Category: News

KILRUSH Town Council is set to ramp-up the number of inspections it undertakes on local authority housing in the town for 2012 – in an effort to reduce the amount of money currently being spent on repairing council houses.

At last Thursday’s annual budget meeting in Kilrush the local authority approved a plan to reduce the annual allocated for social housing repair from € 45,000 in 2011 to € 40,000 for 2012.

This reduction has been budgeted, in part, to take account for a number of major repairs currently being made by Kilrush Town Council to their stock of local authority houses.

The council has also decided to adopt a strategy of increasing the number of housing inspections taking place to local authority houses in an effort to reduce the amount of damage done by tenants in local authority houses.

According to Mayor of Kilrush Ian Lynch (FG), the council would hope to reap the benefits from this year’s capital expenditure in years to come.

“This year we will more proactive on making sure that houses are properly maintained. We would hope that we will see the benefit from this next year,” he said.

Kilrush town clerk John Corry confirmed that there will be an increase in the level of inspections of council houses in Kilrush in 2012 and that more staff had been delegated to the housing sections to help with this.

He also confirmed that the local authority was having a more difficult time in collecting rent from council property as a result of the recession.

In total Kilrush Town Council has allocated € 270,000 to be spent in the Housing and Buildings Section for 2012 in addition to € 40,000 to be spent on house repairs. They have also budgeted for just over € 300,000 to be raised in council rents locally in 2012.

ENNIS Town Council is to spend an additional € 45,000 in street cleaning activities next year.

Town Manager Ger Dollard explained that the closure of the Ballyduff Beg landfill facility would impose an extra cost on the council.

In a report at last night’s annual budget meeting, Mr Dollard stated, “The council operates a very exten- sive street cleaning arrangement to ensure that the streets throughout the town area achieve a litter free status. This is important in context of the annual Tidy Towns competition and in the consideration of other competitions such Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL) league. The closure of the Clare County Council landfill site at Ballyduff Beg presents difficulties for the overall management of waste collected through street cleaning and other activities of the council.

“The unavailability of landfill at Inagh results in the council having to enter into alternative arrangements to ensure waste collected from its various activities is properly managed, segregated and ultimately disposed of, or recycled, as appropriate. This imposes an additional cost to the council and I have found it necessary to provide further sum of € 45,000 in the budget for 2012 over that pro- posed for 2011.”

The council has also made a provision of € 20,000 to cover ongoing maintenance costs of CCTV.

Mr Dollard stated that CCTV had proven very beneficial as a deterrent to anti-social behaviour and as a protection to people and property.

He continued, “During 2011, substantial progress was made on linking many of the CCTV networks to the system operated by An Garda Síochana. Such an approach increases the benefit to be gained from the overall system. The equipment utilised, however, is continually evolving technology and does require improvement and upgrading from time to time. It is necessary, therefore, that the council make provision for the ongoing maintenance costs that arise on CCTV. Accordingly a provision of € 20,000 has been made in the draft budget.”

KILRUSH Town Council have given themselves just 36 hours to come up with a solution to a € 24,000 hole in the local authority’s budget or face the possible closure of Kilrush Town Council.

Councillors were unable to pass the 2012 budget at last Thursday night’s meeting of the local authority and were also unable to schedule a follow-up meeting before the evening of January 3, 2012.

The council is statutorily required to pass a budget within 21 days of being presented with the draft budget – meaning the council must have a balanced set of figures for 2012 in place before January 5.

This leaves the council just 36 hours to find a way pass the budget and little or no wiggle room to defer a decision on January 3. It is not clear what would happen should the local authority be unable to pass a budget before the 21 day deadline but in theory all operations undertaken by the council could be brought to a halt.

The € 24,000 hole in the budget came as a result of call by councillors for a number of cuts to arts and community schemes to be reversed and a cut of two per cent to the local rate by introduced. A second proposal for a rates cut of one per cent would mean a hole of € 16,000 in the budget, while the restoration of a number of arts and community projects by themselves would leave a budget deficit of between € 5,000 and € 6,000.

The difficulty began when local councillor Tom Prenderville (FF) suggested that a one per cent rates cuts would be of benefit to local businesses.

“We know that business people are struggling this year and they will not be able to pay their rates next year. If we continue like this we will erode our rates base because people won’t be able to stay in business,” he said.

“I think, as a gesture, if we were to reduce out commercial rate by one per cent it would send a message to business people that we are on their side.”

This sentiment was shared by Cllr Mairead O’Brien (Ind) who said that she would prefer a two per cent rate cut for 2012.

According to town clerk John Corry, the two per cent rate cut would result in a rates reduction of just € 2 per week for the vast majority of businesses in Kilrush – 201 of the 241 businesses.

When asked how the money could be raised they suggested cuts to the tourism development and promotion fund, savings made from the reduced cost of maintaining council houses and a possible increase in revenue from planning applications.

“Everything comes with a cost, we are looking at a reduction of € 17,000 in next year’s budget as a result of the introduction of free parking, it will be very difficult to find a one per cent reduction,” said town manager Nora Kaye.

“At the moment we have just under 74 per cent collection in rates – there are a lot of people now on a phased payment and they will not have their rates paid by the end of the year. I think that it will be a very difficult task to find € 16,000, never mind to find € 24,000.”

CONSTRUCTION work on the long awaited final section of the Ennis Inner Relief Road is expected to begin in early 2012, a meeting has heard.

Loan charges on the project have been budgeted at € 240,000 for 2012. The figure, contained in Ennis Town Council’s annual budget, is to meet costs arising on land acquisition and construction.

In a report, Town Manager Ger Dollard explained that limits placed on borrowing mean the final section of the road could not be completed in 2011.

He continued, “These difficulties were resolved and the council is now in a position to proceed to construction for this section of the road. Tenders have been invited, and, at this point it is expected that that work will commence in early 2012. The redevelopment of Madden’s Furniture premises has now been completed which facilitates the completion of this long-awaited piece of infrastructure for the town.

It is anticipated that € 175,027 will be spent on local roads general maintenance works in 2012 with a further € 660,000 on general im- provement works.

Public lighting operating costs are expected to hit € 402,000, while maintenance and management of car parks will cost € 80,000.

The budget estimated that the council will receive € 1,324,000 in income from parking fines and charges next year.

In the area of housing and building, Mr Dollard states that the council has six casual vacancies, four of which are allocated and will be ready for occupation in the coming weeks.

He continued, “The remaining two require more significant repairs and will not be available for letting until 2012. Works to vacant houses have focused on achieving standards within short timescales to ensure periods of vacancy are minimised.”

He added, “In line with Government policy the council is leasing eight houses on the private market for social housing – the full cost of which is borne by the department and negotiation are ongoing in relation to other accommodation.”

“The council’s contribution under the abovementioned schemes comes from capital receipts rather than the revenue budget.”

SHANNON Airport should be separated from Dublin Airport Authority control and placed under the management of a new company drawn from public bodies like Clare County Council and Shannon Development.

This is the chief recommendation given to Transport Minister, Leo Varadkar by Booz and Company – the team on international consultants hired by the Government to come up with a workable blueprint for the three state airports.

This landmark recommendation follows on from a month-long consultation process when interest groups and individuals were invited to make submissions to the consultants ahead of a November 30 deadline.

Now, The Clare People has learned that the report submitted by Booz and Company to Minister Varadkar in the past week has backed the biggest change in the airport’s 75-year history, ahead of a formal government decision that will be made at Cabinet level early in the new year.

Booz and Company have told Minister Varadkar that Shannon Airport, which has run up accumulated losses of € 24m over the past three years, is unsustainable in the current model.

The consultants warned that Shannon’s high cost base, plummeting passenger numbers that are expected to dip below 1.5m in 2011 meant that it might not have “a viable future” if the current model was maintained.

As a result the recommendation is that Shannon will be separated from the DAA, with responsibility transferred to a new public holding company, with business interests coming in to take over the management of the airport, with local public bodies like Clare County Council and Shannon Airport also having an “ownership” stake in the former hub of the aviation world.

According to Booz and Company, Shannon should maintain its international airport status, but that it that extra business ventures would have to be developed to boost traffic numbers and activity at the airport that last year saw passenger numbers decline by 37 per cent.

The consultants have highlighted the development of cargo traffic as key, a prospect that has been brought closer by Lynxs Cargo decision to establish a hub in Shannon.

Other suggestions that have been identified in the report tabled with Minister Varadakar include developing aeronautical businesses at the Shannon Free Zone and private plane traffic through the airport.

The current status at Shannon has been in place since 2004 – a half-way house whereby Cork and Shannon have their own boards but have limited autonomy from the DAA.

When he launched the consultation process on Shannon’s future in October, Minister Varadkar said the current status quo at the airport “cannot continue indefinitely”.

MEMBERS of Ennis Town Council last night adopted a budget amid concerns that a continued drop in the amount of money collected from commercial rates could lead to an “across the board” cut in services next year.

The comments came as councillors agreed to maintain the current level of parking charges (€ 1.30) and commercial rates (€ 65.45).

The council will spend an estimated € 12,166,958 in 2012 despite an 8.98 per cent cut in the local government fund allocation. In his annual report, Town Manager Ger Dollard states that the council’s three primary income sources – grants, rates and parking charges – “have been under sustained pressure”.

Mr Dollard told the meeting that the rate of collection of commercial rates currently “falls below what is acceptable. He said that unless the council examines more ways of collecting rates, “there will be a serious impact on the services we can provide”.

Mr Dollard said rate collection currently stood at 60 per cent, down significantly on the desirable 85 to 90 per cent rate. Pressed by Green Party councillor Brian Meaney on what services could be cut given the difficult retail environment forecast for 2012, Mr Dollard said services would have to be cut “across the board”.

However Mr Dollard added that there was no element of panic about the issue at the moment and that the council expected to run a surplus in its end of year accounts.

Cllr Meaney said he was not seeking to scare local authority workers with stories of New Year cuts.

Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) said, “I would appeal to rate payers, if they can pay, to pay for their services they are getting.” The meeting heard that income from parking charges fell significantly in 2011.

Mr Dollard stated, “The increase in parking charges in 2011 by 10c to € 1.30 was designed to partially recover the VAT increase. In my report on the budget 2011, I advised council that they would need to revisit the issue in the budget for 2012 to full the bridge the income loss in the area.”

He continued, “It is clear that that wider economic environment has continued to deteriorate and parking income will be significantly below budget this year. In the current business environment the option of further increasing parking charges in 2012 to recover the VAT element is not realistic. In addition the increase in VAT rates from 21 per cent to 23 per cent in the national budget imposes a further cost on the council in 2012. This 2 per cent VAT increase will result in an estimated additional cost on off-street parking of € 12,000.” Mr Dollard explained that the council, in conjunction with the local business community, had engaged in a number of initiatives aimed “stimulating economic activity” and promoting the town.

He continued, “It is clear that communication of the parking offer with- in the town to the wider public needs to be strengthened as there would appear to be a lack of awareness of the long term parking options.”

The budget for parking income and fines for 2012 of € 1,324,000 shows a reduction of € 184,000 over 2011.

In the area of commercial rates, Mr Dollard states that the council intends to maintain the commercial rate for 2012 at the level adopted in 2009.

He said, “The general rate on valuation proposed for 2012 is € 65.45. At the present time there is no buoyancy in the valuation base and the number of vacancies is a cause for concern.”

Mr Dollard also told the meeting that the € 100 household charge would not have any impact on the council’s budget.

SHANNON Airport can finally realise its full potential and chart a new future for itself away from Dublin Airport Authority control, as bodies like Shannon Development and Clare County Council and private sector interests step up to manage its affairs.

That’s the view of Shannon Development this week as the regional development agency has welcomed the new vision for the airport’s future that has been recommended to the Government by Booz and Company consultants.

Sources have revealed that developing a ‘Luton Airport model’ with Shannon, whereby it would remain in public ownership, but was operated by a private sector body that also included Shannon Development and Clare County Council.

“Shannon Development is a natural partner,” said Shannon Development chief executive Vincent Cunnane. “This is very much in line with what Shannon Development has recommended has revealed.

“We would be happy with that. We have believed for a long time that separation from the DAA is vital for Shannon to realise its full potential,” he said.

“I think that is the view of the region. I believe you need more competition in the airport sector in Ireland. What works for Dublin and possibly Cork, is not actually working for Shannon,” he added.

Shannon Development played a key role in the running of Shannon up until 1995, concentrating of a marketing and route development role within the airport – a link that current chief executive, Vincent Cunnane has described “some of the its most successful days, certainly its most innovative”.

A potential Clare County Council involvement in Shannon was endorsed in November when councillors gave their unanimous support to a local authority submission calling for public sector bodes to be given a frontline role in managing the airport.

The council said that its involvement would “have a number of distinct advantages in that the public sector authorities have a vested interest in the sustainable development of the region”.

The submission also called for the airport and adjoining landbank to be “vested in the people of the region through the democratically elected local authorities on a long-term basis”.

“The airport would remain in State ownership, through the public sector authorities in the region,” emphasised Clare County Manager Tom Coughlan.

“That could be the local authorities in the region, the local authorities with Shannon Development, it could be the local authorities, Shannon Development and Shannon Foynes port. It’s the public agencies operating in the region,” he added.

THE cost of maintaining and managing each Traveller accommodation unit in Clare that’s managed by Clare County Council is now running at nearly € 7,000 per house – a figure that’s 11 times higher than the average cost towards the upkeep of an ordinary council house.

These startling figures that reveal financial burden on Clare County Council when it comes to Traveller accommodation is contained in the Draft Budget for 2012 that’s now be- ing considered by the 32 members of the local authority. The Clare People has learned that for each of the 63 Traveller accommodation units in the county that’s made up of 50 houses and 13 service bays, Clare County Council will have to pay an average of € 6,904 in maintenance and managing costs during 2012.

And, this huge figure when it comes to spending on each individual unit is magnified by the fact that it average cost towards maintaining Clare County Council housing stock around the county is just € 598.

This figures are revealed against a backdrop last October’s admission from Clare County Council that it has spent € 20 million on Traveller accommodation in Clare since 2001.

“Expenditure on maintenance and legal costs in Traveller accommodation continues at a disproportionate level,” county manager Tom Coughlan has admitted in presenting the council’s Draft Budget to councillors this week.

The 2012 budget includes a sum of € 235,000 for maintenance of the 11 group schemes in the county, a further € 199,750 for management costs and € 128,000 for legal costs, with the county manager outlining the local authority’s efforts at reducing the financial burden because of legal fees.

“The council has made a submission to the department seeking a complete review of the administrative processes involved in referring a complaint to the Director of Equality Investigations and the introduction of regulation to govern these processes,” Mr Coughlan has revealed.

BUSINESSES have been urged to take appropriate security measures at Christmas to prevent instances of “opportunistic” crime.

Senior gardaí met with local businesspeople in Ennis on Thursday night to promote greater awareness of crime prevention at an event organised by the local chamber of commerce. Gardaí also outlined their plans for dealing with crime over the festive period and warned business people to remain vigilant of counterfeit or “dud” money.

Asked about specific aspects of crime, Sgt Paul Slattery told the meeting at the Rowan Tree Hostel that there have been instances of “travelling crime gangs” coming to Ennis. However he added that gardaí haven’t encountered much of that activity lately.

In a presentation, Sgt Slattery urged business people in Ennis to take security of their premises and assets seriously. He said appropriate measures helped to protect staff, reduce losses and avoid the risk of increased insurance premiums.

Sgt Slattery told the meeting that “opportunism” was one of the most common factors in all crimes in Ennis. He said thieves are deterred by little money being readily available on premises. He explained that criminals look for premises with poor security measures in place and where there is a lax attitude to security.

Sgt Slattery recalled how in one burglary, thieves were granted easy access to a night’s takings after a clearly labelled key was left by the business owner beside the safe.

Practical security steps that can be taken, Sgt Slattery explained, include: not leaving large sums of cash in tills; training staff in security procedures; maintaining safe keys under dual control and varying the times when cash is transferred to the safe.

Emphasising the importance of CCTV, Sgt Slattery said cameras should be linked to a lighting system. Supt Peter Duff said given the low level of burglaries in Clare, CCTV enabled gardaí to rule in and rule out suspects.

Supt Duff said fully functional and properly managed CCTV cameras often play an essential in Garda investigations. He told the meeting that footage from Garda CCTV combined with that from cameras outside premises can be used to track a suspect’s movements.

He said that 90 per cent of crime in Ennis is “opportunist” and that very few break-ins are linked to organised crime.

President of Ennis Chamber and local businessman, John Dillane, said light is the “greatest deterrent” to criminals.

In relation to ‘beat on the street’ activities over Christmas, Supt Duff told the meeting that Garda resourc es would be concentrated in maintaining a visible prescence on Ennis’ streets.

SHANNON Airport is likely to escape any major downturn in passenger numbers as a result of the official conclusion of US military operations in Iraq. An estimated 229,000 US military servicemen and women travelled through Shannon Airport in 2010 – more then 12 per cent of the entire passenger population who used the airport.

However, The Clare People understands that the vast majority of US military personnel who are currently using the airport are flying on to based in Afghanistan and Germany and will not be effected by the fall off in numbers travelling to Iraq.

While last week’s announcement of an official end to the US military occupation in Iraq will have an impact on the throughput at Shannon Airport, a number of these flight will continue to operate between Shannon and Kuwait instead of between Shannon and Iraq. All US military flight which land at Shannon Airport pay the same airport charges that are paid by regular commercial operators at the airport. The US military troops have also become an major generator of revenue for the Shannon Duty Free shop over the last decade.

The Department of Foreign Affairs have also confirmed that they did not receive any advanced warning from the US authorities that US operations in Iraq, which use Shannon Airport, would be coming to an end.

Shannon Airport handled an estimated 1.8 million passengers in 2010 but number are expected to be significantly lower for 2011. The airport is currently estimated to be losing in the region of € 7 million each year.

Meanwhile, noted economist and former government adviser, Dr Alan Ahearne, has warned that Clare and the west of Ireland will not escape unscathed from the current crisis which is effecting the Euro.

Dr Ahearne, who was speaking at the Shannon Chamber of Commerce’s annual President’s lunch, which took place in Dromoland Castle on Friday last, said that the one saving grace was that the Irish are “more resilient” than other people.

“Europe is muddling through the Euro crisis, with no definite comprehensive solution on the table and no ECB big bazooka. The Euro needs a new architecture, which involves stricter surveillance of national fiscal and economic policies and a proper centralised framework to resolve crises,” he said.

“Much of the hard work has already been done here. Three-quarters of the budgetary adjustments have been made, the banks have been restructured, and we are seeing significant improvements in our cost competitiveness. However, we won’t escape unscathed.”