Category: News

A PLAN to offer free flights from Shannon Airport at certain times of the year may not be completely grounded, despite comments from the Department of Transport over the weekend that the project is a nonstarter.

West Clare councillor Gabriel Keating (FG), who proposed the ambitious new scheme, says that he has no doubt that something will come out of the proposal. The Kilrush councillor yesterday put out the call to Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary, saying that the deal could be an ideal fit for Shannon and the low fares airline. The idea involved making some flights between Shannon Airport and some UK airports free between March 19 and April 16, and September 17 and October 15, each year to promote visitors to Clare and the beginning and end of the tourist season. The promotion would also act as a major marketing opportunity for Shannon Airport and the airline involved in offering the free flights.

“We have been doing the same thing with our marketing budget for years now and the time has come for us to think outside of the box and that is what this idea is all about,” said Cllr Keating.

“If people came and they stayed for four nights in Clare what impact would that have on the local tourism market? It would be a massive boost both for the county and for Shannon Airport.

“I have no doubt that someone like Michael O’Leary would see the potential in an idea like this. You have to spend money to make money and we have been spending our marketing budget sending people to promote Shannon to every corner of the world but I think there is an option to spend it in a different way.

“I have no doubt that something will come from this idea. As an elected councillor it is my job to come up with ideas that might help promote the county. Ideas like this will lead to tourists and investment and that leads to jobs.”

A spokesman for the Department of Transport said over the weekend that the government was “unlikely” to support the proposal saying that it might infringe on EU competition law.

A GOVERNMENT-backed steering group to create an international hub for humanitarian aid at Shannon Airport will be put in place in the coming weeks. The Clare People understands that Labour’s Junior Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jan O’Sullivan, will appoint the top-level steering group in the coming weeks to push the creation of the international aid hub, which will act as a logistic base for aid organisation responding to major aid crisis’s around the world.

The hub is expected to create a number of jobs in the Shannon area and also work as a cornerstone for creating larger logistics-based operations in Shannon. The aid hub was a large part of the election manifesto of Clare TD Michael McNamara, who has made contact with a number of people at the United Nations in relation to the development.

“This is part of the Clare County Development Plan and I understand that Jan O’Sullivan is in the process of setting up a steering group involving all the main state operators and Clare County Council,” he said.

It is, however, unclear what form the humanitarian aid hub will take should it be granted the go ahead. Earlier this year, the Atlantic Way group officially registered the not-for-profit company ‘Global Aid Shannon’

The company was launched after a year of behind-the-scenes negotiations between Atlantic Way and a partner organisation in Jacksonville in Florida. However, it is unclear whether this private company will be used or whether a government agency will take the lead in delivering the proposed aid hub.

“If we can get the humanitarian aid hub up and running in Shannon, that will be very positive news. There is a company proposed to do that but there is no certainty that it will be a private company that will do it,” continued McNamara.

“While there is a lot of land around Shannon in private ownership, there is also a lot of land owned by Shannon Development and no decision has been made yet as to whether it would be a private company or whether existing state assets could be utilised for this. Ultimately, this has to be government driven, but whether there can be some sort of public/private partnership or not, I have an open mind.”

TWO Clare secondary schools received a significant boost last week with the news that the Department of Education and Science has approved building extensions in Ennis and Killaloe.

Clare VEC will receive grant funding to carry out the works at Ennis Community College and St Anne’s Community College, Killaloe.

Making the announcement on Thursday, Clare VEC CEO, George O’Callaghan said the new facilities are needed to cope with a projected increased in the number of students attending both schools. He said a Department of Education report had predicted that enrolment at Ennis Community College would rise to 740 students in the near future, while enrolment at St Anne’s is expected to increase to 750.

There are currently 500 students enrolled at Ennis Community College. Clare VEC will receive a devolved grant for the projects – a 2813sq/m extension in Ennis and a 1800sq/m extension in Killaloe.

There will be two separate tendering processes for each school while Mr O’Callaghan added that the process of seeking planning permission for both projects would begin “immediately”. He said, “They [the de- partment] have indicated that they want people walking in the doors by 2014.” Mr O’Callaghan said preliminary discussions had already taken place with the department. He said the department had indicated a preference for a new standalone building at Ennis Community College. He said the building would also alleviate pressure on Gaelcholáiste an Chláir, an Aonad that currently operates within Ennis Community College.

Mr O’Callaghan was speaking at the October meeting of Clare VEC where he said it would be “remiss” of the committee not to accept the funding. Committee member Michael Corley proposed that the VEC accept the department’s offer. Seconding the motion, committee chairman Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) welcomed the annoucement. He said an extension for St Anne’s is “long overdue”.

A DECISION to retain a VEC suboffice in Ennis will be determined by the outcome of “local discussions”, a meeting has heard.

The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn, has outlined proposals to amalgamate Clare VEC with Limerick City and Limerick County VECs.

The new entity would be known as a Local Education and Training Board (LETB).

CEO George O’Callaghan told the October meeting of Clare VEC that while the new LETB will require a headquarters, “there will be local discussions” that will determine the location of any potential sub office.

“You must have a designated headquarters and after that it is a matter of discussions,” he added.

Mr O’Callaghan said that from next August third-level grants would be administered by Dublin City LETB. He said that while Clare VEC will continue to deal with existing applications for a three to four years, it would not accept new applications.

Responsibility for school transport will be transferred to Bus Eireann in January, he said.

Clare TD and Fine Gael Deputy, Pat Breen has called for the retention of a sub office in Ennis.

Deputy Breen has argued that the proposal would be cost-neutral because the Department of Education and Skills owns the building in Ennis.

Mr O’Callaghan also told the meeting that the department had also published the heads of a Bill outlining the proposed new legal structure of new VEC entities. He said the Bill proposed changes to the make up of vocational education committees.

He explained that while county councils will be represented on the new committees, the Bill contains no provision for town councils.

Mr O’Callaghan said that three local authorities – Limerick City Council, Limerick County Council and Clare County Council – would be represented on the new LETB.

Cllr Peter Considine (FF) proposed that the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) “strongly reject” the proposal.

Cllr Considine, a member of Ennis Town Council, said VECs had always represented urban and rural communities.

CLARE VEC would face competition from other bodies for the patronage of a new Irish secondary school if approval were granted for a new site, a meeting has heard.

CEO, George O’Callaghan was speaking last week at a discussion on the findings of a survey for the public’s preference for the future of Gaelcholáiste an Chláir.

A new building has been approved for Ennis Community College and Mr O’Callaghan was questioned if the new extension would affect a proposal to develop a new standalone Irish secondary school in Ennis.

Gaelcholáiste an Chláir currently operates within the campus of Ennis Community College.

Parents’ representative Maolíosa Ní Chléirigh asked if the VEC is continuing to push for an independ- ent Gaelcholáiste.

Ms Ní Chléirigh said the Gaelcholáiste does not have enough classrooms to cater for student numbers.

Mr O’Callaghan said the VEC had previously indicated that it is in favour of a standalone school. He said the new building would bring “enormous relief” to the current problems at the Ennis Community College campus. “The extension may offer some form of relief and be the basis for future developments,” he said.

However, Mr O’Callaghan explained that a school must have an enrolment of 400 students before the department will approve a new standalone building. He told the meeting that a “health warning” would have to be attached to any application for a new greenfield site. He explained that if the department approved a new site, patronage of the school would be open to competition.

CLARE has been held up as a model for how the nationwide Rural Transport Programme can be a lifeblood to a community.

The success story of the Clare Accessible Transport (CAT) initiative that is operated in east Clare was hailed by the junior minister for transport Alan Kelly during a visit to its Feakle base on Wednesday.

“It was a great opportunity to show Minister Kelly the integrated transport model that has been developed in Clare since 2003 as part of the Rural Transport Programme,” a spokesperson for CAT revealed.

“The Minister saw one of CAT’s low floor buses which are essential to the delivery of a fully integrated service. The vehicle design maximises resources, particularly for rural areas by enabling everyone from the same locality to board the bus easily, avoiding the need for different types of buses to serve the same areas.

“CAT’s collaborative approach to investment in the service was emphasised as a means of providing excellent value for money while meeting the transport needs of people living in isolated parts of the county,” the spokesperson added.

The CAT schedule offers responsive and flexibly-routed public transport that is open to everyone. The number of people registering with the service since the first bus went out in 2003 is approaching 4,000, with passengers making up to 4,000 trips per month.

“The dispatchers who operate the travel centre are noticing an increase in bookings to connect with national transport services to Limerick, Cork, Dublin and Galway as well as calls for shopping, work and training. More and more people are calling in to find out about their local bus service and the annual Driver CPC training that CAT provides,” the spokesperson added.

AROUND 60 people attended a meeting at Barefield Community Hall on Thursday night to highlight concerns over recent Traveller encampments in the area.

The meeting was called after a number of caravans and vehicles moved into a section of road leading to the M18, near Barefield village, over the past two weeks.

Residents and landowners have raised concerns over allegations of rubbish dumping and the presence of dogs on popular walking routes.

There was a feeling of “anger” at the meeting, according to one man who attended. Sean Corcoran, Chairman of Barefield Tidy Villages, said locals are frustrated that action was not taken to force caravans to move from the side of the road.

The meeting was also attended by local councillors and members of the gardaí. Mr Corcoran said some local people have been “heckled” and feel “intimated”.

“People are losing patience with the whole lot of it. We are no farther down the road than we were 20 years ago. € 20 million has been spent in the past 10 years (on Traveller accommodation). It seems that whatever they want, they get.”

Mr Corcoran said the community have sought a meeting with Clare County Council. The issue was raised at yesterday’s meeting of the Ennis Joint Policing Committee.

Town Manager Ger Dollard said council staff are working on a daily basis, with all parties to try and resolve the situation.

He said, “The council is aware of issues regarding illegal encampments in Ennis town and environs. It is also noticeable that there has been some movement in recent days between encampments. The council has had daily contact with the gardaí in relation to issues arising and will continue to work with the gardaí and other parties to try and resolve the situation.”

Mr Dollard added, “Council staff have also been involved on a daily basis in managing the situation. We are fully aware of the difficulties that such illegal encampments cause for both the settled and Travelling community and our aim is to secure their removal as quickly as possible.”

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) told the meeting that Traveller encampments are causing stress to communities around Clare.

According to a council report prepared by Bernadette Kinsella, Director Of Housing, Social and Cultural Services, 201 statutory notices instructing the removal of temporary dwellings from unauthorised encampments were issued in the past two years.

UP TO 50 new jobs are to be created in the retail sector by a Clare company over the next 12 months, which will bring to 150 the number of people employed in the region.

Zest, a food hall that opened in Ennis’ Market area in June 2010, has announced they have purchased the old Avoca site at Bunratty, which will be developed in the next year as part of the expansion plans of the company.

“This fulfils a long-held wish to see the site resurrected and vibrant again in such a historic heritage area, since it burnt down four years ago when owned by Avoca,” a spokesperson for Zest, the retail arm of EFG Inflight Ltd based in Shannon told The Clare People .

Zest has also announced that they successfully won the tender to operate a café as part of the newly restored Limerick City Gallery of Art at The People’s Park, Pery Square, due for completion before Christmas this year.

The café, located in the beautifully restored Carnegie Building will afford an opportunity to Limerick residents to enjoy the range of Zest foods, handmade breads, cakes, pastries and meals.

“Our retail brand Zest! has enjoyed tremendous success since opening in Ennis last year, and we are keen to develop the brand further. The acquisition of the old Avoca site at Bunratty, together with our new presence in Limerick at the LCGA, will allow us to serve more of our customers who have been very loyal and supportive to us,” Ean Malone, Managing Director of EFG Inflight Ltd, stated.

“Our success is testament to our wonderful staff and chefs who have worked hard to build this brand, and developing further units will afford us an opportunity to create new lines and products,” he added

It is envisaged that the two new developments will produce another 50 jobs for Clare and Limerick over the next 12 months, adding to the 100 staff currently employed full-time by the company in Clare. Financial Director Fiona Barry stated, “The purchase of the Bunratty site is an indication of our long-term commitment to the area, and our desire to create much-needed employment in the locality.”

EFG Inflight Ltd is a wholly owned independent company, and has been in operation for four years based at Knockbeg Point, Shannon Airport. It primarily services the international inflight catering and private jet requirements, corporate catering and related services.

NEW figures indicate that the number of assaults, drug seizures and incidents of arson are down in Ennis for the year so far.

There were 23 incidents of assault causing harm in the first nine months of the year, compared to 25 for the same period in 2010.

Minor assaults are down from 81 in 2010 to 63 in 2011.

The number of on-street drug searches that took place in the first nine months of 2011 stood at 278, compared to 316 for the same period last year.

The figures were presented at yesterday’s public meeting of the Ennis Joint Policing Committee.

Supt Peter Duff of the Ennis Garda District told the meeting that criminal damage caused by fire had fallen from 27 (2010) to 13 (2011).

The report compared recorded incidents of crime in Ennis from January to September (2011) with the same period in 2010.

Arrests for drugs for sale or supply are down from 46 (2010) to 35 (2011) while the number of people caught in possession of drugs has reduced by almost 50 per cent (131 to 66).

Public order offences have fallen from 406 (2010) to 395 (2011) while robbery of persons fell from 10 (2010) to two (2011).

In relation to drug searches carried out under warrant, the figures show a reduction from 151 to 84.

Supt Duff told the meeting that a cannabis growhouse had been de- tected on the outskirts of Ennis during the summer.

He said a quantity of mephedrone had also been seized in Ennis earlier this year, a discovery that led gardai to conduct a follow-up search of premises in Lissycasey.

He said that both matters are now before the courts.

There was also a small reduction in the number of incidents of sexual offences recorded by gardaí (27 to 21).

Supt Duff said many of the cases are historic in nature and relate to alleged offences that took place in the 1960s and ‘70s.

He said people are now more confident about reporting sexual offences that occurred in family or institutional settings.

The meeting was attended by local councillors, council officials and community representatives.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) expressed concern that apart from representatives of Ennis Chamber, no members of the public were in attendance.

A WOMAN yesterday told a court that getting caught with drugs was the best thing to happen to her brother, as it forced him to make changes in his life.

The man’s sister told a judge that her brother’s involvement in drugs devastated his parents, but that his family was fully supporting him every step of the way in his efforts to get his life back on track.

Carpenter Ian Kelly (41), of Capparoe, Scarriff, pleaded guilty to cultivation and supply of drugs.

Garda Aidan Sweeney told Ennis Circuit Court that on foot of confidential information, he obtained a search warrant and carried out a raid on the accused’s house, on the evening of June 21, 2010.

He said that the accused lived there with his partner and partner’s two children. “He was very forthcoming. He showed me the garden shed he was using to grow cannabis,” said the garda.

He said that the end of the timber shed was concealed into compartments and 23 cannabis plants were growing. 17 of the plants were small, he said. There was a number of shelving units and aerators in the shed.

Cannabis leaf, valued at more than € 4,700, was seized by gardaí during the search, along with 10 grammes of amphetamines and a small quantity of ecstasy. The total value of the seizure of the cannabis and the plants amounted to € 8,000, said the garda.

“He took full responsibility. He said he was addicted to drugs. It was for self-medication mostly. From his phone records, he was selling the drugs to approximately three peo- ple,” said the garda.

Defence Counsel Elaine Houlihan, BL, said that her client’s partner was not aware of his actions.

She said there was no cash seized during the search, adding, “He doesn’t have any of the trappings of wealth. He had an addiction to cannabis, amphetamines and alcohol at the time. He wasn’t a street dealer. He was dealing to a small group of friends,” said Ms Houlihan.

She said that two days after the discovery of the drugs, her client went for treatment and has not come to the attention of gardaí since. She said her client wouldn’t fit the “usual profile of a person who comes before the court in terms of previous convictions” and the garda agreed with this.

Ms Houlihan said that her client came from a respected family and that his father is a former school principal. “He has brought a degree of shame and hurt to his family,” she said.

The accused’s sister, Ruth Minogue, took the stand and said that “for years, he was a mess” but that her brother is now determined to get his life back on track.

“As a family, we tried but he was the only person who could help himself. His life was a complicated mess. Being caught was the best thing that happened to him because it forced changes in his life,” she said.

She said that her parents were “absolutely devastated, but we are behind him all the way”. She added, “He is trying as hard as any individual can try to get their life back on track.”

Judge Carroll Moran said, “This is a very serious matter and in the normal course of events would warrant a prison sentence.” However, he said the circumstances in this case were extraordinary. He said that the accused “made serious efforts to address his drug addiction” after he was caught, adding, “and he is now clean of illicit drugs”.

“I accept he wasn’t a street dealer. He was dealing to a small number of friends,” said the judge. He said he accepted Ms Minogue’s evidence and said he was taking into account the fact that the accused was making a serious effort to turn his life around. “He is going to have to abstain from drugs for a substantial period of time,” said the judge.

He imposed a four-year jail sentence, suspended for four years, on condition that the defendant does not commit any crime during the next four years; that he obey the directions from the Probation service and abstain from drugs.