Category: News

CLARE tourism will be damaged internationally, while both private and State-run tourism operators will be the big losers if Clare County Council gives the green light for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to develop car park facilities near Mullaghmore.

This claim is a major plank of the Burren Action Group (BAG) submis- sion to the planning authority, opposing the controversial NPWS application, that has been secured by The Clare People this week.

In a hard-hitting submission, BAG says that the car park proposal “makes no consideration of tourism practice in the area and does not appear to inform itself as to the policies of other statutory agencies or of the objectives of the County Development Plan”.

According to the BAG submission, permission for the car park facility would “endanger the reputation of the Burren” and “poses a risk to investments of other tourism operators” throughout North Clare.

“Substantial inter-agency efforts helped secure Geopark status for the Burren and efforts are ongoing to achieve a UNESCO World Heritage Site listing,” says the BAG submission.

“Smaller operators have undertaken international marketing activities through the Burren Ecotourism Network and have developed an accreditation scheme for green tourism that has been adopted as the Irish standard and has been approved by Fáilte Ireland.

“News of the existence of a statemanaged facility that is operating contrary to the precautionary and sustainability principles will harm the area’s reputation and the international perception that it is a prime ecotourism destination.

“The application runs counter to the objectives and principles of ecotourism, is contrary to the objectives of the County Development Plan and will endanger the tourism investments of both private and statutory tourism providers.

“It is not compatible with the area’s reputation for ecotourism and thus poses a threat to tourism operators in the wider Burren,” the submission to the Clare County Council planners adds.

GARDAÍ are to continue to investigate the circumstances of an alleged nightclub assault in Ennis, a court has heard.

The investigation relates to a North Clare woman who is alleged to have assaulted another person with a glass at the Queens nightclub, Ennis.

Nora McCormack (23), with an address at Glanquin, Kilnaboy, is charged with assault causing harm at the Queens on May 13, 2012.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Inspector Tom Kennedy said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), had directed summary disposal of the case.

Insp Kennedy told the court that the alleged injured party would allege that she was struck by a small glass allegedly thrown by Ms Mc- Cormack.

Insp Kennedy said the person had to receive four stitches for the wound.

Solicitor John Casey said his client was prepared to take a certain course of action based on a version of events.

However he said no CCTV was available of the alleged incident. Mr Casey told the court that CCTV would back up his client’s version of events.

Mr Casey told the court that CCTV was a requirement for all pubs and nightclubs.

He added, “I find constantly when I look for CCTV, unless it is the Garda system, there is never CCTV footage.”He said his client did not agree with the version of events outlined by the alleged injured party.

Mr Casey said his client had never been in court before and had come back from America to deal with the case.

Inspector Tom Kennedy said he would be anxious to look into the matter of CCTV.

Judge Patrick Durcan adjourned the case until Friday to allow for disclosure matters to be resolved and for him to consider the jurisdiction.

He also requested further details of the injuries to the alleged injured party. On Friday, Mr Casey told the court that gardaí are continuing to investigate the case.

He requested that the matter be adjourned until January.

Insp Kennedy said the person had not suffered any permanent scarring.

Judge Durcan said he “reluctantly” accepted jurisdiction. He adjourned the case for mention until January 23, 2013.

AN TAISCE has recommended that the proposal by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to build a carpark at Mullaghmore be withdrawn, because it’s “premature” ahead of the implementation of a Burren Management Plan and because it could “lead to future demand for expansion” of visitor facilities at the site.

The environmental watchdog made its comments in a submission to Clare County Council planners on Thursday last and in it the NPWS has been advised to withdraw its controversial application pending proper public consultation and the publication of the Burren Management Plan.

“Any consideration of new car parking provision should be undertaken only as part of the current 2011-2018 Management Plan for the National Park and surrounding area,” says An Taisce spokesperson Ian Lumley.

“The current Management Plan does not make any provision for a car park at this site.

“If parking provision is deemed desirable in or near the core area of the National Park, a careful site selection evaluation is required identifying a number of site options and considering site suitability on a number of criteria. State ownership is not sufficient grounds to justify location selection of this site,” he adds.

The National Trust for Ireland has also echoed the Burren Action Group (BAG) fears that provision of car park facilities could signal further development. “A further concern is that any car park provision made will lead to future demand for expansion and ancillary services including toilets,” says Mr Lumley. “This is an additional reason why the site suitability of any car park provision needs to be properly considered in the first place. We recommend that this application be withdrawn and that any proposal be put forward after appropriate public and stakeholder consultation on the updating of the Management Plan for the National Park and provision of a Management Plan for candidate Special Area of Conservation designated area.

“Any car parking provision needs to be based on an overall visitor accommodation strategy, and any site proposed needs to be based on a selection process examining a wider number of location options, than those currently considered,” he adds.

TWO men charged with damaging a house in Ennis are due to appear again in court next month.

Michael Molloy (19), with an address at 2 Ballymaley Halting Site, Ennis and Patrick McCarthy (19), with an address at 2 Ballaghboy, Quin Road, Ennis are both charged with committing criminal damage at Westbourne Court, Watery Road, Ennis on October 28.

It is alleged that both accused did without lawful excuse damage two car windows, two glass door panels and a 51” flat screen TV and glass stand intending to damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property in question would be damaged.

Both cases came before Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

In respect of Mr McCarthy, Inspec- tor Tom Kennedy said directions are still being awaited from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said she would consent for the matter to be adjourned to December 5.

The court heard that DPP’s directions are also being sought in respect of Mr Molloy.

He was remanded on continuing bail to appear again in court on December 19.

MARY Rice, owner of Babyzone store, from Ruan, Ennis and 66 years young, was crowned Breakfast with Hector’s ‘Granny Grand Prix Champion of 2012’, in Mondello Park, Kildare, on Sunday, November 18, with an impressive time of one minute and seven seconds.

Said Mary about the event, “It was the best day of my life. I’m still recovering. I wasn’t out to win. I was just out to do what I was told to do. Little did I think that I would be the winner.”

Mary was more surprised than anyone to be taking part in the contest, let alone winning the title, having no knowledge of the event until she found herself picking up the phone to Hector at work.

“I thought it was my son-in-law in England; he’s always playing tricks,” she chuckled. It was her daughter, Sheena, who nominated her for the competition. Sheena, who lives in Germany, listens to Hector’s show to avoid getting too homesick and happened to hear about the competition one morning.

Blessed with a family of eight children, and 11 grandchildren, Mary was not short of supporters on the day. Family and friends travelled from as far as Germany and Birmingham to cheer her on, donning printed t-shirts reading ‘Mary Mops for Grand Prix Title’.

In honour of her win, Mary was also presented with a voucher for a weekend away in The Radisson Hotel, Galway to enjoy with a few of her friends.

THE courage shown by pioneering author and broadcaster from Clare, the late Máiréad Ní Ghráda, will be celebrated in Glór in the coming weeks thanks to a series of workshops that built around her most acclaimed piece work.

The workshops on Ms Ní Ghráda’s play called ‘An Triail’ comes in the wake of the move by the Department of Education to include the work on the current syllabus for the Leaving Certificate Irish exam.

The workshops are being provided by Irish language enthusiast Fidelma McDonnell, starting this Wednesday and continuing for six weeks – a programme that’s seen as the first step towards a fully-blown production of the play in Glór next year.

“The play’s storyline features a single mother in 1960s rural Ireland who was forced to go into a Magdalene Laundry due to pressure from family and society around her,” reveals Ms McDonnell. “This theme was very controversial to write about at the time and Ms Ní Ghráda showed great courage in raising this subject through her writing.

“It is a great thing for a playwright from Clare to feature on the Leaving Cert and it will bring her work to the forefront of people’s consciousness once again,” adds Ms McDonnell.

Ms Ní Ghráda, who hailed from Kilmaley was the first female pre- senter on Ireland’s first national radio service, then known as 2RN that started broadcasting in 1926.

An Triail is thought to have been based on an incident near her home that Ms Ní Ghráda remembered from her youth: the victimisation of a pregnant young single girl while the man involved escaped condemnation.

While some people were shocked at the “filthy immoral” drama others saw it as being ahead of its time. Tomás MacAnna, who produced the play, praised it as the precursor of women’s lib. It still ranks with Brendan Behan’s ‘An Giall’ as the most successful play in the Irish language.

CLARE Gardaí have received no reports of cyber-bullying in the county’s schools.

According to Community Liason Officer Sergent Joe Downey, the best approch to the bullying is first through a trusted adult, then the school, the parents of the bully and finally, if the issue cannot be resolved, the Gardaí.

Cyber-bullying is not restricted to social media sites, but includes texting, Twitter and emails.

This type of bullying is particularly harsh as it follows the child or teenager into their own home, and they find it almost impossible to escape.

“The first thing they should do is bring it to the attention of someone they trust,” said Sgt Downey.

From there, the school should be contacted and then the parents of the bully.

If the issue cannot be resolved through the school’s anti-bullying policy, Gardaí can investigate a charge of harrassment under Section 10 of the non-fatal acts.

However, an offence is committed only after unwanted, persistent contact is made after the person has been asked to stop.

“It must be considered persistent and the person must have been asked to stop before it is considered an offense,” said Sgt Downey, as he explained the law.

For example, if someone receives unwanted texts, they must reply, asking the sender not to text them again.

“In relation to schools, we like to see it resolved between the kids, parents and the school,” he said.

He advised those who are targeted on social network pages not to reply and block the access of the bully. He also advised reporting the abuse to the internet provider.

A child should always be encouraged to tell someone about it, he reiterated.

The long-serving Garda said he has to date never investigated a school cyber-bullying complaint.

MICHEÁL Martin used the occasion of his first Eamon de Valera Commemoration in Ennis as party leader to blast the Fine Gael/Labour coalition for ignoring the former Taoiseach, President and Clare TD’s pivotal role in the making of modern Ireland.

In his address to a small gathering of the Fianna Fáil faithful at the de Valera Monument in Ennis’ People’s Park, the Fianna Fáil leader rounded on the parties of government for failing to honour Mr de Valera 75 years after his crucial role in drafting Bunreacht na hÉireann in 1937

“This is the 75th anniversary of the adoption by the people of Bunreacht na hÉireann,” said Mr Martin, “and the constitution is rightly seen as primarily the result of Eamon de Valera’s determination that this country should have a modern republican constitution. It has been continuously in place longer than the written constitution of any other European state.

“It is a great pity that the coalition government refused to take any step whatsoever to acknowledge this anniversary.

“They have to begin to step outside of the non-partisan consensus on the past which I mentioned, and have shown an unwillingness to acknowledge the work of people of other parties at all stages in our recent history,” he added.

Continuing, Mr Martin told the Fianna Fáil gathering that it was Mr de Valera – who served as a Clare representative for 42 years between his famous East Clare by-election victory of 1917 through to 1959 – and Mr de Valera alone, whose leadership and statesmanship secured Ireland’s place in international affairs.

“The foundation of Ireland’s strong standing in the world is undoubtedly his leadership in those deeply troubled times,” said Mr Martin.

“Because of Eamon de Valera, we have a strong and democratic constitutional tradition as a country which is founded on nationalist ideals but is fully committed to the international community. He raised the standing of Ireland in the world and built a republican constitutional tradition of which we should be proud,” he added.

MORE than 200 women and their children could not be accommodated by Clare’s women’s refuge so far this year, as cuts to the budget and an increase in the number seeking refuge from domestic abuse increases.

Manager of Clare Haven Denise Dunne told The Clare People that since the cut to the statutory budget began in 2009, Clare Haven has managed to retain its essential services to the detriment of educational programmes.

However when the fifth consecutive cut to the budget comes next year, vital services will more than likely be affected, she warned.

As many as 208 women and 303 children fleeing from domestic abuse were unable to find accommodation at the centre this year, as all six units were full to capacity.

Ms Dunne explained that Clare Haven staff gave these families the numbers of other refuges around the country or helped them to locate one, but finding a place was often difficult as most women’s refuges are working to full capacity.

The staff work hard to ensure that no woman is left on the street however, even though they are not able to directly accommodate them.

As many as 73 women and their families, which included 109 children, have stayed in Clare Haven’s Refuge Centre this year.

While the service has helped as many as 186 in total through its support visits, outreach programme and refuge centre.

It pains the staff however to have to turn away more than 200 families from the shelter, as the organisation struggles to keep vital services open for those women it helps.

CLARE Haven’s refuge service provides emergency accommodation to women and children experience violence in the home.

While staying in one of the organisation’s six units they receive oneto-one support, medical assistance, legal assistance including a court companion and financial direction including help accessing housing and social welfare payments.

Childcare services are also provided to help care for the children and liaise with the child’s school where necessary.

Clare Haven also provides support services that include a drop in centre in Ennis and outreach centres in Kilrush, Shannon, Scariff and Killaloe.

During these visits women meet privately with support workers.

“It is important to note that when a woman come to us we don’t tell her what to do. We outline her options.

“We will support them around what they want to do,” explained Ms Dunne. Often this support can take years, with many women returning to the services years after they first made contact.

Domestic abuse is not a straight forward issue with a straight forward solution, according to Clare Haven’s manager, and the support workers work with the woman at her own pace. The service also provides a 24hour helpline.

While 73 women and their children stayed in the refuge so far this year, it is not as high as other years, not because there are less cases of abuse but there are less follow on services.

Accessing homes for these women is proving particularly difficult in the last 12 months, so they have to stay longer in what should be temporary accommodation at Clare Haven.

This causes somewhat of a backlog in the refuge adding to Clare Haven’s problems.

“The volume of women needing support has increased so much in the last number of years,” said Ms Dunne. Yet the funding continues to be cut. Clare Haven has to fundraise every year to ensure its doors stay open, with the Clare 10K providing most of its charitable funds.

It also relies on one-off donations from the public and the donation of goods especially food, clothes, baby goods such as nappies, and underwear (new) to help the families survive until social welfare payments come through.

“That [donations] keeps us going,” said Denise, outlining how they have had to cut their school’s education programme and awareness programmes in the community.

“We’re left with the critical service. If they cut us any more, the board will have to look at cutting back services next year,” the manager warned.

“We are a critical service in this county. By cutting funding you are cutting the service.”

“16 Days of Action and Awareness on Violence against Women” begins on November 25 to December 10.

The purpose of this campaign is to raise awareness on the whole issue of violence against women.