Category: News

AN Ennis man with a “serious drink problem” stole two mobile phones from the solicitor’s bar-room in Ennis Courthouse, a court has heard.

Jamie Clune (34), with an address at 4 Bridge View, Roslevan, Ennis, pleaded guilty to theft and public order offences at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

The court heard that the accused took two phones from the courthouse bar-room on April 5 (2011).

Insp Tom Kennedy told the court that Clune was later questioned and admitted his involvement in the theft.

Insp Kennedy said the phones were sold to an unknown person and had not been recovered.

Court documents showed that the phone belonged to barristers Stephen Coughlan BL and Patrick Marrinan.

In relation to the public order charge, Insp Kennedy said Gardai were forced to arrest Clune after he behaved aggressively in the Market area of Ennis on November 5 (2011).

He said the accused had 99 previous convictions, mainly for public order and intoxication offences.

Solicitor Tara Godfrey told the court that her client had behaved in a drunk and disorderly fashion last November, following a row with his sister.

She said Clune has a “serious drink problem”.

She added, “He’s quite an intelligent man who has had a sad upbringing and has used alcohol to cloud the memory”.

Ms Godfrey said her client is now clean and sober.

The court heard that the accused is currently serving a sentence.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy convicted Clune and sentenced him to six months in prison.

Recognances were fixed in the event of an appeal.

ONE of Clare’s smallest primary schools was in the spotlight this week as the Department of Education published its Whole School Evaluation Report. As one of the many small rural schools nationally under threat of closure, the department recommended that the board of management of Bal tard National School should consult with key stakeholders regarding the future viability of the 100-year-old school.

Situated close to the village of Doonbeg, the school enrolment on the day of inspection last March was just seven. The report questionned what it described as the “erratic enrolment at the school.” “Due to the low and fluctuating enrolment trends, the school’s viability is in question,” it said. “The board reports that children from the local, indigenous population attend other nearby primary schools by choice. The school rolls indicate that many pupils enrol for short periods in the school. A very small number of pupils have attended Baltard National School for the period of their full primary education during the last 10year period. In light of these facts, it is recommended that the board commence a process of consultation with key stakeholders regarding the future viability of the school.”

The Board of Management responded to the comments, stating it was in consultation with the key stakeholders regarding the future viability of the school and is in the process of making a submission to the Department of Education and Skills.

“In the past number of years, the Board of Management have been aware of the challenges faced by the school regarding enrolments. They have liaised with Rural Resettlement Ireland and still continue to do so.

“Rural Resettlement Ireland have been supportive over the years and continue to be. On a positive note, housing is readily available and we hope to promote this via a website which the BOM are currently considering developing in order to further promote the school,” it said.

The report was positive about the day-to-day running of the school, however. It stated that the building and grounds were very well maintained. It also praised the recently appointed school principal who it said is “strongly committed to the development of the school.”

DOOLIN residents and members of the local surfing community will come face-to-face this Wednesday following the decision by Clare County Council to host a public consultation event as part of the new planning process for the controversial development of the Doolin Pier.

There has been some animosity between the two groups since the surfers succeeded in delaying the construction of the pier last year by appealing to An Bord Pleanála to force Clare County Council to produce a complete Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

With scores of local surfers lodging objections to the planning process for the pier and more than 60 Doolin residents attending at Clare County Council when the Part 8 planning permission was decided, this Wednesday’s meeting is likely to be well attended on both sides.

The Lahinch-based West Coast Surf Club say that the design for pier will impact on the famous wave at Crab Island, just off Doolin, while the local community in Doolin say the pier could open Doolin up as a major gateway to the Aran Island and create hundreds of jobs locally.

Clare County Council is currently mid-way through preparing an EIS in relation to the pier and will have to submit this statement to an Bord Pleanála for approval before any work can begin on the € 5 million project. Clare County Council’s senior engineer Tom Tiernan said that alternative options for the pier are being considered.

“The council recognises the importance of facilitating public consultation and considering fully the views of the various stakeholders,” he said.

“The Doolin Pier Project is a critically important piece of infrastructural development for the North Clare area and will serve to significantly enhance the tourism industry in both North Clare and the Aran Islands in future years.

“All submissions will be considered in detail along with all of the other pertinent detail collated by the council’s consultants. This will ultimately lead to the selection of one option, which in turn will become the proposal to which the Environmental Impact Assessment refers. Once the pier option to be proposed in association with the Environmental Impact Assessment is confirmed, the overall proposal will be submitted to An Bord Pleanála for determination.”

The public consultation event will take place at Hotel Doolin, this Wednesday, January 25, from 3pm to 8pm.

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.

KILRUSH Town Council has the ability to lead the way for local authorities around the country in their efforts to extricate themselves from contracts with private companies that have been described as “crazy” by former mayor Cllr Liam O’Looney (FF).

Cllr O’Looney, who spearheaded the local authority’s move to extri- cate itself from the provisions of a 20-year agreement with a private company for the public toilet on Martyr’s Square in the town, has said that a coalition of forces among local authorities should be established.

“The Municipal Authorities Association of Ireland has a role to play in this,” said Cllr O’Looney, “because since this council made the decision to give a 12-month notice about the public toilet in Kilrush, a number of councillors from other local authori- ties have been on to me. They want to do the same.

“Kilrush Town Council has shown the way and now through coordinating things at Municipal Authorities Association of Ireland level, if other councils did the same, these company who charged outlandish prices for the provision of services will have to deal with the council,” he added.

Earlier this month, Kilrush Town Council issued formal notice that it is to extricate itself from a 20-year agreement for the public toilet that was put in place in the town centre, by terminating the contract for the facility with JCDecaux Street Furniture Limited.

The public toilet will still be in operation in 2012 at a rental cost of € 35,910, but to terminate the contract later in the year the local authority must pay € 60,382 to Street Furniture Limited.

At the September meeting of Kilrush Town Council it was revealed that the town authorities were tied to a 20-year contract for provision of the toilet that was signed in 1999 and doesn’t run out until 2019.

“I must commend the management on what they’ve done,” Cllr Paul Moroney (Ind) told last Thursday’s Kilrush Town Council meeting. “Other councils were told in no uncertain terms that there was no opt out clause, but that’s not the case. This council has shown that it can be done,” he added.

CLARE County Council is owed more than € 10 million in unpaid water charges with schools and State agencies understood to be among the groups who owe money to the local authority.

According to the latest available figures received by The Clare People , just over € 9.8 million was owed to the local authority from its customers across the county. While updated figures for the end of 2011 will not be available until March or April of this year, it is understood that the amount owed to Clare County Council now exceeds € 10 million.

These figures mean that Clare is owed more in water charges than any other county council in the country, with only Dublin and Cork city councils – who are each owed more than € 15 million – owed more.

Both Wexford and Donegal county councils are understood to be owed an amount similar to Clare County Council.

A spokesperson from Clare County Council said that the level of arrears was mainly due to “the transition in billing arrangements on the non-domestic metering project”.

“This was where fixed bills to customers were replaced by the billing of metered usage,” he said.

“We are actively pursuing debtors to agree payment plans to discharge the arrears. Failure to reach agreement on payment will result in legal proceedings or disconnection of service to these customers.”

According to the local authority, a relatively small number of customers, around 10 per cent of the total number of customers, were currently “in difficulty” with their repayments. This represents the majority of the money owed to Clare County Council with the remainder being made off arrears.

Meanwhile, more than 50 jobs are expected to be created locally with the roll-out of domestic water metering in Clare later this year. The Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan (FG), confirmed yesterday that the roll-out of domestic water metering will begin in Clare this year.

It is estimated that it will take three years for water meters to be fitted in all homes in the county. While exact details have yet to be announced, it is understood that each household will be given an annual allocation of “free” water and will only pay if they use more than this allocation.

INCREASED “out-of-hours” inspections will take place in Ennis to curb the sale of smoky coal in the town, a meeting has heard.

Clare County Council is seeking to halt the sale in the town of the fuel, which is banned under regulations introduced last year.

Independent councillor and Ennisbased fuel merchant Frankie Neylon raised the matter at last week’s meeting of Ennis Town Council.

Cllr Neylon told the meeting that fuel merchants in Ennis had recent- ly met with local TDs.

He described coal sellers in Ennis as being in “dire straits”, adding that the “problem of emissions had not been solved in Ennis”.

Cllr Neylon said the activities of unregulated coal sellers operating in “Limerick, Tubber and an area outside Tulla” are driving customers away from sellers in Ennis who are subject to the new smoky coal regulations.

“We have been insulted and abused by people who have been buying coal off us for the past 20 years because we won’t sell them Polish coal,” he said.

Cllr Neylon said fuel merchants had requested that Clare’s Dáí l members ask Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan, to suspend the legislation for two years so customers can be educated about the benefits of smokeless coal.

Emphasising that fuel merchants are not against smokeless coal, Cllr Neylon said the new legislation does nothing to stop customers burning smoky coal or prevent the sale of smoky coal in nearby Kilmaley, Clarecastle and Newmarket-on-Fergus.

He added, “If the government are serious about smoky coal, they can ban it at source.”

Last June, Minister Hogan announced that Ennis would be added to the list of towns and cities covered by the ‘Smoky Coal Ban’, under which it is illegal to market, sell or distribute bituminous or “smoky” coal.

Under the air pollution act, sellers found in breach of the ban could face fines of up to € 5,000.

The restricted area of Ennis includes Ennis and environs, comprising the following electoral divisions: Ennis Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 Urban; Clareabbey; Doora; Ennis Rural; and Spancilhill.

Town Manager Ger Dollard said Clare County Council have constantly engaged with local coal sellers.

He said that “out-of-hours” inspections would take place to curb the sale of smoky coal in banned areas. He said a public awareness campaign would be launched to highlight the law on smoky coal.

He said air quality data would also be sought from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) described the restriction as “a bad law that is encouraging the black economy”.

CLARE dairy farmers have been told to stay tough with the Co-Op and demand that no cut to the price in milk is made over the next three months.

According to the IFA, the local Co-Ops in Clare have “more than enough money” to hold milk prices at a constant level this spring, despite the weakness which crept into the EU and international dairy markets in recent months.

The organisation’s National Dairy Committee Chairman, Kevin Kiersey, said that Clare farmers should stand together and ensure that prices are maintained in the medium term.

“Increased global milk supplies and the economic downturn have clearly impacted international dairy markets in recent months. However, this is a very expensive time of year for Irish farmers to supply milk, and simply too early in the Irish production season to make definite milk price decisions,” he said.

“Co-ops generally collect relatively little milk this time of year, and will collect even less this year because of superlevy restrictions. Most can afford to hold milk prices over the coming months, because they have improved their margins in 2010 and 2011 at times when strong dairy prices coincided with strong milk supplies.

“Irish milk supplies will remain constrained by the prospect of superlevy for the next few months, and with less than usual milk to collect, most co-ops will be able to hold milk prices for the spring, at which point we should have a better feel for the realities of the market.”

Clare’s beef farmers, meanwhile, have been told to remain positive, with prices set to remain consistent or possibly even rise in the months ahead. The ICSA’s Livestock Price Coordinator, John Cleary, said last week that, while prices have not improved following the post-Christ- mas spike, the factory trade has remained solid.“Things are much of a muchness from last week. Prices are high and factories are actively looking for stock to meet their quotas so this all means that farmers are in the driving seat,” he said.

“Farmers, however, should not be simply settling for whatever the factory quotes them for their stock. These places are desperate for stock so those more adept at negotiating can push for higher than the quotes.

“The main piece of advise the ICSA could give to anyone at the minute is not to sell soft. The overall outlook is for a positive eight to nine months for 2012.”

BYELAWS with real teeth are required to prevent the “intimidation” of staff at Ennis’ main sports and recreation amenity.

Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) made the call to highlight what he said is the growing problem of dogs being let off leads at Lees Road.

Last April, the issue of dogs being let run off leads in Drumcliffe graveyard was highlighted by local clergy. The problem prompted Fr John McGovern to issue a notice calling on pet-owners to respect graves.

At last week’s meeting of Ennis Council, Cllr Guilfoyle said stronger byelaws are also required to stop illegal parking and driving.

Cllr Guilfoyle said some drivers are ignoring the one-way system in place at Lees Road. He said that staff attempting to enforce the existing laws regarding parking and pets have been “intimidated”.

“This is wrong and we have to give them real powers,” he added.

Cllr Guilfoyle said problems have also arisen where people paying to use the synthetic running track have been “pushed off” the facility by non-payers.

Commenting on proposed new equipment at Lees Road, Cllr Guilfoyle said, “It’s a wonderful place and we have to protect it.”

The council has announced plans to install new facilities at Lees Road. The council has received funding of € 34,000 from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport for the provision of outdoor gym equipment at Lees Road.

Active trail equipment – which includes a trail crossing, rope post crossing, crossbeam crossing, rope crossing and hand-over-hand ladder will be installed as part of the project. This equipment will incorporate new elements for children, teenagers and adults.

CLARE farmers have been urged to stay vigilant and safe in the weeks ahead as improving weather will bring more dangers on local farms. With animals set to return to the land and farmers anxious to take advantage of any breaks in the weather, the next two months promise to be very busy on the county’s farms.

A farm safety seminar for the Clare area will take place later today, January 17, at the Greenhills Hotel in Limerick and all Clare farmers have been urged to attend.

The meeting, which was organised by IOSH Western District, will begin at 7pm and will address all major farm safety issues.

There was good news for Clare farmers last week as new figures showed that no on-farm deaths had taken place in Clare in 2011.

This is in stark contrast to the previous year, unfortunately, when the Banner County recorded the third highest number of farm fatalities in Ireland.

This positive trend was not recorded all over the county in 2011, as farming was named as the most dangerous profession for the third year in a row.

“Figures show that over half of all workplace fatalities happen in the agriculture sector and the number of deaths have been pretty high the last number of years when compared to other countries,”said Clare TD Joe Carey (FG).

“The main areas of concern are livestock- and tractor- and machinery-related incidents. Many farmers I know are very conscious of the dangers of their work environment, yet we need to change the way we think about safety on Irish farms. I know the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, is working closely with the Health Safety Authority in promoting farm safety initiatives.

“In particular, I want to draw attention to the dedicated farm safety area on the Department of Agriculture’s website home page. It should also be acknowledged that Teagasc has been very active in providing farm safety training to farmers and farm advisers nationwide.

“We need to get the number of deaths and accidents on farms down and it is not acceptable that half of all workplace fatalities should occur on farms. I would encourage all farmers to take the time to visit the Department of Agriculture website.”

The IOSH Western District Farm Safety Seminar is open to all farmers and will take place in the Greenhills Hotel in Limerick this evening, January 17, from 7pm.