Category: News

TO BEE or not to bee – that is literally the question facing Clare County Council as it considers designating Ireland’s first Honey Bee Sanctuary in the Burren.

The native Irish Black Bee is under threat and non-profit Banner Bee Keepers are supporting the Native Irish Bee Society to preserve the bee natural to the area.

The society has now proposed that the Burren be designated a sanctuary for the endangered bee.

There are several threats to the native honeybees in Ireland. The gene pool has been drastically reduced by the varroa mite – an exotic parasite which originated in Asia.

Up until the mid-nineties, Ireland was one of the few varroa free zones left in the world. It arrived in the country with imported honeybees. The tiny little mite has resulted in the near eradication of feral colonies of honeybees that existed in the wild from time immemorial.

“Importation of honey bees is a practice which beekeeping bodies and most beekeepers in Ireland do not condone, as many more bee pests and diseases could enter Ireland in a similar way in the future,” explained Frank Considine of Banner Bee Keepers.

“There has been an upsurge in interest in honey bees in the last few years and some people are tempted to import honey bees. This can have dire consequences for the native bees which can cross breed with them and become aggressive,” he said.

“This in the long term could have a devastating effect on the sustainability of the native honey bee in Ireland. Some parts of Ireland have larger populations of pure native bees than others. It is hoped in the future, that these localities will become conservation areas for this endangered sub species of European honey bee.”

Supporting the need for a bee sanctuary, Cllr Brian Meaney (FF) said this is a necessary project but it will be quite difficult to develop, as it will need to include a number of bodies including the council, the OPW, and the National Park and Wildlife.

A TOTAL of € 4.06 million has been collected from households in County Clare from last year’s household charge.

The € 100 tax per household proved controversial at the time, and has since been replaced with the property tax. The Revenue Commissioners have not yet provided an analysis by county of the Local Property Tax collected to date.

However Clare people have proved to be compliant with the former household charge with more than 80 per cent paying up.

Clare county councillor Christy Curtin (Ind) believes the Government should return money taken from the council coffers last year because just over 60 per cent of property owners had paid the charge.

The high compliance rate and the amount of money collected makes a good argument for the funding to be returned he maintained.

The General-Purpose Grant allocation from the Local Government Fund was reduced by € 243,631 in July 2012 as a penalty set by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.

This reduction was based on the level of household charge compliance achieved up to July 2012. This adjustment was confirmed by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government in September 2012.

The household charge introduced in 2012 has been replaced by the Local Property Tax, which became operational on July 1, 2013, resulting in a half year Local Property Tax charge in 2013. A full year charge will apply from 2014 onwards. In 2013 there is not a direct allocation to Local Authorities from the Local Property Tax.

Niall Barrett, Head of Finance at Clare County Council, said the Minister of Environment, Community and Local Government has indicated that of money collected from Local Property Tax in 2014, 80 per cent of the amount collected for a county will be remitted to the local authority where the tax is raised.

“The remaining 20 per cent of the tax collected nationally will be redistributed on an equalised basis to local authorities within the context of the annual allocations of the General Purposes Grants,” he said.

BISHOP of Inis Cathaigh (Scattery Island) and Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn in New York Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano, was not expecting to have to pick up his own tab when he was invited to a special ceremony on the 6th century monastic island early next month.

A representative for the bishop emailed Kilrush Town Council last week asking if the bishop would be reembursed for his travel expenses.

The council, who issued the in- vite last year, shortly after he was appointed bishop, agreed at this month’s meeting of the council that they did not have the funds to cover the costs.

Kilrush town clerk John Corry told the members that the email was sent from the bishop’s office as preparations were made to book his flights.

“We’ve had different receptions before and we haven’t had to pay expenses. I was proposing to reply on the basis that we certainly would be delighted to welcome him but that we don’t have the budget to cover that,” the town clerk told the members. All members were in agreement. Cllr Liam Williams (FG) said, “We look forward to his arrival and we’ll host a reception for him.” While Scattery Island no longer functions day to day as a diocese, the ancient title is bestowed on a newly ordained auxiliary bishop by the pope. On August 22, 2006, when Bishop Caggiano was ordained Auxiliary Bishop he was given the ancient Irish title. When he arrives on the island in August he will be the first bishop of Inis Cathaigh to do so in living memory.

THE regeneration of a Kilrush housing estate is back on track, after council officials met with a resident who raised concerns that his home would be devalued by the plans.

Last month the John Paul Estate resident told a meeting of Kilrush Town Council that the proposed Wilson’s Road entrance would pass directly beside his house devaluing the privately-owned family home.

He also raised concerns that the road would result in a lack of privacy for him and his family.

Due to these concerns the council agreed to suspend Part VIII approval for the plan, which meant the project would not get the green light from the members until the issue was resolved.

Kilrush town clerk John Corry said these issues have now been resolved after a meeting between the concerned resident, Mr Corry and a council planner.

It has been agreed to situate the footpath further from the home in question allowing for more privacy.

Mr Corry said the family are happy with this, and the council has signed of on the Part VIII.

Under the plan, which has gone to tender and a builder appointed, three houses on Elm Drive will be demolished to create an entrance to the council estate from Wilson’s Road.

This phase of the ongoing regeneration plan aims to open up the estate and remove more of the alleys at the back of some houses, which were encouraging anti-social behaviour.

The work is still subject to Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government funding, but Mr Corry said the council are very “hopeful”.

“The fact that we have received funding for the first and second phase, was are making the argument that we are brining it to completion,” he said.

“The department indicated that it is the most high priority case in the county.”

A BORD Fáilte in-depth survey has shown that three quarters of visitors to West Clare last year got their information from a tourist office.

In the last number of weeks the holiday board has come under criticism for removing the last tourist office from the West Care peninsula and replacing it with information points in Kilrush and Kilkee.

Now its own survey is saying that the tourist office provided more information to tourists last year than even the internet, where just 20 per cent of people got their information.

Accommodation providers provided a further 23 per cent.

According to Fáilte 360: Holidaymaker Survey 2012, the most visited attraction by holidayers to the west of the county was the Cliffs of Moher with 54 per cent of tourists saying they visited the interpretative centre.

The in-depth survey also showed that while the majority of overseas visitors, 32 per cent, first came across West Clare through word of mouth, 77 per cent then sourced their information from the internet.

A further 34 per cent gathered information from guidebooks, while 12 per cent relied on travel agents or tour operators.

Bord Fáilte has described the report published yesterday as the most comprehensive examination of what holidaymakers really think of Ireland and its regional destinations.

“Gathering the views of nearly 10,000 overseas and domestic holidaymakers who visited 11 holiday areas across the country last year, the report is an in-depth insight into what visitors experienced and thought about tourism’s key regions,” a spokesperson said.

The survey also showed that hotels were the most popular choice of accommodation at 36 per cent, while 22 per cent stayed in B&Bs.

The majority of visitors, 31 per cent, chose to eat in pubs while 25 per cent dined in a hotel with 15 per cent at a restaurant.

Hiking and hill walking was top of the list of activities they engaged in.

As many as 76 per cent of visitors surveyed said they would recommend West Clare for a holiday with the beautiful scenery and countryside topping the list of reasons, together with its nice and friendly people.

ENNIS Hospital has never been busier according to the Health Service Executive (HSE), even with the removal of 24-hour accident and emer- gency service four years ago, and the “down grading” of the replacement 12-hour local emergency centre yesterday to a local injuries unit. A spokesperson for the HSE maintained, “Ennis Hospital is now busier than ever. The reconfiguration of sur- gery in the region has seen surgical activity increase from 2,723 procedures in 2010 to 4,585 procedures in 2012. “It is now the centre for bowel cancer screening for the region. The ambition of UL Hospitals is to grow services in Ennis, particularly services for chronic diseases and planned care,” he said. The new Medical Assessment Unit also opened yesterday (Monday) along with the local injuries unit are only “the latest in a series of developments costing over € 12 million which has resulted in the transformation of the hospital,” he said. “Ennis Hospital is an essential part of UL Hospitals, which operates over six sites in the mid-west with a single management structure, medical leadership, budgeting and governance.” The spokesman also denied suggestions that the changing status of the hospital would make it more difficult to attract experienced doctors and nurses to its staff, an issue that has been ongoing in the mid-west region within certain specialities. “Attracting medical and nursing staff to work in stand alone hospitals like Ennis is difficult. Incorporating Ennis as part of the UL Hospitals means that doctors and nurses are exposed to greater clinical variety which makes recruitment and retention less of an issue,” he said. He also stressed that while seriously ill or injured patients are directed to attend the Emergency Department at the University Hospital Limerick, no sick person will be turned away from Ennis. “A sick person will never be turned away. Anyone who needs treatment will be assessed, stabilised and transferred to Dooradoyle if their condition warrants it,” he said.

CLOSURE Orders were served on two East Clare businesses during June by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) due to food safety concerns.

The Killaloe take away River Spice on Main Street, Killaloe, was closed on June 19 for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998.

The second order was served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on Clonlara Wholesale Distributors, a cash and carry business.

The areas closed included the green shed, temporary white canvas structure and open yard areas ancillary to the main premises, which are being used for food storage.

The Closure Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive.

A total of eight enforcement or- ders were issued by the HSE on food premises nationwide last month.

The eight Enforcement Orders served in June bring to 69 the total number of Enforcement Orders served in the first six months of 2013 – a 77 per cent increase on the same period last year.

Prof Alan Reilly, Chief Executive, FSAI, stated that the increase in the number of food safety breaches identified is worrying if this upward trend continues. “Each Enforcement Order sends a clear message to food businesses that unsafe food safety practices or non-compliance with food legislation is not tolerated by the inspection officers. There is absolutely no excuse for negligent practices. Food businesses must recognise that the legal onus is on them to make sure that the food they serve is safe to eat. This requires ongoing compliance with food safety practices and hygiene standards to ensure that their businesses comply with the law,” he said.

THE summer sunshine at the weekend had an impact not just on the count y’s beaches and water ways, but also the local hospit al.

Yesterday mor ni ng (Monday) there were no patients in the newly opened and much publicised Medical Assessment Unit (MAU), and just “a handful of people” awaited t reatment in the Local Injur ies Unit.

Medical st aff put the low attendance down to the fine weather, as t raditionally accident and emergency cent res see a drop in patients during sunnier days.

The MAU i n Ennis was officially up and r unning yesterday and will remain open ever y Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.

Patients are to be refer red to the unit by thei r GPs if they have symptoms that may requi re hospit al admission such as chest infections and chronic diseases i ncluding asthma and diabetes.

Shannondoc and GPs can also admit medical patients di rectly to t he hospital outside the opening times of the MAU, following discussion wit h the medical and nursing staff.

GPs and hospital st aff wil l have time to familiarise themselves with the new system as patients have yet to come flocking through the door.

The 12-hour local emergency cent re was also replaced at the weekend with a local injuries unit that wi ll cater for minor injuries and illness.

The good weather seemed to have a positive affect on t he well being of t he people of Clare as less t han five people awaited t reatment at the injuries unit at 8am yesterday.

PLANS to rejuvenate Ennis’s historic town centre could be kick-started by the development of a covered market in the Lysaght’s Lane area of the town, according to a new report.

The lane, which leads into the lower market street car park, is identified as the preferred location for a new market in a report by the architectural firm behind Limerick City’s Milk Market Project.

Richard Rice of Healy Partners and Associates made the recommendation in a report commissioned by Ennis Town Council.

Rice was asked to examine the entire Ennis Market area, with particular reference to providing a covered market in the town.

Mr Rice’s preliminary report stated, “We recommend that the Lysaght’s Lane option be considered for development as the location for the Farmers Artisan Market. It is at the retail core of the town; is within a defined urban space that offers very positive development potential; establishes a pedestrian zone at the town centre; offers opportunities to local business to develop their premises towards the new market location.”

The council has given its backing to the project, which it says has the potential to “become the flagship legacy project” for the council’s final year.

On the removal of parking spaces from the Lysaght’s Lane area, the report stated, it “would have the positive effect of removing the need for car access from the roundabout at Market Place and create a pedestrian core in the town centre.

It added, “This would be seen as being a key goal in the creation of a safer market environment when considering the presence of children.”

The council recently held a public workshop with market stakeholders including local businesses, stall holders, Farmers Market cooperative and customers.

Richard Rice made a formal pres- entation for growing the Market from lower market street car park (Lysaght’s Lane), through the Mall to the Market Day sculpture and roundabout. The proposal would include some pedestrian areas for market customers with access to deliveries.

Town clerk Leonard Cleary explained that a proposal was also received for the council to examine opportunities for improved access to the area from adjacent streets.

“This idea sought to concentrate footfall to the benefit of traders in the market and traders on the adjacent streets as well as ease of customer flow. A specific suggestion in relation to access from O’Connell Street was proposed in this regard.”

Mr Cleary added, “It is recommended that the council progress the market report suggestions further through appropriate Part VIII planning and tender procedures. This project has the potential to become the flagship legacy project for the final year of this Ennis Town Council term.”

A FORMER Anglo Irish boss, who is currently being pursued by the bank for a repayment of part of his retirement package, is living in his dream home in Killaoe on the shore of Lough Derg.

John Rowan stepped down as the head of Anglo Irish Bank’s British operations in 2005 after former Anglo colleague David Drumm became chief executive. The 55 year-old and his wife Annette bought the property at Rahena Beg, Killaloe, which included almost 10 acres of land and a two-storey house, in August 2007.

There is no mortgage recorded on the property, according to land registry papers. Mr Rowan ran the bank’s UK operations for almost 18 years, building up the business from scratch from 1988 onwards.

The UK operations represented more than a third of the bank’s profits at the time of his resignation in 2005, a full three years before the bank needed State help and four years before it was nationalsied.

Proceedings against Mr Rowan, launched by the liquidated successor to Anglo Irish, IBRC, are to resume in the Commercial Court later this month.

IBRC is claiming that the resignation agreement drawn up for Mr Rowan does not comply with the Companies Act because it wasn’t approved by a general meeting of the bank. In an affidavit, Mr Rowan has said he is “horrified” that the bank is now seeking repayment more than seven years after he stepped down from Anglo, pointing out that it was not until late 2011 that IBRC claimed his retirement package was unlawful.