. While the hospital’s percentages appear high currently, the amount of ‘uncertified’ sick leave is very low.

“Where uncertified sick leave is low, the hospital is viewed to have achieved an improved performance in managing attendance as the majority of sick leave is certified by medical practitioners. A recent review by management shows that a number of people are absent with long-term serious illness,” the statement adds.

A BAN on the sale of smoky coal and the growth of unregulated doorto-door operators is “crippling” the coal trade in Ennis, a meeting has heard.

Local fuel merchant and independent councillor, Frankie Neylon says businesses are struggling because of the legislation, which he described as “flawed”.

In June, the Minister for the En- vironment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan TD, announced that – with effect from August 1 – Ennis would be added to the list of towns and cities covered by the ‘Smoky Coal Ban’, under which it is illegal to market, sell or distribute bituminous or ‘smoky’ coal.

Under the Air Pollution Act, sellers found in breach of the ban could face fines of up to € 5,000.

Cllr Neylon told the December meeting of Ennis Town Council that traders in the town are encountering “huge problems” with the ban. He said the restrictions in place on local fuel merchants are “crippling the trade”.

He said the legislation was intended for cities and not towns of Ennis’ size.

He said there is no ban in place to prevent sellers from bringing smoky coal into Ennis, a practice he said was common.

Cllr Neylon said that if the gov- ernment are serious about banning smoky coal, “they should ban it at source”.

“Every night of the week there are people coming into town selling smoky coal,” he added.

Cllr Neylon said his own sales are down 53 per cent on last year.

A report released in September by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that the burning of bituminous or so-called smoky coal has had an impact on air quality in Ennis.

Cllr Neylon said that if unregulated coal sellers are allowed to operate in Ennis then “emissions are going to go through the roof ”.

Town Manager Ger Dollard said the whole purpose of the ban is to improve air quality in Ennis.

He said Clare County Council, the body responsible for enforcing the ban, is willing to meet with local fuel merchants in order to discuss and resolve any difficulties.

AN invitation has been extended to the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins to be named a freeman of Ennis. Ennis Town Council has written to the President offering him the freedom of the town. Last week’s monthly meeting heard that the council has not yet received an official response. If the Clare-raised former Labour TD does accept the offer, he would follow in the footsteps of Muhammad Ali. The former World Boxing Champion was named the first ever freeman of Ennis when he visited the town in September 2009. Councillor Paul O’Shea (Lab) raised the issue of conferring the honourary title on Mr Higgins at last week’s meeting of Ennis Town Council. Town Clerk Leonard Cleary told the meeting that the Council had not received a response from Áras an Uachtaráin. Mr Cleary also confirmed that the President would not be attending an event to mark the 10th anniversary of the opening of Glór in Ennis. In a letter, Aifric Hyland, secretariat, thanked the council for the invitation. She explained, “Your thoughtfulness in extending the invitation is very much appreciated but the President regrets that, due to the extent of his commitments, it is not possible for him to accept. “The President sends his good wishes and trusts that you will appreciate the reasons for his unavailability on this occasion”. Mr Higgins has strong Clare connections. He was raised by his uncle and aunt at their home in Ballycar and went to school in St Flannan’s College. Prior to taking up a job with the ESB in Galway, he worked in Progress International in Shannon.

A NORTH Clare developer who had a € 10.5 million judgement order by Anglo Irish Bank secured against him in October has said he is in advanced negotiations with NAMA to work out a business plan. Airtricity applied to a court for committal for failing to comply with an instalment order imposed on John Flanagan, of Ballyvarragh House, Doolin.

Sean Costello, a business development manager with Airtricity, told Ennistymon District Court on Wednesday that € 16,784 was due. He said that no payments were made on foot of an instalment order. Payments of € 1,000 a month were to have been paid, but none had been made, he said. Solicitor Jim Finnegan, for Airtricity, said he was seeking an order for committal.

Mr Flanagan told the court that he had been a developer during the boom. He told Judge Aeneas McCarthy that Anglo Irish Bank secured a judgment of € 10.5 million against him in October. He said that he has not had income since September 2008 and has outgoings including a mortgage, rent, housekeeping and food.

He said that his wife is working part-time and earns € 166 a week, which, along with carer’s allowance for a child and children’s allowance, pays the bills.

“My wife deals with it. She keeps the house going,” Mr Flanagan told the court.

The solicitor told the court that a private investigator was hired by Airtricity. He asked Mr Flanagan was he in talks with NAMA. Mr Flanagan replied, “Yes, advanced negotiations. We are trying to advance a business plan.” He said he is not receiving a salary at the moment but expects to in the future. He said he anticipates that the negotiations will be finalised in January or February.

He told Mr Finnegan that he does not have any assets to sell. Asked did he propose to pay the money due to Airtricity, he said, “There was a judgement order secured against me but I wasn’t in a position to meet that.” He said that he was in regular contact with Airtricity in relation to the money due and said he has made nominal payments of € 18 per month.

He told the court that he has two girls employed part-time in an office in Liscannor for a company that manages property. “I don’t get any income from that company,” he said.“I receive no income from any company whatsoever,” said Mr Flanagan.

On hearing that Mr Flanagan hopes to have a business plan finalised early in 2012, the judge said he would adjourn the case until February.

THE TOWN rate in Shannon will not change next year and remains at € 2.11 for the third successive year. That is according to the Town Manager, Bernadette Kinsella, in her annual draft budget which was presented to the local town council last week.

Expenditure in Shannon is projected to drop by € 4, 500 next year – from € 149, 500 to € 145,000. Income will increase from € 39, 500 to € 41,000 in 2012, according to estimates.

The amount of money spent in a number of areas will reduce next year, including office expenses and advertising; light, heat and power; travel and subsistence; audit fees; training and the town twinning programme with Guingamp in France.

The one area where spending is poised to increase is the community scheme which is estimated to increase from € 35,000 to € 36, 500 next year.

Recoupment of the community scheme is also expected to increase, from € 21,000 to € 22, 500.

“This scheme has been very positively received in the town and has done much to tackle the problem of litter throughout the area,” said the Manager.

In her report to the council, Ms Kinsella stated that the draft budget has been prepared “in a continuing difficult economic climate”.

“This is reflected in a reduction of funds available from Clare County Council and the maintenance of commercial rates at 2010 levels in recognition of the demands being placed on the business community,” she stated.

The level of demand “does not, for the second successive year, necessitate an increase in the town rate,” she added.

General office and operational expenses have been reduced by € 1,000, which has been done “on the basis of cutbacks under all of these cost headings and will require strict monitoring and review to ensure expenditure remains within budget provisions”.

The council’s annual budget meet- ing was told that a draft Shannon Town and Environs Local Area Plan is currently in preparation to cover the period 2012 – 2018. This will replace the existing Shannon component of the South Clare Local Area Plan 2009 – 2015.

The integrated plan will be in place next year and will form the basis for a high level strategy that will promote the opportunities available within Shannon, the airport lands, the free zone and Westpark, according to the council. An extensive consultation process will get underway in the coming weeks.

HOPES that the country’s new President Michael D Higgins will visit his native Newmarket-on-Fergus this week have been dashed. Mr Higgins has been invited to attend the 50th anniversary celebrations of Ballycar National School on Thursday, but has informed the school management that he is unable to attend.

While the school has been in existence since before 1824, the existing building was built 50 years ago. President Higgins, who is originally from Ballycar, attended a previous building of the school.

School principal Noel Murphy told The Clare People that there are plans in place to invite the past pupil to visit Ballycar at a later stage. “He was invited but we got a letter back wishing us success with the event but he has a huge amount of engagements so soon after his inauguration. We didn’t think he would be able to make it at such short notice,” said Mr Murphy. “There wasn’t much time. What we hope will happen in the future is to join up with community groups in the area and ask him to visit,” he added. “We will plan it well in advance and invite other community groups,” said the principal. He said that staff and students in the school are eagerly anticipating the celebrations. “We are all very excited about it. Everybody is involved in the preparations,” said Mr Murphy.

“We are also celebrating the success of the school in developing our facilities to the up-to-the-minute standard resulting from recent major renovations and extension. As a result, we can offer our families the latest facilities. As a small school with four full-time teachers and two special needs assistants, we also give personal attention to the needs of all our families,” he added.

The evening will include the staging by pupils of a play written by sixth-class pupil Ailís Hankinson. There will also be songs, a cake and craft sale, an exhibition of photos and children’s projects and the launch of a book on the history of Ballycar School. The book, ‘Ballycar National School – A History of the School, Pupils and Teachers’ was compiled by local author Colm Liddy, whose children attend Ballycar.

The book is a full-colour, 44-page publication profiling the history of the school. It features many old photographs, including those of the President when he was in school. The book also contains profiles of all current pupils, stories of the fascinating lives of past pupils and an interview with President Higgins.

THE Vandeleur Garden in Kilrush has the potential to be transformed into the new flagship tourist product for west Clare and become the county’s rival to Muckross House in Kil- larney. This new vision for Kilrush’s historic visitor attraction was unveiled at a meeting of Kilrush Town Council that took place in the Vandeleur demesne on Thursday night as county architect, Ruth Hurley, revealed plans to develop a major museum on the site. The interpretative centre-type project is set to be developed over the next two years as agencies such as Coillte, Shannon Development, Clare County Council, Kilrush Town Council, Kilrush Amenity Trust and the West Clare Economic Task Force throw their weight behind ambitious plans for the old landlord estate. The ruin of Kilrush House, the seat of the Vandeleur famil that was responsible for building Kilrush, was knocked by Clare County Council in 1973, but now the authority is to spearhead new development in the courtyard area of the estate on the back on a successful application for Leader funding. “There is an opportunity for something new here,” said Ms Hurley. “We want open up the courtyard into the centre and into a museum, so there is element of enticing people into the Vandeleur facilities. “The whole idea behind this is to get funding from Leader, with a view construction beginning in 2013. It’s about taking baby steps towards a bigger picture. A lot of places started like that. Muckross House started like that, so it’s about taking smalls steps. “The built environment is there. The heritage is there. It’s about giv- ing it a new freshness and enticing people in. With the support of everyone around the table and with the support of the people of Kilrush, hopefully we can push this forward,” Ms Hurley added.

“An initial meeting was held with Leader, just to see what their reaction was to the whole concept,” revealed Kilrush Town Manager, Nora Kaye. “Leader were very receptive to the whole visitor experience.

“There is a matching funding requirement should we be successful with Leader.

We will keep this project on a priority list, to ensure that we have a place in the queue for applications,” she added.

“I don’t see why it can’t become a reality,” said Cllr Tom Prendeville (FF). “There is massive potential here and I don’t think we have realised the true potential of the Vandeleur Walled Garden – from the historical perspective as well as modifying and adapted to modern demands,” he said. “The Vandeleur Garden is a gem,” said Cllr Liam Williams (FG), who is also a member of Kilrush Amenity Trust. “This is huge for west Clare,” he added.

THERE is now “light at the end of the tunnel” for residents of John Paul Estate in Kilrush – the town’s biggest council estate that’s now in the final stages of a major refurbishment overhaul costing over € 1.5m.

These positive vibes for residents in Kilrush Town Council’s biggest property was sounded out as details of the final two phases of the redevelopment programme was revealed to members of the local authority by Town Clerk, John Corry.

“It is certainly positive times for John Paul Estate,” said Mr Corry. “We fought hard for three or four years after the completion of the first phase in 2008. There were a lot of dark days, for both ourselves and people who were residing there and for a time there was no light at the end of the tunnel, but thankfully we have got there. A lot done, more to do is the motto, but we are well on our way,” he added.

The latest and final piece of the John Paul Estate jigsaw will see the refurbishment of 21 houses, after work on 11 houses on the estate and anotehr seven on Wilson’s Road was completed last month.

“The 21 houses are mainly in Sycamore Drive, but on is on Elm Drive,” revealed Mr Corry, “and the contract has been agreed and has been entered into with the contractor L&M Keating. The contract sum is worth € 790,000, which is a significant contract. It has been broken down into two phases.

“Phase one is the refurbishment of 11 houses, which has already commenced and works are well advanced of four of the houses, four bungalows that will completed by February.

“We have to do the 21 houses over two phases because of the significant works that are involved it’s required that the houses be vacated. We had to break into two phases, so as to have enough temporary accommodation. It’s envisaged that the 21 houses will be fully complete by the end of April.

“It’s significant work when you consider what’s already been done. There are a total of 18 houses that have already been refurbished and when you add these 21 houses, it is a significant investment on the part of Kilrush Town Council.

“We were delighted with the quality of workmanship. From the point of view of the tenants who have been residing there longterm, it has certainly given them renewed hope,” added Mr Corry.

In praising the council’s housing strategy, Mayor of Kilrush, Cllr Ian Lynch said “the real work begins now, because we need to build a community back there. We have to manage it and try to get people interested into managing it themselves”.