Category: News

THE death of a 14-month-old baby boy in a car seat in Spanish Point last year was due to sudden unexpected death in infancy, an inquest has heard.

Clare County Coroner Isobel O’Dea said she was satisfied that Nathan Ryan died from natural causes.

Hyperthermia was cited as a risk or contributory factor to the infant’s death at the inquest at Clare Coroner’s Court in Ennis last week.

Nathan had been on holidays with his foster parents Liam and Fiona Doheny at Spanish Point caravan park on July 29 (2010). He had been in the full time care of the couple from Toureen, Ballysimon, Limerick since January 2010.

Miltown Malbay based GP, Dr Billy O’Connell told the inquest that he had been requested to go to Spanish Point to attend to a child that was unable to breath.

The child was then brought to a medical centre on the Spanish Point where adrenaline was administered and de-fibrillation was attempted. Paramedics also attended the centre and Dr O’Connell stated that Nathan was pronounced dead at 16.50pm.

Fiona Doheny told the inquest that she was a Montessori teacher and a foster parent with the Health Services Executive. She said that on July 29, Nathan ate breakfast. She explained that she put him into a car seat in the family car at 1pm. She said she was going to bring Nathan for a drive, as he had been unsettled.

She said Nathan fell asleep as she sat “about 10 feet” away from the car. Ms Doheny said she left a car door open and checked on Nathan “about three times”. She said that when she checked on him again at 4pm, “he wasn’t right”. “I called Liam twice and screamed,” she added. Ms Doheny said they called the emergency services and Martin Downes, a family friend living nearby and first aider for 25 years.

Liam Doheny stated that he got a pint of cold water and tried to pat Nathan down. He said Dr O’Connell and Mr Downes arrived quickly to the scene.

“Martin Downes was a great help and everyone that helped us on the day was brilliant,” he said.

Ms Doheny’s mother, Maureen Burke, described Nathan as a “delicate child”. She said he cried a lot but not because he was not cared for. She said her daughter kept going over to the car to check on Nathan.

“It wasn’t out of neglect. Nathan was well taken care of by my daughter Fiona,” she stated.

State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy concluded that a young child had been found dead in the back of a car on a warm day.

She told the inquest that Nathan appeared to be well cared for and there was no evidence of any specific disease or trauma.

She said Gardaí had carried out experiments in an attempt to re-create conditions in the car on the day in question. She said the temperature in the car would have risen but not to lethal levels. Dr Cassidy said Nathan had not been exposed to lethal temperatures.

She said death was due to sudden unexpected death in infancy with hyperthermia a contributory or risk factor.

Offering her sympathy to the Nathan’s family, Ms O’Dea said it “is a very sad situation when a young child passes away”. She said “great efforts had been made to revive Nathan”.

SHANNON Airport would not be viable entity if its split from the Dublin Airport Authority, given its independence and forced to compete openly with Dublin and Cork for business.

This warning has been handed down by Fianna Fáil transport spokesperson Timmy Dooley in his submission to Booz and Company, which is set to deliver a report to government on the airport’s future by the end of the year. In the submission, secured by The Clare People this week, Deputy Dooley says it would be “unwise to consider changes to the ownership and management of the airport without having regard for the depressed state of the world economy”. Instead, Fianna Fáil, whose State Airport Act of 2004 sought to establish Dublin, Cork and Shannon as three separate competing state airports, has proposed the establishment of a new state company to have overall responsibility for the three airports.

“This company would operate as an umbrella structure similar to the CIE model and would ensure that a fair and competitive environment existed in which the three state airports could survive,” says Deputy Dooley.

“This company would be a state owned company with shares vested under the control of the Minister for Transport. A board of directors would be appointed by the Minister to give effect to such a mandate.

“Fianna Fáil suggests that separate trading entities be established at each individual airport and a clear memorandum of understanding be established between the Irish Airport Authority and the individual airport entities at Dublin, Cork and Shannon.

“Each individual trading company would be responsible for the management of the airport facility at the respective locations. Each company would have a separate board appointed by the minister and the shares vested under the control of the Minister for Transport.

“The mandate of these entities would focus on the necessity to provide vital connectivity to support and promote passenger access and cargo facilities to the respective regions having regard to long-term sustainability of the individual airports.

“It is recognised that a significant land bank asset exists at all three airports and it should be the responsibility of the respective trading companies to formulate plans for their development in consultation with local and regional State agencies and authorities,” Deputy Dooley’s submission adds.

TOURISM interests across Clare have been accused of lacking will and motivation to play their part in kick-starting the local economy by driving a co-ordinated plan for the the county’s biggest industry.

This broadside against hoteliers and tourist operators was delivered by former Mayor of Clare Flan Garvey during the 23rd annual Clare Tourist Council conference that was staged at the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon Thursday to Saturday last.

Mr Garvey, a founder member of the Clare Tourist Council in 1989 and a former chairman, launched his scathing attack on tourism interests over what he blasted as their “complete failure” to support the conference, out of “a selfishness where they are only interested in promoting their own interests and not Clare tourism”.

He made his comments during the conference that attracted a wide range of tourism interests from the local government sector, third level education, Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar and the European Union.

“The tourism operators in county Clare,” said Mr Garvey, “we promote their business but a lot of them ignore this conference and what we are trying to do for Clare tourism and what the Council has been trying to do at home and abroad for many, many years.

“We travel to promote their business and for some reason or other they seem to be in their own little closet, in their own little cocoon, fighting their own corner. People who are involved in Clare tourism should be working for Clare tourism,” he added.

The three-day conference attracted a number of keynote speakers, among them Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar, Declan Power of the Aviation Business Park in Shannon and Galway county manager Martina Moloney.

“All these people were coming together to promote tourism,” continued Flan Garvey, “but the support from Clare tourism operators wasn’t there. It’s alright for people to fight their own corner when looking for a share of the tourism market, but by having a co-ordinated plan for tourism is the best way forward, because that way everyone involved benefits.

“In Clare Tourist Council, we see the bigger picture. None of us are involved in tourism as an operator. I don’t make a penny out of tourism – I never did and I never will, but I have a passion for tourism, because I see it as saving the economy. I see tourism in Clare as being part of putting money in every house in the county,” he added.

SHANNON Airport losses over the past three years could be as high as € 25m but, according to one government TD in Clare, the airport should not be required to turn a profit to justify its existence.

Labour’s Michael McNamara has told the team of consultants hired by the Government to map out a new future for the airport that it should not be about profit, but instead maintaining mid-west’s key piece of infrastructure.

“The airport should not be required to make a profit, although this would be a bonus,” says Deputy McMamara in his submission to the team of consultants.

“If a government subvention is required to maintain a publiclyowned airport, then so be it,” he adds in the wake of a meeting with the consultants in the company of Jan O’Sullivan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

This is despite the fact that Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar has said “there aren’t subsidies available for the airport, there wasn’t during the boom and there certainly isn’t now”, while Shannon Airport Authority chairman Brian O’Connell has said “it is not sustainable for any business to continue in a loss-making mode”.

“Shannon Airport should remain in state ownership and control in one form or another. Possible synergies with state undertakings par- ticularly those which manage key regional transport infrastructures, should be considered,” says Deputy McNamara. “Shannon should be viewed as a key piece of infrastructure in the mid-west like railways and motorways. “I expressed the strong view that marketing the airport and the region needs to be improved to that end,” he adds.

THE PEOPLE of Clare have been urged to ensure a new centre for rape victims in Ennis remains open. The centre, which was officially opened on Friday, does not receive funding and is largely dependent on voluntary assistance.

The office, located in the Tracklands Business Park on the Clon Road in Ennis, is managed by counsellor Anne Ginnane, who is a native of west Clare. She told the large crowd that attended the official opening on Friday that it was a memorable occasion.

“Today marks a very special day for Clare, the opening of a new centre. I am very honoured and privileged to be part of this from the very beginning,” she said.

“I’m very passionate about this. I love the work I do. I am very honoured to be here working in this centre, bringing new hope, new light. This is a centre of hope and light. I hope the people who come here bring hope and light out into the world,” she said.

She read from a reflection written by a survivor, which focused on the “vision of hope shines on us” where there is “no-one to judge us”.

“It speaks volumes,” said Ms Ginnane, adding, “This woman is out there now, a therapist doing great work in healing.”

The Mayor of Clare, Councillor Pat Hayes officially opened the centre and told those in attendance that its survival is crucial.

“It is very important that we have the opportunity here in Clare to service the people, whether it be from Loop Head or north Clare, that people can come in in confidence and feel at home here,” he said.

“It reflects on society that this is an increasing problem. Maybe it is a case that people come out and face their issues and say we need help. There is an onus on us here in Clare, now that we have a centre, in whatever way we can do to support this service,” he said.

“Nobody knows anyone’s situation. Things go on in families. It is great to say it (the service) is there on the doorstep,” he said.

“People who go out and give their service and help in any way are a credit to that. This evening is a celebration of that. I would appeal to everybody. We need to get out there and support this because we need to hold on to services if at all possible,” he said.

GOVERNMENT funding from the sale of a key strategic asset that was inspired by the Shannon Airport story should be pumped into the development of the former transatlantic hub as it bids to chart a new future for itself from 2012.

That’s one demand thrown down by local Fine Gael TD Joe Carey to the Fine Gael-led government, with the Clarecastle representative claiming that Shannon has “intellectual” rights to millions of euros in funds from any sale of Aer Rianta International.

According to Deputy Carey, the proceeds of the sale of this key strategic State asset should be ploughed into Shannon, funds that could help clear the airport’s crippling debt as well as play for a new development programme for Clare’s international airport.

“There is a very strong feeling that the Aer Rianta International project, which was the brainchild of Shannon Management under the astute leadership of Liam Skelly, was in the first place developed with the need to generate reserves to underpin the future viability of Shannon,” says Deputy Carey in his submission to Booz and Company.

“ARI before being subsumed into the DAA was the intellectual capital of Shannon Airport. While I understand the Government may be considering the sale of ARI, the revenue from any such disposal should in the first place be ring-fenced to cover the funding of the future capital requirements of a newly structured Shannon,” he adds.

Aer Rianta International was established in 1988 on the back of Shannon Airport’s connection with Aeroflot – a connection that dated from 1973 when the Russian carrier used Shannon as a refuelling stop to support its transatlantic services between Moscow and Havana.

Aeroflot then developed its own fuel-farm at Shannon in 1980, while eight years later a joint-venture between Aer Rianta and Shannon saw the opening of Aer Rianta International’s first duty free shop in Moscow.

Aer Rianta International now operates modern retail centres at major airports in Europe, Eastern Europe, North America and the Middle East.

“It is of concern that significant funds from the ARI basket have been gifted to Dublin Airport to reduce the cost of the new terminal and yet some people tell me that ARI funds cannot be allotted to Shannon. This is clearly placing Shannon at a significant disadvantage,” adds Deputy Carey in calling for a change in government and DAA policy.

A 60-YEAR-OLD man whose drugs’ “hidey hole” was his armchair has been jailed for six months after drugs were found at his home twice in the space of a month.

John Joyce, with an address at Watery Road, Ennis, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply late last year. Ennis District Court was told last week that on one occasion the drug seized was amphetamine, while it was cannabis on the other occasion.

Garda Gary Stack told the court that he went to the defendant’s home on December 15, 2010, on foot of a search warrant gardaí had obtained.

He said that the accused was sitting on an armchair. He seized a glass jar containing amphetamine, while he recovered € 3,350 in the kitchen of the house. Resealable dealing bags were found in the sitting room, said the garda.

Defending solicitor Tara Godfrey put it to the garda that her client had sold a horse at the Ballinasloe Fair a few weeks before this and some of the money had been from that sale.

Ms Godfrey said that her client sold pallets and some of the money was the proceeds of that. She said that it was approaching Christmas at the time and some of the money was his and his wife’s savings for that period. However, Gda Stack replied, “He was questioned in relation to the drugs and cash. I wasn’t happy with any of the answers.”

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that on another occasion, 11 bags of cannabis were found at the defendant’s home, which, he said, were valued at € 400.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy was told that the accused had no previous con victions for drugs offences.

Mr Godfrey submitted to the court, “It appears as though his hidey hole for his drugs was the back of his seat. Within one month of the first matter, he was found to have cannabis in his house in the same chair.” She said that her client’s house has been searched “three or four times since and nothing has been found”.

She suggested that Joyce be referred to the Probation Service for which he is “an ideal candidate”, she said.

However, Judge McCarthy said, “I don’t agree. He is a drug dealer. He had deals in his house,” said the judge. Ms Godfrey said they were “relatively small amounts”.

“He wasn’t living an extravagant lifestyle,” she said. “I am asking the court to take the view he hasn’t been involved in drugs before. Presumably he would have been detected if he was up to this mischief previously,” said Ms Godfrey.

The judge imposed two six-month jail sentences, to run concurrently. He fixed a bond in the event of an appeal.

PUTTING special procedures in place to entice more military traffic through Ireland has been held up as a short-term plan to boost traffic through Shannon Airport, one submission to the consultative process being undertaken on the airport has said.

This proposal to look to US military personnel has been sounded out by Fine Gael deputy, Pat Breen, who has identified troop traffic en route and returning from Afghanistan and Iraq as having “a key role” in Shannon’s well-being, not only in the past decade, but into the future as well.

In his submission on Shannon that has been forwarded to the Booz and Company team of consultants, Deputy Breen has said that “getting additional troop carriers” through Shannon should be part of the new airport blueprint for the future, the exact details of which will be unveiled by his party colleague and Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar, in January.

“The use of Shannon Airport by US military personnel has played a key role in sustaining the airport’s bottom line,” said Deputy Breen in his submission.

“This business has generated significant revenue for the airport particularly in commercial and catering related activities.

“Although US President Barrack Obama has signalled the early return of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan; military transit traffic is important business for Shannon Airport. “US Customs Pre Clearance should be extended to include Troop Pre Clearance. Availability of Troop Pre Clearance could attract additional troop carriers to use Shannon Airport and this additional business would assist the airport during this transitional period,” he added. Deputy Breen’s comments come in the wake of recent figures released by the US military which revealed that between 2001 and 2011 there have been 12,154 stopovers in Shannon en route to US war fronts, carrying 2,300,925 troops, while 11,995 return flights have accounted for 2,029,365 military personnel. And, additional figures secured by The Clare People have revealed that 407 commercial flights carrying military personnel have passed through the airport from January to June of this year. The 2001 to 2011 figures have 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 maneuvers started in 2003, before and after President Bush ordered an invasion of Iraq on March 19 of that year.

THE high number of cars parked on the Old Gort Road on certain days of the week is causing “extreme difficulty” to residents, a meeting has heard.

Councillor Tony Mulqueen (FG) raised the matter at the November meeting of councillors in the Ennis west electoral area. He called on Ennis Town Council to “provide yellow lines and yellow box markings on the Old Gort Road, Ennis as local residents are having extreme difficulty getting deliveries and gaining access to their homes”.

Senior Executive Engineer, Eamon O’Dea stated, “Ennis Town Council will consider this road in preparing their road works programme in 2012.” He added, “The council will examine the present traffic and parking situations with the intention of providing an appropriate turning area at the end of the cul de sac.”

Cllr Mulqueen told the meeting that the number of cars parked there on certain days is making it difficult for one elderly resident to receive deliveries of home heating oil.

He said he had counted 19 cars parked in the area on one day. He claimed that a Health Services Executive (HSE)-run building near the entrance to the Aughanteeroe estate has been turned into a “mini conference centre”.

Cllr Mulqueen told the meeting that elderly residents are “prisoners in their own homes” on some days of the week. “It is very frustrating for them,” he added.

He said ambulances and delivery trucks have difficulty turning in the area. Mr O’Dea told the meeting that he is aware of parking problems in the Old Gort Road. He said the council would attempt to devise a solution that works best for all parties.

Meanwhile, concern has also been raised over the location of telephone poles on the Ruan road.

Cllr Tom McNamara (FF) has requested that Eircom “relocate poles that are a traffic hazard at the verge of public roads and in particular the pole in front of Lynch’s house on the Ruan road after Drumconora bridge”.

Mr O’Dea stated that the council will contact Eircom regarding this location after the planning files have been inspected. He added, “In some (not all) cases, the moving of the pole may be part of planning conditions. In recent times any request to Eircom in moving poles or diverting cables requires the council to pay for any works required.”

RATEPAYERS in both Clare and Limerick would gladly stump up the cash to help “redevelop their own airport” that would be independent of Dublin Airport Authority interference.

That’s the claim made by local Fine Gael deputy Joe Carey, as he identified hard-pressed ratepayers as a source of investment for Shannon as part of a broader vision to put the airport on a sound financial footing for the future.

As part of this radical blueprint submitted to Shannon Airport customs, Deputy Carey has said that both local and national government investment should be a pre-requisite for the future, even though Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has revealed that “no more government money” will be pumped into the ailing airport.

“While recognising the critical financial constraints placed on government, the new entity govern- ing Shannon Airport will require Government support,” says Deputy Carey.

“The strongest expression of that support will be the putting in place of the appropriate structures. The new entity will have to be managed in a way that will in a relatively short time allow it to cover its own costs, however, in the short term it may well be that Government financial support will be necessary.

“The exchequer in the short term may well be required to contribute to both capital investment and working capital requirements. The cost here are miniscule in a national context – e.g. the necessary expenditure on the Bunratty/Latoon section of road development would keep Shannon operational for the next 30 years.

“It would not be unreasonable for any such funding requirement to be generated from a Local Government Contribution.

“This could be generated by a ringfenced contribution from the current local rate (local rate payers are cur- rently greatly burdened but I believe the ratepayers of Clare and Limerick would gladly commit a contribution to redevelop their own airport).

“In discussing the matter with local business people, I have been told that a vibrant busy airport generates up to 25 per cent extra turnover in particularly the tourism service industry.

“It is critical, in that the only way that the funding models cited can be successful is if Shannon Airport is locally owned and run,” adds Deputy Carey.