Category: News

A NORTH Clare jewellery-maker has been crowned as Ireland’s foremost craftsperson at the Showcase 2012 Expo in Dublin last week.

Ennistymon woman Christina Brosnan was presented with the overall Creative Island Award at the festival, which highlights the works of some of Ireland’s best craft people.

Christina began her career in stage design for theatre before moving into film work and was, for a time, the youngest prop master working in the Irish film industry.

“I used to design jewellery as a teenager – people would probably remember me doing that back in Clare when I was younger. I think it was always something that I knew I would come back to, it was just a matter of when. I decided in 2010 to go back to jewellery and so far it has been going great,” she said. “Winning the award is fantastic for me in so many ways. Just to have my jewellery endorsed in that place was amazing. The competition was very tough – there were more than 85 of the best craftspeople in Ireland taking part in this so it was quite stiff.

“To win something like this and to be able to get my work to a wider group of people is really great for me. It is wonderful to get the word out there and hopefully it can take me to a different level.”

Besides being involved in film and TV, Christina also founded her own design company and was given the contract to design the interior of the private members club at the 02.

For more information or to view some of Christina’s work, visit www. christinabrosnan.com.

SIXMILEBRIDGE Mart has been hailed as one of the business success stories of the past year on the back of bucking economic trends to turn out a substantial profit since it re-opened its doors last August.

It has been revealed that the mart has made a profit of over € 100,000 during the first five months, with the Shannon Tunnel and a booming livestock industry huge contributory factors to the success story.

“Some thought we were mad but look at us now,” said Mart Secretary Eddie Punch. “Farmers and dealers come here because they know they’ll get a fair price, wheither they’re buying or selling.

“I’d be confident that the strong prices will continue for this year at least. We are still reliant on the farmers continuing to support us and bring the stock each week,” added Mr Punch.

The mart closed in 2009, but was brought back to life in August on the back of 600 farmers who became shareholders in the mart by raising the € 300,000 needed to buy the 4.5 acre site.

The mart, which now employs 20 people full-time and has a number of part-time staff, is run by a nine- member board. They are chairman Pat O’Reilly, secretary Eddie Punch, Mike Ryan, Seán Hannon, Joe O’Connell, Andrew Dundas, Gerard Liddy, Pat Freeman and Tom O’Connor. The mart is also managed by Seán Ryan, who previously managed the mart in Athenry.

“There’s no doubt that we’re benefiting from the strength in the trade in general at the moment,” said manager Sean Ryan. “I’d say trade is at least € 200 a head up on this time last year,” he added.

A NEWLY planned windfarm for Moneypoint will power an average of 8,500 homes every year and benefit the local economy during its construction stage.

That is according to a spokesperson for the ESB, who explained that the five turbines will also offset 50,000 tonnes of carbon emissions once they are up and running.

ESB Wind Development Ltd has applied to Clare County Council to construct the windfarm, which will replace a previous application which is in place since 2002.

The 10-year-old planning permission would have seen the construction of nine turbines on the site of the West Clare generating station. The new application is for just five turbines, however, and each turbine will be larger and more technologically advanced than the original nine.

The new application seeks permission “for a 10-year planning permission for a wind farm project at Moneypoint Generating Station” in Killimer.

The development will consist of five wind turbines, each having a rated electrical output of approximately 3,000 kilowatts, modification of the existing high-voltage electrical transformer station to house additional electrical equipment and an additional single-storey control building.

Two anemometer masts and all associated site works above and below ground are also sought.

According to the application, each wind turbine will have an overall maximum dimension of 152 metres, comprising a tower of 95 to 100 metres high, and a diameter of about four metres at the base, to which three blades of 52 to 55 metres length will be attached.

The ESB has admitted, however, that the project is still in its infancy.

The construction has not yet gone to tender and the company has not committed to any expenditure as yet.

The ESB spokesperson said, “Any project in Moneypoint in the past, and there have been a number, have had a positive impact in terms of jobs and spend.”

It is estimated that the construction of the windfarm will take between six months and a year.

A decision on the application is due on March 13, 2012.

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.

KILKEE has been identified as the most dangerous place in Ireland to have a stroke or heart attack with a new report showing the average travel time between the West Clare village and the nearest 24-hour hospital now 69 minutes.

The research, which was completed by Professor Rob Kitchin of NUI Maynooth, also show that Lisdoonvarna is was the third most dangerous town with a 59-minute average travel time to the nearest 24-hour hospital.

Head of the Kilkee Rescue Service, Manuel DiLucia, said that the lack of quick access hospitals is costing lives in West and North Clare. Mr DiLucia himself suffered a heart attack in 2009, at which time it took him 75 minutes to reach the regional hospital in Limerick.

“It is just not good enough for a local community to be so far away from essential services. We have ongoing situation here in Kilkee and when we call the ambulance it takes such a long time to get to hospital. The hospital people are the best people in the world – they can’t help the fact that it going to take more than an hour to get someone to Limerick,” he said.

“The one saving grace is that many of the situations that we deal with concern an incident at sea. And in that situation we can call the Shannon-based rescue helicopter and 70 or 80 per cent of the time they will be able to come and help. In that case they are in Limerick in half an hour.

“But that is no comfort for someone who has a heart attack or a stroke. In my opinion anyone who feels a heart-attack or a stroke coming on should make their way down to the beach and in that way they can call the helicopter and be in Limerick in a reasonable amount of time.

“I think that is a workable solution and the next time I get a heart attack I will be getting into my car and making my way to the beach. That is for sure.”

According to Professor Kitchin, his research will probably be used to indicate where cuts can be made instead of identifying gaps in services.

“It’s probably more likely to be used for where you rationalise rather than where you look to invest or develop,” he said.

VOLOUNTARY groups and organisations have been urged to ‘adopt a road’ to halt the growing problem of illegal dumping on the routes around Ennis.

The suggestion was made at yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis West Electoral Area.

Councillor Brian Meaney (GP) called for the committee to request that litter visible on the western relief road (N85) be collected.

In his response, the senior executive engineer, Eamon O’Dea, explained, “This N85 Relief Road is swept by a road sweeper as part of the council’s road sweeping works in the Ennis electoral areas. The council does not have the resources available to carry out hand picking of litter on this road. The council will endeavour to remove larger items dumped on the road.”

Mr O’Dea told the meeting that rubbish bags are regularly dumped in the Ballycoree, Gaurus and Quin Road areas. He said organisations should follow the lead of the Lions Club and the Gardaí who in the past few years have taken responsibility for cleaning a street or road in Ennis. He said responsibility for a litter-free environment should rest with people. Cllr Meaney said the ‘adopt a road’ proposal should be progressed in Ennis. He said the railway road near the Corrovorrin estate had been the site for regular dumping.

“Your breath would be taken away by the volume of rubbish that is tipped there.” However, in paying tribute to the efforts of the council’s environment staff, Cllr Meaney said the introduction of camera surveillance of the area had greatly reduced the incidents of illegal dumping.

He said people are intentionally dumping in areas around Ennis. “We have to identify these people and bring the full weight of the law to bear upon them,” he added.

Cllr James Breen (Ind) said the council should explore the option of taking on student volunteers to help with the fight against litter. He said they could receive a small contribution from the council for their work.

However, Mr O’Dea cautioned that the council would be entering “a grey area that we have to be careful about”.

THE products used to keep toilets clean and germ free could be doing more harm than good.

That’s according to one county councillor who has taken aim at cleaning products such as Toilet Duck and Domestos.

Independent councillor PJ Ryan told a special meeting of Clare County Council on Wednesday that chemicals are causing damage to septic tanks.

Cllr Ryan (Ind) was speaking during a debate on new water services legislation that will require homeowners to register their septic tanks with Clare County Council.

Concern has also been expressed that many homeowners will not be able to meet the cost of upgrading septic tanks that fail inspections.

Cllr Ryan criticised the new Bill saying it is being “rushed through” and describing it as a revenue collecting exercise.

However he added that the “biggest problem with septic tanks is that there are too much chemicals going into them”. He explained that chemicals contained in cleaning products are killing bacteria that ensure the smooth running of the septic tanks system.

Cllr Ryan said, “This all happened since people got it into their heads that they must have a perfectly clean loo.”

He said that while homeowners will be hit by the new legislation, “these people that are producing the chemicals don’t seem to be called in at all.”

He added, “We’d be far better of spending money educating people rather than penalising them.”

Paul Moroney, Senior Engineer with the council’s Environment de partment, told the meeting that there are “reasonably stringent” European laws exist regarding cleaning products. He said chemicals couldn’t contain elevated levels of phosphates.

Concern was also expressed that homes in the west of Ireland will fall foul of the new regulations due to poor soil quality in the region.

Mr Moroney acknowledged that soil quality could present “significant challenges” in areas of East and West Clare. He said soil percolation problems may also emerge in limestone areas of the county.

CLARE County Council will effectively be sounding its own death knell if it approves plans by the National Roads Authority (NRA) for a new salt depot outside Ennis, a senior member of the council has warned.

Independent councillor Tommy Brennan said the council would be “cutting its own throat” if planning permission for a 6, 500 tonne regional salt depot at the old GAMA site on the Tulla Road Interchange.

The NRA will take charge of maintenance of the country’s motorway network with the proposed Tulla Road depot used to service the motorway in Clare and parts of Galway and Limerick.

However the project came in for blistering criticism at yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis East Electoral Area. Committee chairman Cllr Brennan labelled the project a “waste of time” and taxpayer’s money, saying it represents a unnecessary duplication of resources.

Cllr Brennan said the council had adequate salt supplies at its depots in Beechpark while council workers had worked “night and day and provide exemplary” maintenance services on the county’s road and motorway network.

He said the Minister for the Environment should be made aware of the concerns that exist over the project. Cllr Brennan said that he firmly be- lieved that if the minister examined the project “logically” then it would not go ahead.

He described the NRA as a “quango that has nothing to do”, arguing that authority’s move to road maintenance is based on the fact that no more roads are being built.

He said, “I firmly believe that all we are doing is cutting our own throats.”

He added, “I think it’s a down right disgrace. We have four salt barns on the Miltown Malbay road.”

Members received an update on the Part 8 planning process for the salt depot. Cllr Brennan said the council should not engage with the process, adding that the NRA should follow the same planning process as other applications.

Cllr Brennan was also critical of the layout of the proposed project. He said the installation of a roundabout must be included as a condition of planning if the project is approved.

He explained that a landowner is seriously concerned that the project, as currently designed, will impede access to his property.

County engineer Tom Tiernan said he would highlight Cllr Brennan’s concerns to the minister. He said he had urged the NRA to consult with the landowner.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said the site should be used for the development of secondary school for the Barefield area.

“The needs locally in the community are greater than those of the NRA,” he added.

FIGURES from Clare County Council show that approximately 31,000 septic tanks in the county could face inspection under new water services laws.

A countywide breakdown shows that the highest number of septic tanks are located in the River Fergus catchment area (11,700). There are 8,400 in the West Clare area, 7,600 in the Lough Derg area and 3,400 in South Clare.

The figures, which were taken from the Water Framework Directive Reports, were presented at a special meeting of Clare County Council on Wednesday.

The Water Services (Amendment) Bill is currently being debated in the houses of the Oireachtais. It is expected to be enacted in 2013.

Households that have septic tanks will have to pay a € 50 five-year registration fee. Concern has been raised about the impact of the Bill, with critics claiming that householders will be forced to spend thousands of euros to upgrade septic tanks.

In a report to councillors, Paul Mo- roney, Senior Engineer Environment, outlined the main aspects of the Bill. He stated that the “principal requirement of the proposed legislation is that the owner of a septic tank is required to maintain and operate their septic tank in a manner that does not cause risk to human health or the environment.”

He added, “This requirement is in the best interest of preserving the existing environment and is consistent with the approach in other environmental legislation.”

Mr Moroney explained that under the proposed new bill, the council would be required to establish and maintain a detailed register of septic tanks located in its functional area. Owners of septic tanks will be required to register them with the local authority. The certificate will be valid for a period of five years.

Mr Morney stated that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is charged with appointing inspectors and establishing and maintaining a register of septic tank inspectors.

On the powers of EPA inspectors, Mr Moroney explained, “Inspectors will have the power to examine, take samples, take photographs, examine sub-soil, obtain information and inspect records of maintenance servicing or operation of a septic tank. An inspector may not enter premises without the permission of the occupier.”

Mr Moroney continued, “Once notification of an inspection has been provided by a local authority it will be an offence for a person to prevent an inspector from entering a premises, obstruct or impede the inspector or provide false or misleading information to an inspector.”

If the EPA finds that a septic tank is “causing or is likely to cause a risk to human health or the environment” they are required to issue an advisory notice to the owner.

A person who does not agree with the results of the first inspection can request a re-inspection at a fee not exceeding € 200. A person who does not agree with an advisory notice issued after the re-inspection can appeal the notice to the District Court.

Mr Moroney added that it will be an offence for the council not to comply with directions from the EPA.

He told the meeting that the new legislation would apply to all domestic wastewater treatment systems.