Category: News

JOB creation will not happen overnight and it will be painful.

That was the message from Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton (FG) when he addressed Shannon Chamber last week.

“If we are to create the jobs and growth we so badly need, we are going to have to undertake radical reform across the entire economy to make it easier for businesses to create employment. This means above all reducing costs, improving access to finance, providing better and more supports to job-creating businesses, and putting innovation at the centre of everything we do.

“This will not happen overnight. We will have to grind out the reforms one by one if we are going to achieve the Government’s ambition of making Ireland the best small country in which to do business,” he said.

They will be painful for some peo ple, particularly in sheltered parts of the public and private sector, and we will need support if we are to drive them through. However, if we are to build a strong economy with solid foundations this is where the hard work must start.

“In next month’s Action Plan for Jobs, we will begin a rigorous, monitored process of driving changes across government and the economy to improve the business environment and enable the creation of the jobs we need,” he added.

One company present who was not waiting for a Government-led job’s initiative was the Shannon-based CREGG Group.

Through lateral thinking, it enhanced its existing operations and brought a major international brand to Shannon – ZAGG International.

President of the Shannon Chamber Damien Gleeson said, potentially 130 extra jobs are being created by CREGG at Shannon, as a result of the company’s initiative to identify a company in the US with a similar process to itself and a desire to cite an operation within Europe.

“This has had a positive outcome for Shannon/Ireland – 70 of the jobs have been filled in the past nine months. It has sustained the company’s existing base at Shannon and brought in new skills and new products,” he said.

DEVELOPING new routes out of Shannon Airport has been identified as key to growing tourism in the Mid-West region as Clare gears up to position itself for the ‘The Gathering’ project that aims to bring over 300,000 extra visitors into Ireland in 2013.

In announcing its blueprint for tourism in the mid-west, Fáilte Ireland, has pledged to play its part in driving new business at Clare’s international airport – a commitment that was de- livered in the same week that passengers numbers at Shannon reduced to their lowest since 1994 when 1.5 million passengers were recorded.

It was revealed that 1.6m passengers used the airport in 2011, a figure that Fáilte Ireland’s head of operations in the region, Fiona Monaghan, said can be improved by the development of “a close working relationship with industry practitioners in the destination to grow international business through the development of authentic tourism experiences.

“Under our Sales Connect initiative, Fáilte Ireland will continue to work closely with Shannon Airport in the development of making the business case to support new route development into the region,” she added.

Fáilte Ireland’s new commitment to working with the airport to try and drive the region’s tourism product was announced in tandem with the launch of the Wild Atlantic Drive initiative at a briefing at the Radisson Hotel in Meelick on Wednesday last.

“Although 2011 was an encouraging year, there is no room for complacency,” sais Fáilte Ireland chief executive, Shaun Quinn. “We must all remain focussed on doing all we can to maintain a momentum towards recovery.

“Fáilte Ireland, through a mixture of marketing, supporting tourism businesses and developing attractive tourism destinations, will work closely to boost the full potential of the Shannon region in 2011,” he added.

“A key focus for 2012 will be the development of clearly defined destination development plans for West Clare,” said Fiona Monaghan.

“Key elements of the destination plans will be to maximise the sig- nificant investment in tourism product in the destination over the last two years and to have a strategic approach to future developments.

Looking to the east of the region, the Lakelands destination has a clearly defined work programme for the Lough Derg zone including the development of canoe trails, a tourism signage plan and a series of themed itineraries linking in to the overall Lakelands strategy. Fáilte Ireland will work closely with the Lough Derg Marketing Group in the implementation of these plans,” she added.

A BUSINESS offering to manufacture prototypes at cost for entrepreneurs and a 12-month free office lease are just some of the ways one business is helping other businesses to grow, despite the current economic climate.

The initiative was welcomed this week by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Shannon Chamber of Commerce.

Connor Winfield Ltd, in association with Irish Executives Network, have offered entrepreneurs developing products in the electronic hardware field to have up to 20 prototypes manufactured at cost at its manufacturing facility in Shannon.

The company has also offered one entrepreneur the opportunity to avail of office accommodation, free of rent, for 12 months at the Shannon facility.

“We hope, through these actions, to not only assist, in a small way, Ireland in our national recovery process, but also to inspire other businesses, whether multi-national, like ourselves, or indigenous to reach out and support business development in Ireland in a similar way,” said a spokesperson for the company.

“This is a great example of how Irish-based businesses and leadership can make a difference. What John O’Connell (Managing Director) and his team are providing is so crucial, and so important to both recovery and nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs,” sais John Keogh, founder and president of Irish Executives Network.

Community support for job creation, such as The Clare People ’s free jobs advertisement service and the Conor Winfield Ltd Imitative, was welcomed by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton (FG), and encouraged by the Shannon Chamber of Commerce.

Minister Bruton told The Clare People that communities and businesses had huge roles to play in job creation. “It is often quoted that if people diverted € 4 a week of their spending to locally produced goods, you would create 6,000 jobs,” he said.

Shannon Chamber President, Damian Gleeson said that business supporting business was necessary for maintaining indigenous and multi-national companies and jobs.

“The onus is on everyone to encourage entrepreneurial endeavour. Businesses need to start playing their part,” he told members of the chamber at their annual lunch.

During the lunch, he raised concerns with Minister Bruton about the lack of support for existing companies. “It is now down to the Government to play its part in tackling local government costs and reduce redundancy cost charges to help sustain existing businesses,” he said.

SERIOUS crimes figures in Clare are down by almost one fifth in the last year, according to preliminary Garda figures.

Despite having to cope with a drop of 41 members in the Clare force since last March, An Garda Síochana in Clare has overseen a reduction in almost all crimes, with two exceptions – homicide and theft.

There were no murder cases in the county in 2010, with two people killed in 2011. These cases are now before the court.

While theft from the person has reduced by 75 per cent, general theft has increased by two per cent due to the increase in theft of domestic oil from private homes.

The theft of copper was also increasing these figures, although gardaí have prosecuted a number of gangs specialising in this theft in the last number of months.

Chief Superintendent John Kerins said that theft of copper reduced from 20 per cent in the first half of the year to just two per cent in the second half as a result of arrests and the reduction in the value of copper.

Theft of domestic oil continues to be an issue, with gangs specialising in this crime.

A group of plain clothes gardaí last week stopped a car in Sixmilebridge and arrested a group from Limerick who had sophisticated oil stifling equipment with them. The chief superintendent said that the strongest deterrents against such crimes and the best chance of a successful arrest are a good neighbourhood watch.

Sexual offences reported were also down last year by 15 per cent.

Many of the cases reported were also years old, in some cases older than the investigating garda, according to Ennis Superintendent Peter Duff.

In total the top 11 crimes had reduced by 18.6 per cent, with public order offences also reduced.

The supply and sales of drugs has reduced by 19 per cent in the last year with drug possession down 40 per cent. In total the gardaí from the Clare Division recorded 20,821 incidents on PULSE last year, an equivalent of 400 per week or 57 incidents per day.

THE Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar, had revealed that there were up to 1200 military flights through Shannon Airport in 2011, carrying nearly 250,000 US troops.

A breakdown of these figures has revealed that over 600 troops passed through Shannon every day in the 12 months up to December 31. Details of troop numbers were revealed by Minister Varadkar after a question was tabled by Sinn Féin deputy, Padraig Mac Lochlainn.

“My Department does not collate information with regard to the number of military troops on board civilian aircraft,” said Minister Varadkar. “However, on the basis of information collected by the Dublin Airport Authority, I understand the number of troops that have passed through Shannon Airport in 2011 was under 250,000,” he added.

“The figures make a mockery of the notion of Irish neutrality, and show that successive governments have relinquished all interest in maintaining an independent Irish foreign policy,” said a spokesperson for Shannonwatch.

Between 2001 and January 2011 there were 12,154 military stopovers in Shannon, carrying 2,0300,925 troops, while 11,995 return flights have accounted for 2,029,365 military personnel over the same period.

The 2001 to 2011 figures revealed that the peak period of Shannon’s use in US military operations came in 2005, when 1,973 flights passed through the airport, carrying 335,847 passengers, over double the amount that had passed through the previous year.

The build-up of troop manouvres started in 2003, before and after President Bush ordered an invasion of Iraq on March 19 of that year.

Meanwhile, following another Dáil question tabled by Deputy Mac Lochlainn the Minister for Transport, Alan Shatter has revealed that it nearly costs € 1m a year to police Shannon Aiport.

“The total cost of the assistance provided by the Defence Forces to An Garda Síochána at Shannon Airport during 2011 was € 259,739. This figure comprises the cost of Security Duty Allowances, rations and fuel,” said Minister Shatter.

“I am informed by the Garda authorities that the cost of policing arrangements at Shannon Airport for 2011 is € 994,052,” he added. These figures represent an increase of almost € 200,000 on the 2010 figures.

A COMMUNITY united in grief around the Lavery family yesterday as they said goodbye to their “little angel” Maureen. Parts of Ennis came to a halt as family, friends and colleagues bade farewell to a woman recalled as a true inspiration.

The 27-year-old beautician passed away at the weekend following a brave battle with cancer. Mourners lined O’Connell Street and the steps to the Ennis Cathedral as Maureen embarked on her final journey.

Fr Fergal O’Neill, who presided over the funeral mass, said the huge number of people who attended to pay their respects illustrated just how popular and highly regarded Maureen was. Fr O’Neill said the deep sense of sadness would make people wonder, “It isn’t fair that Maureen was taken so young.”

Moving tributes were paid to Maureen, a former student of Holy Family National School and Coláiste Muire. The service heard that after leaving school, Maureen graduated with top honours as a beautician from Pembroke College. From there she worked at Normoyle’s Chemist, Brown Thomas and Rochford’s Chemist.

Her academic excellence was such, recalled Fr O’Neill, that the college was keen for her to extend her studies. He recalled the first time he met Maureen a year ago and how he was struck by her positive and amazing personality and strong willpower. He said she was a remarkable young woman who never complained about her illness.

Friends said Maureen was a person of tremendous loyalty and companionship. The service heard how she fought her battle against cancer with “determination and grace”.

The daughter of John and Mairead Lavery, Maureen was described as a loving daughter, cherished sister and devoted aunt. Her friends recalled Maureen’s fun-loving personality and sense of mischief, her dedication to her work at Rochford’s and her deep and abiding faith in angels.

There was an outpouring of emotion online with family and friends posting tender tributes and offering their condolences to the Lavery family. Friends described her as “beautiful, kind and amazing person”. Another poster recalled Maureen as one of the nicest people you could hope to meet.

She will be sadly missed by her parents, siblings Sarah, Michael and Aaron, boyfriend Barry, extended family and many friends.

ENNIS’ bid to become host town for the 2013 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann has received a huge boost with the news that the Ulster Council of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann has come out in opposition to bringing the flagship festival of Irish traditional music to the north for the first time in its 60year history.

The Ulster ruling body delivered its verdict on Sunday night, six days ahead of the crucial vote at Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann headquarters in Dublin where Ennis, Sligo and Derry are the three town competing to host the 2013 festival.

By way of a secret ballot vote, the 31-member ruling body of Comhaltas will decide between the three centres on where the festival – worth € 30m to the host town’s economy – will be staged.

Up until Sunday, Derry were considered favourites to win the threeway race, principally on the back of the political weight that was thrown behind their 2013 Fleadh bid by Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Martin McGuinness.

“Derry has all the key ingredients they need to host an amazing Fleadh in 2013,” said Mr McGuinness. “If successful this bid would make history, giving our young people the opportunity of a lifetime to experience this rich cultural event,” he added.

In December, senior members of the Comhaltas, including Chairperson Labhrás Ó Murchú, met to discuss Derry’s bid after their recent trip to meet with civic leaders in the city, which has been designated as British City of Culture in 2013.

However, the Derry bid could now be in ruins following the decision by the Ulster Council. “We understand that it was based on the perceived threat from dissident republicans to families and visitors celebrating Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Derry,” a spokesperson for Comhaltas Dhoire said.

“We believe this decision is a mistake and plays into the hands of those who want to hold back any efforts to bring opportunity to our city and region. Derry’s bid for the Fleadh has been acknowledged as being one of the best packages ever presented to Comhaltas and yet we have been denied our right to celebrate our Irish culture.

“We will be appealing the decision to ensure the voices of everyone who sees the value in celebrating Irish culture and those who support our bid is heard,” the spokesperson added.

Last year, The Clare People revealed that there were elements of Comhaltas Ceoiltóirí Éireann in the north who didn’t what the festival in Derry, principally because it’s the British City of Culture designation in 2013 The Ennis bid to host the 2013 Fleadh was made earlier this month when the local committee that draws together the local branch of Clare Comhaltas, Clare County Council, Clare GAA, Ennis Town Council and Shannon Development re-activated the 2012 submission to host the Fleadh.

The Clare submission identified 25 venues in Ennis that would facilitate the event that would cater for up to 200,000 music lovers from across the world, with the Clare County Council headquarters on New Road designated as the hub of operations.

Ennis previously hosted Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 1956 and 1977.

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.