Category: News

SHANNON’S decline as an airport of international standing has been so alarming that it’s now on the cusp of being relegated to a standing of being only Ireland’s fourth busiest airport behind Dublin, Cork and Knock as passenger freefall accelerates into 2012.

That was the damning verdict of the current state of ill-health at the former hub of the aviation world delivered by Transport Minister, Leo Varadkar, on a visit to the county on Saturday where he addressed the annual Clare Tourism Conference in the Falls Hotel, Ennistymon.

Speaking to The Clare People , Minister Varadkar spelt out Shannon’s decline in stark terms, warning that “things have to change” and that the days of governments propping up Shannon were over as he branded such a policy as “a total failure” for the airport.

“Shannon Airport should be an asset for the region and an asset for the State,” said Minister Varadkar. “It really isn’t that at the moment.

“Passengers have really fallen dramatically, which really worries me. It’s probable that Shannon will fall behind Cork in passenger numbers and maybe even fall behind Knock in the next year or so.

“That would make Shannon Ireland’s fourth airport, where as I think it should be Ireland’s second airport. Things do need to change,” added Minister Varadkar, in admitting that the airport now needs a fresh start.

“Shannon is iconic to the region,” continued Minister Varadkar. “There is a great history attached to it, being one of the first airports in the world and the Freezone and so on, but I do think that at the same time we have to be realistic and ambitious about what can achieved.

“In the past Shannon was very reliant on government protection and government support and the view was always that ‘the government should come in and force airlines to land at our airport and give us money for marketing’.

“That policy has been a total failure. Airports around the world that are successful adopt a different policy. They try to get people to fly to their airport because they want to get there and because it’s cheap to do so.

“Shannon in my view should be competing with Dublin and competing with Knock and doing so vigorously, but that can’t be done with other people’s money.

“Costs in Shannon are high. The cost base in Shannon is very high and there will have to be changes there. Shannon had a very bad experience with Ryanair where they gave Ryanair a very good deal and once that deal was coming to an end, Ryanair were happy to pull the plug and leave them high and dry. For Shannon to work and to be sustainable, it needs to have a diversity of airlines,” he added.

AN ENNIS man has been awarded for making a potentially life saving intervention in a Christmas night knife attack outside his home.

Padraig Sheahan received a bronze medal and certificate at the National Bravery Awards in Farmleigh House, Dublin, last week.

Padraig was at home at Westfields with his wife Trofi and the couple’s two daughters on Christmas night 2001 when he heard a woman screaming for help outside his house.

“I opened the door and saw a man holding a knife to a woman. She said ‘please help me’, twice.”

The woman was being dragged along the road by a male who was in possession of a knife and threatening the woman with the knife. Neither person was known to Padraig. The man brought the woman behind a car.

He held her down and pointed the knife at her. Padraig intervened and confronted the attacker while the woman made her escape into Padraig’s house.

The attacker then smashed the front window of the house to gain access but was prevented by Pad- raig. Padraig managed to subdue the man until the emergency services arrived. During the altercation he was struck with the knife and received cuts to his face and arms and a fractured nose. Padraig yesterday described the incident as “horrific” but said that he is “so thankful at the way it turned out”.

The honours were awarded by Comhairle na Mire Gaile – the Deeds of Bravery Council – which was established in 1947 to provide for suitable recognition by the State of deeds of bravery.

The council stated that, “Padraig Sheahan put himself in grave danger by confronting this attacker. There is no doubt that this incident could have had a more serious outcome.”

The father of four was considered for the award following a report submitted by the Clare Garda division. The report was endorsed by Fianna Fáil TD for Limerick West, Niall Collins. Originally from Dooradoyle in Limerick, Padraig’s family have strong connections with Garryowen rugby club.

Now living in Ennis, he works at the family run Enzo’s chain of fast food outlets. Padraig thanked Clare Gardaí and Mr Collins for nominating him.

SHANNON Airport can only be given its independence from the Dublin Airport Authority if its debts are completely cleared, part-cleared or taken on by another entity, which would then allow Clare’s international airport begin a new chapter with a clean slate.

The prospect of such a landmark move for the airport that recently celebrated the 75th anniversary of the turning of the first sod in Rineanna in 1936, has been hinted at by Transport Minister, Leo Varadkar.

On a visit to Clare to participate in the 23rd staging of the national tourism conference organised by Clare Tourist Council and Clare County Council, Minister Varadkar confirmed that Shannon’s debts that are now running at € 100m must be confronted as part of any restructuring of the airport.

Speaking in Ennistymon, Minister Varadkar said that Booz & Company – the team of international consultants hired by his department to plot a new future for Shannon will “looking at how much of a debt Shannon could reasonably carry”.

“That is very important at the moment, because Shannon has a very large debt ascribed to it, because of the investment that’s been incurred there and also because of the losses that have been built up over the years.

“It would be very hard to see Shannon work on its own, if it’s to carry all that debt. Part of the work they [Booz & Company] are doing for me is working out what level of debt would be sustainable,” added Minister Varadkar.

In late October, Booz & Company, a leading global management consult- ing firm, that helps businesses and governments and has branches in 39 countries worldwide was given the job of “consulting as widely as possible with the stakeholders in Shannon” ahead of a proposal being put to government that will chart a new future for the 75-year-old airport.

“The consultants haven’t come back to me yet,” Minister Varadkar told The Clare People . “They are going to come back to me at the end of November and I expect to bring a memo to government in January.”

He said that the terms and conditions of Shannon’s “new start” all depended on “what comes out of the (consultation) process. It is not predetermined. What I’ve asked them to do is look at a number of options.

“One of the things that’s clear is there will be no government money given to Shannon. The Government doesn’t give money to Shannon – what happens at the moment is that the profits from Dublin and Aer Rianta International are used to subsidise Shannon and Cork. However, Dublin’s profits are diminishing and that money isn’t there anymore,” Minister Varadkar added.

THE Céad Míle Fáilte brand of Ireland Inc that’s plied all over the world in a bid to promote the country’s tourism industry is a trademark belonging to a different era.

It’s not Ireland of the Welcomes anymore, but Ireland of the Snarls – that was the damning verdict delivered to the annual Clare Tourist Council conference in Ennistymon by Limerick University chancellor and chairman of the National Roads Authority, Peter Malone.

In what was a stinging rebuke of the Irish tourism, the former chief of the hugely successful Jury’s Hotel Group chain blasted the sector’s high prices, unfriendly staff and lack of organisa- tion that has too many organisations dedicated to the promotion of the industry.

“We have lost the friendliness that we became famous for,” said Mr Malone.

“Staff don’t say please. Staff don’t say thank you. The little touches I learned all over the years in Jury’s, they’re gone.

“You get a lift in any hotel, staff won’t even say ‘good morning’, or ‘good evening’ to you.

“Go into a shop, go into a post office, go in anywhere, we snarl at people. We are not nice to people.

“Unless we stop the rot soon and improve training and standards in our country, the friendliness will not return. We have a long way to go,” added Mr Malone.

And, in continuing his broadside against the industry, Mr Malone said that radical changes will have to be made if tourism is to play its part in Ireland’s ecomonic recovery, a policy that has been specifically targeted by government when it launched it’s Gathering initiative in September – a plan to bring 350,000 extra tourists into country by 2013.

“If you wish Irish tourism to improve, prices must be tackled,” Mr Malone warned the Irish tourism industry during his controversial address.

“The cost of food in restaurants and bars are unreal prices. Even a cup of tea or coffee is often € 2.25 or more. Take children out now at your peril as they are charged as much nowadays as adults.”

Mr Malone also rowed in behind a government move to abolish quangos, throwing his weight behind a more co-ordinated marketing effort in the industry, a policy the could see and end to Shannon Development’s role in tourism marketing.

“When we had one agency, Bord Fáilte, it was much better,” he said. “It is very important that we have one brand for Ireland. With one brand and one organisation, it makes life easier.

“There is great confusion all over the country in the tourism sector as to who is doing what job and the industry has become frustrated,” added Mr Malone.

A FAMILY in east Clare telephoned the county council emergency helpline during the severe weather spell 27 times, but the calls were not answered. This was revealed at a meeting of the council yesterday, after the issue was raised by Independent Councillor PJ Ryan. He asked that the council ensure that adequate staff be made available to man the emergency number during the winter weekends and holiday periods.

In a written response from the council, it was stated that the council’s emergency phone operates throughout the year outside office hours. “The effectiveness of the facility was compromised during the very severe weather event of December 2010 when temperatures dropped to minus 12 degrees and the intensity of calls from members of the general public in relation to water services and roads related issues increased to an unmanageable level,” stated the council’s response from director of services, Nora Kaye.

She added that in such situations, additional call answering and technical support advice facilities were set up. “This issue has been examined during the year and criteria have been agreed which will facilitate identification of the need for additional support,” she stated.

Cllr Ryan told the meeting that due to problems with emergency numbers late last year and early this year, residents were not getting a reply when they called the emergency phone number.

“I had constituents in Kilkishen who phoned the number on 27 occasions and got no reply,” he said. “It is important that somebody is there.”

Fine Gael Councillor Johnny Flynn said that the problem is particularly acute in isolated areas where people are living alone.

Ms Kaye told councillors that a lot of lessons were learned from last year. “There is an improved system in place now,” she said.

GARDAÍ are warning people parking outside schools that cars are being targeted by thieves, after two areas were targeted last week.

Last Monday, a car parked outside Barefield National School was broken into at around 3.10pm. A handbag was stolen from the car. The following day, a car parked outside Kilmur ry National School, Sixmilebridge, was targeted at around 7pm. Property was taken from the car, while another car parked outside the courthouse in Sixmilebridge was broken into around the same time.

A car parked outside a house in Fernhill on the Gor t Road in Ennis was broken into overnight on Thursday and a laptop and sat. nav. were stolen. In another incident in Ennis, three tyres were slashed on a car parked at Carmody Street, between 1am and 12 noon on Friday.

Four burglaries in the east Clare area over the past week are being investigated by gardaí. In one incident, a small quantity of cash was taken from a house in Bodyke, overnight on Wednesday. A house on the Tulla Road in Kilkishen was broken into at around 9pm on Friday. The owner of the house heard a noise and saw a flashlight, before noticing people going out a window.

A house in O’Callaghan’s Mills was broken into between 2.30pm and 10pm on Friday, after the back door was forced open. Bedrooms were ransacked but nothing was stolen.

Gold jewellery was stolen during a break-in at Mount Ivers, Sixmilebridge, between 11pm and midnight on Friday.

Cars were stolen in Ennistymon and Ballina, Killaloe, in the past week. One car – a Nissan Primera – was stolen at Church Street, Ennistymon, overnight on Saturday, while the other – a Toyota Yaris was taken from Ivy Grove, Ballina, overnight last Tuesday.

In Kilrush, a Connemara pony was stolen from a stable at Shragh, overnight on Friday, while property was stolen from stables at Kilkee Road, Kilrush, on the same night. The property included two riding saddles, reins and bridles.

Meanwhile, gardaí are continuing to investigate the seizure of € 60,000 worth of cannabis resin in a car in Ballina, Killaloe, last Monday. As par t of a planned operation, a car was stopped and searched. Two people from the Killaloe area – one in his early 30s and the other in his late 30s – were ar rested, before being released without charge the following day.

“That is the biggest one this year in the east Clare area. It is significant,” said a senior garda spokesman.

Anyone with information on any of these crimes should contact Ennis Garda Station on 065 6848100 or their local Garda station.

PUBLIC lighting is required to curb anti-social behaviour in unfinished housing estates in Clare, a meeting has heard.

The problems faced by residents living in unfinished housing estates was raised at the November meeting of Clare County Council.

Cllr Crowe called on the council to put a system in place in the event of developers of unfinished estates going into liquidation. The Sixmilebridge councillor stated that where estates have not been taken in charge, the Council should arrange for public lighting to be switched on in the interest of “public safety and to protest against anti-social behaviour”.

Cllr Crowe told the meeting that something has to be done for residents of unfinished estates; many of whom he said are “completely in limbo”.

Cllr Crowe said the chances of these estates being taken over as “unlikely”. “We have to start looking beyond the rules and regulations”, he added.

Cllr PJ Ryan (Ind) said there are going to “major problems” in unfinished estates.

Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) said the lack of public lighting is condemning residents of some estates to “months of darkness”. He said unfinished estates “cultivate and environment for anti-social behaviour”.

He said the council must “aggressively pursue developers that are still trading”.

Cllr Gerry Flynn (Ind) called on the council to compile a list of all unfinished estates in Clare.

In response, acting director of services, planning, land use and transportation Nora Kaye stated, “While there is merit in the above proposal, the reality is that the council’s resources are extremely limited in respect of taking in charge of housing estates. The provision in this year’s budget for the taking in charge process is € 55,000 for the county. With escalating public lighting costs, I do not consider that the Council is in a position to arrange for public lighting to be switched on and / or for the ongoing maintenance and energy costs of same”.

Ms Kaye continued, “The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government has been requested to consider funding proposals for a small number of estates where due to special circumstances of those estates, the public lighting issues are unlikely to be resolved in the short term. On a receipt of reply from the Department, I will update the Council further”.

THE Bishop of Killaloe, Kieran O’Reilly has acknowledged the challenge posed by falling Mass numbers and the “flight” of parishioners from the Catholic Church.

In a pastoral letter, Dr O’Reilly says diocesan statistics show a decline in the attendance at Sunday liturgies. He also focuses on the “growing spectre of unemployment and emigration” and the impact the economic crises is having on families.

Dr O’Reilly states that, since his ordination, he has met with parish pastoral councils, finance committees and apostolic work groups, noting, “How much women contribute to the life of the parishes?”

He writes, “To all involved in parish life, I want you to know that your involvement and work in so many different ways, but especially in preparing children and young adults for the sacraments and organising liturgies, is valued and appreciated.”

Dr O’Reilly continues, “I have heard it said, when I am present in a parish for Confirmation, that many of those receiving the sacrament may not be in the Church again for some time. This “flight” from the Church is a challenge to our faith communities.” He writes, “This fact challenges us to raise questions about how the formation of our young people and their parents can be developed and improved. Coupled with this reality is the obvious decline in numbers now coming to Church on a regular basis. Recent Diocesan Statistics show a decline in attendance at Sunday Liturgies. This is a situation that calls for discussion and reflection over the coming months”.

Dr O’Reilly described the current levels of unemployment as “the most dramatic feature if Ireland that I have noticed”. He writes, “Time and again I ask myself, is the country about to lose a generation of young and not so young gifted people as we did in the past? We read and hear daily reports of what the cuts in public spending mean to many people struggling to meet their financial commitments, of how the sick, the handicapped, the elderly, the unemployed and the low paid seem to be the people to suffer most from these cuts. One outcome of this is the increasing number of marginalised people.

“Many families have financial commitments that they can no longer honour because of the economic situation, this is putting serious strain on families, and is a crisis that calls for a just resolution in the interest of the well being of our society. Hopefully, a strengthening of family ties and community solidarity will be an important factor in assisting people in such situations,” he adds.

CLARE County Council is to meet with Shannon Development, Enterprise Ireland and the IDA to discuss the delivery of job creation projects.

A decision to hold a briefing with the agencies was made by the council yesterday, after Fine Gael councillor Gabriel Keating expressed concern about the high unemployment levels that currently prevail.

Cllr Keating told the meeting that Clare should be prioritised as a location for foreign direct investment projects.

“Many west Clare communities are being wiped out,” he said.

He said that GAA clubs were suffering due to emigration, while unemployment in Kilrush had risen to 261 at the end of October.

“We need foreign direct investment projects to be set up,” he said.

“We need a co-ordinated approach,” said Cllr Keating, adding that a meeting should take place “before it is too late, if we have any chance of keeping our young people in the county”.

“I believe the IDA made 11 site visits to the county this year. While this is welcome, I want to see a greater spread,” he said.

Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Kelly said that “the exact same problem” exists in north Clare as was described in west Clare. “If people haven’t employment, they will not stay in the area,” he said.

“We will have no communities. The fabric of communities is being broken down,” he said.

Independent councillor PJ Ryan said that finance should be put in place in an effort to attract foreign direct investment. “Forty factory units in the industrial estate in Shannon at the moment are empty,” he said.

Fine Gael councillor Joe Arkins said the issue of job creation should remain on the council’s agenda at all monthly meetings.

“Rural Ireland is getting more and more isolated,” he said.

Fianna Fáil councillor Pat Keane said, “The only way jobs will be created is if people in their own county get together and examine every possibility that’s there.”

Fine Gael councillor Johnny Flynn said that in 1841, there were 284,000 people in Clare; in 1996 there were 97,000 but this has risen substantially in the past 15 years due to employment prospects. He said he fears of a similar decline as occurred in the past. “We need to use our resources on the west coast,” he said.

His party colleague Cllr Seán McLoughlin said, “We have too many agencies. The banks are going to have to be more liberal. People are willing to start small businesses but they just can’t get finance.”

Another Fine Gael councillor, Joe Cooney, said it was “very disappointing to see so many young people out of this country or to see young people at home with no jobs to go to”.

A PROPOSAL that people can be buried on their own farm lands is to be submitted to the Minister for the Environment, after it was tabled by Independent councillor James Breen.

Cllr Breen has suggested that the Minister change the legislation in relation to burials whereby a farmer or his family, if they desire, could be buried on their own lands.

He told a meeting of Clare Council Council yesterday that this option should be available for those who wish to use it.

He said there is “nothing more sacred” than a man’s land, where “he was born and bred”. He urged his council colleagues to pass the motion and send it to the Minister.

Independent councillor Gerry Flynn supported the motion but add- ed, “It should be broadened. I think it’s very narrow. It should be broadened to include property owners with some land.”

Green Party councillor Brian Meaney said it would have to be regulated, but agreed that the motion should be submitted to the Minister.

Fine Gael councillor Joe Arkins said that while he sympathised with “the spirit of the motion”, he felt it would face problems. He said that while he was mindful of the attachment people have to their family lands, there could be planning considerations to bear in mind.

“You could have a situation even if this did come to legislation where there could be a two-month wait in advance and that might cause a difficulty,” he said.

“I think it could be fraught with difficulties. I think it is going to cause an awful lot of administrative problems. It’s going to cause headaches to beat the band and issues with pollution as well. I would urge caution,” he said.

He said that issues could emerge if a road was being constructed, or if a body was being exhumed.

He said he had “reservations” and “difficulties” with it.

Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Kelly noted as a farmer that “we are not allowed to bury animals on lands. We should think long and hard about this before passing it here at council level”.

It was suggested that the issue be put to a vote before the Minister is contacted.

However, Cllr Breen said that while he had no problem with a vote, councillors may vote with their own personal views in mind rather than those of their constituents.

It was then agreed that the motion would be submitted to the Minister.