Category: News

YOUNG disabled people in Clare have been ignored for nearly 18 months as a result of government inaction, according to local campaigners.

The government backed down on a decision to scrap both the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant in March of last year, follow intense local media attention. At that time the Department of Health decided to conduct a review of both grants and produce a workable solution which would meet the needs of disabled people.

While the review is taking place, no new Clare applicants have been granted access to either scheme – resulting in a number of disabled Clare people being left without a suitable transport options. According to local campaigner Ann Marie Flanaghan, who herself was able to take up employment as a result of the schemes, if a person took a suit against the Government under the Equal Status Act, they would most likely win.

“A number of people who were in the process of applying for the schemes and that has been stalled and their application have not been processed. There is a whole other group of people, who have no other means of transport, and cannot apply for any scheme at the moment,” she said.

“There is a whole group of people, with quite significant disabilities, who are not being provided with help while others are. The government promised that this review would be a fast turnaround, but as we know there has been no news and there is no prospect of news.”

At present there are more than 300 disabled Clare people in receipt of the Mobility Allowance or the Motorised Transport Grant Scheme. While there is currently no figures of how many Clare people have been prevented from entering the scheme over the past 18 months – it is though that the number could be between 10 and 20.

“In my opinion the Government are abusing their position and not supporting a vulnerable group of people. Those who are accessing those schemes are the people with the most significant disabilities and are also unfortunately the poorest in society, as the financial cut off point was very low to begin with,” continued Ms Flanaghan.

“People are always using the expression ‘prisoners in their own home’. In 2014 is is sickening to have to use that expression but that is the reality.”

A CLARE local election candidate, who came within a whisker of winning a seat to the local authority at last months election, hosted a rally in Ennis last week aimed at changing Irish drugs policy.

Fís Nua candidate, Niamh O’Brien secured 731 first preference votes in last months local election – just 20 short of then Mayor of Clare Joe Arkins (FG) – and came close to winning the final seat in the Killaloe constituency.

She hosted an information event in Ennis last Thursday and is also exploring the possibility of establishing a branch of Student for Sensible Drugs Policy (SSDP) in Clare.

“It is all about drugs – supporting and not punishing – and the whole issue of decriminalising drugs in Ireland. The idea is to educate people about drugs and to transfer the money – which at present is spent on the court system, the prison system and the Gardaí – over to things like rehab and the mental health system,” she said.

“We don’t treat alcoholics in the same way as we treat drug addicts. We offer a lot of support and help to alcoholics and we should be offering the same to drug addicts and people who trying to get off of drugs.

“We need to offer proper information about the real effects of drugs. These people [drug addicts] are desperate and they need help.”

Ms O’Brien, who listed a change in government policy towards illegal drugs on her campaign information, was also collecting signatures for the Rachel Keogh petition in Ennis. Rachel Keogh is a former Irish heroin addict who has started a campaign to change Irish drugs policy.

The event was part of a nationwide campaign by Student for Sensible Drugs Policy and Niamh is now ex- ploring the possibility of setting up a branch of SSDP in Clare.

“I have been in contact with the group and I was roped in to organise this event.

“I have it [legalising cannabis] on the back of my leaflets while running for election in the Killaloe area so I though this was a perfect opportunity to highlight this issue again,” she said.

BLAKES Corner in Ennistymon has received a facelift with the first round of cosmetic works taking place at the controversial site since a dispute about its future arose some six years ago.

Clare County Council have just completed paint work on the buildings at Linnane’s and Blakes in Ennistymon, restoring much of the exterior appearance of the listed strictures. The local authority have also paid for completion of roof repairs on the building, with major damage reported to have taken place at the site during this winters storm.

The works, which are valued at between € 3,000 and € 5,000, were prompted after local representative highlighted the poor condition of the building.

A proposal to fill in the steps in front of the building, and create a safer passageway for the thousands of cars which will use the junction each day to travel to and from Lahinch and the Cliffs of Moher has not been under taken. Clare County Council have also confirmed that consultants have been appointed to complete a feasibility study to examine a long term solution to the ongoing traffic difficulties at Blakes Corner. “The consultants have been appointed. A feasibility study is being carried out at present to explore the various options for delivering a resolution to traffic problems at the location,” said a council spokesperson.

The building at Linnane’s and Blake’s are at the centre of a dispute between Clare County Council, the National Roads Authority and local conservation group Saver Ennistymon’s Heritage. Plans to demolish the buildings and rebuild their facade a few metres back from their current location, in the process making way for a new road layout, are being opposed by Save Ennistymon’s Heritage.

Clare County Council and the NRA proposed building a roundabout at Blakes Corner to prevent ongoing traffic difficulties in the area and to make the roadway safe.

Save Ennistymon’s heritage would like the local authority to examine other possibilities – such as bypassing Ennistymon.

A CLARE film has been nominated for its first major award – even though it is yet to be given it’s big screen premier. A Nightingale Falling , a film set in Kilnaboy during the Irish War of Independence, has been nominated for this years Bingham Ray New Talent Award. The film, which was shown to selected audiences at a preOscar event in Los Angeles in February, will receive its world premier at the Galway Film Fleadh next month. The Bingham Ray award recognises emerging talent in cinema and actor Tara Breathnach, who plays May in A Nightingale Falling is one of four people shortlisted for the prestigious accolade. A Nightingale Falling is based on the PJ Curtis book of the same name.

PJ’s novel tells the partially true story of a wounded English soldier who is taken in by a pair of Protestant sister living in Kilnaboy. It stars a number of professional actors as well as local star, Maura Clancy, a stalwart of the Corofin Players.

“The genesis of the story begins here [in Kilnaboy], where there were two Protestant sisters who came un- der some suspicion and even some ostracisation during the Irish War of Independence,” said PJ.

The film was shot in Daingean in Offaly and Tyrellspass in Westmeath last July by Irish based production company Mixed Bag Media. Mix Bad Media has its own Clare connection with Whitegate resident, Gerry Burke, working as co-producer on this film.

STAFF at Roadstone Woods in Bunratty will today begin their eight day of picketing in a dispute with the management over proposed cuts to bonuses.

Members of the SIPTU and TEEU unions agreed a six million euro cost saving package with the company in 2012 but the current dispute centres around a further € 10 million in cuts proposed by management.

According to local SIPTU rep Davy Lane, this cut will cost Clare staff in the region of € 20,000 between now and 2019 – when the proposed deal would expire.

“We have already absorbed more than € 6 million in saving for the company and now they are coming back looking to take another € 10 million.

“It became clear in the run up to the strike that the company would not budge on this € 10 million,” he said.

“This mean that our lads will loose bonus payment which are part of the wage structure.

“The loss to each of our members between now and 2019 is € 20,000. We told the management that that is not sustainable and we wanted a realistic proposition from them in relation to the cost savings.”

According to SIPTU the standoff is hurting both Roadstone Wood and its employees and is urging the company to go to the Labours Relations Com- mittee to discuss the situation.

“The picket started in Monday the 16th. We think at this stage that the cost to the company could be around € 5 million.

“The LRC (Labour Relations Commission) are in the background and SIPTU will always accept an invitation to attend the LRC. It’s a matter for the company whether they wish to avail of the LRC,” continued Mr Lane. The strikers are receiving strike benefit from the union.

“They are down a weeks wages at this stage so they are not doing too great, and the prospect of a second week ahead.

“Everybody is losing with this, but it is a matter for the company to move on this.”

SWIMMERS and surfers have been warned to watch out for dangerous currents on Lahinch beach as thousands of tonnes of sand have banked up on the beach in recent weeks.

Lahinch was turned into a virtual rock beach in January and February following a spate of unprecedented storm which literally stripped the beach of all its sand. A large amount of this sand has slowly been washed ashore by the tides over the past three months – but this returning sand has created some potential hazards for beach users.

People are being urged to consult with the lifeguards or local surf school operators before entering the water in Lahinch.

“The sand levels are pretty much back to what they were but the way it has landed is very different – so there are a few current that people would not be aware of. Because of this it is very important that people who are coming to swim or surf in Lahinch have a chat with the lifeguards or the surf schools to find out how things have changed,” said Ben Bennett of Ben’s Surf Clinic.

“There are some unusual currents there and they will change over the summer. The currents will continue to change and to reduce as the summer goes on and we would expect them to be gone completely by the end of the summer. There will always be some current on a surf beach, the problem with these currents is that people wont be expecting them.”

According to Ben, all the tourism related businesses in Lahinch are open and ready for business, but numbers are a little down on recent years as many people believe the beach in not accessible due to the storm damage.

“Lahinch has recovered well. The beach is almost back to normal and all the businesses are open so things are going well. We need to get the word out to people – we have had a lot of people ringing us up who think that we got wiped out by the storm and that we’re not here anymore, so we need to get the word out that Lahinch is open for business,” continued Ben.

“We’re a bit down on this time of year. It is hard to tell because the sun has been great but there has been no surf. So we’ve had a lot of day trippers down to the beach but not as many surfers as normal.”

AN IRISH singer who took Britain’s Got Talent by storm will be the headline act at the second Switch concert in Ennis next month.

Dubliner Ryan O’Shaughnessy reached the final of the talent show two years ago and is currently working on his debut album.

He will perform at the Switch concert in Ennis on Friday, July 4.

The concert, billed as Ennis’ answer to the hugely popular Other Voices show in Dingle, will take place at St Columba’s Church of Ireland on Bindon Street.

O’Shaughnessy, who learned guitar by watching footage of Eric Clapton, is the headline act that features up and coming bands from Clare, Limerick and Galway.

In 2012 he signed a record deal with Sony records. Sean Griffin says the Ennis Music Project, who run Switch, are delighted to have secured O’Shaughnessy for their second show. “One of the lads had done a bit of work with him in a studio before.

“We were looking for someone to play for the show. He asked Ryan and he said he’d be happy to do it which is great for us”, he explains. O’Shaughnessy is joined on the bill be Juhn Echo – a three-piece band whose members come from Clare, Limerick and Galway.

The trad folk band will launch their debut EP in Cruises bar in Ennis on Wednesday.

Also performing on the night will be local instrumental outfit, The Guy Montag. Switch is the brainchild of the Ennis Music Project. Committee members Shane Killowry, Robin Fitzpatrick, Sam Lavery, David Naughton and Sean Griffin wanted to try something different – present live music in a alcohol free setting.

A Clare Youth Service initiative, Switch aims to showcase old and new music talent from all over Ireland in unexpected locations around Clare.

The group of volunteers involved promise a “unique live music experience” and is aimed at 18 – 25 yr olds in the Clare area.

Further concert details are available on the Ennis Music Project Facebook page.

TWO YOUTH Ambassadors from the US state of Arizona are settling in to Ennis life as part of the Ennis Phoenix Youth Ambassador Exchange Programme.

For three weeks each summer the exchange students will live with their host families and experience life of Irish teenagers in County Clare.

Seventeen year old Estefania Lopez and Emma Mertens were selected from hundreds of applicants to travel to Ireland as youth ambassadors from Phoenix.

During their time here they will learn to surf in Lahinch, Kayak in Killaloe, volunteer at the District Daycare Centre in Clarecastle and indulge in afternoon tea in Dromoland Castle.

They will also enjoy sporting and music activities and simply hanging out with their Irish peers.

The Youth Ambassador Programme is a popular initiative of the twinning relationship between Ennis and Phoenix.

The first student exchange was in 1992, and since then over 100 second level students have participated in the the annual exchange programme between Ennis and Phoenix.

In July the Ennis hosts Elana Bradley and Ailbhe Hogan both students at Colaiste Muire will travel to Phoenix as youth ambassadors.

While In Arizona the Ennis ambassadors will partake in a Grand Canyon adventure, visit Disneyland, attend an American Prom evening and do some community.

Elana and Ailbhe will also get to meet up with ambassadors from other Phoenix twinned cities in Canada, Mexico, Japan, Czech Republic, Israel, France, Italy, Taiwan and China.

Since the formation of the twin- ning relationship between Ennis and Phoenix in 1988, civic and community leaders from both sides of the Atlantic have visited each other and developed strong ties and personal friendships.

According to Cllr Mary Howard, who has served on the Ennis Phoenix Twinning Board since 2009;

“The Youth Ambassador Programme is a success thanks to the host families and to the young people themselves who represent their families and communities very well.

“These youngsters have gone on to make lasting friendships and Enns students get to represent their town on a global stage.”

CLARE’S water safety officer has urged people using the county’s beaches to be extra vigilant until full time lifeguards are deployed, starting from this weekend.

The recent warm spell has seen thousands of people visiting Lahinch, Kilkee, Fanore and other popular beaches – with early season bumper crowd reported on many coastal locations.

Clare Council Council will commence it’s full-time, seven day a week, lifeguard service at a number of beaches from this weekend and people are urged to be extra vigilant while swimming on unguarded beaches for the next four days.

Despite the large crowds, there has been no reports of any serious incidents on the county’s beaches over the past two weeks.

Clare’s newly appointed water safety officer, Claire McGrath, has asked that people continue to be extra cautious while swimming on unguarded beaches.

“The lifeguards will be on seven days a week from June 28, they have been on weekends for June and will be on at the weekends for the first two weeks of September,” she said.

“People should swim parallel to the shore, swim where you can stand and don’t head off for a marathon across the bay.

“People should also supervise their children at all times and always have with you. “Never swim alone,” Ms McGrath added.

So far there have been no major incidents on the county’s beaches this Summer.

“The beaches have been busy, when the sun comes out people flock to the water. We have had no major incidents on the beaches so far, thank God. Just the usual minor cuts and bruises but nothing major,” she continued.

“People need to know the locations of the life guards and swim in life-guarded areas, stay within the flagged areas that the lifeguards set out and follow the rules that the lifeguards put in place.”

Clare County Council have also issued advice for people planning to use leisure crafts and boats on Clare waterways in the coming days.

People are advised to check local weather conditions, wear correctly maintained and fitting lifejackets and not to consumed alcohol prior to entering the water.

The appearance of full time lifeguards at the busiest Clare beaches this weekend coincides with the primary school holidays which begin nationally this week.

Despite the various warnings there are still a number of people who are swimming in local lakes and rivers with no supervision, often late in the evening.

The water safety authorities have been very strong in their pleas to young people in particular to think safety first when contemplating swimming in locations that do not have any lifeguard coverage.

AN EAST Clare woman says she was treated ‘almost like a criminal’ by the HSE, when they accidentally sent her a full list of personal documentation belonging to another family earlier this year.

Noreen Keane has revealed that the Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS) sent her a complete list of personal information – including banking details, pay statement and lease documents – belonging to another family in February of this year.

The East Clare woman, says she was then treated by suspicion when she reported the HSE’s mistake and paid for the documents to be couriered safely back to Dublin.

“In February I got two envelopes in my door from the HSE. One contained all of my original documents from the HSE, and the other one contained the entire documents belonging to somebody else. I couldn’t believe it,” she said.

“They had sent me somebody’s tax returns, their lease, their address, bank statement, pay statement, everything. I contacted them straight away and explained the situation to them.

“I was officially treated almost like a criminal and I don’t mind saying that. Even the wider situation surrounding the medical card they said that I was asking them to do something that was ‘illegal’,” she said. The Clare People contacted the HSE is relations to this story but no formal response was received at the time of going to press.