Category: News

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.

A MAN alleged to have been carrying a knife in Ennis last September told Gardaí he had it for his own protection, a court has heard.

The detail emerged at Ennis District Court last week where a Judge dismissed a case against William McDonagh.

It had been alleged that McDonagh (20) with an address at 32 Clancy Park, Ennis was in possession of a knife at Hermitage, Ennis, on September 21 (2011).

Detective Brendan Rouine told the court that he had been on patrol with a colleague when he observed McDonagh coming towards him.

Detective Rouine said that he saw a blade of a knife in McDonagh’s tracksuit pocket.

He said that when he asked him why he had it, McDonagh said it was “for his own protection”.

Detective Rouine said he had been aware that the accused had been involved in a dispute.

However, Judge Aeneas McCarthy subsequently dismissed the case af- ter Detective Rouine said that he had brought a copy of a statement into the witness box with him. Judge McCarthy said this was “totally and utterly out of order”. Detective Rouine said he had not referred to the statement during his evidence. Insp John Galvin said he had not been aware that the Detective had brought the statement with him. Solicitor Tara Godfrey asked that the court to consider dismissing the case against her client. Judge McCarthy dismissed the case, saying, “justice must not just be done, it must be seen to be done”. Judge McCarthy acknowledged that Detective Rouine had not looked at the statement. He added that he was not casting any aspersions on him.

THE refurbishment of the Celtic Mist, the yacht formerly owned by Charles Haughey that was donated to the Kilrush-based Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) last year, is to be granted aid to the tune of nearly € 50,000.

The IWDG has secured 75 per cent funding of € 47,900 from the Leader programme administered by the Clare Local Development Company for the refit project that is already underway in Kilrush.

In welcoming the grant allocation, the IWDG co-ordinator Dr Simon Berrow paid tribute to the development company’s support for the project that’s being spearheaded by Mr Cathal Blunnie.

The 52ft yacht had been on sale in the Isle of Wight, with an asking price of € 175,000, before Conor Haughey announced the move to donate the vessel to the IWDG, a group whose work was of special interest to the late Taoiseach.

“The market for yachts isn’t great at the moment,” said Conor Haughey, “and my father did declare Irish waters as a whale and dolphin sanctuary in 1991, so that’s why we have decided to gift it to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.”

“This will give us a whole new dimension,” said Dr Simon Berrow at the time. “Charlie Haughey was always very interested in the sea and the marine and he often sent in sighting of whales and dolphins. He’d be known for declaring Ireland a whale and dolphin sanctuary. It was a huge political gesture at the time,” he added.

It is estimated that the refit of the Celtic Mist will cost more than € 60,000 and that the ketch will cost some € 20,000 to € 30,000 annually to maintain, subsidised by day trips.

A berth at Kilrush marina has been provided by Shannon Development and a passenger vessel licence application has also been made.

The refit involves stripping down the main cabin, and removing the bath and shower to allow for additional crew berths.

The former owner’s clock will be kept, along with other items. However, the ketch’s wheel in the main cabin is set to be presented to the Haughey family.

The Celtic Mist came to Kilrush in July after taking part in the Tall Ships Race in Waterford.

A 36-YEAR-OLD father of four who punched a teenager in the nose has received prison sentences totaling 14 months.

At Ennis District Court last week, Michal Makula, with an address at 3 Church View, Barefield, was convicted of assault causing harm to a 16year-old boy. The incident occurred on the Gort Road on July 18 (2011).

The boy, who is now aged 17, told the court that he had received a broken nose in the assault. He told the court that his injuries did not require surgery.

Solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client had apologised for his behaviour and had acted in self-defence. However she said that his actions had exceeded what could be considered self-defence. She said that there had been a context in which the assault had taken place.

However Ms Godfrey insisted that this in no way was meant to call the character of the injured party into question or harm his reputation.

She said her client had no history of assault. Judge Aeneas McCarthy asked, “What was he doing hitting a 16 year old?”

Judge McCarthy described the incident as “a serious assault in that this young man suffered a broken nose”.

Noting the accused’s plea of guilty and other mitigating circumstances, Judge

McCarthy imposed a six-month sentence.

Makula pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary at a home at Dromina, Dysart, Corofin on November 9 (2011). Insp John Galvin told the court that the accused broke into the house through the bathroom window. He said Makula was seen by a witness leaving the house with jewelry valued at € 2,000. Insp Galvin said the accused had not been aware that a young woman had been in the house at the time.

Ms Godfrey said her client “genuinely believed the house was empty.” She added, “He did not mean to frighten anyone.”

The court heard that the goods were recovered. Ms Godrey requested that the court consider a suspended sentence.

Judge McCarthy was told that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) had directed that the case be tried on a summary basis.

Speaking through an interpreter, Makula said he “was really sorry” for his actions. He said he was not in receipt of any social welfare due to problems with one of his children’s birth certificates.

Judge McCarthy imposed an eight month sentence, taking into account the guilty plea and other mitigating circumstances. He said both sentences are to be served consecutively. Recognances were fixed in the event of an appeal.

THE day of farmers bringing a few cattle to the mart in a car trailer is coming to an end, unless the next generation apply for a new specific driving licence.

The majority of driving licences issued before 1989 allowed drivers to tow a relatively heavy trailer behind their domestic car.

Newer licences are more specific however. The majority of motorists hold a ‘B licence’ which allows them to drive a car and tow a light trailer that does not exceed 750 kg in weight.

To tow a trailer in excess of 750kg, the driver must also hold an ‘E licence’.

While many older motorists have an ‘EB licence’, the younger generation are required to apply for a provisional ‘E licence’ and then a full licence if they are to tow anything heavy behind their car.

At the first meeting of the Joint Policing Committee this year, chairman Cllr Joe Arkins (FG) raised the concerns of local farmers and these driving regulations.

“The days of towing a good hefty cow after you on a trailer are gone,” he said.

Superintendent Colm O’Sullivan explained that the driver could be in trouble if he/she did not have an EB licence.

Supt O’Sullivan said it was more of an issue for insurance, as the driver would not be covered in the event of an accident.

The superintendent advised those motorists intending to tow a trailer, or any other such item, to tell their insurance company at time of renewal.

Car drivers without a specialised licence can, however, tow a small trailer as long as it and its contents weigh less than 750kg and their car is over 3, 500kg in weight.

Community representative on the committee Richard Cahill said this traffic law was counter-productive when it came to promoting local tourism.

He argued that this prevented families taking caravan holidays, as they could not tow the caravan without the specialised licence.

Cllr John Crowe (FG) described the licensing law as “another attack on rural Ireland”.

OPENING up a pre-clearance facility for the US military at Shannon; bringing Aer Rianta International back home to Shannon and Shannon Development handing over their tourism remit to Fáilte Ireland. These are just three major issues that were addressed at the Radisson Hotel in Meelick on Friday morning last when business leaders in the mid-west region had a breakfast briefing with Transport Minister Leo Varakdar.

During a question and answer session Minister Varadkar revealed that there will be “seven test runs of US military pre-clearance” in the coming week and “if that works we will be signing off on military pre-clearance at Shannon”.

Local anti-war group Shannonwatch was quick to criticize this announcement with spokesperson Ed Horgan telling The Clare People “during his speech Minister Varadkar talked about capturing the entrepreneurial spirit of Shannon, but it would seem that every one in six people that passes through Shannon Airport these days is an armed US soldier. That is not the type of viability or entrepreneurship that Shannon requires at this time.”

On the future role of Shannon Development, Minister Varadkar said the department was “considering whether their tourism marketing remit should revert to Fáilte Ireland” but that there was no question of the agency losing the remit to run visitor attractions in the mid-west region.

“Shannon Airport’s asset base, including the substantial landbank adjacent to the airport offers significant scope for future growth and development,” the president of Shannon Chamber of Commerce, Damian Gleeson told Minister Varadkar.

“The Lynx cargo hub and the Humanitarian Aid Centre are examples of projects this landbank could accommodate. The Shannon area is synonymous with innovative initia- tives. Route development and marketing of the airport underpins its future and the airport underpins the future of the entire Shannon region.

“We need to take the best from the past to move to the future. The corporate capability that has fuelled this region over the decades is still present in the region; it needs to be re-energised and given the wherewithal to take the region and the airport in a new direction,” he added.

The former head of Aer Rianta International, Michael Hanrahan, said “ARI’s headquarters is now in Dublin and that is wrong – it has produced hundreds of millions for Dublin and the sooner it is based back down here the better.”

IARNRÓD Éireann and Clare County Council have expressed their confidence that building work on a train station at Crusheen will start this summer, despite fresh delays in the project.

Both funding and planning permission have been secured for the longawaited Crusheen stop on the Western Rail Corridor but construction work has been delayed as a result of protracted negotiations between Iarnród Éireann and a third-party developer.

The negotiation is centred around development contributions but a spokesperson from Iarnród Éireann has said that the station will go ahead.

“We are committed to the development of the station,” said Barry Kenny of Iarnród Éireann.

“The Crusheen proposal has elements of contribution from our capital programme, Clare County Council in relation to the construction and operation of a car park and a thirdparty developer.

“We are in discussions with the third party at present, so we must await the outcome of these to determine when the project will proceed, though it is our aspiration to commence works this summer.”

A spokesperson from Clare County Council yesterday said that the local authority was not aware of any reason why the station at Crusheen would not go ahead.

Senior Engineer with Clare County Council, Tom Tiernan, yesterday de- clined to make any comment on the delay in starting construction on the Crusheen station, saying that it was a matter between the developer and Iarnród Éireann.

Having originally been told that Crusheen would not be granted a station on the Western Rail Corridor, it was announced shortly after the reopening of the Ennis to Athenry section of the line in 2009 that Iarnród Éireann would be going ahead with a Crusheen stop.

This change of heart followed more than two years in intensive lobbying by local people and also a section of land being donated for the station itself and the carpark. When completed, it is predicted that the station will swell the number of people using the train to commute to work in Ennis, Limerick and Galway.

THE definitive government policy on Shannon Airport won’t be known until later in 2012.

Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has told business leaders in the Mid-West region that the deadline for a formal announcement on the future direction of Clare’s international airport, originally due this January has been delayed for a number of months.

A timetable for the delivery of a new policy blueprint for Shannon was confirmed by Minister Varadkar on Friday last when he addressed a Limerick Chamber of Commerce breakfast gathering at the Radisson Hotel in Meelick.

And, the future of the former hub of the aviation world, Minister Varadkar said could involve a substantial or complete “write down” of Shannon’s debts which are now running at € 100m, with losses from 2011 standing at € 8m.

“There is no point in proceeding with independence if it’s not going to work and. in that context, the debt would have to be written down, if not written off,” Minister Varadkar revealed.

In opening up the possibility of Shannon having a fresh start, freed from the strictures of Dublin Airport Authority control and no overhanging legacy debts, Minister Varadkar said “what we want is to secure the future of Shannon. There is no question of closure”.

“It is my absolute intention to give certainty (concerning the airport’s future) in 2012. Whatever solution we decide on will be decided this year,” the Minister added in a question and answer session with journal- ists and business leaders.

Last October Minister Vardakar commissioned a study on the airport’s future from Booz & Company, which suggested that Shannon be separated from DAA control and placed under the management of a new company drawn from public bodies like Clare County Council and Shannon Development.

On Friday, Minister Varadkar revealed that this process of change at Shannon would begin with the appointment of a interim board by Easter to deliver a business plan going forward.

This announcement follows on from the revelation earlier this month that Bertie Ahern appointee, Brian O’Connell, was no longer chairman of the Shannon Airport Authority.

It was O’Connell who controversially proposed to Minister Varadkar last year that Shannon be semi-privatised by way of the State entering into a 15 to 35-year lease agreement with private business interests who would take over the operation of the airport.

Minister Varadkar’s pledged to decide on Shannon’s future in 2012 comes in the wake of latest passenger figures which have revealed that numbers through the airport dropped to 1.6m in 2011, which represents a drop over 2m from the historic high of 3,639,046 in 2006.

IT WAS mixed news for Clare this week when it came to the care of the county’s roads. While the budget allocated to Clare County Council for the care of its non-national roads was almost on a par with last year, the funding for the county’s national roads was significantly down.

The spending on the county’s main roads has dropped by more than € 1.9 million to just over € 3.5 million this year.

However, the council was breathing a sigh of relief yesterday, Monday, when its funding allocation for all non-national roads was announced.

Clare County Engineer Tom Tiernan explained that once the allocation for the Killaloe bypass is removed from the € 14.9 million allocated, it equates almost exactly to last year.

“Anything that has not gone down is good,” he said referring to the funding.

Meanwhile, one of the busiest roads into Ennis is a death trap for young mothers, according to one member of Clare County Council, but the council is hopeful the situation will be resolved very soon.

Cllr James Breen (Ind) described the Quin Road bridge as “deadly dangerous” and is frustrated that nothing has been done about it, despite plans being drawn up for a footbridge by Clare County Council more than two years ago.

“It is frightening on the day of a mart to see women trying to come over the bridge pushing a pram. It is deadly dangerous if a cattle lorry and car meet on that bridge,” he said.

The former TD said he raised this issue as far back as 2006 when he was in the Dáil and still it has not come to a satisfactory conclusion.

It has emerged, however, that the council has finally received the go-ahead for the work on the longawaited footbridge from the Railway Safety Commission, an independent body that oversees the safety of the railway system.

The local authority is now finalising some details with CIE and it is hoped that work will begin on the bridge within the next two months.

WEST Clare could be enveloped in a “toxic mud” that would be poisonous to animal, plant and human life should fracking be allowed to take place. That is the opinion of one of Ireland’s top doctors, Dr Elizabeth Cullen of the Irish Doctors’ Environmental Association, who believes that an outright ban on fracking should be put in place to avert a possible public health catastrophe.

This stark warning comes following a decision by the Department of the Environment not to follow the example set by Clare County Council last month and ban fracking. Speaking in the Dáil last week the Minister for State in the Department of the Environment, Fergus O’Dowd (FG), refused to back any move to ban fracking, saying that there could be billions of Euro in untapped gas resources which could provide a “massive economic boost” for the country.

According to Dr Cullen the toxic mud and other fluids produced by fracking could have a massive negative impact on all lives in West Clare. “It is difficult to ascertain the precise nature of chemicals used in fracking. Drilling companies to date, it seems, have not registered the chemicals they use according to the European law REACH,” she said.

“Research in the US has found that 58 out of 262 chemicals used in fracking gave rise for concern. Among these, 17 were found to be toxic to aquatic organisms, 38 were classified as being acutely toxic to human health and eight were classified as known carcinogens. Six were suspected carcinogens, seven were mutagenic and five were known to have adverse impacts on the reproductive system.”

Dr Cullen raised a number of other possible concerns about the fracking process including the risk of large amounts of contaminated fracking fluid remaining underwater and entering the natural water system.

There is also research which indicates that fracking can lead to a build-up of methane gas in private wells close to the fracturing site – which could lead to explosion, air pollution and an increased release of radon.

The Irish Doctors’ Environmental Association also highlighted the possibility of soil contamination which could hurt West Clare as a tourist location and as an agricultural area.

A spokesperson for Clare Fracking Concerned last week criticised the Government, saying that they had no faith in the Government to address the fears of people effected by fracking in West Clare.