Category: News

A NEW initiative is underway in Ennis aimed at raising awareness about the increasing incidents of domestic violence.

The Ennis Access Programme is a Local Training Initiative based in Ennis, which is sponsored by the Clare Local Development Company. Members have created a handmade patchwork quilt using only natural fabrics and recycled materials. The quilt is constructed in the form of patchwork and applique in rainbow colours with a black background.

The learners had taken part in several workshops, which were funded by the HSE, which had highlighted the increasing numbers of women suffering from domestic violence locally, nationally and internationally.

Clare Haven, who provide services to women and children affected by domestic violence, state that 174 women have been murdered in Ireland since 1996. It is estimated that 213,000 (one in five) Irish women suffer severe abuse.

In response to the training received, the learners decided they would like to raise the awareness of the increasing incidents of domestic violence and also raise funds to support the vital service provided by Clare Haven.

The quilt will be on display at the Credit Union Office, Friars Walk, Ennis, and the raffle will take place on the December 16.

Tickets will be available from the Ennis Access Programme Training Centre located on the Clon Road Business Park, Clon Road, Ennis. Proceeds will be donated to Clare Haven Services. Tickets are € 2 for one ticket and € 5 for three tickets. For further information contact Ennis Access Programme at 065 6848466.

CURRENT and former members of Ennis Brass Band will gather in the Temple Gate Hotel on Friday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the band’s formation. After the main meal, at the Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis, the members and friends of the band will welcome all former members to join in the night’s reminiscing.

Re-formed in 1971, the brass band have competed numerous times at national and international level on behalf of the town and county. Over 40 years, the band has brought AllIreland and regional glory back to Ennis on numerous occasions.

The band have performed for the visit of high-profile politicians and dignatories to Ennis. In 2008, members were invited to perform at Arás an Uachtaran by former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese.

Countless young people have also passed through the ranks of the band, learning new musical skills and making friends for life.

This year, as part of the band’s celebrations, everyone who has ever played with the band is invited to join with current members at 9pm on Friday November 25, for an informal social night. Founders of the band and their partners will join with the band and their families to celebrate the anniversary and all former members who have played with the band over the years are invited to join.

Anyone who in the past has played with the band is invited to the Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis at 9pm to join in the fun.

A 68-YEAR-OLD north Clare woman who has been working as a carer for 20 years is to be forced to retire at the end of 2011 – because she is too old for the job.

Lahinch native Bridie Kennedy, has written a letter to newly elected President of Ireland Michael D Higgins who, at 70 years of age, would also be forced to retire five years ago if he worked as a carer.

Bridie has been looking after a neighbour who suffers from Alzhe- imer’s Disease for the past four years. Before that she worked in a local nursing home for more than 15 years. She received a letter last month informing her that she would be forced to retire at the end of the year. Bridie is employed by Clarecare and says that organisation has been very supportive of her position.

“I’ve been doing this for 20 years and it is very rewarding work. I wanted to be a nurse since I was a little girl of 18 years, I would have made a really good nurse,” she said.

“I think it is a real shame what is being done. This new rule has just come in and according to it I should have stopped working when I was 65. One of the reason why I went for the interview with Clarecare is that there was no upper age limit. Clarecare have been very good to work for – I don’t know what a lot of people would do without them.

“I work four hours each day with a neighbour of mine. She is just a five minute walk away and I walked up to her house every day last year during the snow and ice. She is a neighbour and I have known her for years. The family are very upset. They have known me for years and year and having a familiar person there is very important – especially with Alzheimers.”

According to Bridie, being forced to retire is going have a negative impact on her social life as well as her financial situation. “I’ve been working for 50 years and now, all of a sudden, I’ll have nothing to get up in the morning for. It’s just not fair. I’ve never been sick in my life and I’m never tired. It isn’t much money but it’s great to have a few extra pounds coming in every month. More than that though it’s about getting out and meeting people. I love older people and the stories that they tell. I tell my grandchild their stories and he thinks I’m making them up. I will miss that.”

The director of Clarecare Fiachra Hensey confirmed yesterday that the official age of retirement for carers with Clarecare is now 65 years old.

“The official age of retirement is 65 and that is a fact. I have the utmost sympathy for any carers who are in good health and want to keep working. I really do,” he said.

INAGH native Damien Queally has launched a major appeal for the people of Clare to support children in the developing world this Christmas. Damien, who is the Programme Manager of Plan Ireland, yesterday launched the Plan Ireland Christmas appeal with the help of Irish rugby legend Malcolm O’Kelly.

This year’s Life Gifts catalogue includes a number of unique Christmas cards as well as a unique range of photographic canvas prints, all of which will help to raise vital funds to make a lasting improvement to the lives of the world’s most disadvantaged children.

“These gifts will give much needed support and materials directly to the children and communities Plan works with in the developing world. By choosing a Life Gift, like a set for school or a gift of child sponsorship, you are giving a child living in pov- erty the chance of a better life and a gift like this is essentially priceless,” said Damien.

Damien has been working for the charity as Programme Manager since 2008. After graduating from UCD with a Masters in Economics in 1999, Queally spent two years working in banking, before taking a career break in 2001 to volunteer in India and Uganda. Captivated by his experiences in these countries, Damien decided to leave banking permanently and began his career in international development, working in countries such as The Congo, Niger and Darfur.

Plan Ireland is a child-centred community development organisation, part of Plan International which itself was founded over 70 years ago. It is an independent organisation with no religious, political or governmental affiliations. Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume is the Patron of Plan Ireland. He and his wife Pat sponsor a

A NEW outreach centre for rape victims is being opened in Ennis, in response to demand from clients throughout the county.

That’s according to Rape Crisis Midwest, which will officially open its Ennis centre on the Clon Road at 4pm on Friday.

Demand for services in the midwest is significant, with 15 new calls received every week at its Limerick headquarters.

“This is in response to demand. We have delivering a service to the people of Clare since we opened up in the 1980s. We have found that people found the trip to Limerick quite hard, particularly those coming from the west,” said the director of fundraising with the organisation, Verena Tarpey.

The new centre will be operated on a part-time basis, two days a week; counselling services will be available on Mondays and Wednesdays by appointment. “Not only will there be long-term counselling but it will also provide support counselling for the family of a victim of a sexual attack. We also do court accompaniments,” said Ms Tarpey.

The waiting list for clients currently stands at four months, but those in need of immediate assistance are taken as priority.

“I think that more people are coming in looking for help. There is more awareness. There is also more awareness of the fact it is not something to be ashamed of either,” she said.

Fundraising will be crucial to the survival of the Ennis outreach centre. “We are receiving no government funding to pay for the overheads in Ennis such as rent and computer services. We get core funding for our service in Limerick. We made a huge decision to open it (Ennis). It is needed. We are relying on the goodwill of the people of Ennis,” she said.

“We have to stretch our resources. We want to do it to make the service accessible to the people of Clare,” she said.

The organisation is piloting a new education programme for transition year students in a number of schools in the mid-west, including Coláiste Mhuire in Ennis.

“We are piloting it in the mid-west and it is a first for Rape Crisis Midwest,” said Ms Tarpey.

“We felt that a pilot programme such as this would be beneficial to students. It educates them in relation to different aspects of the law of sexual offences and how alcohol can affect people,” she said.

“Students in particular would not necessarily want to avail of long-term counselling but they are aware of the different services that are available in the mid-west,” she added.

THE chances of another public toilet being installed in Ennis are somewhere between “slim and none”, a meeting has heard. Town manager Ger Dollard was speaking in response to a proposal aired at yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis West Electoral Area.

Cllr Tony Mulqueen (FG) called on the council to “provide a public toilet in Parnell Street car park, Ennis, for car park customers and taxis”.

Cllr Mulqueen told the meeting that the matter had been brought to his at- tention by local taxi drivers. He said drivers operating from Parnell Street car park had told him there was a need for the facility in the area. He said a public toilet would also help reduce the level of public urination taking place at night.

In response, town clerk Leonard Cleary explained, “Public conveniences have been provided in the market area and Abbey Street. It should be noted that a public convenience has a significant annual cost and daily management requirement.”

He added, “The matter can be brought to the attention of Ennis Town Council if the committee so desires.”

Town Manager Ger Dollard told the meeting that public conveniences “are hugely expensive”. He said Ennis Town Council had previously been criticised for the cost associated with maintaining public toilets. Mr Dollard said the chances of providing a new facility are “slim and none”.

Figures contained in Ennis Town Council’s 2010 annual financial statement showed that it cost € 70,000 to operate pubic toilets in the town.

ALL commercial waste produced in County Clare will have to be hauled outside the county from this Friday following the closure of the Central Waste Management in Inagh.

From this Friday, November 25, the landfill at Ballyduff beg will be closed to all commercial waste, with only waste for recycling and a small amount of domestic landfill waste accepted. This means that commercial producers in Ennis will now face a 145-kilometre round-trip to Gortadroma in south west Limerick or a 180-kilometre round-trip to the Green Star facility in Ballinasloe to properly dispose of their waste.

This move is the result of a decision made by Clare County Council in December of 2010 not to open a fourth cell at the Central Waste Management Facility at Ballyduff beg. The decision was made when projected figures from the council revealed that the landfill centre would become a loss-making venture in the years to come.

The revised figures are a result of the economic slowdown which saw a dramatic drop in the amount of waste being produced by the construction sector – resulting in a large drop in the price paid for disposing of landfill waste.

This dramatic drop in the price received for properly disposing of landfill also means that the Central Waste Management Facility in Bal- lyduff beg will be a loss-making venture for Clare County Council over its entire life-time and not the cashcow that some had described it as.

“A resolution was passed by the elected members of Clare County Council in late 2010 not to develop phase 4 of the facility once phase 3 had been completed,” said Paul Moroney, Senior Engineer with Clare County Council at Ballyduff beg.

“Phase 3 is scheduled to be completed by the end of this week. As a result, and in accordance with the resolution passed by councillors, the landfill will close to commercial customers.

“Small quantities of domestic waste will continue to be accepted from members of the public at the Ballyduff beg facility. The recycling centre will remain operational as normal.”

The Ballyduff beg facility has been a controvertial point for the people of Inagh for a number of years with a number of local residents complaining about smells and vermon activity at the facility.

Clare County Council was sited by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for breaches of its license on a number of occasions in recent years.

The Central Waste Management Facility in Ballyduff beg will remain open to all domestic customers from Tuesday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm and on Saturdays from 8.30am to 1pm.

THERE have been renewed calls for safety ladders to be provided on walls along the River Fergus.

Clare County Council are seeking a water safety audit from Irish Water Safety on the proposal put forward by local Fine Gael councillor Tony Mulqueen.

In a motion tabled at yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis West Electoral Area, Cllr Mulqueen called on the council to provide safety chains and ladders “on the new wall constructed along the River Fergus”.

Cllr Mulqueen told the meeting that he had raised the matter 12 months ago and was not satisfied with the level of progress so far.

He explained that given the height of the river walls and the strength of water flow, it is his “fear that someone will fall into the river”. Cllr Mulqueen said that while improved flood defences near Parnell Street are excellent, ladders and safety chains should have been included as part of the Office of Public Work’s Ennis Main Drainage Scheme. “Are we waiting for an accident to happen,” he added.

Eamon O’Dea, Senior Executive Engineer, stated that the council are seeking a water safety audit from Irish Water Safety. He continued, “It is anticipated that this will be carried out within the next two to three months. The audit will be forwarded to the OPW for their consideration.”

Town manager Ger Dollard said the issue had not been brought to the council’s attention by any other agency. He said the provision of ladders and chains “would appear to be good practice”.

Committee Chairman, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP), urged the council to write to Irish Water Safety.

ST VINCENT de Paul has appealed to the people of Clare to donate whatever they can in the run-up to Christmas. Donations vary from cash, vouchers, hampers, clothes, toys and non-perishable goods.

Over the coming days, businesses across the county will receive letters from the organisation requesting donations to help cash-strapped families.

The president of St Vincent de Paul in Clare, Cathal Oakes, said that this year, teenagers’ clothing is particularly in demand.

“We are looking for all clothes, particularly teenagers’ clothes. We are finding it quite difficult to get them. Also, if people are dropping in foodstuffs, we prefer non-perishable,” said Cathal. “People are always very generous,” he said.

“Toys are very good but most of the time we prefer to give out vouchers. We give out vouchers all year round. With vouchers, people can buy what they want,” he added.

He said that while people have been very kind and give what they can to the organisation, the amount of goods received is down this year, in the face of increasing demand from those struggling to make ends meet.

“The exact figures on the general collections are down a little bit, but that’s to be expected. People are still amazing. We are still holding our own. The shop is our key source of funding. It is run very, very well,” he said.

In recent years, the organisation has expanded and teams have been set up across the county. Currently there are around 140 volunteers working in Clare, while 45 visitation teams liaise with those who require home visits. Teams also work in the hostel, the shop and work specifically on education.

“We have teams all over the county, including Kilrush, Killaloe, Newmarket, Shannon, Clarecastle and in east Clare. They all operate by fundraising locally, under the umbrella of Clare. It is hard to make money in east Clare and there are a lot of requests there, but the overall Clare area backs each one individually,” said Cathal.

He said that people are looking for assistance for a variety of reasons such as inability to pay bills, car maintenance or to buy clothes and food.

“There is a big increase in the number of people with debt on multiple levels, for example the ESB bill isn’t paid or the mortgage goes into arrears or the car insurance isn’t paid,” said Cathal.

The organisation is renting an extra room for December to store the goods that are donated in the run-up to Christmas. Those wishing to drop in items can do so at the St Vincent de Paul shop on Parnell Street, Ennis.

ENNIS should take priority over other parts of the county when it comes to the allocation of staff by Clare County Council, a meeting has heard.

The view was expressed yesterday by Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) as concern was raised over the impact of localised flooding on roads and churches in Ennis and Clarecastle.

A section of the Kilrush Road near Gallows Hill; St Joseph’s Hospital, Ennis and the Parochial House in Clarecastle were highlighted as three areas prone to “ponding” and road flooding, at meetings of councillors in the Ennis electoral area.

In response to motions tabled by councillors Johnny Flynn (FG) and Pat Daly (FF) regarding flooding on the Kilrush Road, senior executive engineer Eamon O’Dea stated, “The council has used a power jetty to clear the outlet from the gully at this location. This gully discharges to a soak away in this grass margin on the opposite side of the road.”

He added, “The council is examining the existing storm drains in the area to see if this location can be discharged to a storm sewer, otherwise the soak away will be renewed.”

The committee chairman, Cllr Brennan, told the meeting that the issue had existed at the Kilrush Road for a number of years. He said that there is a danger that “someone will be killed there” because pedestrians are stepping onto the road to avoid the water.

He said the biggest problem in the Ennis area is the absence of council staff. He said that Ennis is the county capital with a population of 30,000 and as such, should take priority when the council allocates staff to work in particular areas.

“We have tried working from the outside in, maybe we should be working from the inside out,” he added.

Agreeing with Cllr Brennan, Cllr Flynn said there “is huge pressure on Ennis area offices because of a lack of staff”.

Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) raised the issue of flooding that occurs outside the old Parochial House, Clarecastle. Cllr Murphy stated that “rainwater from the Creegaun na Hilla estate flows straight across the roundabout (bypassing the gully trap to the side of the roundabout) and lodges at the entrance to the Parochial House, causing a lot of annoyance to callers to the house and to mass goers, particularly at night time.”

Mr O’Dea said the council will examine the road levels at this location and “endevaour to reduce the impact of rainfall run off in this area”.

A meeting of councillors in the Ennis West Electoral Area heard that church-goers found it difficult to attend Mass because of floods at the rear of St Joseph’s hospital.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) told the meeting that flooding was a specific problem for elderly residents in the area.

Mr O’Dea stated that the council will examine the location to “see if there is a feasible method to dispose of the storm water”. However, he added that “any works will be subject to available resources”.