Category: News

THE Chairman of the Clare Branch of the Irish College of General Practitioners has acknowledged that changes are required to the issuing of sick certificates.

Dr Fergus Glynn was speaking following comments made by Judge Patrick Durcan at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Judge Durcan has commented in recent weeks about the number of people in Clare who fail to show up for scheduled court appearances.

He has also remarked on the types of letters written by doctors in support of the medical reasons offered by people in explanation for their non-attendance.

On Wednesday, Judge Durcan read out the contents of a letter written by a doctor explaining why his patient could not attend court. Judge Durcan also named the doctor and the address of his practice.

Judge Durcan told the court that the letter stated, “This man has attended my surgery. He has problems with alcohol. He has been vomiting. He tells me he is not feeling well.”

Judge Durcan said, “I don’t want letters from doctors telling me what their patients think. I want letters with their (the doctor’s) opinions.”

Judge Durcan requested a copy of the letter, humorously remarking that he is collecting all doctors’ letters handed to him for inclusion in a book about the subject.

Speaking yesterday, Dr Glynn said, “The current system of sick certs is in need of an overhaul. We recognise that it is imperfect and it is open to abuse by patients.”

However, the Corofin-based doctor said GPs are often placed in “impossible positions” by patients seeking sick certificates.

He said there had been a lot of discussion recently around the issue of sick certificates.

Dr Glynn continued, “We are only acting in good faith on what the patient and client has told us. Very often, doctors are put in difficult if not impossible positions. It is an imperfect system, one that unscrupulous people will try to abuse.”

THE summer sun finally reached the Banner county on Friday, but the heat from the long-awaited sunshine paled to insignificance next to the heat in the council chamber.

Members of Clare County Council had gathered to discuss the withholding of funds from the General Purpose Grant Allocation of the Local Government Fund for 2012.

While council were already irritated by the fact that Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan, had with-held € 243,000 from the third quarterly payment to the council, it was a letter of apology from Clare TD Michael McNamara (Lab) that he could not attend that caused the greatest uproar.

Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) was critical of the letter claiming that it was “pedantic and arrogant”.

“There is no explanation as to why he can’t be here,” he said.

Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) took exception to what the youngest member of the council said.

“Do not forget who invited in the troika. Do not forget the people who had to pick up the pieces of this country in the last few years, and do not forget now who are suffering for what was done,” she said. “So be mindful when you are casting aspersions across the chamber at people who are not here and who outlined the situation as it is.”

Cllr Crowe then shouted across the chamber, claiming Deputy McNamara was a party colleague of the independent councillor.

“No, he is not a party colleague of mine. This is where you are going wrong, Cllr Cathal Crowe,” said Cllr McCarthy.

“You wear a red rose when it suits you,” he interjected.

Mayor Pat Daly attempted to bring the meeting to order as Cllr McCarthy clarified, “I am not a member of the Labour Party, I have not been a member of the Labour Party since 1986. I support a certain deputy in this county,” she said.

In the course of a loud and heated “discussion”, Cllr Crowe said he found elements of Cllr McCarthy’s argument “hard to believe”.

She in turn asked for an apology for insinuating she was lying.

“I did not call her a liar,” he replied.

He concluded that he believed he was within his rights to condemn Deputy McNamara’s “arrogance” and said he did not think he was alone in that.

Deputy McNamara told The Clare People that in his letter he outlined his stance on the issue as he could not be in attendance.

He said he, like all of the Government and the Seanad, voted for the charge as it was outlined in the IMF bail-out document, a document he added to his letter so as to be helpful and support his point.

“It was pointing out the realities. You can’t have councillors speaking out of both sides of their mouths, saying no funds for local government and then not supporting raising the funds.”

During the meeting, the County Manager Tom Coughlan was also less than impressed when it was implied that the executive had been dragging its heels when it came to paying the charge at the council offices.

Cllr Joe Arkins (FG) said that in the run up to the original deadline for the payment, there were issues with council officials stating that they could not take postal payments and later letters without stamps.

“I don’t think they were overly helpful in assisting the Local Government Management Agency. We were behaving like an organisation scorned. I don’t think we had our shoulder to the wheel,” he said.

Jumping to the defence of his employees, Mr Coughlan said they had made every effort to facilitate the payment of the charge, so much so that Clare had one of the highest compliance rates in the country.

After almost an hour of councillors airing their grievances on the issue, West Clare County Councillor Pat Keane (FF) left the council chamber in anger. The councillor was frustrated at the way the meeting was progressing, with some councillors getting to speak on a number of occasions while others, he felt, were over looked.

Later in the meeting, Mayor Daly apologised to Cllr Keane, stating that he was up to speak at that point but was no longer in the chamber.

AN € 80 million bounty is being lost to Clare and the mid-west because of the Football Association of Ireland’s refusal to back the ambitious plans of an Ennis-born entrepreneur to bring the cream of European club soccer to the region.

Damien O’Brien, who hails from the Turnpike area of Ennis and is bringing Manchester City to Thomond Park this Sunday to take on Limerick FC, has blasted the FAI’s commitment to soccer outside Dublin over failing to sanction his plans for a multi-million euro soccer extravaganza in the mid-west.

“I was due to do a tournament in Thomond Park this year – the same weekend that Man City are coming, but the FAI refused the rights to bring four teams into Limerick,” revealed Mr O’Brien.

“It’s ridiculous what went on. It was a four-year deal that I was bringing to Limerick and it would be worth € 80 million into the economy, but the FAI in their own ignorance decided to stop it,” he added.

Thirty-eight-year-old O’Brien was the brainchild behind ‘Football’s Next Star’, the Sky TV programme that has been dubbed “football’s X-Factor” and syndicated to 103 countries around the world. He is the managing director of the Iconic sports agency that’s based in Manchester.

Having been thwarted in his bid to host a tournament in Thomond Park this weekend, he helped secure the services of Manchester City who will take on Limerick FC in a friendly game this Sunday evening at 7pm.

“Being refused for the tournament wasn’t going to deter me,” he revealed. “I had the support of Limerick in this and that’s why it’s happening. Limerick had to go to the High Court to get the right to hold this match. It’s shocking.

“It’s a great showcase for the region, the stadium and for the Limerick players. This is putting soccer in the region in the shop window. This match will air live in over 100 countries, so it’s fantastic for Limerick.

“Manchester City are bringing their full squad – it will be their full line-up and it’s their last pre-season friendly before the Community Shield and Premier League starts,” he added

INTERNATIONAL rugby player, army officer, dairy farmer, president of the Irish Farmer’s Association, MEP and proud Clare man Paddy Lane passed away on Tuesday.

His death at the age of 77 brought to an end a busy life that impacted on many people and organisations.

Not only was the Parteen man the only Clare man to serve as national president of the IFA from 1976 to 1980, he also served as a Fianna Fáil MEP from 1989 to 1994.

Leading the tributes, IFA President John Bryan said Mr Lane led farmers at what was a difficult time economically, with high inflation and interest rates eroding farm incomes.

“Paddy Lane, who was a powerful voice for farmers, had a longstanding commitment to IFA and serving the farming community. He led a successful campaign of opposition to the then Minister for Finance George Colley’s notorious two per cent sales levy. Paddy Lane battled for better conditions and facilities for farmers, and a more receptive attitude in the Department of Agriculture,” he said.

As part of the farmers rights campaigns, he took part in the great march to Dublin in 1966. A year later, he and his neighbour John Doherty were sent to Limerick prison for a total of five weeks for civil disobedience, when they were singled out for following the then NFA’s advice on a go-slow campaign in paying rates.

“Earlier this year, the IFA conferred Honorary Life Membership on Paddy Lane at a meeting of the Clare IFA Executive, and I recall him being deeply honoured. On behalf of our membership, I want to extend our sympathies to his family.”

He also served as IFA Deputy President from 1974 to 1976.

The late Parteen man was also a member of the Fianna Fáil party and served Clare in Europe for five years.

Clare TD Timmy Dooley (FF) paid tribute to the East Clare man and sympathised with his family on behalf of the party.

Mr Lane was capped for the Irish rugby team in 1964 and had a distinguished rugby career with Old Crescent and Munster.

Paddy Lane was pre-deceased by his wife Carmel, and survived by his children Tommy, David and Liz.

He was laid to rest in Mount Saint Lawrence Cemetery on Friday, following Requiem Mass in Parteen Church.

THEY are the most famous ceilí band in the world but this Saturday night, the Kilfenora Ceilí Band are in their home county to play in a oneoff ceili at the West County Hotel in Ennis.

The gig, which will feature set dancing will start at 10pm and run for three hours, with the entire famed group in attendance.

The cast of talented musicians have been playing traditional music for over a century, but as band leader John Lynch explains, it’s always a pleasure for them to play in their home county:

“It’s where you’re from and where you grew up so you enjoy coming back (to play in Clare).”

Indeed, the attendance at the band’s ceilís and concerts within the county has been phenomenal over the past year as the band’s ‘gigging’ appearances in Clare can be rare.

Over 800 attended the sold out event at the West County last year while over 600 attended both ceilis during Willie Clancy Week.

The level of interest is something Lynch and the band “appreciate so much” and audiences have been huge at each of their five events in Clare so far this year.

Lynch enjoys playing at both concerts and ceilis but for different reasons:

“At ceilís, the audience are on the floor dancing sets and there is a great atmosphere and response from the crowd.

“On the other hand, we can arrange pieces and harmonies much more easily at concerts as the audience are in their seats listening.”

He adds that Saturday’s concert will include music from past and present:

“You have some people there who have listened to previous bands so we want to play some of the older music to please them.

“On the other hand, we want to show that we are progressing with new material. And of course we want to get people out dancing!”

A member of The Kilfenora Ceilí band for 20 years, Lynch, who plays the banjo, says that there is a “little bit of tension before an event” but as soon as you begin to play, “the music takes hold.”

There are still a few tickets remaining for Saturday night’s show in the West County (tickets are € 15 apiece), they can be purchased at reception.

A MAJOR row has er upted in Nor th Clare over plans by Clare Count y Council to excavate stones from a public beach just nor th of Lahinch.

A local woman has blasted what she has labelled “illegal” plans to privatise a section of Cregg Beach, while a local representative has tabled a motion before Clare County Council that the works be carried out “to allow public access to the beach”.

The stand-off sparked by the oneperson protest waged by Maura Lehane has resulted in work at the beach – which lies at the southern end of Lahinch on the Miltown Malbay road – being halted.

Excavation work began on Saturday, July 21 at Cregg Beach at the southern end of Lahinch village.

“I saw what was happening,” revealed Ms Lehane.

“The excavation of the sea stones was going on for a considerable length of time and I could see a visible difference.

“A machine driver was using a track machine to alter the course of the River Moy and, if this work continued, it would have resulted in the flow of the river running through the centre of the beach. I could see that if this work was allowed to continue, the southern part of Cregg Beach would be lost to the public – at least half the beach would be privatised,” she added

“It is a contentious issue,” admitted local councillor, Bill Slattery (FG) “and it is one that has to be resolved. What was being done was to provide access for the general public to the beach.

“The work has now been stopped and it is gone back to the county council and the engineers will deal with it.

“This work has to be done to allow the public have access to the beach and this has to be resolved,” added Cllr Slattery.

“That fact that there was no engineer or safety officer on site or any signs of warning of work on the beach shocked me, not to mention the untold damage they have done to our beautiful beach,”said Ms Lehane.

“I am aghast that our beautiful coastline would be touched to such a degree.

“It is imperative that this situation is rectified immediately and the beach returned to its natural state,” she added.

A CLAREMAN’S obsession with rally driving is set to be showcased on the international stage in the next year, thanks to a documentary film that’s being shot about the Clare Stages Rally.

Miltown Malbay man Eddie Cogan is the subject of the documentary called ‘Fast Eddie’ that filmmaker Neil Hynes says “follows a man’s passion for the sport and a dream to win the Clare Stages Rally” – the flagship motor race in the county that takes place this coming September.

The idea was born when Hynes, who also hails from Miltown Malbay, discovered Cogan’s passion for the sport of rallying five years ago and made a short film about his preparations for an event.

“I decided to come back again and do a bigger production by following the adventures of a man, as he deals with life and prepares a car and himself for the Clare Stages competition.

“The film is not just about the motor sports; it’s an observation of the people involved in it and what makes them tick.

“The film follows Cogan’s pursuits in the run up to the event. His workplace and private life are all in the mix as we get to see a man wheel and deal, beg and borrow for a chance to try and finish first,” he added.

Hynes has put together an experience and varied production team for the documentary. His cameraman is Polish native Domink Koisci, who performed camera work on the Rubberbandits hit video ‘Horse Outside’.

Others involved are Miriam Garcia Mortell, who was production assistant on the Pat Shortt film ‘Mattie’ and Ronan Cassidy is on sound, having just produced a documentary on the rugby scene in Limerick that has aired both in Ireland and America.

“It’s heading for film festivals once it’s completed and we hope to secure distribution both here and abroad,” said Mr Hynes.

CLARE may be known for various sporting achievements but few would consider darts in the line-up.

However, four of the six members of the under-age darts team that has returned from a successful European championship are from the Banner county.

The Clare teenagers include Eoin Lahiff (14) and Brendan Casey (13) from Kilrush and Ennistymon’s Darragh Clancy (17) and James Youdell (12).

The Clare teens travelled with their teammates, two girls from Sligo and Galway, to Antwerp, Belgium last week.

Their entourage included their par- ents or guardians as the team was one of the youngest competing in the under 18 European Championship.

Proud mother to Eoin, Catherine Lahiff told The Clare People that the team did exceptionally well, finishing seventh in a competition where the majority of the competitors were significantly older.

The Irish team was successful in their group, but were beaten in the next stage by an experienced Dutch team who went on to win the competition.

However, seventh place was considered a significant achievement.

Success comes at a cost of dedication and commitment not just for the participants but their parents also.

Each week, the Clare teenagers train with the Ennistymon club and also travel to Clarecastle. The boys also play in adult competitions to keep their skills sharp.

“The parents are on the road the whole time, as we drive them all over the country to competitions,” said Ms Lahiff.

But there are many advantages to darts, according to Ms Lahiff. Not only does it provide an interest and social interaction for young people, it also significantly improves their maths and arithmetic skills.

LAHINCH hotelier and head of the Irish Hotel Federation, Michael Vaughan, has withdrawn his calls for an independent investigation into the e-coli outbreak which forced the closure of the Clare’s three main swimming beaches over the weekend.

This comes following the confirmation by Clare County Council that the temporary closure of beaches at Lahinch, Kilkee and Spanish Point was the result of run off from nearby farmland, and not as a result of a breakdown in the sewerage infrastructure in either of the three locations.

Mr Vaughan confirmed that follow a lengthy conversation with County Manager, Tom Coughlan, yesterday, he was satisfied that the sewage treatment plant in Lahinch was not the source of the e-coli.

In a statement to The Clare People last night, a council spokesperson confirmed that it was run off from nearby land and not sewage which caused the e-coli build-up.

“The excessive rainfall in recent weeks was a major contributory factor to the detection of e-coli in the water. Lahinch, Kilkee and Spanish Point beaches are each located in bays, unlike other bathing areas along the west coast of Clare.

“As a result, the run off from land surrounding these beaches became concentrated in enclosed bodies of water resulting in the greater concentration of bacteria levels. The results of water samples taken at beaches which are located at less enclosed locations along the coast did not show such elevated levels.

“The effluent from the wastewater treatment plant in Lahinch has been consistently within the permitted limits for the three main parameters for measuring the discharge of effluent from treatment plants, namely Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and suspended solids, and the plant has capacity to treat the existing town including increased population during holiday periods.

“Neither have there been any untreated overflows from the network during the period in which the water samples resulting in exceedances of the Blue Flag limits were taken at Lahinch beach.”

Clare County Council say they will continue to consult with the HSE as well as carrying out further water quality tests on the effected beaches.

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