Category: News

CHILDREN attending the region’s only paediatric ward can now attend school in a purpose-built classrooms, without leaving the hospital grounds.

The new purpose-built Children’s Ark School was officially opened in the University Hospital Limerick on Thursday, May 29. The school provides multi-denominational pri- mary- and secondary-level education for students attending the hospital.

The new facility is made up of a large classroom for primary students, a second classroom for secondary students, toilets, office space and an outdoor learning area.

The Department of Education and Skills has approved the installation of 100MB fibre broadband to enable access to the most up to date technology to support the education of the students.

Dr Liam Carroll, founding member and former Chair of the Children’s Ark School Board of Management and Jayden Conway Wood officially opened the new classrooms.

The school, like any other, is managed by a Board of Management and has two teachers. Both teachers, Mary Carr and Margaret McCarthy are members of HOPE, the organisa tion for hospital teachers in Europe.

Speaking at the opening, Ann Doherty, CEO, UL Hospitals, said, “We are very proud of having such a quality school on site and I want to acknowledge and thank the Board of Management and their staff for all the work they have done to make this school a reality.”

The Children’s Ark School was originally the brainchild of Dr Carroll, Consultant Paediatrician, who got sanction from the Department of Education and Skills to establish a school to cater for the ongoing education of children in University Hospital Limerick.

The school commenced in 2006 and originally operated from the dining room of the Sunshine Ward in the Children’s Ark Unit.

Frank Keane, Chair, Board of Management and former manager of Ennis Hospital, added that “the new school is a wonderful new development, encompassing the best available information technology to assist in providing continuity for those young people unlucky enough to be ill and requiring hospital care. Meeting the young person’s educational needs is a vital part of the holistic approach required to put them on the road to recovery.” Mr Keane also wanted to acknowledge the hard work of everyone involved but said that “a huge thank you must go to my predecessor as Chair of the Board of Management, Dr Liam Carroll, who was the true visionary who had the foresight to get the concept of education while in hospital off the ground back in December 2006”.

A STRATEGY aimed at encouraging job creation in Ennis will be unveiled at a public meeting in the town on Thursday.

Organisers say the ‘Ennis Jobs Strategy’ will help create the foundations for new employment and economic development. The strategy will be outlined at a meeting in the Temple Gate Hotel on June 5 at 6.30pm. The meeting will involve a number of five-minute solutionbased presentations.

According the organisers, the meeting will focus around the use of “synergy and develop a concise strategy covering various sectors with opportunity to get quick, medium- and long-term wins for Ennis in terms of job creation.”

The meeting will review several sectors of the local economy including retail, tourism, construction, community-based food production, creativity, industry. Johnny Flynn, a local Fine Gael councillor who recently regained his seat on Clare County Council, is one of the men behind the proposed jobs strategy.

“This meeting is about informed contributions from people from particular employment sectors on the ground – a task force of capable individuals with the common goal of jobs. It’s not about the problem it’s about creating and compiling strong and realizable ideas for job creation in Ennis,” he explained.

The aim of the meeting is to compile a result-driven report with actions for 2014 and beyond. The report will be made available to the new Ennis Municipal District committee asking for their support in the implementation.

Among those expected to address the meeting are David Fitzsimmons of Retail Excellence Ireland; Rita McInerney, CEO of Ennis Chamber; Brian O’Neill, Chairman of Promote Ennis and Ana Bella Alvarez, Director of Ennis Street Festival.

Cllr Flynn said, “In terms of jobs, I have been working with different sectors. However I believe there should have been a complete jobs strategy three years ago. There is no point now looking back in dismay instead I am asking business owners, decision makers and all who would like to contribute to come an join us on June 5.”

The meeting will be held on June 5 at Temple Gate Hotel at 6.30pm. All are welcome and organisers appreciate prior contact to prepare for the event, contact Johnny Flynn on 087 2571842 or jny.flynn@gmail.com.

AFTER nearly a decade in the doldrums, Clare Roses are starting to get accustomed to the lavish surroundings of the Festival Dome in Tralee. Joanne O’Groman made it two years in a row for Clare participants, when she qualified for the grand final of the Rose of Tralee competition on Sunday night.

The Cratloe native follows in the foot steps of Marie Donnellan from Newmarket-on-Fergus, who last year was Clare’s first competitor in the final stages of the competition since 2006.

There was disappointment for Dawn Ryan from Meelick, however, the Clare born, Limerick Rose narrowly missed out on the August final. Had she made it, it would have been the first time that two Clare born Roses would have competed together at the grand final.

Speaking after her selection, Joanne paid tribute to the support of Marie Donnellan.

“I’m over the moon. I don’t think it has sunk in yet to be honest. I’ll wake up tomorrow and it’s just going to be surreal. I’d say my phone is hopping off the bed up in my room at the moment, I don’t have the energy to look at it,” she said.

“The support and the good wishes that I’ve got up to now has been amazing. Just to be selected as the Clare Rose was amazing and now to go on to Tralee, it’s a dream come true.

“Marie has been a great support. First and foremost she said to just enjoy it, especially the Portlaoise section that I’ve just come through now. I plan on enjoying it. She said the same for Tralee as well. She said it is absolutely amazing.

“She also advised me to buy a foot spa as well. To plug it in every night when I get back from each of the tours – so I plan on buying a foot spa.”

WITH just days until the newly elected Clare County Council meet for the first time, mystery still surrounds how much they will be paid and their expenses.

At the 11th hour the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan (FG) still has not revealed if the 28 new county councillors would receive a pay cut or a pay rise in the new smaller county council.

He said he would announce a revised package of changes to payments to cathaorligh, mayors and expenses for attendance at conferences shortly. It is understood that there will be a limit of € 1,000 per councillor for attending conferences.

The expenses to be allocated to cover newly enlarged constituencies are also a closely guarded secret for now.

It is understood however that there will be extra money on top of the basic salary to be pocketed by the mayor of the county, the chairs of the four new Municipal Districts (the former electoral areas) and for the chairpersons of the Special Strategic Policy Committees.

From Friday, May 30, all 28 elected the previous Friday were formerly considered county councillors.

This Friday, June 6, they will meet for the first time in Aras Contae an Clár (right_ to elect a new mayor and decide how many times they will meet during the five-year office term.

It is understood a proposal is to go before the newly elected members suggesting that full county council meetings are held just every second month, with each Municipal District to meet monthly.

This proposal is already meeting some resistance from more established members who are more accustomed to full monthly council meetings.

As all four town councils in Clare are now gone, there will be no more mayors of Kilrush, Shannon or Kilkee.

As Ennis has a population of more than 20,000 people however the councillors from the Ennis Munici- pal District can elect a town mayor from among its members.

There is no clear indication as yet when this post will be decided upon or whether it too might be included in a power sharing agreement between the paties. The other Municipal Districts – Killaloe, Shannon and West Clare – will elect a chairperson, or more specifically a chairman, as there are no women among them.

While the new look council will no longer be responsible for water, it will take charge of Enterprise, as the Enterprise Board has now come under the remit of the local authority.

Moves to bring the Clare Local Development Company (Leader) under the council’s authority is currently being resisted nationally.

TALKS to decide who will serve as Mayor of Clare during the next five years were deadlocked last night as Fine Gael and the Independents battled it out for their share of the spoils, with Fianna Fáil as the largest party guaranteed the council chair for two years.

Under a power-share agreement drawn up in 2004 and adhered to ever since, each political grouping within the council takes on the role of mayor and chair of Clare County Council.

The number of years any particular group has the hot seat is relative to the number of members it has in the council chamber.

For the last 10 years this has broken down into a system that allowed Fine Gael the chair for two years, Fianna Fáil for two more and Independents and others one year.

Following last weekend’s local election, the so-called Technical Group – made up of Independents and Sinn Féin’s Mike McKee – have eight seats, the same number as Fine Gael. The Technical Group now argues that it has as much right as Fine Gael to the chair of the council for two of the five years ahead.

As Fianna Fáil has 12 of the 28 county council seats, under this agreement it is expected to hold the mayorship for two years.

The only decision to be made is whom will it nominate to the role.

Sources close to the party say that there are elements within it pushing to put newcomer Clare Colleran Molloy into the chair within the next two years, just in time for the General Election.

Many believe that the new councillor and barrister would be the ideal candidate for the party during the national election. However, there are a number of returning Fianna Fáil councillors who also feel they are entitled to the role given their number of years service and experience.

The first meeting of the newly elected Clare County Council takes place this Friday at 3pm.

AS THE time has past to remove all election posters and plaquards from the county’s streets and roads, some candidates have complained that discarded posters are miraculously appearing again.

During the run up to the local and European elections there were the usual complaints that posters were removed from where they were positioned by campaign teams.

Now as the last votes have been counted “silly season” is setting in again as once disappeared posters are reappearing.

Forgotten election posters still on posts and polls will cost candidates € 150 per poster from now on.

Such fines are issued by Clare County Council’s Environment Department.

In a bid to avoid such fines some candidates have taken to social media asking people to report any sighting of posters.

Ennis Labour candidate Seamus Ryan was particularly disturbed that a poster he removed from Abbey Street a week ago was back again a day later.

“I found one that had been put up on a pole in Abbey Street car park by someone other than a member of my campaign team.

“I know it was put up by someone other than us for two reasons.

“Firstly I personally removed the poster from that very pole on Monday last.

“Secondly no candidate puts the cable ties to the front of the poster, it blocks the name,” he said, publishing a photo of the offending poster on Facebook.

“This is a level of pathetic vindictiveness we really don’t need in local politics.

“Somebody really wants me to get a € 150 fine (that’s per poster), if you see any more up please let me know,” he appealed.

Election poll topper in Shannon Cathal Crowe (FF) was equally concerned about his posters remaining up the poll.

He was among a number of local election candidates using the new communication of social media to remove the more traditional form of communication.

THE Diocese of Killaloe is preparing to welcome a new priest to the area next year following the ordination of Michael Geraghty as a deacon at an ceremony at St Patrick’s College in Maynooth last Sunday.

Reverend Geraghty was one of 15 students who were ordained by the Cardinal of Ireland, Sean Brady, at the ceremony on Sunday, the largest number of deacons ordained in Ireland in recent years.

Reverend Geraghty is the only deacon ordained to the Diocese of Killaloe this year and there was no deacon ordained to Clare’s other diocese, the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora.

This is the final step in Michael’s journey to full priesthood and he will be formally ordained into the priesthood for service in the Killaloe Diocese in the summer of 2015. Michael, who is a native of the Parish of Birr in County Offaly, has spent time working in the parish of Ennis in recent years as part of his on-going training.

“It is with great joy that we celebrate the ordination of 15 men to the diaconate especially today on the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord. On behalf of all of us here in the formation and learning community which is Saint Patrick’s College Maynooth, I congratulate our 15 ordinands and wish them every happiness and blessing in their forthcoming diaconal ministry,” said Monsignor Hugh Connolly, the President of Saint Patrick’s College Maynooth.

“May each of them experience God’s grace afresh in their hearts so that they will courageously proclaim the Gospel in both word and deed and go out to serve the people of God in their various dioceses with care and compassion.”

A TOTAL of € 435,868.80 is to be paid out to councillors who will not be returning to Clare County Council next week.

The eleven Clare county councillors who have left the council, either through retirement or losing their seats, can expect a retirment gratuity payment up to a maximum of € 61,112.12.

Dual councillors, those sitting on both a town and county council, will only receive a gratuity payment from the county council, although some may be entitled to a payment for time served on the town council prior to joining the county council.

Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind), who annouced her retirement from the council prior to the local election, will receive the maximum payment of € 61,112.20 for 35 years service.

Councillors that have served on the council since May 2000, are entitled to a percentatge of their annual sal- ary for every year served since then.

An ex-gratia payment is also added on to this payment for every consecutive year served prior to 2000, up to a maximum of 20 years.

All councillors must also be over 50 years of age to collect their windfall.

For Mayor of Clare Joe Arkins (FG), and councillors Brian Meaney (FF), Tony Mulqueen (FG), Pascal Fitzgerald (Labour), Sean McLoughlin (FG), Oliver Garry (FG), Sean McLoughlin (FG) and Pat Keane (FF), the payment is expected to go some way towards easing the disapointment of losing their seats at the weekend.

Cllr Arkins is expected to receive € 47,541.43; Cllrs Meaney, Fitzgerald and Garry can expect € 33,448; while Cllr Keane will receive € 53,255.27; Cllr Mulqueen € 16,724 and Cllr McLoughlin € 8,362. Meanwhile Cllr Sonny Scanlon (FG) and Tommy Brennan (Ind), who will also retire from the council, are to receive € 57,540.75 each, and Michael Kelly (FF) is to get € 33,448. TODAY Day will st a rt ple a sa n t a n d h e a t u p t o 17c bu t c h a n c e o f a fte rn o o n sh o we rs.

THE school’s Green Flag initiative reached a significant milestone this week when the 100th school in the county was given the environmental award.

Four Clare primary and secondary schools were awarded Green Flags for the first time bringing the number of local schools now holding the international award for environmental action to the century mark.

Run by An Taisce, in partnership with local authorities throughout Ireland, the Green Schools award scheme is an international environmental education programme and management system that acknowledges long-term, whole school action for the environment.

St Patrick’s Comprehensive School in Shannon; Coore NS, Kilkishen NS and Scoil Mhuire in Meelick were presented with their very first Green Flag at a special An Taisce Green Schools Awards ceremony in the Radisson Hotel in Galway.

A further 32 schools successfully renewed their Green Flags following work on new themes including energy, water, travel, biodiversity and global citizenship litter/waste.

The schools include Clondrinagh NS; Úlla Beag Preshool, Killaloe; Doolin NS; Scoil Mhainchín, Ennistymon; Ennis Educate Together NS; St John Bosco Community College, Kildysart; St Senan’s Primary School, Kilrush; Lakyle NS, Whitegate; Moyasta National School; Gaelscoil Iosef Naofa, Moy; St Clare’s School, Ennis; Annagh NS; St Mary’s National School, Feakle; St Enda’s National School, Lisdoonvarna; Scoil na Mainistreach, Quin; Moveen NS; St Colman’s NS, New Quay; Kilmurry NS; St Aidan’s NS, Shannon; Tubber NS; Bridgetown NS; Clohanes NS; Colaiste Muire, Ennis; Knockanean NS; Mol an Óige NS, Ennistymon; Ogonnelloe NS; Stonehall NS; Sixmilebridge NS; Flagmount NS; St Flannan’s NS, Inagh; St Joseph’s NS, Miltown Malbay and Rockmount NS.

Mayor of Clare, Joe Arkins said, “The Green Schools programme continues to be a phenomenal success in Clare with 100 schools now flying the Green Flag. It is estimated that this amounts to a significant cost savings of € 135, 505 for Clare schools. Comhgairdeas do na scoileanna sin ar bronnadh a gcuid Brat Glas.”

Joan Tarmey, Environmental Awareness Officer, noted that Clare’s Green Flag schools have shown significant savings in generating less waste, and reducing energy as well as water consumption.

“While water conservation has never been more topical, one primary school, Clohanes NS, is leading the way and has been just awarded regional winners of the ‘Water School of the Year’ in the southern region. Sponsored by Irish Water, this is the first time such awards have been run. They achieved a 74 per cent reduction in the average litres used per student per day through introducing measures such as urinal sensors, push taps, water experiments, table quizzes, poems, posters and water saving tips.”

THE cheapest farm in Ireland has gone on sale in the Burren – with a large number of bidders expected to show an interested in purchasing a house, farm buildings and a 166 acre farm for just € 250,000.

The farm, which is located at Glencolumbkille in Carron, has being brought to the market by Colm Farrell Auctioneers, at an asking price of just over € 1, 500 per acre. This is in marked contrast to the average price per acre of land received for farms in Clare last year which was in excess of € 6,500.

Indeed, according to figures obtained from the ‘Irish Farmers Journal’, last year’s average price in Clare was more than 20 per cent below the average for 2012, which was just over € 8,500 per acre.

The sales agents describe the property as having “some of the best views of natural landscape in the world” and have also stressed that the € 250,000 is a minimum price, and the property could be sold for a lot more.

“The lands are of mixed quality ranging from grazing land to rock outcrop and water supply is from natural sources only. The residence is in need of major refurbishment but because of its existence, it provides one with permission to reside in one of the most desirable locations in the world of natural scenic landscape,” said a spokesperson.

“The farm also has some farm buildings with livestock handling facilities. One has to visit this farm of beauty to appreciate what it really is and what it has to offer in this wonderful part of the world.”

The property is located around three miles from Carron and about 10 minutes from Kinvara.

After a lull of a number of years, farm land has begun to be bought and sold again in recent months. Indeed, there was almost 3 per cent more land sold in Clare in 2013 compared to the 12 months of 2012.