Category: News

PARENTS of Clare children with special needs have drawn a line in the sand – this far and no farther. More than 100 people turned out in Ennis on Wednesday to protest against cuts in educational supports for children with special need.

Protests of this kind could become a regular sight in Ennis with Clare parent vowing to fight tooth and nail against future cuts of any kind.

According to parent Catherine Burke, the SNA (Special Needs Assistant)/student ratio for children in Clare has gone from one to three in 2010 to one to seven this year.

“We will see more protests – definitely.

“It has been agreed by the Clare Parents Support Group that, from here on in, we will be giving voices to our children – who don’t have voices themselves,” said Catherine.

“If they cut us anymore more we will be out on the streets – we will have our voices heard.

“Our kids need these support. If they don’t get a chance of an education then they won’t be able to reach their potential. Their voices will be heard on this issue – we will make sure of that.”

According to the Clare Parents Support Group, the numbers at last week’s protest in Ennis would have been even larger but for some confusion following last Tuesday’s statement from Minister for Education, Ruairí Quinn (Lab).

“We had more than 100 people there, so I think we did very well for something that was organised over two days on social media. I think we got our message across very well.

“We probably would have gotten more people out for the march but there was some confusion with some people who thought that situation was sorted out after Ruairí Quinn’s statement from the previous day.

“The resource hours have been reallocated to our children but we still have a cap on SNA in our school. So this does amount to a big cut.

“In bigger schools we now have SNAs being shred between four kids with special needs who might be in different class room – it’s not a workable situation.

“This is not a large amount of money.

“Early intervention is key and if these supports are cut, then it be creating more problems down the line. When children are young, it is much easier to help them.

“If they don’t get this support early then it is just making the job harder when they turn eight or nine.”

FUNDING for small festivals in Clare has been slashed by more than 20 per cent in the latest tranche of funding announced by the Arts Council.

The funding, which was announced last week, will impact on festival taking place in the second half of 2013. Overall funding for six Clare festivals during this period come to € 20,000 – a reduction of a reduction of € 5,080 on the same tranche of funding last year.

The festival worst effected are the Willie Keane Memorial Festival, whose Art Council funding was cut by a whopping 35 per cent (from € 3,080 in 2012 to € 2,000 this year) and the Feakle International Traditional Music Festival, which saw a cut by 21.5 per cent (from € 7,000 in 2012 to € 5, 500 in 2013).

Funding was also granted to the Shannon Winter Music Festival (€ 4,500); Ennis Street Festival (€ 3,000), which taking place in July; the Crotty/Galvin Traditional Music Frestival Weekend (€ 3,000), which will be held in Moyasta in September and Music in the Glens in in Killaloe (€ 2,000).

This brings the total allocated to Clare through the Festival and Events Scheme (formally the Small Arts Festivals Scheme) to € 44,500 for 2013. Total Arts Council funding for small festivals in Clare amounted to € 83,100 in 2007 – meaning that funding levels in the county have dropped by more than 46 per cent over the last six years.

These continued cuts to the arts budget has prompted the chairperson for the Arts Council to call on the Government to take a different approach to funding the arts.

Chairwoman Pat Moylan has said the State should not take such a narrow view of stimuli for the economy and it needs to get away from the Celtic Tiger thinking that the only stimulus jobs that can be created are in construction.

“Sometimes there is too traditional a view that what creates jobs quickly are construction projects only. This is narrow thinking. The arts has untapped potential, already supports almost 21,000 jobs and contributes significantly to the economy,” she said.

A NIGERIAN born business graduate intends to throw his hat into the ring for the 2014 local elections. George Atijohn says he wants to run as a candidate in the Ennis electoral area.

The married father of two wants to get involved in local politics in order to “improve the town of Ennis”. He has lived in the town for almost 13 years. If successful, Mr Atijohn said he would represent all the people of Ennis.

He said, “I’m not going to represent one particular community. I want to represent all the people of Ennis.”

The 47 year-old says he would like to get the opportunity to tackle issues such as unemployment and the shortage of local authority housing.

“Look at the problem with unemployment in Ennis. Unemployment doesn’t know any colour. We have nearly 1, 500 waiting on the housing list. These are things we need to tackle head on.”

“How do we create jobs? That is my interest. How do we get ourselves out of the economic mess that we are in?”

Mr Atijohn comes from farming background and previously ran an information technology business in the Lifford area of Ennis. He recently graduated from the University of Limerick with a Masters in Business Management. He says he can’t wait to hit the campaign trail.

“If I could start tomorrow, I would. I would love an opportunity to have a debate with other candidates. You know the way they do American debates? We should do them. It would be fun. Invite the people from the town in and let them assess the candidates.”

He added, “I’m not just talking the talk. I’m going to walk the walk. Let us come together and see how best we can improve the town.”

If successful, Mr Atijohn would be following in the footsteps of Taiwo Matthew who won a seat on Ennis Town Council in 2004. The Nigerian born doctor made history when he became the first immigrant to be elected to a local authority in Ireland.

A JURY has begun deliberating in the trial of a Clare farmer, Joe Heffernan , charged with murdering a 21-year-old student on his land two years ago.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy yesterday (Monday) told the seven women and five men of the jury that they could reach one of three possible verdicts, none of which could be an acquittal.

Meanwhile the trial of Colm Deely (41), who is accused of murdering Deirdre McCarthy was adjourned for a number of days last week. It resumes this morning (Tuesday).

It is expected to have concluded by the end of this week.

A forensic psychiatrist told the Heffernan trial that the accused (33) knew what he was doing was wrong when he killed a student, whom he said was the devil. Dr Sally Linehan of the Central Mental Hospital was giving evidence to the Central Criminal Court in the trial of the farmer charged with murdering the 21-year-old on his farm.

Dr Linehan testified last Wednesday that she had interviewed Mr Heffernan three times since the incident and had studied his records from his time in the Central Mental Hospital following his arrest. The trial also heard harrowing testimony from two friends who were with Eoin Ryan on the night he died.

A HOMELESSNESS campaigner convicted of stealing almost € 27,000 from a pensioner in Ennis will represent herself at a sentencing hearing next month, a court has heard.

Ennis woman Josephine O’Brien (59) told Ennis Circuit Criminal court last week that she had “dismissed” her legal team.

In April, Ms O’Brien, with an address at 15 Bridgeview, Roslevan, was convicted by a jury of nine of 10 counts of theft from the bank account of Stephen O’Halloran (87), a resident of St Joseph’s nursing home.

Ms O’Brien, a founder of the Homeless Education Learning Programme (HELP), was found guilty of stealing € 26, 503 on dates between July 2006 and October 2010.

The court heard she used some of the money to open a homeless shelter in Chapel Lane.

The case was listed for sentence at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court last week. On Tuesday, Defence Solicitor Daragh Hassett applied to come off record in the case.

He said Defence Counsel, Lorcan Connolly BL, was also coming off record.

Mr Hassett told the court he had “strongly advised “Ms O’Brien that she should have legal representation for sentencing.

Ms O’Brien confirmed in court to Judge Keyes that she wished to represent herself.

She added, “I’m an intelligent woman and I’m quite capable of representing myself.”

Judge Gerard Keyes said, “That is your choice and we will respect it.”

Ms O’Brien told the court she sent an affidavit to the Attorney General.

Judge Keyes told Ms O’Brien that she had been found guilty on a number of counts after a trial.

In reply, Ms O’Brien said, “I have been found guilty on facts but there was no crime.”

Judge Keyes advised Ms O’Brien that she must go through the process of sentencing.

He told Ms O’Brien that the option to appeal was open to her after sentencing is complete, if she wished to pursue it.

Ms O’Brien also indicated to the court that she wished to get the tapes of her garda interviews.

Judge Keyes said Ms O’Brien must first make an application to the court. He added that the tapes would be released “subject to strict conditions.”

Sentencing was adjourned to July 11. Ms O’Brien is on continuing bail.

PROGRESS has been made in attempts to secure accommodation for a wheelchair bound man who set fire to a nursing home in Killaloe, a court has heard.

In February, James Sherlock Jnr, formerly of 16 Childers Road, Cloughleigh, Ennis pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court to causing arson at the Lakes Nursing Home in Killaloe on August 20 (2010).

The 24 year old is confined to a wheelchair after loosing both of his legs to amputation.

Heroin addiction lead to the amputation of Mr Sherlock’s right leg. He recently underwent surgery to amputate his left leg.

Finalisation of the case had been adjourned pending suitable accommodation being found for Mr Sherlock.

Circuit Court Judge, Gerard Keyes has said the State must find suit- able facilities for Mr Sherlock. Judge Keyes has previously indicated that he will not impose a custodial sentence. The Court was previously told that due to Mr Sherlock’s past behavioral difficulties and his pleading guilty to arson, many nursing homes and hostels would not accept him due to insurance issues.

The court has heard that discussions have taken place between local authorities, The Probation Services and the Health Services Executive (HSE) with the aim of finding accommodation for Mr Sherlock.

The case came back before the court on Tuesday. Counsel for Mr Sherlock, Pat Whyms BL told the court that the local authority has made progress in attempts to find accommodation for his client.

He said the Probation Service were seeking a further adjournment of the case.

Judge Keyes said he was not going to “interfere” with the progress being made.

Mr Sherlock has spent a period of time staying at the vacant Fairways apartment block in Ennis.

A NEW Clare group, founded earlier this year to campaign for the right of disabled people, will not be running a candidate in next year’s local elections. The Clare Center for Independent Living (CIL) say that their primary goal is to “protect and reclaim” the identity of disabled people in Clare and to speak out when other disabled organisation – which are funded by the government and Health Service Executive (HSE) are unable to represent the needs of the people.

The group came together in May of this year when the Department of Health announced plans to scrap a number of disabled transport scheme. After winning this battle follow- ing a government u-turn last week, the group have decided to formally come together as the CIL – to provide disabled people with an ongoing voice in the county. “We recognise that disabled people need the support each other to ensure that all the years of campaigning, developing and understanding of independent living and trying to have a rightful place in society is not lost as a result of the recession and other practices,” said Anne Marie Flanagan of Clare CIL.

“In Clare disabled people do not have a formal voice locally in how the HSE and the Local Authority spends the funding directly relating to their services, separate to the organisations who are in receipt of the funding. We need to be able to ask the strapped for cash HSE how the budget is being spend and say how we feel it can be improved. We are the service users, who will do everything to maximise the funding, to have the best outcomes for our lives. We can’t do that currently.”

The primary objectives of Clare CIL are to promote independent living and to promote the freedom of choice and self-determination of people with disabilities.

Ms Flanagan confirmed that there will not be a CIL candidate in next years local election – she did say that, should the organisation ever decide to put forward a candidate for election, it would most likely be to the Dail and not to Clare County Council. There are an estimated 9,000 disabled people living in Clare – the quote for being election in Clare in the 2011 general election was 11,500.

ONE OF the most advanced operating theatres in Western Europe is now open in the Mid West Region.

The state of the art high tech minimally invasive colorectal theatre at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick was provided by the Mid-Western Hospitals Development Trust at a cost of over half a million euro.

This fully Integrated Stryker i Suite Theatre is the first voice activated integrated operating theatre of its type in Ireland using Stryker’s dedicated technology and expertise.

Ann Doherty, chief executive of the Mid Western Regional Hospitals Group, said, “This is an exciting time for acute hospital services in the region. Without the work of the Development

“Trust acute hospital services would be lagging far behind international standards but now we are moving into a new era where our hospitals will stand comparison with the best.”

The new Stryker i Suite Theatre will be operated by Eoghan Condon, Professor Calvin Coffey, David Waldron, and Subhasis Giri and their surgical teams.

Mr. Condon and Prof. Coffey recently joined Mr Waldron from Cleveland Clinic Ohio USA, where they trained in laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

Laparoscopic colorectal surgery allows colon cancer to be removed using very small “keyhole” type incisions.

It results in significantly less trauma for the patients and consequently patients with other major conditions who in the past may have been turned down for surgery can now receive curative treatment.

This technique also has the advantage of allowing patients to recover more quickly allowing them to commence their adjuvant treatment earlier and avoid entering the Intensive Care after their operation.

THE COURTHOUSE in Kilrush was packed to capacity on Thursday to watch history in progress as the last ever mayor was elected to the office. Following a nomination by out going mayor Cllr Mairead O’Brien and seconded by his former school teacher Cllr Tom Predeville (FF) Cllr Paul Moroney (Ind) took the chair in the building where the first ever Kilursh Town Council convened in 1885.

The son of Mary and Tommy Moroney from Moore Street, was visibly proud as he took the seat, said he was humbled o be elected and saddened that “this could be the last time” a Kilrush Town Council AGM would be held.

“I feel huge pressure to lead this council into what could be its final year,” he told the crowd.

“I am an honest man,” he said after which there was a sight jeer and laugh from the crowd. “I am hard working, who always gives 100 per cent. I am grounded with family values at heart.”

Mayor Moroney outlined five main aims for the final year of the council. He said he would work to build employment for young people, revitalise business in the town centre and address the issue of vacant and derelict buildings in the town centre.

He said it was also important that the rates system be addresses by the minister. The reserve fireman also spoke of the need for improvement to the local road structure, and the importance of progressing the Sports Project on the Cooraclare Road.

The new mayor added that he also looks forward to welcoming people home for the Gathering this summer.

“I will do my best for Kilrush in he coming year and am sure my colleagues will back me,” he said.

He also thanked people for their support and paid tribute to the late Cllr Stephen O’Gorman (FF) who passed away in December.

Fine Gael Cllr Marian McMahon Jones was elected the last ever deputy mayor of Kilrush having been nominated by Cllr Liam Williams (FG) and seconded by Cllr Ian Lynch (FG). Neither election was contested.

At 32 years of age he has the responsibility of chairing the last ever Kilrush Town Council public meetings and paving the way for a new era in public representation, but age is a mere number to Paul Moroney.

When he was just 21 years of age he became a father for the first time, at 22 he had a mortgage and at 23 he was married to his childhood sweetheart Alison.

Just weeks after he turned 20 years old he became one of the country’s youngest firemen.

“It has taught me everything and for that I will be forever grateful,” he told The Clare People .

It is not surprising then that in the last four years since he was elected to the town council he has argued for better road safety procedures and clearer road markings as well as highlighting the needs of young families. Paul is the father or three – a ten-year-old daughter Lilly Ann and four-year-old twins, Ellie Mai and Archie. He said he has always been interested in politics.

He considered running for the local election in 2005, but felt he was too young and not well known.

“I decided not to lose out again in 2009,” he said. He went on to top the poll.

He said it was also important that Kilrush Town Council leave behind a legacy it could be proud of so he envisages a busy year ahead.

He has not ruled out running for the local elections in 2014, which would see him contest one of the geographically largest constituencies in the country.

“I would love to contest the next general election but my kids are so small. Can I commit that much time? When I saw the new boundary, I knew it was going to be a full time job. Can I give it that much time? I don’t know,” he said.

In the meantime he must keep down the day job in Patrick Bourke’s Mens Wear, fulfill his mayor duties, remain on call as a member of the local fire service and parent three young children.

THE driver of a train that collided with a parked tractor on the western rail corridor close to Cratloe in 2012, was unaware that a collision took place and continued on to the next scheduled stop at Sixmilebridge.

That is according to an investigation into the incident released by the Rail Accident Investigation Unit (RAIU) last week.

The report recommended that Iarnród Éireann should either close or move a nearby level crossing where at least two incidents have taken place in recent years.

On June 20, 2012, a passenger train travelling from Limerick to Galway collided with a tractor at the level crossing close to Cratloe.

The driver of the tractor was shocked but unhurt in the incident but his tractor sustained serious frontal damage.

The investigation found that the immediate cause of the accident was that the tractor entered the swept path of the train as the train was travelling through the level crossing.

The tractor driver had been relying on the railway signals to estimate train approaching times.

“Although the tractor driver was not adhering to the LC guidance booklet which states users should not rely on any railway signals, he had assumed it was safe to cross the level crossing; and despite being delayed by the vehicle blocking his exit, the tractor driver then edged forward to look again for oncoming trains.

“The tractor driver did not hear the train horn before edging forward,” the report says.

“Having been unable to close the level crossing due to a lack of agree- ment between the relevant land owners, Iarnród Éireann did not introduce adequate safety measures as a result of the inadequate viewing distances at the level crossing.”

While the collision was reported to an Iarnród Éireann signalman, it took 27 minutes to confirm the incident and alert the emergency services.

The RAIU established from telephone logs that the signalman had been taking a large number of calls and attempting to get Iarnród Éireann staff to the accident rather than contacting the Emergency Services immediately.