Category: News

TROUBLED teens from Clare were amongst those sent abroad last year for “treatment” at a cost of € 250,000 each, while a local specialist unit was closed for renovation.

That is according to Ennis Town Councillor Paul O’Shea (Lab) who raised concerns that Coovagh House was closed for renovations for more than six months.

The house on the grounds of St Joseph’s Hospital in Limerick was built in 2003 at a cost of € 10 million to house and assist teenagers from Clare, Limerick and Tipperary with behavioural problems.

Cllr O’Shea brought it to the attention of his council colleagues that as many as 13 young people were sent abroad for care at a cost of € 6. 5 million or a quarter of a million euro each.

This process has since ceased, leaving Cllr O’Shea to question where Clare teens with problem are now being referred.

“This is a national disgrace,” he said.

The Ennis councillor added that he also wants to know when the local unit, which closed in June last year, will reopen. “It closed at the time for renovations, which were to take six weeks,” he added.

He said that he was having difficulty getting any commitment on the future of Coovagh House from the HSE, and was now bringing the matter to the attention of Labour TD Michael McNamara.

In reply to questions from The Cla r e People, a spokesperson for the HSE said that Coovagh House was scheduled to reopen in March 2012, once the remaining development work was completed.

“The staff are reassigned locally or to other units within the National High Support and Special Care Service,” she said.

Asked where the young people who rely on this specialist unit now reside, the spokesperson replied, “Young people are accommodated in other units within the National High Support and Special Care Service.”

Meanwhile, Ennis Town Council has agreed to write to the HSE seeking clarification of the re-opening date, and when referrals can be made for Ennis children who require urgent special care.

THREE men have received prison sentences for their role in an aggravated burglary in Sixmilebridge two years ago.

At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, sentences were imposed on Simon Gentles and Noel and Martin O’Callaghan.

A 14-year-old boy, his mother and his elder brother were victims of an aggravated burglary at their home in Ardkyle, Sixmilebridge, on January 7 (2010). A man, armed with a loaded shotgun, kicked in the door of the house and demanded to know the whereabouts of a safe.

Simon Gentles (25) with a previous address at Casement Drive, Finglas West, Dublin and Noel (50) and Martin O’Callaghan (23), both with a previous address at 8 Cronan Lawn, Shannon and Fergus Drive, Shannon, were all charged with aggravated burglary. All three men had pleaded guilty to the charge.

Of the three men’s roles in the burglary, the court heard that Gentles entered the house with a loaded shotgun and demanded to know where the safe was. Martin O’Callaghan and Gentles planned the robbery while Martin’s father, Noel, played a “lesser role” in the crime. The court heard that Noel O’Callaghan did not know a gun would be used in the incident.

Judge Carroll Moran said that after prodding the woman in the stomach with the shotgun, Gentles told the boy that he “would blow his mother’s head off” if he was not told where the safe was. He said the family had been in “mortal danger of their lives”.

Judge Moran said extensive phone evidence had implicated the accused. He said two cars had been used to bring Gentles and Martin O’Callaghan to the house. A car was also used to transport the gun, the court heard. Judge Moran commended the mother for her “fortitude in this appalling incident”.

He said, “The use of a gun in a criminal enterprise, especially burglary, is a very serious aggravating factor.”

Acknowledging all three men’s guilty pleas, Judge Moran sentenced Gentles to four years in prison; Martin O’Callaghan to three years in prison; and Noel O’Callaghan to three years in prison.

A SEISMOMETER located at the Cliffs of Moher has already recorded two earthquakes in its first week of operations.

The machine, which was installed by the Geological Survey of Ireland at the Cliffs of Moher last week, has already detected two earthquakes which shook the Pacific Islands of Vanuatu over the past few days.

An earthquake measuring 2.6 on the Richter Scale shook North Clare in May of 2006. This new device will be able to provide exact details on any future tremors which occur in the area.

“The seismometer is a precisionbuilt custom-made device which will be recording data on an ongoing basis at the Cliffs of Moher. Already, since it has been installed, a series of substantial earthquakes in Vanuatu in the Pacific Islands have been registered,” said Katherine Webster of the Cliffs of Moher Visitors Experience.

“When we record an incident on the seismometer we update the data to the Incorporated Research Institutions of Seismology (IRIS). The information that we pick up is quite technical. We can establish the distance at which the earthquake is oc- curring, however, in order to find the location of the earthquake we need to have the information from two other seismographs which would allow us to triangulate the exact location.

“Had the device been installed for the May 2010 earthquake in Clare it would have recorded data from it – likewise the one in Donegal last week.”

As well as recording seismic events from all over the world the seismometer will also be used as part of the Cliff’s Education Programme for students and a graphic display is attached to the device to providing both historic and real time informa- tion for visitors to view.

Meanwhile, the Cliffs of Moher Visitors Experience will celebrate its fifth birthday tomorrow with a number of events to mark the occasion. The centre, which was officially opened by the then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern (FF) on February 8, 2007, in one of his final events as Taoiseach.

To mark the anniversary, The Cliffs of Moher Visitors Experience will launch a detailed guide leaflet for the cliffs which will be presented to everyone tourist who comes to the North Clare centre. The celebration will take place from 12 noon to 4pm tomorrow with free entry for those who wish to attend.

GARDAI in Kilrush are making progress in a disturbing case in which a pig’s head was sent to one of its members.

The severed head was sent by registered post to the garda’s home.

Colleagues of the officer, based in West Clare, are outraged that he was singled out in this manner.

The officer in question is well respected in the local community and highly regarded by those he works with.

It is still not known how the gruesome item was packaged but it did not arouse any suspicion among postal staff.

The registered package had to be signed for when it was delivered to the garda’s address.

Gardaí are now attempting to es- tablish who sent the package to their colleague.

“It was a very personal attack. To have something like this sent to a person’s home address is a despicable act,” said a source.

“It was a full pig’s head that was sent to him in a package. It was sent to his home and an incident like this would cause anyone distress, not least a person who is just trying to do their job and make a living.”

The informed source added that the garda is highly thought of by those who know him and people he has met through the course of his duties.

The garda is heavily involved in community work in the region.

“He is extremely approachable to all living there and is very good at his job.

“He did not deserve this whatsoever,” the source added.

FEARS have been expressed that history will repeat itself in Clare, resulting in beds remaining closed at one of the county’s best known nursing homes.

The HSE revealed this week that between five and 10 beds will close in the county’s public nursing homes when the results of a review of the Long Term Nursing Homes is announced.

A further 19 beds are to close at St Joseph’s Hospital in Ennis for refur- bishment, but one Clare representative on the HSE West Forum, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP), said he hopes that the word “refurbishment” does not have the same connotations that it has had in recent health history.

“What has to be welcomed is that the HSE is providing the resources to upgrade two large wards in St Joseph’s to comply with HIQA requirements.

“It is a credit to staff at St Joseph’s that they have been able to keep bed reductions to a minimum to allow the ward closures for the upgrade,” he said. “The greatest challenge to all nursing homes in Clare will be trying to keep beds operational as nursing staff are not being replaced. I am concerned that the HSE admission that between five and 10 beds will be lost could be compounded by hard decisions hospital management will have to make to safely manage beds,” he added.

“I request that Deputy Breen and the other TDs continue to make a case for the lifting of the embargo on frontline staff. The reality is beds will close unless nurses can be employed.

“While I understand that TDs have to try to be the first with telling their constituents some good news, I request them to make it clear to the Minister for Finance and Health that the embargo on hiring nurses will cause a reduction in the number of elderly care and acute beds.”

Clare TD Pat Breen (FG) welcomed news that no nursing home in Clare is to close following the review and said he was assured that 11 of St Joseph’s beds will be re-opened after six weeks, with the remaining eight beds re-opening after a further six weeks.

“I understand from the HSE that the situation in the Long Term Nursing Home area will be kept under constant review for the remainder of the year and that hopefully no further bed closures will be necessary but this will be dependent on a number of factors; namely an unanticipated increase in sick leave or further staff departures from the service or other changed circumstances,” Deputy Breen said.

The nursing homes included in the review are Regina House in Kilrush, Raheen Hospital in Tuamgraney, Ennistymon Hospital and St Joseph’s Hospital.

CLARE’S Labour TD Michael McNamara has launched a stinging attack on his Government colleagues, describing them as cowards who “hide behind bureaucracy” instead of making real decisions.

The East Clare TD singled out the Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan (FG), and the Minister for the Arts, Jimmy Deenihan (FG), for spe- cial criticism while he also accused Clare county councillors of hiding behind the county manager.

Deputy McNamara was speaking about an independent report, commissioned by Clare County Council, on the future of the historic building at Blake’s Corner in Ennistymon. The report, which cost € 15,000 to produce, has been completed for nearly a year but the local authority have so far refused to publish it.

McNamara has contacted Clare County Council as well as Minister Hogan and Minister Deenihan in an effort to force the publication of the report. “I am very disappointed with the minister’s response. Is it too much to expect that in our democracy that a survey commissioned at taxpayers’ expense should be made available to the tax payers?,” he said to The Clare People yesterday.

“I have now raised this matter with the Minister for Environment and Local Government, Phil Hogan, who referred me to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan, who has now referred me back to Clare County Council.

“I’m beginning to understand why the public is so skeptical about the need for elected representatives in Ireland when the IMF/EU Troika determines the headline budget figures and ministers, with few exceptions, will not exercise the little power they have but instead hide behind bureaucracy like county councillors who hide behind the county manager.”

Fine Gael councillor, Joe Arkins, who was the only North Clare councillor in favour of publishing the report, said the matter should never have gone to ministerial level.

“It would not have been necessary for anyone to contact any ministers about this report if the councillors in North Clare had agreed to allow the report to be published. We bought it, we paid for it, and if it’s fit for purpose, we should be allowed to see it,” he said. “Any report that has been paid for with tax-payers’ money should be made available to the public – not just this report.”

The future of the 19th-century protected structure at Blake’s Corner remains in doubt, with plans to demolish and rebuild the building to make way for a new road junction on hold.

Clare County Council last month decided to delay the planning process on the site to allow an Environmental Impact Statement to be carried out. This will delay the project for a further year and cost in the region of € 100,000. The Clare People contacted Clare County Council in relation to this but no response was received at the time of going to press.

ONE East Clare school faces the prospect of having its teaching numbers halved next year, if the Minister for Education continues with his proposed cuts to staffing levels in primary schools.

The Killaloe Boys National School, which currently has a staff of 14 – nine mainstream and remedial teachers and five special needs assistants (SNA) – could be starting next September with just 7.5 – 6.5 teachers and one SNA if the cuts are implemented.

School principal David McCormack explained that it will not only be the teachers that will struggle to cope with the increased class numbers.

“Our school building will not facilitate an increase in class sizes as three of our classrooms are part of the old building and will not sustain extra furniture to accommodate 30 children. We have statistics from our school engineer to confirm this,” he said.

The school was given special status in 2002 entitled Giving Children an Even Break which allowed for an extra class teacher and a reduced pupil teacher ratio.

This school has now been notified that this teaching post will also be cut.

Concerned parents attended a meeting at the Killaloe school on Thurs- day last to hear what Clare INTO Executive Sean McMahon described as “social injustice”.

“A new buzz word has entered the Irish dictionary and the Irish psyche – austerity,” he told parents.

“Austerity in primary schools like Killaloe Boys translates to staff cuts be they teacher, SNA or ancillary personnel. It translates into larger classes, multigrade classes, lower school budgets, and less learning support for weaker pupils.

“This will undoubtedly lead to a under achievement and a denial of the rights of pupils to reach their full potential. Obviously these impacts will be most severe among our disadvantaged and marginalised pupils,” he added.

Hundred of parents and teachers from Clare also travelled to Dublin last week to protest at the proposed cuts to staffing levels in smaller rural schools.

The majority travelled from east and west Clare to the Dáil protest on Wednesday.

Meanwhile plans are being put in place for a public meeting involving INTO members, parents, boards of management, patron representatives and school communities at the West County Hotel on Monday night, February 20, to address these issues.

“All Oireachtas members in Clare are to be invited to listen to our collective concerns,” said Mr McMahon.

A 17-YEAR-OLD boy has been sentenced to nine months in a young offenders institute after pleading guilty to burglary in Shannon last year.

At Ennis District Court last Wednesday, the boy also pleaded guilty to charges of the unauthorised taking of a vehicle and handling stolen property. The offences arose out of an incident in Ros Min, Shannon, last December. The court heard that the boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, has 55 previous convictions.

A Detective Gwarda told the court that the boy entered the house, taking a set of car keys, house keys and a quantity of cash. A car was also taken in the incident.

The court heard that the house was occupied at the time of the burglary. The boy gained access through the front door, which was closed but unsecured, the court heard.

The accused was subsequently arrested in Tipperary where he admitted his involvement to gardaí. The car was recovered undamaged.

Solicitor Eileen Whelan told the court that her client had entered an early guilty plea so as to spare civil- ian witnesses the “trauma” of re-living the burglary in court.

She said her client, who was accompanied in court by his parents, had “certainly been mixing with the wrong people”. Ms Whelan said her client intended finishing his Leaving Certificate and had enroled in a mechanics programme. “He’s having a real eye opener. He’s here to take his medicine”, she added.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy noted that the boy had “umpteen previous convictions”, adding, “He hasn’t got a good record”. Taking into the account the accused’s plea of guilty and other mitigating circumstances, Judge McCarthy imposed a ninemonth sentence for the burglary charge. A three-month concurrent sentence was imposed for the unauthorised taking of a vehicle.

DETAILS of the latest auction of distressed Irish properties by Britishbased firm Allsop Space have been announced, with just one Clare prop erty set to go under the hammer and another from Gort at the sale which will take place in the Shelbourne Hotel on March 1 next.

The Clare property is a farm 10km west of Ennis comprising of 48 acres and a derelict farmhouse and outbuildings, with a reserve price of € 120,000 place on the property. The property is being sold by Allsop Space on the instructions of the receiver, KPMG. There was an expectation that more Clare properties would be included in the 100-lot sale, following on last November’s auction when the lowest price nationally for any property was recorded in Ennis.

In that sale, one of four that was organised by Allsop in 2011 attracted an attendance of 1,600 and saw a site with planning permission for a retail unit and two apartments up until 2015 was sold for just € 11,000,

Meanwhile, a three-story derelict building on the Mill Road in Ennis that had full planning permission for a five-story hotel was sold for € 55,000. In the March 1 sale, a property from Gort will also go under the hammer – a mid-terrace town house situated in Market Square that has a reserve asking price of just € 90,000. The property that comprises of three stories and a basement and is 2,250 square feet in size, while it also comes with a 3,304 square feet site at the rear of the building, with the two properties being sold in one lot.

A KILRUSH-BORN garda is being hailed as a hero after a dramatic gun attack in the Newport area of Tipperary on Monday of last week.

Garda Gerry Brassil, who is stationed in the area, has been praised for his “quick-thinking” that one resident who witnessed the incident on the Thurles Road out of Newport said helped save the life of fellow garda, Sergeant Deborah Marsh.

Anthony McMahon was stopped on suspicion of drunk driving on Monday night at 7.30pm, with a source close to the investigation saying he was seen driving “in an erratic manner” moments earlier.

However, when Mr McMahon (44), originally from Janesboro in Limerick, was approached by Gda Brassil and Sgt Marsh, he fired a number of shots from one gun and then, after a struggle, turned another gun on himself and died.

“I saw the whole thing,” said local resident Shane O’Brien. “I could see the lady garda at the front of the car. I could hear another male voice – I presume the male garda – and he was saying: ‘Don’t go for the gun, don’t go for the gun’.”

Gda Brassil wrestled with McMahon for control of the shotgun while Sgt Marsh pepper-sprayed him, before racing to Mr O’Brien’s house to raise the alarm. “They wouldn’t be alive only for each other. They were brilliant in fairness,” said Mr O’Brien.

After the initial struggle as the two gardaí ran for cover, Mr McMahon is believed to have fired another four or five shots from a rifle, before turning the gun on himself.

An investigation into the incident is being led by officers from the Office of the Garda Ombudsman, while a local Limerick politician, Cllr John ‘Rocky’ McGrath, has said the immense courage of Sgt Marsh and Gda Gerry Brassil should be recognised.

“Definitely they should receive medals for bravery. What they did was unbelievable and thank God they weren’t injured,” he said

“Only for the grace of God and their heroic actions, we would be marching behind a hearse,” one garda told The Clare People .