Category: News

THE Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) discriminates against Shannon Airport and Ryanair in favour of propping up Dublin Airport and the national carrier Aer Lingus.

That’s the claim levelled at the ruling body of Ireland’s three State airports this week by an angry Ryanair boss, Michael O’Leary, after the DAA refused to give the green light for the low-cost carrier’s one million traffic offer for Shannon, in return for a ‘growth incentive scheme’ of € 4.20 per passenger.

“We wrote to them offering to increase our passengers from a base of 300,000, where it is currently, to 1.3 million if they did nothing other than extend the existing transfer incentive scheme, which they admit they have given to Aer Lingus,” said Mr O’Leary.

“The growth would start from November with the introduction of a winter schedule and would grow to 600,000 passengers in year one to a total of a million passengers in year five. I don’t understand why Shannon say it’s unsustainable when it mirrors exactly the deal that the DAA are paying Aer Lingus in Dublin.

“They have this transfer growth incentive scheme they’ve given to Aer Lingus and when we ask for this for Shannon and say we’ll deliver a million additional passengers, they say it’s too expensive. I don’t understand why Shannon say it’s unsustainable when it mirrors exactly the deal that the DAA are paying Aer Lingus in Dublin. The DAA would prefer if Shannon Airport was empty, which it is,” added Mr O’Leary.

Continuing the Ryanair chief said that the DAA was responsible for the collapse in Shannon’s traffic and that his airline was the only one capable of delivering substantial passenger growth at the airport.

“The DAA has overseen the collapse of Shannon traffic from 3.6m passengers in 2007 to just 1.7m passengers in 2010,” he said. “Ryanair is the only airline willing and able to deliver dramatic new route and traffic growth at Shannon and the refusal by the DAA of Ryanair’s one million passenger growth offer proves, yet again, that Dublin Airport has no interest in traffic growth at Shannon.

“If they did, Dublin would not have raised Shannon passenger charges by 33 per cent in November 2010 ( just four months ago) when inflation was 0 per cent and Shannon traffic was collapsing. Furthermore, if the DAA was ‘committed to incentivising growth’ as Declan Collier claims, the DAA would have accepted Ryanair’s offer of 1m growth passengers at Shannon, on similar terms to those currently enjoyed by Aer Lingus at Dublin,” he added.

SHANNON Airport is better off financially by having lower passenger numbers, Dublin Airport Authority chief David Dilger has claimed in rejecting out of hand Ryanair’s proposal to boost passenger numbers at the ailing airport by one million over the next five years.

He made comments when claiming that Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary wanted “hello money” in return for a commitment to boost its services in Shannon back to pre-2009 levels when it operated 53 routes from the airport.

“There isn’t a business in the country that can afford to pay its customers to deal with it,” said David Dilger in rejecting the Ryanair one million offer in return for a ‘growth incentive scheme’ that would see the DAA pay Ryanair € 4.20 for every new passnenger brought through the airport.

“All of us are in business to earn a reasonable profit. I’m afraid Michael’s purported generosity to Shannon is not really sustainable and we are certainly not going to pay him to bring passengers in.

“The fact is the financial situation of Shannon is much better today than it was with a far bigger number of passengers,” said Mr Dilger.

In reference to a previous deal between the DAA and Ryanair at Shannon, Mr Dilger claimed “that deal was never completed by Ryanair.

“The promises that Ryanair made were not delivered to this community and Ryanair paid € 3.7m to the DAA in the High Court in order to reflect their failure to complete the terms of that deal.

“Interestingly, the first part of that deal they want to do now is they want the € 3.7m that was won in the High Court back. So as well as being paid to deliver passengers they want ‘hello money’ as well.”

Mr Dilger’s comments came in the wake of Mr O’Leary’s move to gate-crash the Shannon Chamber of Commerce event in Bunratty Castle Hotel last Wednesday, prior to holding his own press conference in the Clarion Hotel in Limerick later that afternoon.

“ I do not think Shannon will return a profit this year,” said Mr Dilger, “but it is well on the way to becoming sustainable. It’s very important to us that we break even by 2012. That’s the plan and that’s what we will do,” he added.

A FREE alternative heating event organised by local Renewable Energy Consultants Ensoleir will be held on March 10 at Temple Gate Hotel. It is open to the public from 5pm with a seminar-style session for biomass installers beforehand.

The event will be of interest to anyone who wants to reduce their heating bills with the use of a renewable resource like wood and will inform about alternative heating solutions while also launching a new good value multifuel boiler.

Corofin-based company Ensoleir (short for Energy Solutions Ireland), who have recently been a major contributor to the first installation of a Miscanthus-fuelled boiler in Ireland, are now also providing domestic alternative heating solutions fuelled by wood and other solid fuels. In partnership with several wood energy suppliers and supported by Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI) and Limerick Clare Energy Agency (LCEA), Ensoleir are offering a free-of-charge informative event on March 10 at the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis.

“The alternative heating market has been identified as one of rapid growth over the coming years. The Limerick Clare Energy Agency is delighted to support the Getting Renewables Right event organised by local company Ensoleir and partners,” said Pat Stephens, Manager of Limerick Clare Energy Agency.

He welcomed the collaboration between local businesses by saying, “It is great to see local small business in the alternative heating sector coming together and pooling their expertise and resources to make themselves available to the public for questions and advice.”

The afternoon will start with a seminar for biomass installers at 2pm supported by speakers from the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI) and Limerick Clare Energy Agency (LCEA). Throughout the day there will be live demonstrations of a new boiler series in a tailored van that includes the complete heating system.

“In order to provide a good quality product to our customers we believe that we need to go beyond advising them about the benefits of our highquality boilers. We want to provide them with the necessary network to make sure that the installation and maintenance of the boiler as well as the delivery of wood pellets and the pellet quality and availablility are secured from the start,” said Fritz Mohn, founder and CEO of Ensoleir.

AT LEAST one major German tour operator has already signed up to bring a group of eco-tourists to north Clare following the launch of the Burren Eco-tourism Network last week.

The network, which was officially launched by celebrity chef Darina Allen last Thursday, aims to get the tourist community in north Clare working together to offer a more sustainable tourist product to visitors.

The Burren region is now just the second location in Ireland to be granted eco-tourism status by Ecotourism Ireland. Eco-tourism works by offering tourists a more personal and sustainable experience of a location, encouraging smaller scale tours to take more time in an area and in this way gives more benefit to the local economy while reducing any damage to the local environment.

“I’ve already had an enquiry from one major tourist operator in Germany who was looking to organise an eight-day tour around Ireland and to stay in four or five locations. After explaining the concept of eco-tourism and what we had to offer this operator was happy to spend that eightday tour around just two eco-tourism sites in Ireland,” said Edel Hayes of the Burren Connect Project.

“That means that people stay in the area for longer, they have a better experience and the contribute more to the local economy and the local tourist sector while they are here.”

At least one other location in Clare is currently working towards ecotourism status and hopes are high that the county could become the eco-tourism capital of Ireland.

“The people in the network have benefited greatly from getting to know each other and exchanging ideas about how each of them runs their operation but they have also benefited from the knowledge that they have learned from the process of gaining their eco-tourism certificates,” continued Edel.

“We already know of another network who are currently coming together in Clare and are hoping to follow in out footsteps and be accredited by Eco-tourism Ireland. So we are hoping that other networks can come together in Clare and indeed across Ireland and work together.”

More than 20 north Clare businesses have been awarded certificates from Eco-tourism Ireland. The Burren Eco-tourism Network has received support from Clare County Council, Clare Local Development Company, Shannon Development and Fáilte Ireland over the past two years.

COUNCILLORS in Ennis have delayed making a decision on new casual trading byelaws after opposition emerged to a proposal to tow away cars parked in trading bays in the market area of the town.

Under the draft byelaws, it had been proposed to introduce a tow away system for the removal of vehicles in trading bays on casual trading days.

However when the matter was raised at yesterday’s monthly meeting of Ennis Town Council, councillors warned that motorists would be unfairly penalised if the system was introduced.

Describing it as a “very extreme proposal”, Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said the system to tow away cars could discourage people from coming to Ennis.

Cllr Mary Howard (FG) said the council would be taking a “retrograde step” if it started to tow away cars, particularly in cases where pub-goers are choosing to leave their cars in the town centre overnight.

Cllr Peter Considine (FF) said he had “serious concerns” over the proposal and added that clear and visible signage would be essential if the amendment to the byelaws was enacted.

Mayor of Ennis Cllr Brennan (Ind) said that he was against towing with Cllr Flynn urging the council not to take a “sledgehammer approach” to enforcing byelaws.

Town clerk Eddie Power defended the proposal saying that the system would be used “sparingly”.

He said towing would be necessary to ensure that trading bays are available to traders on trading days, particularly when traders pay an annual license fee.

“Traders need reassurance that they can trade on the day and that bays will be available to them,” he added.

Mr Power, who also confirmed that towing would be carried out by a private company, said that if the council was serious about redevel- oping the market then a “regime had to be put in place that allows trading to take place”.

Town Manager Ger Dollard said that he understood concerns about the proposal but that cars would only be towed away as a “last resort”.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) supported the towing policy, saying it was necessary to effectively ensure trading in the market.

Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) strongly criticised the proposal, saying it sent out all the wrong signals about Ennis.

Councillors agreed to defer the matter until next month’s meeting.

Councillors also rejected a proposal to restrict the sale of Christ- mas trees to the Island car park in Cloughleigh.

The new byelaws provide for a new system of payment of the annual license fee and the change in orientation of the market’s 53 stalls. A special event license and fee will also be introduced.

Among the other main amendments proposed for the draft byelaws are setting trading hours from 7am to 7pm, setting the maximum height of stalls to 2.4 metres, prohibiting the sale of alcohol, the removal of three casual trading bays in Summerhill and the restriction of trading at market place car park (bays 43 to 53 inclusive) to 2pm on Saturdays.

OFFICIALS from Ennis Town Council are to hold a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce with the aim of resolving parking issues in Ennis “once and for all”, Town Manager Ger Dollard has said.

Speaking at yesterday’s monthly meeting of Ennis Town Council, Mr Dollard said the meeting was being organised to address “actual or perceived problems” with parking in Ennis.

He said it was necessary to resolve the matter as ongoing criticism of parking policy in Ennis is doing a “great disservice” to the town.

Mr Dollard was speaking during a lengthy debate on new parking byelaws for Ennis, which heard calls for parking concessions to be given to Health Services Executive (HSE) workers in Ennis.

HSE staff have requested parking permits from the council, claiming the reduction in maximum stay car parks from three hours to two hours “would greatly inconvenience staff and patients accessing services at Francis Street and Bindon Street clinics.

Mr Dollard said that any decision to grant preferential treatment to one particular group in Ennis would, in his view, “be inappropriate and pos- sibly illegal”.

Mr Dollard said members of the executive would “strongly advise” against councillors amending the council’s draft parking byelaws to allow for the granting of parking permits to HSE workers.

Mr Dollard said that councillors had been informed of proposed changes to the council’s parking permits policy last November.

This was disputed by councillors who claimed that they had not been made aware that the changes would affect frontline HSE workers.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said that a concession for HSE workers had been in place since 1996.

Cllr Paul O’Shea (Lab) said the council should be working to support people who are working with the most vulnerable people in society.

The Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind), told the meeting that it would be easy for councillors to act in what he called a “populist” fashion to try and secure parking concession for different groups in Ennis.

Cllr Brennan said the issue of parking concessions had been discussed last year during the council’s discussions on the preparation of the 2011 budget.

He asked that if concessions are introduced, “where do we get the money to balance the budget”.

However Cllr Brennan said that solution could be found if council officials entered discussions with the HSE.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said the workers are not “looking for a free pass” and are willing to pay for parking.

He urged the council to deal with cars owned by HSE workers in the same way they deal with ambulances and cars owned by doctors.

Mr Dollard said he would meet with the HSE prior to next month’s council meeting. The byelaws were subsequently passed.

THE Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Tommy Brennan, has called on the incoming Government to make good on promises to upgrade the sewage treatment network in Ennis.

Plans to upgrade wastewater treatment plants in Ennis were first announced in 1995 but the project suffered a major setback in 2001 when the Department of the Environment refused funding.

Gerry O’Donnell of Clare County Council’s water services section, told the meeting that the council is currently working on an overall strategy for the waste water treatment infrastructure in Ennis.

He said that while previous plans had been drawn up, the new strategy had to take into account the “raft of environmental legislation” that has been published in recent years.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said that the Clondroadmore project opens up the potential for commercial and residential development in Ennis.

Cllr Brennan (Ind) said that Clondroadmore formed part of the overall strategy and that the incoming Government had given funding commitments to the council.

In supporting the upgrade to Clonroadmore, Cllr Brennan called on the council to seek funding for the overall wastewater network scheme.

Cllr Neylon was skeptical about the project, describing it as a sticking plaster and claiming councillors will still be talking about in “30 years time”.

“We might never get the chance again. The plug was pulled in 2001. We’ve said it before, but if an industrialist were to come to town we would have to refuse planning because we don’t have capacity,” he added.

The council intends to upgrade the existing waste water treatment facility at Clonroadmore. The current design capacity of the treatment plant is 17,000 pe. According to Town Manager Ger Dollard, the proposal will allow for a design capacity of 30,150 pe. The project will improve stormwater capacity and treatment at the plant as well as increasing the plant’s hydraulic capacity.

FINE Gael have blown their best ever chance of taking a third seat in Clare by only running three candidates in last week’s election. That is according to a survey of FG county councillors conducted by The Clare People in which 10 of the 12 councillors, including unsuccessful candidate Tony Mulcahy, agreeing that a major tactical mistake had been made.

The vast majority of councillors said that either east Clare’s Joe Cooney or north Clare’s Martin Conway should have been added to the ticket – with some describing the move to run just three candidates as “gutless” and “lacking ambition”.

Only one councillor agreed that the three candidate strategy was the right one with one other declining to comment.

“The Fine Gael strategy of leaving north and west Clare with no candidate for the first time in history was a big mistake. This was one of the reasons why Dr Hillery (FF), James Breen (Ind) and Michael McNamara (Lab), who got a lot of votes in the area, did so well,” said Cllr Martin Conway – who yesterday announced his intention to run for the Seanad.

“Fine Gael at national strategy were made aware of this situation but the chose not to listen to the grass roots. They were well briefed by the organisation here in Clare.

Cllr Tony Mulcahy, who won 7,438 votes in Friday’s election, also said that strategy was a mistake saying that there was “definitely a case for saying that we could have ran another candidate – either Joe or Martin”.

There was also a feeling amongst the Fine Gael councillors that a third seat would have guaranteed a Clare seat at the cabinet table.

East Clare councillors Pat Burke said that “the morning that Tony Killeen retired I feel that Martin Conway should have been added to the ticket in north Clare” while Clarecastle’s Paul Murphy said that “a third candidate in north Clare it would have given us a serious shot at at taking that third seat”.

NEXT WEEK Clare will more than likely have three Government TDs as Fine Gael and Labour enter coalition talks, and the longest serving of those TDs believes the county should also have a ministry.

Speaking after he topped the poll in the General Election to be the first TD returned for the Banner Fine Gael’s Pat Breen said he believed that the county should at the very least get a junior ministry.

“We have returned three Government TDs here tonight and three Government TDs can make a difference. I would hope also that the Taoiseach would take the opportunity to give one of us in Government a ministry,” he said referring to himself, party colleague Joe Carey and Labour’s Michael McNamara.

“It would make a great difference to the county if we had a junior minister or a minister in the county it- self, and after returning three Government TDs I think Clare at least deserves that.”

The Ballynacally man was coy and evasive however when asked if that TD should be the longest serving in the county. “That would be up to the Taoiseach himself,” he said.

In the neighbouring constituency of Limerick city, where more than 4,000 Clare citizens vote, the constituents are also expecting a “full car” in the form of a senior ministry.

For the first time ever the party’s Finance spokesperson and former party leader Michael Noonan topped the poll in the constituency with more than 30 per cent of the vote.

The 67-year-old is now favourite to take the key position of Minister for Finance, even in the likelihood of the Fine Gael Labour coalition.

The constituency’s proximity to Clare makes it very unlikely that the TDs from the Banner County will also get a seat on the Government front bench.

Most political commentators say the most Clare can hope for now is a junior ministry. The last Fine Gael TD from Clare to hold such a position was Donal Carey, father of Fine Gael’s second TD in Clare Joe Carey. He was appointed Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht by then Taoiseach John Bruton in January 1995.

CLARE County Council insists that it has done ‘quite well’ in securing flood funding from the Office of Public Works since the flood disaster in November of 2009 – despite Clare receiving approval for fewer projects than other affected counties.

The local authority confirmed to The Clare People that they are awaiting decisions on “seven or eight” projects which they have submitted to the OPW for funding.

Since November of 2009 the local authority has received € 300,000 in OPW funding for the Gort Road Flood Relief Scheme; € 135,000 for schemes in the Watery Road, Elm Park and Fior Uisce areas of Ennis; and € 160,000 for a number of small flood relief schemes in the north Clare area.

This compares to an allocation to Cork County Council of € 1,805,000; Galway County Council of € 1,695,000 and Kildare County Council of € 1,466,000 in funding since the November 2009 flooding, although Clare County did receive in the region of € 9m to complete flood relief scheme in the Ennis Town Centre just before November 2009.

Clare County Council last week circulated details of progress made in securing flood funding from the OPW following a question raised at last month’s meeting of Clare County Council.

In addition to these schemes, Clare County Council is waiting for “confirmation of continuation of funding” for a flood relief scheme in the St Flannan’s/Ballybeg Area while flood defences have been improved in the Shannon area.

“Clare County Council has reviewed and will continue to review its inventory of flood defence infrastructure and equipment and is continuing to develop and improve its response strategies in the face of prospective major flood events as resources permit,” said Senior Engineer, Tom Tiernan.

“Records were retained in relation to all of the locations where flooding became a problem and these records have been/will be of benefit in the design of flood relief schemes and in informing the Councils Emergency Response Strategy as required in future.”

The council also pointed out that first phase of the Ennis Town Centre Flood Relief Scheme had just been substantially completed before November of 2009 at a cost of € 9,000,000.

A council spokesperson also confirmed that the tender process pertaining to the second phase of the Ennis Town Centre Scheme is substantially completed and the project is scheduled to get under way in the near future.