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WAITING times are down in all the University Limerick Hospitals, including Ennis and Limerick, but people are still waiting months for routine procedures.

That was the message from the first public meeting of the new hospitals group board, who also heard that while the hospital group had once again run millions of euros over budget, the over run was significantly lower than previous years.

Chief Executive of UL Hospitals Ann Doherty told the meeting that the hospital group had met govern- ment targets in 2013 and was now aiming to be ranked in the top three Irish hospitals by 2018.

According to the figures presented the longest any patient had to wait for a routine out-patient appointment was one year, a figure acceptable to Government targets.

No patient was waiting more than eight months for scheduled in-patient or day case procedures and no child was waiting more than eight months for a scheduled in-patient of day case procedure. According to the figures released all routine and urgent colonoscopy targets were also met.

Waiting times in the regions only 24-hour emergency department re- mains an issue however.

In December 58.4 per cent of patients were seen in under six hours. However 25 per cent of patients still hadn’t been treated within nine hours of arrival at A&E.

The group had however a financial over run of € 10.119 million which is 4.1 per cent of its annual budget allocation.

Ms Doherty said that the over run, or what she described as a financial challenge, at the beginning of 2013 was € 21.7 million or 9.1 per cent.

“The sizeable improvement in financial performance is noteworthy and is attributed to a number of factors such as additional budget alloca- tion, generation of additional income and the formation of sub committees to monitor, approve and provide visibility and accountability at every organisational level over all areas of spend.”

Launching its three-year strategic plan for the hospital group, Ms Doherty also outlined the plans for this year.

A ten-bed Intensive Care Unit is to be completed as well as an eight-bed High Dependency Unit.

She said that plans are also in place to maximise the use of bed capacity across the hospitals in Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary, and to recruit additional neonatal and obstet- ric consultants.

Plans for 2014 amongst others include more beds for the main hospital in Dooradoyle, Limerick, the opening of a temporary interim paediatric emergency department and continued capital investment.

The new Parkinson’s, stroke, breast and dermatology building, which is being developed with the voluntary sector is ear marked for 2015.

Other works including the new much needed Emergency Department for Limerick is expected to be completed in 2016.

A key objective for the board is to secure capital for a new maternity unit on the Dooradoyle campus.

ANY repair work carried out along the Shannon estuary following the January storms were quickly disposed of by the St Bridgid’s Day at the weekend, and now up to 2,000 acres of agricultural land remains under damaging sea water.

New breaches have also been added to the Shannon embankment.

The main Ennis to Kildysart road remains flooded at Ballycorrick Bridge in Ballynacally and becomes impassable at high tide.

All low lying areas were still un der water on Monday with agricultural land in Ballynacally, Kildysart, Clonderlaw, Burrane in Kilimer and Carnacalla, Kilrush severely flooded. One house in Shore Park, Kildysart, was also flooded, as was the local graveyard.

The road from Kildysart to Labasheeda was closed on Saturday as the sea wall was damaged and debris littered the road.

Local county councillor Oliver Garry (FG) said local farmers are under pressure to look after the embankment as the Office of Public Works did not take over responsibility for the area from the Board of Works.

“30 years ago the Board of Works serviced those embankments, but when the OPW took over they did not service those areas, they only serviced land from Island Avanna down to Shannon Airport,” he said.

Cllr Garry said a meeting has now been arranged with the Minister for Agriculture and junior minister in the department in a bid to lobby them for a one-off grant to carry out works on the embankment forgotten by the OPW. It is hoped the meeting will take place later this week.

CARRIGAHOLT Postmaster Patrick Gavin’s house has been cut off from the mainland for the last five weeks due to the storms that have been battering the West Clare coast.

With road access is so poor, Patrick has been cut off from much human contact, especially that of his daughter, who he has not been able to see for the last fortnight.

As a sufferer of epilepsy, it’s too dangerous for her to visit in case she becomes ill and cannot access the medical attention she needs.

“It’s starting to take effect you know.

It’s starting to get to me now,” Mr Gavin said.

The Carrigaholt Post Office flooded last weekend for the second time in a month.

“The whole place is destroyed,” he added.

Mr Gavin says that the worst part of the most recent flood damage for the local residents is the lack of action from the Government.

Referring to a visit from Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Brian Hayes, Mr Gavin said the focus of politicians and repair work should be on people affected by the floods, not public amenities:

“He should have come to meet the people, you know and give them some heart.

“The minister should have told them we have it under control, we’ll work at getting funding and getting the place fixed up”.

Mr Gavin claims that more attention should be paid to local residents affected by the storm before attending to public areas such as the promenade in Lahinch.

“I think the six residents up where I live might be a little more important than the prom in Lahinch or the unfortunate people in Quilty that are being flooded out of their houses,” he said.

He also added that plans for coastal erosion should be given priority over proposals for other council and public projects.

Despite the disconnect that Patrick Galvin sees between politics and people the Carrigaholt postmaster was adamant that young people should still get involved in local politics but change their emphasis;

“What we need is people who want to wear the jersey, who want to do it for people, not for themselves,” he added.

The devastation in Carrigaholt and neighbouring areas has seen many homes cut off for the second time in recent weeks as the weekend floods and high tides undid much of the progress that had been made with repairs over the past month from Storm Christine.

QUEEN Elizabeth II’s only son-inlaw visited the county last week unbeknownst even to the Clare people he met.

The lesser known of the British Royal Family, Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence was part of the RNLI Coastal Review Group that visited the Irish Coast Guard Helicopter Head Quarters in Shannon, the RNLI station in Lough Derg and the Kilrush RNLI Life Boat.

The husband of Princess Ann identified himself as Tim Laurence and ingratiated himself by his laid back attitude and his interest in all things nautical.

Pauline Dunleavy from the Kilrush RNLI said the crew found him to be a “really lovely gentleman” and it was only days after he left and with the help of google they worked out his royal connections.

The former British Navy Lieutenant Commander was particularly impressed with the condition of the three-year-old Kilrush lifeboat and the work of mechanic Martin Brew.

Kilrush RNLI were so delighted at getting the green light from the coastal review team to continue work along the West Clare coast, they did not notice the royal visitor.

Tim, the second husband of the queen’s only daughter, was born the son of a London salesman and joined the British Royal Navy as a young man.

He was quickly promoted through the ranks eventually reaching the rank of Lieutenant Commander. In 1986, he was appointed as Equerry to Queen Elizabeth, a post he would occupy for three years.

Equerries to the Queen are most commonly high-ranking military officers who attend to her during public appearances and royal events.

It was during this time he met his future wife, Princess Anne.

TOUR operators in Doolin may have to delay the start of this year’s tourist season following extreme damage to Doolin Pier and the surround area over the weekend.

Local operators say they are devastated by the latest storm damage – which undid much of the remedial work done following the devastation of the New Year storm.

Indeed, the St Bridgid’s Day Storm caused more damage to the area surrounding Doolin Pier – with massive boulders being moved into waters close to the pier – blocking the route navigated by the ferry operators.

“Everything that has been done over the past two weeks has been torn up – it’s actually worse than before. The offices on Doolin Pier have been flooded and damaged again. The place is like a tip. It’s like Ennistymon dump 25 years ago. It’s rotten, it’s disgusting to look at. I was down there at six in the morning, watching everything unfold. There was a couple of portacabins down there that were moved 40 or 50 feet in shore,” said Donie Garrihy of Doolin2Aran Ferries.

“The pier has been damaged, there was some safety railing left before but that’s all gone now. The channel where the boats sail out is are all full of big boulders, which will have to be removed.

“We need urgent help. We are starting business at the beginning of March which is only 25 days away. The place is like a dump now, there is no way we can trade the way the place is at the moment.”

There has also been some superficial damage to the new Doolin Rescue Centre – which is currently under construction and due to open early this year.

“We took a drive yesterday in the sunshine. Myself and my wife and my five children went off for a spin. My young fella, who is eight, my oldest son, said ‘don’t bring us anywhere where there is storm damage – I’m sick of it’. That’s what he said to me. He said exactly what I am thinking. That’s what we are all feeling like up here right now,” continued Donie.

A MAN charged in connection with the alleged discovery of drugs at a house in Spancill Hill is due to make his third court appearance tomorrow.

Krystof Sobolewski (37) is charged with an offence arising from the alleged discovery of cannabis at The Island, Kilvoydan, Spancill Hill on January 21.

It is alleged Mr Sobolewski was in possession of cannabis for purposes of selling it or otherwise supplying it.

Mr Sobolewski, with an address at The Island, Kilvoydan, Spancill Hill, first appeared in court earlier this month.

At the time Garda Dara McLoughlin of Scariff Garda Station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.

He said the accused made no reply to charge after caution.

Legal aid was granted to solicitor John Casey.

Mr Casey said he had no questions regarding the arrest, charge and caution of his client.

He told the court he would not be making any bail application on behalf of Mr Sobolewski.

Inspector Tom Kennedy sought to have the accused remanded in custody to appear again at Ennis District Court on January 28.

Mr Casey consented to the application.

Mr Sobolewski was brought before the Ennis court again on Tuesday last.

Inspector Tom Kennedy said the State were seeking to have the accused further remanded in custody to February 5.

He said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had not yet issued directions as to how the case is to proceed.

“This is a very recent case”, he added.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy remanded the accused to appear again at Ennis District Court tomorrow (February 5). SEPA R AT ELY , a 34-year-old man charged with drugs offences is due before Ennis District Court tomorrow.

Vidas Jaskaukas, who listed an address at Main Street, Mullagh, is charged with possession of a controlled drug, to with, cannabis, for purposes of selling it or otherwise supplying it.

The charge relates to an alleged offence at Main Street, Mullagh on January 23.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court the State were seeking to have Mr Jaskauskas further remanded in custody to appear again at Ennis District Court on February 5.

The court heard the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has not yet issued directions on the case. Defence solicitor Siobhan McMahon consented to the adjournment.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy remanded the accused in custody to appear again in court tomorrow, (Tuesday February 4th).

IT IS more than 60 years ago since Mother Nature last attacked the seaside town of Kilkee with such ferocity.

Having escaped the storms and flooding of early January, the St Bridget’s Day storm brought high tides and winds that left hundreds of thousands of euros of destruction in its wake.

Local businesses are now worried that the already struggling tourism industry will be damaged further if the repair work is not carried out immediately.

The most visible damage is at the bandstand and the strand line wall.

The wall has been breached and the prom along the strand is destroyed with debris.

The bandstand, which recently had a face life with some new flags and other works, is completely devastated.

While numerous roads were impassable due to flooding and debris brought from the sea with the force of the waves, a crack on the road to the pier, close to the former Thomond Hotel in an area known as Fisherman’s Corner is a real concern for local people.

“The last time we got something like this was in 1951. We had other storms in the ‘80s but not this bad,” said local businessman John Nolan.

He added that the main aim for the community was to have the tourist resort ready for the first set of visitors on St Patrick’s Day.

In Kilrush, the marina protected most of the town from the high waves, as the lock gates controlled the water levels.

Cappa however was not as fortunate as the waves breached the sea wall and damaged the local playground.

The breach of the sea wall close to the playground leaves families using the playground vulnerable to a 10foot drop to the sea below.

A popular walkway from Iveroo to Cappa has also been compromised, while work continues removing debris from other roads.

“We are not in the same situation as the people of Kilbaha or Carrigaholt, and we would not claim to be, but damage like this has never been done before in Kilrush,” said the town’s mayor Cllr Paul Moroney (Ind). TODAY We t a n d win d y a ft e rn o o n , h e avy sh o we rs a n d o ve r 7m m s o f ra in d u e , te m p s 7c .

A WELL-KNOWN family business in Ennis was targeted by criminals on two occasions over the weekend.

Thieves stole a number of items after breaking into Guerin’s Shop in the Cornmarket area of the town in the early hours of Friday morning at last.

The burglary occurred sometime between 6pm on Thursday, January 30, and 7.30am on Friday, January 31.

It is thought an axe or other heavy implement was used to smash a hole in the front door.

A number of Gael Linn one euro lottery tickets, an amount of various brand cigarettes were all that was taken.

Temporary repairs were carried out on the door but the premises was again targeted just two nights later.

Between 3am and 6am on Monday, morning another attempt was made to gain entry to the shop by trying to force open the front door.

No entry was gained and nothing was stolen on this occasion.

A crow bar may have been used to prize loose a board covering the damage from the previous break in. It is thought the perpetrators may have been watching the shop in the days leading up the burglary.

It is believed they are from the Ennis area. Investigating gardaí are studying CCTV footage of the area and are following a definite line of inquiry.

They are urging anyone who may have seen anything on the nights in question to contact them at Ennis Garda Station.

Guerin’s has operated as a familyrun grocery shop in the Cornmarket area of the town since 1968/69.

It re-opened six years ago and has previously been the target of breakins.

Shop owner Clodagh Guerin said the latest incidents had a big impact on the family.

“It’s not just the financial cost of the damage caused and the things that were stolen, it’s the psychological cost also.

“You’re wondering is this going to happen again?” she said.

The building is the location for ‘The Stone Outside Dan Murphy’s Door’ – a well-known Clare.

A YOUNG Kilbaha couple were forced to flee their home with their six-month-old baby as their house was flooded by waves from the Atlantic.

The West Clare village was once again engulfed by a storm and high tides, just weeks after a similar force of nature did € 3.4 million worth of damage.

Two houses and two homes were flooded in the village at the weekend, in a storm described as “more dramatic” than the previous one.

This time homes did not escape the flooding, with the water reaching above the bay window in one house.

Two days later and the local people are still suffering as a consequence of the weather.

Local woman Ailish Connolly explained that it will take sometime for things to return to normal.

Roads remain impassable and concerns have been expressed that emergency vehicles would have difficulty reaching the communities of Kilbaha, Ross and Fodra.

Water continues to run off the land into Fodra Bay, which in turn is flooding the local roads.

“Kilbaha is effectively an island. The only way to get through the village is with a four by four,” said Ms Connolly.

“The Ross road is out and even worse than before.”

Even the work carried out by Clare County Council during the last storm has been washed away.

This interim work included backs of rocks and interlocking concrete boulders.

While the playground survived the worst of the storm this time, the memorial to the Five Pilots was completely destroyed.

“There is so much more damage done this time. The last time it was directed at one area but now it is spaced out,” she said.

THREE men found guilty of attacking a car while a religious ceremony was underway at Drumcliff graveyard will learn next week if they are go to prison.

Michael Doherty (52), Patrick Doherty (34) and James Galbraith (45) were convicted in December (2013) of criminal damage.

They were ordered by Judge William Early to pay € 7000 compensation to the victim.

Judge Early said if the money was paid, he would recommend a six month suspended sentence for each accused.

Finalisation of the case was adjourned to January 22, 2014 when the court heard that compensation had not yet been paid to the victim.

In December Ennis District Court heard mother of two Kathleen Maughan was visiting her husband’s grave when her Ford Focus car was damaged in a violent incident at Drumcliff cemetery.

Ms Maughan told the court she saw three men armed with slash hooks and hatchets alight from vehicles and attack her car on March 24, 2013.

Ms Maughan, who is from Ennis but now lives in Cork, was one of a group of 20 people attending a blessing of the graves ceremony.

Ms Maughan said, “I’m terrified to come to Ennis.

“I’m terrified to bring my children to see their father’s grave”, she added.

The court heard there was a feud between Traveller families in Clare at the time.

Ms Maughan said she had nothing to do with the dispute, which involved members of her family.

“I wasn’t fighting with them at all. I was terrified”, she explained.

The court heard € 7000 worth of damage was caused to Ms Maughan’s car.

Michael Doherty and Patrick Doherty, both with addresses at St Michael’s Park, Ballymaley, Ennis and James Galbraith, formerly of Lissaniska, Ennis and now living in Bettystown, Meath, all denied the charge of criminal damage.

But after hearing the evidence, Judge William Early said, “I believe the evidence of Ms Maughan.

“I believe she is telling the truth, therefore it must follow that I find them guilty as charged.”

Judge Early said it seemed to be the case that Ms Maughan was a “victim of one of these wretched family feuds that are all too common in the traveler community”.

There was a heated conclusion to the case.

A flurry of insults were fired at Ms Maughan from people sitting in the gallery.

A 41-year-old woman, who was later ordered to pay a contribution to charity after pleading guilty to a public order charge, told Ms Maughan she would “bite her nose off”.

Mr Galbraith told Judge Early he would not pay the victim.

“You can send me to jail, Judge. I won’t give her 10 cents. You can put me in jail now,” he said.

The case came before Judge Patrick Durcan on January 22.

He asked if compensation was available.

Solicitor for Patrick and Michael Doherty, Daragh Hassett, said it was not.

The case was further adjourned to January 28 to fix a date for Judge Early to finalise matters.

On Tuesday, the case was adjourned to February 11 when Judge Early will pass sentence.

All three accused were remanded on continuing bail.