Category: News

THE day before the Fine Gael party launched its health policy, party leader Enda Kenny was telling the people of Clare that while the party would cease the reconfiguration of hospital services, it was too late to undo what had already been done.

“It is very difficult to undo work in the medical area once it has happened. As I move around the country I am being asked by so many hospitals, ‘can you restore facilities that have been taken away here?’ and my honest answer is I can’t because people don’t believe a situation like that, but before a service is taken away, before medical facilities are removed that is that time to make a case and Fine Gael has been very clear about that,” he said in response to questions about the future of Ennis General Hospital. “We don’t want anything closed down unless it is demonstrated that there is something better in its place. This is clearly not the case here.

“Fine Gael is committed to retention of medical services here in Ennis and the suspension of the removal of the cardiac facilities. Obviously Fine Gael’s overall view in the longer term is to change the health system to one of universal health where hospitals should be run by local trusts.

“There is little point in proceeding with a process that is blatantly not working as the regional hospital is chock-a-block. Our view is that you should not close down something until you have something better in its place” he said.

Deputy Kenny said that once a patient gets into the system it works well, the problem is getting into the health system quickly.

He also denied allegations that universal health insurance would close a hospital like Ennis describing the suggestion as “absolute rubbish”.

Fine Gael candidate Cllr Tony Mulcahy said the leader gave a commitment to the candidates that the party would retain acute services at the hospital “in their current format”. That would mean the retention of cardiac services and the anaesthetists at that hospital that has already lost its 24-hour A&E service.

THE IRISH National Teachers’ Organisation said Government could afford to pay the cost of teachers’ pensions. The union criticised what it called plans by Government to walk away from pension responsibilities.

The claims came at a meeting for primary and post primary teachers held in the University of Limerick on Wednesday.

At present retired teachers get a pension of half of their final salary after 40 years teaching. These pensions are linked to the pay of serving teachers.

The new proposals would mean that pensions would be decided on “career average” earnings.

“These three proposed changes will be devastating for the pensions of new teachers,” said Sean McMahon. INTO Executive member representing Clare.

“There will be no net benefit from being in a pension scheme as many teachers will pay in far more than they will ever get out. This situation may be open to legal challenge especially since membership is compulsory.”

NEW byelaws which allow for the introduction of a new € 40 charge to be levied on clubs for the use of facilities at the Lees Road Sports and Amenity Complex were voted through at yesterday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council.

A majority of councillors present voted 5-3 in favour of adopting the council’s new parks and open spaces byelaws on the condition, proposed by Cllr Brian Meaney (GP), that the laws be reviewed within one year.

A counter motion, proposed by Councillor Johnny Flynn (FG) that the byelaws be introduced without the introduction of new charges, was defeated in a separate vote.

In a report, town clerk Eddie Power insisted that the proposed charges will “apply only to organised use by clubs for this area specifically”.

Mr Power along with town manager Ger Dollard and several coun- cillors insisted that the charges will not apply to individual walkers and runners.

The area to be charged for relates to a section of re-developed track that borders woodland at the rear of the facility’s synthetic running track and all weather soccer pitch.

Mr Dollard said that it costs the council almost € 100,000 to maintain Lees Road.

Mr Power defended the charges, describing them as “competitive and not excessive”.

He said they were being introduced in the interests of fairness and consistency as charges were currently in place for other facilities at Lees Road.

However, some councillors expressed opposition to the new charges. Cllr Mary Howard (FG) described them as “retrograde”, saying that groups such as the ladies Meet and Train and the Clare Crusaders who are not organised sports clubs, may be charged under the byelaws.

She said, “It’s as clear as mud to a lot of people. It’s growing legs because its not clear who is being targeted.”

Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) said that a number of athletic clubs were interested in contributing to the cost of new facilities at Lees Road.

He said it was unfair that some clubs could avail of lighting for free at Lees Road while other clubs paid for it.

LOCAL councillors have voted in favour of a proposal that would see two residents in Cloughleigh sit on an advisory group for a new youth and community resource building to be managed by Clare Youth Services.

Locals have been opposed to the siting of the € 500,000 building at Cloughleigh Road in Ennis, due to fears over anti-social behaviour and the perceived impact the centre would have on elderly residents.

Following requests from local councillors and residents, the outline of a proposed lease agreement between the council and Clare Youth Services was presented at yesterday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council.

The proposed advisory panel would also include one local councillor and a council official with a further eight more people with “recognised experience” to be selected by Clare Youth Service.

It is also proposed that the opening hours for the centre be from “8am to 10 pm each day”.

This proposal was criticised by Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) who said the centre should not be open seven days a week. Town manager Ger Dollard explained it was unlikely the building would be open on a seven-day basis. He said the opening hours had been proposed to allow for greater use of the building by members of the wider Cloughleigh community.

Mr Dollard said it was a pity that the building had become “bogged down in negativity” as it was a very positive project for Ennis.

He warned that unless councillors voted to accept his recommendation to agree a lease with Clare Youth Service, then the building would remain “vacant”.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said that at a time of unemployment when there is a “crying demand” for youth and community services, it would be “reprehensible for elected members to leave that building empty”.

Five councillors – Tommy Brennan (Ind), Peter Considine (FF), Johnny Flynn (FG), Brian Meaney (GP) and Paul O’Shea (Lab) – voted in favour of progressing the lease agreement on the condition that two residents sit on the advisory panel.

Three councillors – Mary Howard (FG), Frankie Neylon (Ind) and Michael Guilfoyle – voted against the proposal. Cllr Mary Coote Ryan (FG) was not present at the meeting.

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.

FINE Gael will make Shannon Airport great again – this pre-election promise was delivered local candidate, Deputy Joe Carey his week as he rounded on “a decade of Fianna Fáíl ambivalence” that has “brought the airport to its knees”.

In a wide-ranging document published on Monday, Deputy Carey has pledged key priorities for the airport in the medium to long term.

“A healthy and vibrant Shannon Airport is key for the economic re- covery of County Clare.

“My key policies include: Following a process of engagement with all major stakeholders in Shannon, I want to ensure a plan for the future of the airport is drawn up and acted upon.

“The current DAA governance model is working against Shannon Airport. This must be ended and Shannon must be free to determine its own future, with its own independent board, free from DAA control.

“I have opposed consistently the disastrous € 10 travel tax, which is now reduced to € 3. We cannot generate more business through Shannon by taxing passengers. I want the € 3 tax scrapped and Fine Gael in government have committed to this,” said Deputy Carey.

Continuing, Deputy Carey, who is seeking a second term in Dáil Éireann after being first elected in 2007, says “Shannon has the potential to develop as an international cargo hub with relatively little investment needed.

“Government agencies have been calling for this for over a decade. I want to ensure the investment is provided to make this a reality and begin to generate much needed jobs in the County.

“I believe Shannon can become an Airport the envy of Europe and play a key role in the economic recovery of the whole of the Mid-West region.

“In government I will draw on the expertise of interested persons and organisations, to ensure the very best persons are running and managing Shannon Airport. Shannon was a great airport once. Together we can make it great again,” he added.

ENNIS actor Diarmuid de Faoite will be back on Irish television screens next week when he takes a lead role in TG4’s new crime drama, ‘Corp + Anam’.

De Faoite plays Cathal Mac Iarnáin, a TV crime correspondent who chases stories of health service neglect, boy-racer mindlessness, internet paedophilia and Garda corruption.

The four part series, which is written and directed by first time director Darach Mac Iomaire, begins on TG4 on February 16 (9.30pm).

De Faoite was born and raised in Ennis, where he attended the CBS. He began his professional theatre career with Na Fánaithe Theatre Com- pany in Galway in 1988, beginning his television career two years later with the release of Grásta i Meiriceá, an iconic Irish film by Antoine O Flaithearta, directed by Niall O Briain.

He moved to RTÉ in the early 90’s, co-presenting, writing, researching and performing in the ECU! ECU! and Eureka series over two seasons as well as puppeteering and researching for other RTE series such as The Morbegs and Cúrsaí Ealaíne.

He moved to STV in Scotland to perform in Machair, the Gaidhlig/ English soap opera, returning to Ireland to direct Cathal Ó Searcaigh’s ‘Tá an Tóin ag Titim as an tSaol’ in Belfast.

After stints in Dublin with both Amharclann de hÍde and the Peacock at the Abbey, Diarmuid returned to Galway to write and direct TG4’s first ever drama commission, Une Histoire d’Amour.

He performed, puppeteered, advised and dubbed on many of the early commissions at the time including the Ros na Rún pilot, becoming one of it’s best loved characters (Jack) for seven years.

Since then Diarmuid has been a fairly regular feature in Town Hall Theatre, An Taibhdhearc and POC productions, his own company, as well as performing with Druid.

Diarmuid has won both The Stewart Parker Trust Award and Duais Aitheantais an Oireachtais for his one-man play, ‘Pádraic Ó Conaire’. Together with director Paul Brennan, he won ‘Best Production’ for POC’s stage adaptation of ‘Paris,Texas’ for The Dublin Fringe as well as ‘Best Production’ for POC’s production of ‘The Fairgreen Slaughterhouse’ for Project ‘06 .

Together with Johnny White he won Best Feature Documentary at the Celtic Media Festival 2008.

LESS than 10 per cent of dogs in Clare are licenced, according to the county’s dog warden. Frankie Coote believes there are 35,000 dogs in the county, only 4,500 of which have licences.

He said that by-laws would have to be introduced in an effort to tackle this. Dog licences cost just € 12.70 each. “You can guarantee that the 4,500 are being well looked after and walked,” he told a meeting of Shannon Town Council last week.

He said that Kilrush and Shannon are blackspots for dogs roaming freely.

While the issue of dangerous dogs has abated in general and the “welfare issue” has improved a lot, there are concerns about the number of dogs not on leads.

He said that 177 dogs were surrendered by their owners in the past four months.

He is proposing to carry out a blitz and over the space of a couple of days in Shannon in an effort to clamp down on wandering dogs and said he believes that less than five per cent of dogs in the town have licences.

Mr Coote told councillors that there had been several dangerous dogs in the Shannon area, but most of those have now been taken out of circulation.

“Most of the dogs I identified are no longer in Shannon or they are no longer on the loose,” he said.

He said he was notified of an incident in the town recently where a pitbull terrier “almost killed another man’s dog who was on a lead”.

However, he said that no complaints were lodged “until the dog half killed a dog and attacked a man”.

He said that Clare County Council is reluctant to prosecute people and said it costs € 2, 500 to bring a case to court. On average, 50 fines, of € 32 each, are dished out every year by the dog warden to those who fail to control their dogs.

“When you do pick up dogs I’d be more than surprised if they [owners] came looking for them in Shannon. Either they are abandoning them or the owners just don’t care,” he said.

“Kilrush and Shannon are two blackspots. I have seen massive improvements in Ennis, but there has been absolutely no improvement with the amount of dogs that are loose in Shannon,” he said.

“I am proposing to do a blitz and pick up dogs. I will not have people going around with bull terriers, rotweillers and alsatians on the loose. It is a problem in Shannon. The law says you can be fined € 1,200 if your dog is not on a lead,” he added.

He said that in one instance dogs were running around a garden where dead rats were lying, which created a huge concern.

Cllr Gerry Flynn (Ind) told the meeting that there are issues in relation to dogs roaming in various parts of the town, including Rossbracken. “People are afraid to walk. I walk there myself and it’s like a greyhound track at times,” he said.