Category: News

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.

CLARE has “a significant radon problem” as new tests show it has one of the highest concentrations of the cancer-causing gas in the country. While scientists have located a number of the homes in danger during the last number of months, the experts warn that hundreds more Clare cases are going undetected as people continue to live with this silent killer.

As many as 22 homes in the county have been found to have high levels of radon, according to figures released by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII).

Two homes, in Newmarket-on-Fergus and Ennis, had more than five times the acceptable level with readings in excess of 1000 Bq/m3.

The remaining 20 homes with readings above the acceptable level and were found in mid and East Clare. Eleven of these homes were identified in Ennis, two in Clarecastle and two in Sixmilebridge.

There was one house in each of the following areas with radon levels higher than what is considered safe: Ballymurtagh, Kilkishen, Killaloe, and Ruan. There was also one other home in Newmarket-on-Fergus.

Commenting on the findings, Mr David Fenton, Senior Scientist at the RPII said, “These figures show that Clare has a significant radon problem. Our research indicates that there are hundreds more homes across the county with high levels of radon gas. To date, only a very small proportion of these homes have been identified. Exposure to high radon levels causes lung cancer and many people are unknowingly living with very high levels in their homes. The only way people will know if it is in their homes is by testing.”

A total of 367 tests for radon gas were completed in homes in Clare between June 1 and December 31, 2011. Of these, 22 were above the acceptable level of 200 becquerels per cubic metre (Bq/m3).

Over 300 homes from across the country have been identified by the RPII as having high levels of radon in the last seven months.

Nationally, radon is the second biggest cause of lung cancer after smoking and is directly linked to up to 200 lung cancer deaths each year.

The RPII and a number of private companies provide a radon measurement service. The cost of a measurement is around € 50.

If a moderate radon level is found, improving indoor ventilation may reduce the level by up to half, the cost of which is low.

For higher levels, a fan-assisted sump can be installed which can reduce radon levels by over 90 per cent. The sump can be installed in a day by a contractor with little disruption to the home. The average cost of this work is € 1,100, with annual running costs of approximately € 90.

CLARE farmers have been described as “sitting ducks” for more cutbacks as the future of the Disadvantaged Areas Payment was thrown into further doubt.

The ICSA last week warned that the repeated cuts in locations classified as disadvantaged areas, such as Clare, would create anomalies in the system for local farmers.

“The Government should not see the Disadvantaged Area Scheme as a sitting duck for cutbacks. Successive cuts to the scheme by successive governments betray a failure to understand the importance of the scheme,” said ICSA President Gabriel Gilmartin.

“The proposal to reduce DA payments to farmers with mixed holdings of disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged land would open a minefield of unfair cases. For example, this penalises the farmer whose own farm is 100 per cent disadvantaged but who has taken the initiative of renting non-disadvantaged land, usually in an effort to expand his herd or flock or ensure adequate winter fodder.”

The ICSA president also described the new 80km rule as contentious but he supported the concession that means that it won’t apply in the case of farmers whose main holding is disadvantaged.

“This depends on what is meant by main holding. My view is that the main holding should be determined by where the herd number is established rather than by the size of the holding,” he said.

Meanwhile, rising fuel prices have the potential to cut any growth in the local farm sector which has taken place – according to IFA president John Bryan.

“Road fuel prices have increased by almost four per cent and agricultural diesel prices by 2.5 per cent since the start of the year, just 25 days ago,” he said.

“In the last two years, agricultural diesel has gone up by a massive 54 per cent, while road diesel has increased by almost 35 per cent. Ireland’s competitiveness is being increasingly eroded because of our over-reliance on expensive road haulage and our distance from our main markets.”

The IFA President said policy- makers must examine opportunities to lower haulage costs through increased transport weight limits and trailer length for agricultural and heavy goods vehicles. In addition, the Government must move to put viable supports in place to get our bio-energy industry established, as Ireland is being left behind the rest of Europe.

HUNDREDS of families in Clare are unknowingly living with a silent killer with Ennis being a particular black spot for high concentrations of the cancer-causing gas radon, .

According to leading scientists hundreds of Clare homes with high levels of the gas go undetected. As many as 22 homes in the county have been found to have high levels of radon in the last seven months, with two, in Newmarket and Ennis, found to have more than five times the acceptable level. Radon levels above what is considered safe were also found in homes in Clarecastle, Sixmilebridge, Ballymurtagh, Kilkishen, Killaloe, and Ruan

ISSUES such as stress, depression and rural isolation were on the agenda of the Clare IFA meeting which took place in Ennis last week. Despite the largely positive economic news for many of the county’s farmers in recent years, the local farming community is still in the high risk category when it comes to a number of mental health issues.

With a large increase in the number of people emigrating over the past three years, rural isolation, especially in underpopulated sections of North and West Clare, is a major problem for the Clare farming community at present.

The IFA’s National Chairperson of the Farm Family Committee, Margaret Healy, spoke at the meeting and informed the Clare farmers of the IFA’s recent involvement in the See Change programme. See Change aims to create a situation where every person in Ireland can be open and positive about their own and others’ mental health. The primary focus of the programme is on young men and on the farming community, said the Farm Family Chairperson.

The IFA have just published as new booklet for members entitled ‘Let’s Talk Dealing with Stress’ and Margaret encouraged all Clare farm families to read the booklet and seek help and support as soon as possible if they themselves, a family member or a neighbour is in need.

A large emphasis was also placed on farm safety with County Chairman, Michael Lynch, encouraging all Clare farm families to make farm safety a priority for 2012 farming season.

The meeting was also addressed by IFA Economist, Rowena Dwyer, who told the meeting that, in the medium term, commodity prices are expected to remain firm due to increasing global demand, with many positive opportunities for Irish food producers into the future.

However, Dwyer stressed that mac- ro-economic uncertainty will lead to price volatility in the long term and Irish farmers could be exposed to income fluctuation. The IFA are lobbying to secure measures in the review of CAP that will lessen the severity of price volatility for farmers the meeting was informed.

On the public finances, there is continued pressure on funding for farm schemes and farm investment programmes with a government deficit projected to be in excess of € 13.5 billion in 2012. The IFA are continuing to highlight the necessity for farm schemes as stimulus to increase exports and underpin employment in rural Ireland.

AT LEAST 12 school principals are to leave their posts in Clare over the coming weeks, along with well over 30 teachers, as the primary school secto r in the county struggles to cope with the volume of retirements.

A special investigation carried out by The Clare People last week has revealed that more than 1,000 years of collective teaching experience is to be lost to the schools of Clare at a stroke in February, as a host of teachers call time on their teaching careers ahead of the February 29 pension deadline as set out in the Croke Park agreement. The Clare People last week contacted each of the county’s 145 primary schools in an effort to establish the scale of the retirements. More than 100 schools responded to the survey, with schools in North Clare, the Shannon area and Ennis the worst hit by the retirements. Primary schools in one area of North Clare will see a massive principal turnover, with Michael O’Connor (Moy), Kevin Glynn (Lahinch), Declan Kelleher (Corofin) and John Hehir (Lisdoonvarna) all retiring. John Reynolds (Liscannor) will be retiring at the beginning of this school year and Michael Canavan (Ballyvaughan) took up a position at a Galway school earlier this year.

Former Clare hurling manager, Ger Loughnane, is also to retire from his principal’s role at St Aidan’s in Shannon, while two other principals in the area will also retire.

Meanwhile as worried teachers gathered at the West County Hotel Ennis on Monday to discuss the impending loss of mainstream positions in rural schools across the county, it was accepted that the two one teacher schools in Clare are about to be a thing of the past.

The educators are instead fighting to sustaining adequate number of teachers in schools with less than 86 pupils.

General Secretary of the INTO Sheila Nunan said the proposals had caused unnecessary fear and anxiety in rural Ireland because they lack any overall plan or proposal for sustainable small schools.

Clare INTO Executive and Mullagh NS principal Sean McMahon said; “It is particularly difficult to accept for rural communities and small schools to absorb these amazing changes at this point and time considering we just paid € 1.25 billion to a failed bank and those that control it.”

EXPECTANT mothers in Clare remain concerned about the health of their unborn babies this week, as HSE management and health care professionals disagree about safety at the Limerick Maternity Hospital.

A senior consultant at the Mid Western Maternity Hospital warns that mothers and their newborn babies may die due to an impending staffing crisis for which the HSE is not prepared.

The HSE argues, however, that it has a contingency plan in place.

Consultant Obstetrician Dr Gerry Burke said that as many as 47 mid- wives will take early retirement next month to secure pensions, leaving the hospital seriously short staffed.

There are currently just over 200 midwives working at the busy hospital, and it has been struggling with the large increase in births over the past five years, according to Dr Burke.

“No plans to deal with the shortfall have been presented by the HSE or the Department of Health. The shortfall of over 20 per cent of midwifery staff will diminish the quality of maternity care these women and babies receive,” said Dr Burke.

The hospital provides care to more than 6,000 women and about 5,200 newborn infants every year in the mid-west region, including County Clare.

The HSE maintain a contingency plan has been put in place, but are not forthcoming with the details of that plan.

“Contingency plans are being developed to cover any gaps that may arise in staffing as a result of midwives retiring at the end of February. It is not possible at present to say exactly how many will be leaving at the end of the grace period as staff still have a chance to change their minds,” the HSE spokesperson said.

“Many of these contingency plans are at an advanced stage.

“There are long-term plans for building a new maternity hospital on the campus of the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Dooradoyle. In the interim, over € 3 million has been spent upgrading facilities at the Ennis Road hospital including the neonatal department, new theatre, three labour wards and admissions unit,” she added.

Meanwhile, nurses and midwives at the Maternity Hospital in Galway will meet today (Tuesday) to discuss staffing issues there.

While it is understood that the shortage of midwives in Galway may not be as serious as in Limerick following the expected retirements in February, there are concerns about the loss of specialist nurses, such as those in the neo-natal department.

A MAN has been convicted of the burglary of Ennis Golf Club last year.

Paul Daly (22) with an address at 13B Considine Road, Ennis, pleaded guilty to charges of burglary, theft and handling a stolen prescription pad at Ennis District Court last week.

Insp John Galvin told the court that gardaí found the accused on the premises of Ennis Golf Club on February 20, 2011, after they responded to a burglary call.

He said that on November 4, 2011, Daly was observed on CCTV getting into a parked car outside the Snack Shack at Abbey Street car park. He was approached by gardaí who not- ed that he was wearing gloves, the court heard.

On November 14, 2011, the court heard, gardaí received a call that a prescription pad had been stolen and given back to the Family Medical Centre in Ennis.

Insp Galvin said the accused was identified and subsequently arrested.

Solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client found the prescription pad, made use of it and returned it to the doctor who then telephoned the gardaí.

In relation to the incident outside the Snack Shack, Ms Godfrey said the owner had been in the back of the premises getting ready to open. She said the van was open and her client entered it looking for a roll because he was hungry. She said it wasn’t his intention to steal the car.

In relation to the burglary at Ennis Golf Club, Ms Godfrey said that while her client had been on the premises when the gardaí arrived, “he certainly did not make away with anything”. Ms Godfrey said all of these offences were committed in the “context of a serious drug addiction”. She said her client had commenced a methadone programme and is getting on well with it.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy convicted Daly on the burglary charge and sentenced him to eight months in prison, taking into account his guilty plea. He imposed a further two-month sentence to be served consecutive to the previous sentence.

Recognances were fixed in the event of an appeal.

A MAN has pleaded guilty to the possession of 13 cannabis plants at a house in Newmarket on Fergus last June.

Gardaí discovered the drugs during a search of Miller Boys Cottage, Snugboro, Newmarket on Fergus, on June 4 last.

Ian Cullinan (31) with an address at 27 Glensheen Road, Gort Road, Ennis, appeared at Ennis District Court in relation to the charge of possession of a controlled drug, cannabis.

Insp John Galvin told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed summary disposal of the matter on a plea of guilty.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy said the direction had effectively tied his hand in terms of trying the case in the District Court. He said the case was now a matter of sentencing, adding that he did not have the “jurisdiction to refuse jurisdiction”.

Insp Galvin said the accused admitted to gardaí that the drugs were his during the search. He said the cannabis had been valued at € 5,200. He said the accused was very co-operative with gardaí. Insp Galvin said gardaí were quite satisfied that the drugs were not intended for re-sale.

He added, “My colleagues accept it was not for sale on the open market.”

Solicitor Joe Moloney told the court that has client had immediately put his hands up and accepted he was wrong. He said his client was a single man from a “very well respected family”. He added, “The fact that he is here in court will bring it home to him that this is not acceptable in modern society.”

Judge McCarthy remanded the man on continuing bail to appear again at Ennis District Court on March 21. He ordered the preparation of a probation and welfare report to include urine analysis.

THE primary school sector in Clare is to undergo its biggest single change since the foundation of the state in the coming weeks with a mass retirement of more than 29 of the county’s most experienced teachers – including at least 12 school principals.

A special investigation carried out by The Clare People last week has revealed that more than 1,000 years of collective teaching experience is to be lost to the schools of Clare at a stroke in February, as a hoard of teachers call time on their teaching careers ahead of the February 29 pension deadline as set out in the Croke Park Agreement. The Clare People last week contacted each of the county’s 145 primary schools in an effort to establish the scale of the retirements. More than 100 schools responded to the survey, with schools in North Clare, the Shannon area and Ennis the worst hit by the retirements.

Primary schools in one area of North Clare will see a massive principal turnover, with Michael O’Connor (Moy), Kevin Glynn (Lahinch), Declan Kelleher (Corofin) and John Hehir (Lisdoonvarna) all retiring, while John Reynolds (Liscannor) will be retiring at the beginning of this school year and Michael Canavan (Ballyvaughan) took up a position at a Galway school earlier this year.

Former Clare hurling manager, Ger Loughnane, is also to retire from his principal’s role at St Aidan’s in Shannon, while two other principals in the area will also retire.

The final count of teacher retirements is likely to be higher than the 29 confirmed in The Clare People survey, with many schools reporting that senior members of staff are still making up their minds as to whether they will call it a day or not. A number of schools also declined to take part in the survey, preferring to keep the number of teachers who plan to retire private for the time be- ing.

Under the terms of the Croke Park Agreement, teachers who retire before February 29, 2012, will have their pension and lump sum calculated on their pre-cut salary or the salary they were earning before the pay cut imposed in January 2010.

A teacher who retires after 36 years of service – on a current salary of € 61,683 – will receive a lump sum payment of € 88,839 and an annual pension of € 28,387 should they retire before the end of February.