Category: News

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.

COURT sittings across Clare will experience significant changes in the new year if proposals to centralise the service, which is currently on the table, are adopted.

Under the changes, there will be specific dates for crime hearings, separate dates for civil hearings and other listed dates for hearings related to traffic offences.

Also, most of the hearings will be centralised to Ennis. While Kilrush cases will continue to be heard in the west Clare town, cases from north Clare are to be moved to Ennis.

Shannon cases are already heard in Ennis, while Killaloe courts currently sit in Ennis as a temporary measure while a new venue for the east Clare courts is being sought.

Up to six additional east Clare sittings will take place annually, after Athenry was moved from the district to the Galway district. It frees up the 11 Athenry sittings currently presided over by the district court judge responsible for Clare. Some of those will go to Killaloe, where a backlog has built up over the past few years, after Scariff and Tulla courts closed.

Under the proposals, there will be five crime sittings a month, two traffic days and two civil hearings, along with two days of family law sittings.

Crime cases will be heard on Wednesdays, with civil and traffic cases on Fridays.

“The bulk of Ennistymon is going back to Ennis, apart from a few townlands that will go to Kil- rush. Kilrush will stay as is,” said a spokesperson for the Courts Service.

The spokesperson added that if possible, courts will move back to Killaloe.

“If we can keep a court in Killaloe we will. A committee is looking at venues,” said the spokesperson.

The proposed changes, which are at draft stage, are poised to be implemented in January if they are adopted.

The separation of the types of offences heard means that less Garda resources will be wasted. In recent years, members of the traffic corps regularly spent hours sitting in court waiting for hours for their cases to be heard during the general court sittings.

“It will reduce Garda overtime, for example if there are 14 gardaí from Shannon sitting in Ennis court, at least seven will be on overtime, at the moment. Now, they can be put working on the days their court is sitting. It is a way of reducing State expenses,” said the spokesperson.

A Garda spokesman told The Clare People that hopes are high that the Killaloe courts still return to east Clare, having sat in Ennis since September.

Additional dates for Killaloe court sittings were requested by gardaí, after lengthy sittings prevailed in recent months.

“The logistics of bringing all the gardaí and witnesses from Killaloe to Ennis is a nightmare. There is no direct public transport service for people travelling the 35 miles to court,” he said.

WITH pedestrianisation due to be in place in Ennis for two days in December, there have been further calls for a reduction in parking charges.

Yesterday’s meetings of councillors in the Ennis Electoral Areas (East and West) heard calls for changes in parking policy.

Cllr James Breen (Ind) said that “two-hour free parking should be put in place daily in Ennis for a trial period of three months”.

Cllr Breen said the trial could benefit shoppers and businesses. He told the meeting that the one-hour parking limit in place in parts of the town centre was an inconvenience for many shoppers. He said this was particularly the case for women going to hairdressers to have “highlights put in their hair”. He said women were often in the salon for more than an hour.

Cllr Tom McNamara (FF) said current parking limits are an “awful hindrance” for rural shoppers. He said that many people are now opting to shop in Limerick instead.

In response, Town Clerk Leonard Cleary stated, “At the November meeting of Ennis Town Council, the possibility of an incentivised parking scheme to stimulate the Christmas shopping market was discussed. This matter is being further researched. Consultation with the business community has been arranged”. Mr Cleary stated that views from the Ennis Area Committees would be considered by Ennis Town Council.

Cllr Pat Daly called on the council to consider allocating the first hour of parking to shoppers in Ennis free of charge on a trial basis.

Cllr Daly said this would assist rate-paying businesses, many of whom he described as “struggling to survive”.

Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) requested that members of Fine Gael and Labour should lobby the government to ensure parking charges are made exempt from a proposed increased in VAT.

Town Manager Ger Dollard said yesterday that the current parking regime has been designed to ensure a high turnover of spaces.

Mr Dollard said there is a good mix of short- and long-term parking spaces in Ennis.

Ennis Town Council is proposing to pedestrianise Abbey Street from its junction with Francis Street to O’Connell Square; O’Connell Square and O’Connell Street from O’Connell Square to its junction with Station Road.

It is proposed that the areas will be closed to traffic from 11am to 6pm on December 17 and 24.

ENNIS Musical Society are aiming to take the stress out of Christmas shopping by hosting a ‘Favours Auction’ at the Old Ground Hotel on Thursday, December 1.

The society’s Favours Auction will offer a range of items in one place for those searching for interesting Christmas gift ideas.

“This is a new venture for us in Ennis Musical Society,” explained chairperson, Kaye Gaynor.

She added, “For those unfamiliar with the idea of a Favours Auction, it does exactly what it says on the tin. Members of the society will offer favours for auction to the public as part of an event to raise funds for our upcoming production of ‘The Sound of Music’.”

Ms Gaynor said, “We’re a talented bunch in Ennis Musical Society. People will have witnessed the talent of our members on stage; now they get the chance to see what we can produce off-stage as well. The whole theme of the event is taking some of the stress out of Christmas preparations while also trying to raise a few all important euro for the society.”

Without revealing the full extent of what will be on offer, Ms Gaynor said prospective buyers can expect something a little bit different from a regular Christmas present. She added, “We’ll have good quality gifts for sale, ranging from the practical to the savoury to the sporty to the artistic. There’ll be plenty of Christmas goodies, the chance to have one-toone singing lessons with one of Ireland’s most celebrated sopranos, the offer of somebody to cook in your home or to have your house made spotless before the Christmas. We’ll have a couple of items of interest for golf enthusiasts, support for individuals thinking about their direction in life, beauty treatments, pieces of art and a couple of items that will make Christmas really special for children this year.”

While the Ennis Musical Society is keen to use the event as a fundraiser, Ms Gaynor said that members are also clear that this will be an enjoyable event.

She explained, “There’ll be music and food and on the night and our own auctioneer, Cormac O’Sullivan, will help make this a fun occasion while also doing his utmost to loosen the purse-strings of all the prospective buyers.”

The auction will get underway at 8pm.

THE future of Shannon Development remains in doubt, with everything now resting on the recommendations made by a number of Government departments and state organisations to the Brosnan Report.

The report, which was completed by the Mid-West Task Force under the chairmanship of Denis Brosnan, is currently with Minister Richard Bruton (FG) at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The Clare People has learned that the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation has recently circulated the report to a number of of other Government departments for submission and these submissions will be added to the report before it will go before the cabinet for implementation.

A spokesperson from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation could not confirm when the process will be finished but The Clare People understands that a formal announcement will be made be fore the December 6 budget.

“The recommendations of the report of the Mid-West Task Force re- late mainly to the programmes and structures of the industrial development and other agencies in the region,” said a spokesperson from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

“Accordingly, this department recently sought the views of a number of other departments on the report’s recommendations. This consultation process will be completed shortly, following which the report’s findings and recommendations will be presented to Government for decision in accordance with the timeframe announced in the Public Service Reform plan an- nounced yesterday [last Thursday].”

This news follows a number of sweeping reforms to all Government-funded quangos announced in the Public Service Reform Plan. The plan gives a commitment to perform a complete review of all the tourism function currently undertaken by Shannon Development and examine a the possibility of merging these duties into other unnamed organisations. All of Shannon Development’s non-tourism related function will then be decided in the context of the Brosnan Report.

Shannon Development was one of a number of organisations who contributed to the report of the Mid-West Task Force but it is still unclear how this report will be used by Government.

“Shannon Development is considering the report which proposes to review the company’s activities as part of the implementation of the recommendations of the Mid West Taskforce Report. Shannon Development will be in discussions with relevant Government ministers and departments in the coming weeks,” said a spokesperson from Shannon Development.

ALLSOP Space has just announced details of its final property auction to take place on Wednesday, November 30. Amongst the 112 lots there will be four Clare sites.

There are two sites at Connolly village up for sale: Lot 33 is a 1.5 acre site at Connolly Village and has a reserve not to exceed € 10k; and Lot 44 is a larger 2.5 acre site at Connolly Village, Ennis, with a reserve not to exceed € 17, 500.

Lot 74 is a freehold derelict building on a 0.93 acres site at Pound Lane/Mill Street, Ennis, with a reserve not to exceed € 55k.

Lot 89 is a site on Childers Road in Ennis with a reserve not to exceed € 7.5k (the lowest reserve featured to date this year). The site is offered with planning permission for a retail unit and two apartments.

The final auction of the year features a broad range of property from 24 of the 26 counties. For the year to date, Allsop Space have sold 214 out of 231 lots raising a total of € 40 million. According to director Stephen McCarthy, “The November auction will pave the way for 2012. We plan to feature more lots at each individual auction next year. Whilst there were suggestions that our September auction was ‘less successful’ than the first two auctions, the figures speak for themselves. € 10 million was realized, with the vast majority of lots successfully selling on the day. Over 80 per cent of those buying at auction are without bank finance which highlights that there are still plenty of investors in a position to invest in real estate in this country.” The Allsop Space Property Auction will take place on Wednesday, November 30, at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin.

ALMOST 250 families will no longer be moving to Shannon as the proposed decentralisation of the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has been shelved. The move, which would have virtually doubled the IAA’s staff numbers in the county, has been indefinitely shelved with the proposed move of Enterprise Ireland to Shannon also now under threat.

A review of the proposed Enterprise Ireland move to Shannon will also take place in the coming months, with no indication as of yet as to whether that proposed decentralisation will go ahead or not.

There was some good news for Kilrush, however, as it was announced that the movement of staff from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners to the town will not be effected.

The Irish Aviation Authority already employs around 240 people at its operations in Shannon and Newmarket. The organisations corporate headquarters are located in Dublin and it was these employees who were to move to Shannon.

“The Irish Aviation Authority have about 700 people employed all over the country. Already in Clare we have a centre at Ballycasey in Shannon and at the North Atlantic Communications centre at Ballygirreen in Newmarket. Our corporate headquarter are based in Dublin and it was this headquarters which was proposed to move to Shannon,” said a spokesperson from the IAA.

The IAA currently employs around 170 people at the Air Traffic Centre in Ballycasey and at Shannon Airport itself and a further 70 people are employed at the radio centre in Ballygirreen. A source close to the IAA told The Clare People that last Thursday’s announcement of the scrapping of decentralisation to Shannon has come as “no surprise” to the people working for the organisation and that employees are “completely unfazed” by the announcement.

It was also announced that the Commissioner for Aviation Regulation is to be merged into the Irish Aviation Authority however it is not clear what effect, if any, this merger will have on the workforce in Clare.

Meanwhile, a new military aircraft from Airbus was given its first testflight at Shannon Airport last Thursday. The Airbus Military’s A400M transport landed in Shannon Airport after taking off from the Airbus manufacturing facility at Toulouse in France.

The flight spent much of its time off the Clare coast and flew as low as 10,000ft at some instances before returning at France. Airbus Military is expected to deliver the first aircraft in early 2013 with another 170 planes on order from other customers.