Category: News

CLARE County Council is bracing itself for further jobs losses in the coming months following the revelation yesterday that the local authority may only be half way through its restructuring programme.

The workforce of Clare County Council has been reduced by around 150 employees over the past two years and according to county manager Tom Coughlan, the local authority may be forced to shed even more jobs in the coming months.

Speaking at last night’s meeting of Clare County Council, Mr Coughlan said that he expects the council to be hit hard by the reduction in public sector numbers promised by some political parties ahead of the General Election.

“There are not all going to be guards and nurses, there is going to be cuts right across the entire public sector. We are looking at severe losses in local authority as well as in the other across the public service,” he said.

Mr Coughlan was commenting on a discussion about the possibility of increasing the numbers employed by the council in roads maintenance. Mr Coughlan said that there was “no point in saying that there is a chance of us increasing our staffing levels” at the current time.

Under the terms of the Croke Park Agreement, wage levels cannot be reduced so any proposed reduction in the overall staffing costs of the local authority would have to come reducing the numbers employed.

“It is a bleak outlook and it looks certain that there will be a further cut in the numbers employed by Clare County Council, as with other areas of the public services,” continued Mr Coughlan.

Speaking on the motion, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) urged the local authority to take advantage of any national schemes which would allow the local authority to take on unemployed people as part-time council employees without adding to Clare County Council’s wage bill.

“We need to look at different ways of doing things if this is going to be the way it is in the Council,” he said.

“There is going to have to be very much more about working with communities and with the unemployed.”

Speaking on the motion Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) described the jobs cuts in the local authority as “a fundamental attack on the local authority” and “privitisation by stealth”.

CLARE County Council is to write to the President of the America, Barack Obama, officially inviting him to visit the county and use Shannon Airport in the coming months.

The motion, which was put forward by Cllr James Breen (Ind), came about following a discussion on the future commitments of Aer Lingus to Shannon Airport. On the foot of the motion the local authority will now write to President Obama, officially inviting him to visit Clare.

While Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal confirmed last year the US President would pay a visit to Ireland during his first term in office no official confirmation has come from the White House.

It is also unclear what impact, if any, the invitation from Clare County Council will have on shaping the possible itinerary that the US Presi- dent would have on the proposed state visit.

The invitation arose following a motion on Shannon Airport put forward by Cllr PJ Ryan (Ind).

According to Cllr Ryan, the decision by Aer Lingus not to operate a transatlantic service into Shannon Airport at certain times of the years is having a negative impact on tourism in the county, especially around St Patrick’s Day.

“This council needs to make representations to Aer Lingus to establish their long-term commitment to Shannon Airport in view of the fact that they have suspended their transatlantic flights for the early part of 2011, which includes the St Patrick’s Day period,” he said.

“I feel that this situation need to be highlighted. Our former national airline has taken it upon itself to discontinue service into Shannon for the early months of the year. This is unbecoming of a company which is still party owned by the State. Aer Lingus’ commitment to Shannon is very poor and we would like to know what there plans are for the airport in the coming years.”

According to Shannon-based Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind), the loss of the year-round transatlantic services is doing long-term damage to the region.

“This is not just doing damage to the airport, it is damaging all the businesses in the area,” she said.

“This is doing long-term damage to the airport when the so called national carried is just coming in during the summer months and cherry picking during the busy months.”

Speaking on the motion, Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said that Shannon Airport must feel like the “jilted partner” as a result of Aer Lingus’ new found affection for Dublin Airport and Terminal 2.

STUDENTS from north Clare and south Galway have been granted a one year reprieve before school transport services are overhauled drastically in the area.

The Department of Education has announced that Gort Community School and Seamount College in Kinvara will continue to have a “joint catchment area” in parts of north Clare and south Galway for the 2011/2012 school year.

It is as yet unclear what will happened to services after that with a spokesperson from Gort Community School saying that the battle to retain the service will continue.

The reconfiguring of services follows a decision to open Seamount College to male students. The school traditionally operated a joint catchment, which allowed students from all areas to take advantage of school transport to either school.

Should this arrangement be cancelled it would create a situation where new students would not be able to travel to school with their older siblings and would split a number of families between each school.

It is also estimated that the change in the services could result in a 25 per cent reduction in the amount of students attending Gort Community School. A spokesperson from the schools parent’s association claims this will have a drastic effect on the standard of education in the area.

“If this goes through Gort Community School will use a lot of its services because of the drop in numbers, with two medium-sized schools instead of one big school and one small school, neither school will be able to offer things like woodwork and metal work,” said the spokesperson.

MORE THAN 1,000 Clare homes could face repossession once the Government’s stay on house repossessions is lifted.

According to figures released by the Irish Central Bank, more then 70,000 Irish homeowners are struggling to pay their mortgages with more than 30,000 currently making interest only payments.

It is also estimated that no payment has been made on more than 100 Clare mortgages for 12 months or over. The Clare Citizens Information Service and the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) have organised a special public seminar for people in mortgage difficulty, which will take place at in Ennis this Thursday.

Despite new mortgage arrears measures introduced by the Central Bank last December, there has still been an increase in the number of homes being repossessed.

“The rise in possession actions underscores the need for a non-judicial, national debt settlement office,” said Paul Joyce, senior policy researcher on consumer credit law for the Free legal Advice Centres (FLAC), who will speak at the event.

“The EU/IMF deal had set a March 2012 deadline for a new law to create an out-of-court system to deal with personal debt. We cannot wait that long.”

The seminar will focus on mortgage debt and the impact it is having on people in Clare.

According to Paul Woulfe, Manager with the Citizens Information Service (CIS), more and more people are contacting CIS with difficulties keeping a roof over their heads.

“Recent data provided by MABS indicates that the number of mortgage arrears cases has increased by 57 percent between 2009 and 2010,” he said.

“Responding to this situation the seminar will address some of the issues with a expert panel of speaker in the areas of the revised Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears and dealing with mortgage debt.”

The seminar will take place at the Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis, Thursday, February 17, from 10am to 1pm.

Meanwhile, the Citizens Information Mobile Unit will be in Sixmilebridge on Friday, February 18; in Tulla on Monday, February 21; and in Ballyvaughan on Tuesday, February 22. It will also be in Miltown Malbay on Wednesday, February 23, and Lisdoonvarna on Thursday, February 24.

TOURISM could be catalyst which brings about economic recovery in County Clare with a number of new projects announced this week.

More then 20,000 bed nights are expected to be sold in Clare as a result of ‘Lord of the Dance’ coming to the Cliffs Of Moher this September, which, according to the management at the iconic tourism location, could be the first of a number of high profile events to come to Clare in the coming year.

“This is a really big announcement and it is welcomed by everyone here at the Cliffs. It is a great event but it will also give people nationally the chance to witness what we have her in Clare,” said Geraldine Enright, Sales and Marketing Manager for the Cliffs of Moher.

“This event will have a massive spin off for business around north Clare but also for the county as a whole. We had a lot of local businesses here for the launch and they can all look forward to being booked out for the first week in September.

“We don’t have any solid plans for future event that might take place but we will wait and see how this one takes place and then see what we can do into the future.”

Tickets for the event, which is being organised by MPO Promotions Limited, will go on sale at Ticketmaster outlets today, September 15. Tickets can also be purchased in person from the Cliffs of Moher Centre.

Michael Flatley’s ‘Lord of the Dance’ will be performed at the world famous Cliffs of Moher in Clare on September 1 and 2.

The show features 40 precision dancers acting out the mythical Irish folk story of a battle between Don Dorcha, the Lord of Darkness, and the Lord of Light, also known as the ‘Lord of the Dance’.

Local musicians Michael O’Connell, Hugh Healy and friends with special guest folk legend Finbar Furey and the world famous Kilfenora Céilí Band, will share the finale with the ‘Lord of the Dance’ troupe at the top of the Cliffs of Moher.

The performances will coincide with the tourist attraction’s campaign to be selected as one of the ‘New7Wonders of Nature’. The results of the four-year campaign, which will be decided through a worldwide poll, will announced on November 11 of this year.

A LOCAL traders group has said they have serious concerns over a proposed large-scale retail development on the outskirts of Ennis.

Planning permission has been sought by Michael Lynch Ltd for the development of a retail park at five hectares of land at Limerick Road and Tobertascáin.

It is projected that as many as 500 jobs could be created if the project gets the go-ahead.

According to planning consultants DPP (Development Planning Partnership), 300 temporary jobs will be created in construction while with a further 200 full time jobs in retail on completion.

However Gearoid Mannion, Chairman of the O’Connell Street Traders Association, has said there are concerns about the potential impact of the development on business in the town centre.

He explained, “It is a significant worry. It would be bad, not just for O’Connell Street but the town centre. It would be a huge matter for Ennis town centre. We would be very concerned.”

The O’Connell Street Traders Association has written a letter to Ennis Town Council outlining their observations of the proposed development.

Mr Mannion explained, “We are saying that we would be very concerned that it would be detrimental to existing business in the town centre. Such a development is unnecessary in size and scale and is way in excess of what could be considered suitable for a town the size of Ennis.”

Ennis chamber and An Táisce have also written submissions to Ennis Town Council outlining their concern over the project.

Three businesses have closed on O’Connell Street since the start of the year. However Mr Mannion be- lieves Ennis has not been affected as badly as other similar sized towns.

He said, “It is the time of year when it is most likely to happen. I would be hopeful and confident that we have seen the last of the closures.”

He added, “We are still in a slightly better position than other towns. Tralee and Nenagh would be in a significantly worse place than we are. Limerick, even though it is a city, has also been badly hit. That’s very clearly as a result of the success of the Crescent Shopping Centre.”

Noreen Twomey Walsh of the Parnell Street Association said businesses all over Ennis are “feeling the pinch”. She added, “It’s universal, it’s in every town and city. It’s not just Parnell Street, O’Connell Street and Abbey Street, but we’re optimistic that things will start to turn the other way.”

She added, “It’s sad to see shops close down but we’re hoping that things will get better.”

ONE of the first nuns to qualify in medicine, Sr Dr Maura O’Donoghue has been named as the Clare Person of the Year.

Sr O’Donoghue was honoured at the annual meeting of the Clare Association in Dublin last week.

A native of Lickeen, Kilfenora, Sr O’Donoghue was one of the first members of the religious order to practice medicine. Presenting the award, Liam O’Looney of the Clareman’s Association noted that Sr O’Donoghue qualified at a time when some people “were not happy that the religious sisters were qualifying in medicine”.

Mr O’Looney continued, “Sr Maura had a very distinguished career in the missions and most of her work was carried out in different parts of Africa and other developing countries. She initiated welfare schemes and clinics for the hungry during some of the very serious famines they suffered in those countries during that period.”

Sr O’Donohue now lives in Booterstown, Dublin, where she is very ac- tive campaigner on the issue of women being trafficked as sex workers.

Acclaimed singer and writer Robbie McMahon from Spancill Hill was nominated for the association’s 2011 Hall of Fame award.

The ceremony also saw the launch of the Clare Association’s new website, clareassociationdublin.com.

The primary aim of the website is the reach out to generations of Clare migrants living in Dublin.

The website was launched by businessman and prominent Clare supporter, Pat O’Donnell, who brought Clare GAA’s most sought after trophies – Jack Daly (football) and Canon Hamilton (hurling) – to the event.

Among the other attendees were previous Clare persons of the year, Martin Donnelly, Michael Tubridy and John Lynch.

ENNIS Town Council will not be represented at the annual St Patrick’s Day in New York after councillors declined an invitation to attend the event.

Catherine T Hogan, President of the County Clare Patriotic Benevolent and Social Association of New York City, had issued an invitation to the mayor of Ennis Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) and the town manager, “or their respective representatives” to attend the parade in the Big Apple on March 17.

At yesterday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council, Cllr Brennan turned down the invitation, saying the mayor’s place on St Patrick’s Day should be in Ennis.

Mr Dollard said that a member of the Ennis / Phoenix twinning delegation would be in Arizona for St Patrick’s Day and that it might not be appropriate for the council to attend both events.

Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) proposed that Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) represent Ennis in New York. Cllr Meaney said he was not in a position to go and that the trip might not be advisable given the current economic circumstances.

Cllr Meaney then proposed that Cllr Johnny Flynn should go. Cllr Flynn also declined the offer, saying it was not his policy to go on foreign trips. He said councillors should instead stay at home and support local events.

Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind), who as deputy mayor represented Ennis at last year’s parade in New York, said it was important the council send someone to America to show support for emigrants.

Cllr Guilfoyle too turned down an invitation to attend, citing “other commitments”.

THE Clare Citizens Information Centre is spearheading a new initiative designed to help some of the 10,000 people who are currently signing on the Live Register in the county. A special information helpline has been set up along with an online one-stop-shop designed to help Clare people who have recently lost their jobs. According to Paul Woulfe of the Clare Citizens Information Centre, cutbacks in the public sector as well as a marked increase in the number of people losing their jobs, has created a large backlog in claims being processed.

The Ennis branch of the Citizens Information Centre has also seen a large rise in the number of people using the service with questions about redundancies. According to Mr Woulfe, a marked increase in the number of companies going into liquidation has created a large waiting list for people who are forced to get their statutory redundancy from the Social Insurance Fund.

“A key feature of Citizens Information Services is to provide responses to the multi-faceted needs of people that very often cross the boundaries of Government departments. Our services provide comprehensive information, advice and advocacy in an accessible format to empower and enable people to access their entitlements,” said Mr Woulfe. “It is vitally important that people who have lost their job or are being put on reduced working hours get clear, comprehensive information about their rights and entitlements. Citizen Information provides a countywide service, through its website, phone service and locally-based offices.

“This new website contains comprehensive information which is readily accessible and easily understood.”

Last month the Citizens Information Service saw a 20 per cent increase on the number of people using the service compared to January of 2010.

“Losing your job is a shocking and stressful event that not only affects your finances but many other areas of your life also,” continued Mr Woulfe. “In the current economic conditions it would appear there will be no magic cure in the short term. When people are newly unemployed, facing redundancy or coping with reduced hours or pay at work they will have many questions about what supports are available.”

The new Citizens Information Service helpline can be reached on 1890 777121 or by going online at www.losingyourjob.ie.

LOCAL businesses and members of the public in north Clare have criticised Clare County Council’s handling of latest sewage contamination in the drinking water supply in Ballyvaughan.

This is the forth time in the past year that a boil notice had to be placed on the Ballyvaughan water supply, with farm slurry or domestic waste the likely cause of the contamination.

Following a previous contamination in October of last year, Clare County Council promised to set up a text alert service, which would allow local people to be warned that the water was not safe to drink.

However, local people have criticised Clare County Council for not informing them that the water was dangerous to drink, with the local authority only releasing a warning on their website last Friday, February 4, almost a week after the contamination was first noticed.

According to local shopkeeper and tourist centre operator Jim Linnane, he was only notification of the outbreak when Clare County Council asked him to put up a sign warning the public in his shop, three days after the outbreak was first noticed.

“The only notification I got about this was a phone call from a lady in the Environment Section of Clare County Council last Monday or Tuesday. She called asking me to make a sign and put it up in the shop to warn people that the water was unsafe. This is days after the water was bad,” he said.

“We got no notification from Clare County Council that the water was not safe to drink again. Normally we get signs and posters, which are put up to warn people but not this year.

“It’s a ridiculous situation. In this day and age it is completely ridiculous that we cannot have a water supply which is safe for human consumption. We are going backwards. We could drink the water 15 years ago and it was fine; this situation is ridiculous.”

Clare County Council issued a statement last Friday, February 4, requesting that people in the Ballyvaughan area submit their mobile phone numbers to the council if they wished to be included on the boil water text warning system. They also indicated that the current boil notice would be lifted once the Ballyvaughan water system is connected to the main regional supply scheme next month.

Anyone who wishes to be part of the text warning scheme should contact Clare County Council Water Services Section on 065 6846427.