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LIBRARIAN Seamus Ryan (Lab) has been chosen to contest the Ennis Electoral Area for the Labour party at next year’s local election.

Ryan, who was also re-elected to the National Executive of the Labour party over the weekend saw off the challenge on well-known disability rights campaigner Dermot Hayes to secure the nomination. Ryan, who works at the De Valera Library in Ennis, has identified the conversion of unused local authority properties to community use and funding alcohol-free locations for youth in Ennis as two of his key campaign elements.

“I intend to start campaigning this week,” he said.

“I will be focusing on a number of issues that will impact on familes.

“A number of local authorities properties will soon become available and I would like to see these premises to be put to good use and made available to not-for-profit organisations such as community childcare providers. Seamus secured his second election success of the week on Saturday when he was re-elected to the National Executive of the Labour party during at the Labour National Conference.

A CLARE company is set for a € 50 million global expansion next year, which could lead to an increase in production and employment at its Shannon headquarters.

Mincon Ltd, which was founded in Clare by Patrick and Mary Purcell in 1977, was valued at almost € 200 million after a successful floatation on the Irish stock market last week.

This floatation, which brought in € 50 million through new shareholders, launched the company at € 180 million – with the value of shares reaching € 197 million at one point.

A company spokesperson told The Clare People yesterday that the planned international acquisition will bring extra job security and possibly extra employment for it Shannon headquarters.

“The money raised has been earmarked for acquisitions outside of Ireland. What this will do is bring extra security to the manufacturing which is taking place in Shannon,” said the spokesperson.

“Everything that is manufactured in Shannon is used for the operations around the world so there is certainly potential that we will be more busy in Shannon.”

The Purcell family owned almost 80 per cent of the company prior the floatation. They have retained 57.7 per cent stake through their Kingsbell Company investment vehicle, which enables them to maintain control of the future direction of Mincon.

The family of the company’s chief executive, Kevin Barry, owned just under 20 per cent of Mincon through a company called Ballybell prior to the sale. Following the stockmarket entry, they now own 14.4 per cent of the company. Based on the new stock price, the Purcells’ stake is now valued in the region of € 110 million while the Barry family stake is worth more then € 28 million.

Mincon hit the headlines in 2010 when its drills played a crucial role in the successful rescue of 33 Chilean miners who became trapped nearly one kilometre underground.

A supplier of specialised drilling equipment, Mincon’s products have been used in some of the most remote regions of the world by firms engaged in mining, oil and gas exploration, as well as construction.

Before establishing Mincon, Patrick Purcell (77) worked as a fitter for the Air Corps and for De Beers [now Element Six], in Shannon.

CLARE Labour TD, Michael McNamara, has started bizarre war words with Clare County Council – accusing the local authority of specialising in threatening letters and bullying landowners.

Speaking in the Dáil last Wednesday, the East Clare TD even went as far as to suggest that Clare County Council were incapable of sending a letter which was not threatening. Deputy McNamara was speaking on the local authorities enforcement of the 1993 Roads Acts, law which was introduced by the last Labour government.

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A LARGE search involving dozens of members of the Killaloe Unit of the Irish Coast Guard, the RNLI and members of the Gardaí too place in Scariff, last Friday evening.

The emergency services were tasked to locate a missing male in the Scariff area late on Friday evening. A combined land and water search was undertaken, with a large number of emergency responders focusing their efforts on the area around Scariff Bay.

The water searched was aided by the Irish Coast Guard Helicopter from Shannon, and the Killaloe Ballina Search and Recovery Dive Unit. The missing person turned up distraught but safe after the three hour search.

“On Friday night we responded to a report of a missing person in the Scariff area. It was an extensive search of a relatively small area as the search teams had to focus on both a land and sea search,” said Joe Doolin of the Killaloe Unit of the Irish Coast Guard.

“After a search of about two and a half hours the person was located safe and well. He did not require any major medical attention.”

The Killaloe Unit of the Irish Coast Guard has had one of its most busy years on record so far in 2013. With a month of this year still to go, the unit has already logged more than 229 operational hours so far in 2013 – an increase of 179 per cent on the number of hours of active service in 2012.

The number of incidents responded to has also increased to 39, this represents a 26 per cent year on year increase, while the unit has given aid to 59 individuals – a 52 per cent increase on 2012.

In June of this year the unit undertook one of its largest ever mass rescues when a regatta on Lough Derg descended into chaos following a suddenly deterioration in the weather.

The unit brought more than 40 people ashore in an hour with many of them being treated for hypothermia.

CLONLARA woman Noreen Keane, says she is “shocked and disappointed” following comments made by the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny (FG), in the Dáil last week. The Fine Gael leader denied ever agreeing to meet with Noreen, whose son Ronan suffers from down syndrome and whose discretionary medical card has been taken from him earlier this year.

Noreen and her son Ronan, staged a protest outside a Fine Gael event attended by the Taoiseach in Limerick last month. At that meeting Fine Gael officials told the Clonlara woman that she would be granted a meeting with Enda Kenny.

However, responding to questions from Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin in the Dáil last week, Deputy Kenny denied agreeing to a meeting. Both Noreen and Ronan took part in a protest walk in Dublin on Saturday to highlight the loss of Ronan’s medical card.

“You [Micheál Martin] mentioned that political gathering that the Fine Gael party had down in Limerick. Nobody told me that the person involved wanted to meet me. I spoke to several people on the way in there. That is not the issue. The issue is, you were right to ask a question about two children and a walk that is taking place about the loss of their discretionary medical card,” said An Taoiseach.

“There is no change in the policy. Nobody is entitled to a medical card automatically. Issues like income and discretion come in after that.”

Deputy Kenny was responding to a question raised by Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin regarding Clonlara boy Ronan Woodhouse and Cork girl Katie Connolly, who also took part in the walk.

“In relation to this specific case. They [Ronan and Noreen] were offered a long-term illness card but many of the conditions don’t qualify under a long-term illness card. If you, or someone else met these people you could sort this out,” said Deputy Martin.

“The reality is that there has been a change of policy. My people cant understand you getting up here every day and saying that there has not been a change of policy.”

THREE more people were sentenced in the district court this week, following a garda operation targeting the sale of drugs in Kilrush.

The District Court in Kilrush heard that a number of people sold controlled drugs to under cover Gardaí during the end of 2012 and beginning of 2013. Among them were Martin O’Brien (32) The Bungalow, Wood Road, Kilrush, who pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled drug – Diamorphine (heroin) for sale or supply at the Tesco car park, on the Ennis Road, Kilrush, at 6.45 pm on January 30, 2013.

He was also charged with having heroin for sale or supply at Woodroad, Kilrush at 5.30pm on January 11, 2013 and drugs for sale at 6pm on January 14, 2013, in the Tesco car park, Kilrush.

Mr O’Brien was on bail at the time of the offences, is currently serving a three-year sentence for assault and has 37 previous convictions.

Solicitor for the defence Darragh Hassett said it was no secret that Mr O’Brien had a drug problem.

“He would have started out life as being one of the people being sold the drugs,” he said.

Mr O’Brien’s wife Valerie Power, The Bungalow, Wood Road, Kilrush, was also charged with having heroin for sale or supply at the Tesco car park, Kilrush, on March 15, 2013. She was also charged with having heroin for sale at the supermarket car park on February 16 and again on March 1, this year.

The court heard she began selling Mr O’Brien’s remaining drugs after he was arrested. She was also on bail at the time of the offence.

Mr Hassett said Ms Power does not take drugs and has warned Mr O’Brien she will leave him if he uses drugs again.

Sean McMahon (24) with an address at 25 Nagles Terrace, Kilrush, pleaded guilty to having cannabis herb for sale or supply at Kilkee Road, Kilrush, on December 12, 2012, and again on the Kilkee Road, on December 4, 2012.

His solicitor Patrick Moynihan said Mr McMahon had now moved away from Kilrush and was living in Galway while attending GMIT.

He said he was a bright man that did something stupid. He was addicted to cannabis and “got the fright of his life from this”, he added.

Judge Patrick Durcan served Ms Power with the probation act and placed her on her own bond for two years.

He sentenced Mr McMahon to six months in prison and suspended it for two years.

“I am not satisfied Mr McMahon has ceased to be involved in drug sale. Mr O’Brien’s case was adjourned to Ennis District Court on Wednesday to allow he judge consider his jurisdiction on sentencing.

On Wednesday Judge Durcan said Mr O’Brien fell into a much more serious category of offender than his fellow accused.

He said he had engaged in the sale of heroin in three areas of Kilrush, activities the court heard, that cre- ated a “drug epidemic” in the West Clare town.

Judge Durcan said, “The defendant Martin O’Brien would appear to be one of the bigger players, in a local sense, in the filthy pool of drug dealing.”

He added that while he bears in mind Mr O’Brien’s circumstances and his plea of guilty, the aggravating factors in the case are “staggering”.

He imposed sentences totalling 18 months but suspended the final three months on condition Mr O’Brien be of good behaviour.

He granted an application to fix recognizances in the event of an appeal. Judge Durcan commended the work of gardaí who had undertaken the undercover operation in Kilrush.

He described the amount of damage being done by heroin to Kilrush as “horrific”.

He said that while heroin is causing difficulties to communities across the country, “it is a particular problem in Kilrush.”

Judge Durcan said he was struck by the “brashness, the sheer brashness of the offence”.

Warning that business owners to be vigilant of criminal activity on their premises, he said the open trade of heroin in broad daylight would not be tolerated.

He said a mini market for the sale of heroin had been in operation outside the Tesco’s shopping centre.

“I do find it quite amazing that in a supermarket car park there is as much commercial activity as inside,” he said in Kilrush on Tuesday.

THE cases of two people charged in connection with an alleged violent incident at a graveyard in Ennis are to proceed in the Circuit Court.

Brothers David and Brian Joyce, both with addresses at Dun Na hInse, Ennis, appeared before Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Brian Joyce (19) is charged with assault causing harm to a man and unlawful possession of a wooden handle arising out of an alleged incident at Drumcliffe graveyard on August 27 (2013).

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed the matter proceed to trial on indictment.

He said a book of evidence is being prepared in the case.

Mr Joyce was remanded on continuing bail to appear again at Ennis District Court on December 18 for service of the book of evidence.

Charges were struck out against David Joyce (24).

David Joyce had been charged with assault causing harm and unlawful possession of a three-foot iron bar arising out of the same alleged incident at Drumcliffe Graveyard on August 27.

Insp Kennedy said no evidence was being offered in respect of the charges.

Judge Patrick Durcan granted the application to strike out the charges.

Judge Durcan refused jurisdiction of the case of a 16-year-old boy charged in connection with the alleged incident at Druncliffe.

The teenager is charged with possession of a steak knife and production of a hockey stick contrary to the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act.

Previous charges against the boy were struck out.

Insp Tom Kennedy outlined the alleged facts of the case to allow Judge Durcan consider jurisdiction.

The court heard that gardaí received an anonymous phone call to respond to an incident at Drumcliffe on August 27.

Insp Kennedy said it would be alleged that the teenager was found in possession of a hockey stick and steak knife in the graveyard.

“There was a fight. Blood was spilled”, added Insp Kennedy.

He told the court the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed summary disposal of the case.

Judge Durcan refused jurisdiction, meaning the case will now proceed to the Circuit Court.

The boy was remanded on continuing bail to appear again at Ennis District Court on December 18 for service of the book of evidence.

ONE of Clare’s most historic structures has been closed to allow for essential repairs to take place over the winter. O’Brien’s Tower at the Cliffs of Moher was closed to the public last week and will remain closed until repairs to the roof and interior of the structure can be completed.

No target date has yet been given for the reopening of building, which is expected to play a central part of 1,000 year anniversary of Brian Boru next year.

Director of the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience, Katherine Webster, said every care is being taken to protect the listed building.

“We usually close the tower for internal maintenance work for a period during the winter. This year we are also doing some work on the roof to address water ingress to the tower through this area,” she said.

“O’Brien’s Tower is a very important historic structure and given the exposed location near the highest point of the Cliffs of Moher it is subject to the onslaught of extreme weather.

“This leads to substantial maintenance requirements. We are very conscious of our obligations to maintain and conserve what is a unique piece of cultural heritage. I don’t have a date for reopening at this stage.

“It is particularly important that O’Brien’s Tower is fully ready for the year ahead in 2014, which marks the 1000 year anniversary of the death of Brian Boru, the first High King of Ireland and founder of the influential O’Brien Clan.”

A MAN who set fire to a garden shed owned by a man who harassed his mother has been told to pay 100% compensation for the damage or go to jail.

Aaron Moylan (21) pleaded guilty in May to damaging two sheds in the Hawthorns, Limerick Road, Ennis on June 27, 2012.

The court heard Mr Moylan committed the offence at the house of a man who had previously pleaded guilty to harassing his mother.

At the time, Judge Patrick Durcan said that while Mr Moylan’s motivation was out of “loyalty and love for his mother”, it was a “very serious and dangerous offence to commit.”

Judge Durcan had adjourned the case to allow the accused pay compensation for the damage caused.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client had paid € 300 compensation so far. The court heard the total amount of compensation due is € 1300.

Ms Godfrey explained the court had mistakenly been informed previously that all compensation had been paid.

She said Mr Moylan, with an address at Abbey Court, Ennis lost his job earlier this year after his employer read about his act of arson in a local paper.

Ms Godfrey said her client required time to save money.

She explained Mr Moylan is currently studying sports science but the course won’t be finished until September 2014.

Judge Patrick Durcan said the case had been “dribbling on” and he was going to deal with it in September. “It’s 100% compo (compensation) or jail,” he told Mr Moylan.

Paraphrasing an expression made famous by former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, Judge Durcan said, “The Judge is not for turning.”

The case was adjourned to September 24, 2014 for payment of compensation.

A MAN with a crippling addiction to alcohol who was found in an Ennis pub “rummaging” for food has been sentenced to five months in prison.

Judge Patrick Durcan told Mark Whelan that while he had some sympathy and regard for him, he couldn’t continue to make a “nuisance” of himself in Ennis.

Sentence was passed after the accused’s solicitor requested the court send her client to prison for his own benefit.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Mr Whelan (39), with addresses at Laurel Lodge, Ennis and Kinocra Apartments, Shannon, pleaded guilty to trespass at the Cloister Bar, Abbey Street, Ennis on October 18.

He also pleaded guilty to public intoxication at the Old Ground Hotel, Ennis on October 21 and Finian Park, Shannon on October 28.

Inspector Tom Kennedy said the accused was found by staff in the kitchen area of the Closter Bar and Restaurant “rummaging” for food.

The court heard Mr Whelan was found lying on the ground at the rear of the Old Ground Hotel in a very intoxicated and unresponsive state.

On October 28, Insp Kennedy said, gardaí in Shannon received a report that Mr Whelan was in a very drunk state in the Finian Park area of the town. Insp Kennedy told the court the accused has 87 previous convictions, that consist mainly of public order, theft and trespass offences.

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said the court was very familiar with Mr Whelan and his background. She said her client was released from prison on October 18 but had been unable to access addiction treatment services.

“Mr Whelan has got to a point where alcohol has completely clouded his judgment”, she added.

Ms Godfrey urged the court to impose a custodial sentence similar in length to a residential treatment course for addiction.

Ms Godfrey said her client has come to accept that he must spend a period of time in prison before he is in a fit condition to receive treatment for his alcoholism.

Judge Patrick Durcan said he had the greatest sympathy for Mr Whelan and the difficulties he has experienced in his life.

However he said he also had sympathy for the businesses affected by the accused’s behaviour. He sentenced Mr Whelan to five months in prison and imposed fines totaling € 300.

Judge Durcan said the court had shown Mr Whelan leniency in the past and had a certain regard for him. “But I’m not going to have making a nuisance of yourself around the town,” he added.

Judge Durcan also directed Mr Whelan receive appropriate medical treatment in prison.

Judge Durcan refused Ms Godfrey’s application to backdate the sentence to cover time spent on remand in custody.