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FARM incomes plummeted by a massive 25 per cent 2006 according to the National Farm Survey pub- lished by Teagasc last week.

The average national family farm income is now just €16,680 a drop of €5,779 or 25.7 per cent on the 2005 levels. While these figures are arti- ficially high because of the one off high level of direct subsidy in 2005, it still represents another blow for the farming community.

Perhaps a more worrying trend is that, according to the survey, direct payments now account for 98 per cent of all family farm Income.

The survey, which was conducted by the Teagasc Rural Economy Re- search Centre, also showed that on full time farms the average family farm income was €34,486 – down by 15 per cent on the previous year.

Reacting to the results, IFA Presi- dent Padraig Walshe, said that the figures are not as bad as they seem.

ml GI Tea e Durem peeeelomrPAU ee moore efited from a once-off boost due to the timing of the changeover to the decoupled payments system, and this is the main reason for the 25 per cent decline in national farm income in 2006,” he said.

“Looking at the income trends in 2007, there clearly has been a recov-

ery in dairy markets. While some price increases to farmers have come through, I believe there is major scope for further price increases this year. Also, world grain markets are quite strong as we approach the 2007 harvest.

‘However, cattle and sheep prices are very disappointing this year. Winter beef finishers lost heavily due to poor prices and higher costs. In the sheep sector, continuing low prices and margins are resulting in a serious decline in the national ewe ley ucreLeNbOTCaBE COle) eum

Meanwhile, ICSA President Mal- colm Thompson expressed his con- cerns at some of the income statistics,

particularly regarding the drystock sector.

‘These statistics are a wake-up call to policy makers, food processors and factories alike,’ he said. “There is an obvious and deep structural de- ficiency in the systems employed by the drystock sector, and these figures demonstrate that the current system of farming is inherently unprofitable. You cannot survive in an industry Where your production costs out- weigh profit.”

Commenting on figures, the Presi- dent of ICMSA, Mr Jackie Cahill, said they demonstrated conclusively the very low income figures for full- WUSSom Ec DUES oli

CO-OP are coming under increas- ing pressure to increase the amount of money being paid to farmers for milk.

The ICMSA launched a fresh at- tack on what they deemed an “inex- plicable and glaring milk price gap” between the price being received by farmers and the market returns being received by the country’s Co-ops.

The organisations milk chairper- son, Dominic Cronin, said last week that it is imperative that this “utterly unacceptable” gap was closed when a number of Co-op Board meetings take place this week.

“The gap between the Irish Dairy Board’s On-Account Price and the price being received by farmers now stands at 9c/litre.

In the case of a 50,000 gallon pro- ducer and in the event of the co-ops failing to fully pass back that in- creased price in July, the gap repre- sents a loss of €2,460 for July milk,” he said.

“These losses are simply not ac- ceptable and ICMSA is urging those Co-ops who have set their July and August milk prices to immediately IKeaTA CoA An te loa 08 i

Cronin singled out the state’s big- gest milk processor, Glanbia, as the Co-op ICMSA felt should be taking

a lead in the matter.

Meanwhile the IFA’s National Dairy Committee Chairman, Rich- ard Kennedy, said last week that he believed the Irish Dairy Board would soon have to adjust their SMP and butter prices further for the month of July, in view of continued EU spot market price increases for both prod- ucts, and many other commodities.

“The current EU average price for SMP is €3,600/t, 150/t more than the current IDB price including the June retrospective payment, while EU butter prices reach € 3,500 on average, €200/t more than the Irish Dairy Board are paying,” he said.

“Current EU butter and SMP pric-

es, calculated on the same basis as the IDB index, reach the equivalent of 47c/l. That is 4c/l more than the current Dairy Board index.

“It is clear to me that an adjustment to the IDB prices, which I believe must happen soon, will make those returns available to those among our processors who do not already have access to them because they do not trade outside of the Dairy Board.

“Contracted prices with manufac- turers of cream liqueur, infant formu- lae or chocolate crumb, are all based on the IDB index plus a premium – so that returns for these products are 1n- creasing every time the IDB increas- es its commodity prices.”

AFTER all the excitement and razz- matazz of last years Irish and World Ploughing championships, prepara- tion are now well on the way for this year’s event.

Applications for exhibition space are reportedly flooding in to the Na- tional Ploughing Association offices in Athy in advance of this year event which takes place in Tullamore, from Tuesday, September 25, to Thursday 27

The championships will once again be one of the largest outdoor events held in Europe this year and organis- ers have concentrated on exceptional quality and diversification in their 60 acre trade arena this year with a huge

cross section of businesses being successful with their applications.

Government Departments, political parties, semi-state bodies, sporting organisations, hotels and education are just some of the businesses at- tending.

Financial institutes are also well represented with stockbrokers, 1in- vestment clubs and the Financial Regulator coming on board.

As in previous years health will have a strong presence at the cham- pionships with cholesterol and blood pressure checks from the Irish Blood Transfusion Board, the Irish Haemo- chromatosis Association and _ the Health Service Executive.

The National Office for Suicide Prevention will also be providing in-

formation on suicide prevention, an issue becoming increasingly com- mon in rural Ireland.

Renewable energy will have a big presence with wind turbines, bio- mass boilers fuelled by chicken litter, oats and barley. Solar panels, wood pellet stoves, science and engineer- ing stands will have you totally up to speed on the latest equipment and cost saving devices on the market.

The European Commission and the European Parliament will also be there to discuss the environmental challenges that exist in Europe, spe- cifically nature and climate change.

Northern Ireland departments will also have a presence with the De- partment of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Agri-Food and

Biosciences Institute.

The Road Safety Authority along with the Garda Road Safety Division will be carrying out seatbelt demon- strations for child car seats as well as free eyesight tests in conjunction with SpecSavers.

The ever popular overseas property exhibition returns this year, as does the fantastic Leader Food Village with its hand made chocolates, farm house cheeses, breads, cakes, honey and marmalades.

Leader Crafts are also making a welcome comeback with their mag- nificent displays that were so popular ETS more e

Tickets are now available by call- ing (059) 8625125 or for more infor- mation, visit Www.npa.ie.

THE county solicitor has poured cold water on suggestions that a move by Doonbeg Golf Club to identify a so- lution over the contentious right-of- way at the €150 million golf course is linked to it possibly abandoning its High Court judicial review case.

Last month, the golf club held a public meeting in Doonbeg con- cerning a compromise proposal in relation to an ongoing right-of-way controversy at the fourth and 14th fairways at the course.

The meeting took place a week prior to a High Court judicial review application being brought by the club concerning an An Bord Pleanala rul- ing that the club built a wall across the right-of-way without planning permission.

The judicial review proceedings have now been adjourned to Octo- ber when the case is expected to be listed.

However, in a letter to the man who precipitated the controversy, David McNamara, County Solicitor, John Shaw said, “It is difficult to see how

any proposal put forward by Doon- beg Golf Club can in any way affect the judicial review brought by them against An Bord Pleanala.

‘The issue before the court is the decision of An Bord Pleanala and not the existence or otherwise of a right- OE eA

‘The proceedings before the High Court in our view cannot be deter- minative of the right-of-way issue. They are merely judicial review proceedings reviewing the decision of the board. The extinguishment of any public right-of-way is a matter

for the roads authority for the area in question pursuant to Section 73 of the Roads Act 1993.

“It would appear to the writer that the only way Doonbeg Golf Club Ltd can avoid a hearing of the proceed- ings is to withdraw their application to the court which would leave the decision of the board standing.

He added, “It is the Bord Pleana- la decision that is now before the courts, not the Clare County Council decision.

‘The case before the courts will not determine whether there is a public

right-of-way at this location or not. The proceedings before the court are not adequate for this purpose.

“Insofar aS we are aware, neither our clients nor ourselves have been involved in discussions with regard to the extinguishment of the alleged right-of-way over the golf club it- self.

“As indicated, it is not the inten- tion and has not been the intention of Clare County Council to extinguish the particular right-of-way referred to in the decisions which are now be- fore the High Court”.

A PROTECTED butterfly is the fo- cus of a battle between two rival developers vying to secure planning permission for the first major retail park on the outskirts of Ennis.

Currently, Clare County Council is evaluating a proposal by Stephen Harris to construct a €50 million retail park adjacent to the Ennis by- ee

However, consultants for develop- ers of a rival proposal, Sean Lyne and Noel Connellan are claiming that if a transfer site for the protected butterfly, the Marsh Fritillary within the proposed Harris park was meas- ured, “it is difficult to see how the scheme could be considered viable or feasible”.

As part of the works for the €205 million Ennis bypass scheme, popu- lations of the butterfly protected un- der the EU Habitats Directive were transferred from the site of the Ennis bypass to the lands proposed for the Harris retail park.

However, consultants for Lyne and Connellan have told Clare County Council that transferring the but- terfly population “would render the commercial profile of the (Harris) site questionable”’.

Last month, the council refused planning permission for the Lyne-

Connellan retail park development after declaring that the Harris plan is the preferred retail park proposal.

In relation to the Harris plan, the council has stated, however, that “’se- rious concerns remain about the loss of an important area of wetland in addition to the protected Annex One Species, the Marsh Fritillary and other rare species”.

Now, in response, Mr Harris’s con- sultants have told the council that “‘it still has not been possible to obtain conclusive evidence that the site of the proposed development was the site of translocation of the Marsh Fritillary butterfly or any specific de- tails regarding the timing or success of any translocation that may have been completed”.

The new submission lodged states that site surveys have taken place on three occasions and “the presence of the Marsh Fritillary butterfly has not been established on the site”’.

The submission states, “There is a possibility that the butterfly has ceased to colonise this area, which is not uncommon for this particular species.

The Harris retail site also includes an area of fen and the submission states that the fen “is the most sensi- tive habitat on the site, but it is rela- tively small and not directly linked to any other habitats of significance”.

THE terms of reference for an inde- pendent investigation into the treat- ment of patients at an Ennis nursing home have been set.

The HSE ordered the external in- dependent review into Cappahard Lodge on May last, following con- cerns raised “by a number of parties including staff”’.

A separate Garda investigation was also ordered, following complaints made by some of the family mem- bers of Kilrush man Gerard Finn, relating to his treatment and care at the home.

The terms of reference for the re- view, Which will be chaired by Dr Donald Lyons, Mental Welfare Commission of Scotland, have now been set.

In the course of the review, Dr Lyon’s committee will “identify and collate all policies and procedures relating to patient care in Cappahard Lodge”.

The investigating committee will also examine the extent to which current policies and procedures are adhered to and the adequacy of cur- rent policies and procedures.

Finally, the review committee will be asked to make recommendations as to how policies and procedures might be improved and/or more ap- propriately implemented.

Relatives and other stakeholders are to be contacted and asked to make submissions. The late Mr Finn died at the home in June. The 69- year-old was admitted to the home in December 2005, with Alzheimer’s and angina.

Over an “extended period of time”, some of his family members, includ- ing his daughter, made a number of complaints to the HSE regarding his care at Cappahard Lodge.

The complaints were investigated by the clinical director and direc- tor of nursing, Clare Mental Health Services under the HSE Trust in Care policy document which is designed to deal with allegations of abuse.

The complainants were informed of the findings.

This “screening process” found that no abusive actions had taken place and that “nursing and medical care provided for Mr Finn was ap- propriate”.

However, following the Trust in Care investigation, the HSE contin- ued to receive complaints from some family members in relation to Mr Finn’s ongoing treatment and care.

The external review was then com- missioned, prior to Mr Finn’s death POM LUD ates

Mr Finn’s wife, Ann, has made it clear on numerous occasions that she was happy with her husband’s treat- ment at the home.

AFTER taking a break over the bank holiday weekends it’s full steam ahead for underage soccer in the county.

There is a full programme of games down for decision with 19 fixtures due to be played.

Tonight the under 11 leagues takes centre stage with Moher Celtic look- ing to continue their solid start to the season when they take on Lifford in JBHIaVEIATanelOvee

Elsewhere in the same division Newmarket take on Moneypoint at McDonough Park.

In division three, leaders Burren United are another North Clare side that have made a winning start to the season.

They face a tough challenge in the form of Fern Celtic. In the under 13 league, Lifford will be hoping to get their second win of the campaign with a home tie at Cassidy Park where Connolly Celtic are the visitors.

Newtown take on Mountshannon at Ballycasey while in division two, St Pats will be hoping they can leapfrog Newmarket at the top of the table with victory over Moher Celtic in Kiulmihil.

It’s already getting tight at the top in

division one of the under 12 league. Moneypoint and Ennis Town are tied on ten points with four games played. Sitting in third are Avenue United on nine points and three games played.

Moneypoint take on Avenue United in Kilrush with Lifford and Bridge United meeting in Lees Road.

It’s a similar situation in the under 16 league where three games are tied on six points. Fern Celtic are among the early pace-setters and they travel to Lees Road next Tuesday night for a meeting with Turnpike Rovers.

NINE months after doing a solo run on the appointment of a Clare foot- ball manager, the county board has come full circle and enlisted the help of the clubs in finding the right man for the job.

When the Clare delegation trav- elled to Paidi O Sé’s pub in Ventry late last November, they did so under the cover of darkness. Only a select group of board members knew of the impending approach, prompting an- ger among certain delegates.

“I think it was very, very under- hand the way it was done,’ said Ber- nard Hanrahan, Clarecastle delegate of O Sé’s appointment at December’s GAA convention.

Hanrahan’s remarks were knocked back by chairman Michael McDon- agh at the time, but this week the chairman confirmed that the board are two weeks away from receiving final correspondence from the Clare clubs, in relation to who the next man in charge should be.

‘“We’ve made contact with the clubs and we’re waiting for them to get back to us,’ he said. “Once that’s done, it’s a case of drawing up a shortlist over the following ten days or so.”

That the clubs of Clare have a say in the process may ensure that an

exhaustive search will have been un- dertaken, but it’s not guaranteed that success will follow.

While O Sé’s tenure as manager ended without many high points, the board were lauded by most in the winter for going after and securing a big name to help propel Clare up the football ladder.

It didn’t happen and as a result, the search is on for a Clareman to lead the county team from bottom-rung football next season.

“We’re anxious to get the right peo- ple in as soon as possible, but we’re not going to rush anything,’ added McDonagh. “The most important thing is we get the right men to do the job.”

Next Tuesday’s meeting of the board promises to be another action filled event. Besides the expected debate on the next man to fill the football manager’s shoes, talk will also turn to the position of hurling manager following Clare’s departure from the championship against Limerick.

It’s an open secret by now that a certain section of the board wished to remove Tony Considine, despite his two-year appointment. If this fac- tion gets it way, the board could be looking at an unprecedented four in- ter-county appointments in less than one year.

THE company constructing the Ennis bypass has been accused of a breach of contract over placing a protected butterfly onto private land outside the bypass zone without the permis- sion of Clare County Council.

The placing of the Marsh Fritil- lary on lands formerly owned by JJ McCabe has sparked a row between consultants acting for Clare County Council on the bypass and GAMA Construction, where GAMA is deny- ing any breach of contract.

The placing or translocation of the rare butterfly has presented planning headaches to purchaser of the JJ Mc- Cabe lands, Stephen Harris in his bid to construct a €50 million retail park at the site.

Clare County Council has told Mr Harris that there remains serious concerns in relation to the presence of the butterfly on his lands.

Now, in correspondence released through the Freedom of Information Act, Bryan Hamilton of consulting firm Jacobs employed by the council wrote to GAMA in March to state, “We are extremely disappointed to read in this report that Gama Stra- bag Construction Ltd (GSCL) has worked outside the lands made avail- able for the works in relation to the original location of the species and the translocation area.”

In response, Project Manager with GAMA, John Cunningham said on March 29, “We note that in your

letter of February 14, you state that ‘there is no record that this location is outside the lands made available by the employer’.

“We consider that this comment is disingenuous as the reference clearly is to a location that was outside the alignment. For avoidance of any confusion, I note that I personally at- tended both meetings referred to.

“We made it clear on July 23, 2004, that we intended to move the marsh fritillary larvae and associated food plant outside the lands made availa- ble. You raised no concerns or sought

any clarification at the time.

“We further confirmed, as minuted on September 24, that we had relo- cated the plants and larvae and iden- tified the location to an adjacent field — JJ McCabe’s land.”

In relation to the claim of breach of contract, Mr Cunningham said, “We again state that we fulfilled our con- tractual obligations with regard to environmental mitigation in respect OM slow oer-vans meu lselt-)mvam

SOME of Clare’s lesser known tour- ist sites and attractions are being tar- geted by Clare tourist organisations who embark on a week-long promo- tional trip to the US next week.

Clare County Council, Shannon Development, the Clare Tourism Fo- rum, the Clare Tourist Council and Shannon Heritage will be promoting some of Clare’s lesser-known attrac- tions at the Milwaukee Irish Fest in Wisconsin.

“The promotional campaigns of national bodies such as Failte Ireland and Tourism Ireland Limited are un- doubtedly crucial to the overall suc- cess and development of the industry throughout the island at a very chal- lenging time in the global tourism market,” said Tomas Mac Conmara, Acting Heritage Officer, Clare Coun- ty Council.

“The Clare Tourism Forum and Shannon Development have under- taken a huge amount of promotional work in this area. However, the pro- motion of the lesser-known heritage attractions throughout the country 1s often overlooked even though they hold the key to revitalising rural communities and contributing to the sustained growth of the Irish tourist sector.”

The sites that the organisations hope

to sell to prospective tour organisers include the county’s 5,000-year-old portal tombs, its 23 surviving cran- nogs, 220 holy wells, King Brian Bort’s doorway in Tuamgraney, the Michael Cusack Centre in Carron, over 100 12th-century castles and 224 recorded surviving ringforts.

“Clare boasts some of the world’s most famous heritage sites and tour- ist attractions. However, the county has much more to offer than just the famous tourism landmarks with a vast array of local heritage sites and attractions available to tourists,” he continued. “If promoted at local, na- tional and international level, they are likely to benefit from existing tourism business in the region, as well as attract other visitors.”

Marie Slattery from Shannon Her- itage said we would be doing our- selves an injustice to forget the less- er-known attractions.

“Everyone knows that Knappogue Castle is ideal for weddings and the castle’s medieval banquets, but Knappogue’s walled garden and cas- tle tour as a daytime attraction help to keep the visitor in the area for longer, benefiting everyone including the actual visitor,’ she said.

“Promoting the lesser-known attrac- tions in conjunction with the world- renowned products is the only way to show the true promise of our region.”