Category: News

MEMBERS of Clare County Council have argued that the retention of the council’s existing wind strategy will aid job creation in the county.

The Clare wind energy strategy will form the basis of development plan policy on wind energy and will assist in the assessment of planning applications and in the decision making process.

Last week a majority of councillors voted to retain the existing strategy under the County Development Plan

A total of 18 councillors spoke on the issue when it was raised by Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) at last week’s meeting of Clare County Council.

Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) urged the council to keep the existing wind energy strategy, saying the effect of windfarms on rural areas was minimal.

Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) said he supported keeping the existing wind energy strategy as proposed. Cllr Richard Nagle (FF) argued the existing wind energy strategy was “very robust”.

He added, “Any watering down of the strategy will do a tremendous disservices to the county and to renewable energy in Clare.”

Councillor PJ Ryan (Ind) said that it was very important that the council retain the existing wind energy strategy.

In a reference to east Clare landowners who sat in the public gallery at last week’s council meeting, Cllr Ryan said, “These people in the gallery are dependant on a very meager income from farming”.

Cllr Pascal Fitzgerald (Lab) said he supported the retention of the existing strategy while Cllr Tony Mulqueen (FG) also expressed his support, saying, “jobs are number one”.

Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) said he strongly supported the strategy, as did Cllr Pat Burke (FG) and Cllr Paul Murphy (FG).

MORE THAN half a million euro worth of cocaine was seized at Shannon airport last year, in 11 separate hauls, while the overall value of drugs seized more than doubled.

The cocaine hauls amounted for the bulk of drugs seizures at the airport during the entire year.

According to figures obtained by The Clare People , the value of cocaine seized was € 518,000. This compared with € 151,000 in 2009. The number of cocaine seizures al- most quadrupled in 2010, increasing from three to 11.

Overall, the value of drugs detected at the airport increased from less than € 260,000 in 2009 to more than € 570,000 last year. There were 43 drugs seizures last year, a significant increase on 19 during the previous year.

Seizures of cannabis herb increased from nine to 20, but decreased in value from € 88,000 to € 46,000. Hauls of amphetamine and cannabis resin remained on a par with the 2009 levels. There were four seizures of ecstasy last year and one seizure of MDMA – there were no seizures of either drug in 2009.

The figures also show that the number of cash seizures at Shannon last year increased from three (2009) to seven. The value of money taken in by Customs officers in 2009 was in excess of € 157,000 and amounted to almost € 270,000 last year.

Seizures of counterfeit goods, including dvds, cosmetics and jewellery, reduced in number from 74 to 40 and also decreased in value, from € 400,000 to € 39,000. There were 155 seizures of cigarettes last year, compared with 396 in 2009. However, the number of cigarettes seized was comparable in both years – 830,000 last year and 791,000 in 2009.

Twenty-one hauls of tobacco were confiscated in 2009 and this reduced to 15 last year. However, the size increased from 65 kgs to 95 kgs. Five weapons were taken in by Customs in both 2009 and last year, but their value dipped last year from € 1,035 to € 230. The value of medicines detected reduced from € 71,000 in 20098 to € 2,100 last year. There were 10 seizures in both years.

According to a spokesperson for Revenue, significant resources are put in place to detect the presence of illegal goods in the country’s airports. The drugs dog Shadow, a Labrador, which is based at Shannon, was involved in several seizures.

“The Revenue’s Customs Service is continuously engaged in the analysis and evaluation of seizure trends, routes and smuggling risks and consequential resource deployment,” said the spokesperson.

MUSICIANS in Clare are bidding to benefit from a multi-million euro education programme sponsored by rock legends U2.

Representatives from the Ennisbased music school Maoin Cheoil an Chláir and Clare VEC, along with members of local authorities and Shannon Development, are due to meet in the coming weeks to prepare Clare’s application for ‘Music Generation’ – the U2 and Ireland Funds supported national music education programme for young people.

An initial meeting between members of Clare’s artistic community took place last October, with further discussions taking place in the run up to Christmas.

According to Hans Boller, Director of Maoin Cheoil an Chláir, funds from the Music Generation programme, would allow more children throughout Clare to learn music.

He explained, “We would be getting a substantial amount of money from U2 to promote music education in Clare.

“The aim of the programme would be to reduce fees for music lessons and that would be a benefit to families.”

The programme, enabled by a € 5 million donation from U2 with a further € 2 million being raised by the Ireland Funds, gives children and young people across the country access to music education in their own communities.

The music education partnership model, developed by Music Network, has been successfully piloted in Donegal and Dublin.

Mr Boller added, “At the moment, it is Maoin Cheoil and Clare VEC but that has to be finalised. There would also be input from the town councils, county council and other government bodies like Shannon Development. We are waiting for music networks to finalise the application process. Then we will know what we need to do in the application.”

Funding for up to twelve Music Ed- ucation Partnerships will be awarded on a phased basis from 2011-2015, most likely in three locations at a time. Music Education Partnerships are eligible to apply for 50 per cent funding, up to a maximum of € 200,000 per annum over three years. The closing date for Round 1 applications is Thursday, March 31.

Music Generation will provide three-year seed funding to establish local services, which will be sustained by Music Education Partnerships on a long-term basis.

ADVOCATES in Clare are being credited with playing a crucial role in a successful campaign for a new foot screening services for diabetics.

A new national foot screening programme will be introduced by the Health Services Executive (HSE) this year.

The two-year advocacy campaign was aimed at influencing health policy by mobilising grassroots support from Ireland’s growing diabetes community.

According to Grainne Flynn of the Clare branch of the Diabetes Federation of Ireland (DFI), Clare people were among the strongest supporters of ‘Half the Services, Half the Care’ campaign.

“We were encouraging people to go online and petition for the foot screening programme. At one stage, in terms of people logging on, Clare was the number one county in Ireland. Overall, Clare was in the top two for four or five months,” she said.

The decision by the HSE to intro- duce a National Diabetes Foot-Care Screening Programme under the National Service Plan 2011 has been welcomed by advocates for more services for diabetics.

According to Ms Flynn, “The fact that the Government has committed to funding for 12 podiatrists is very welcome. The foot screening programme is very important. People with diabetes have to be careful about feet because serious problems can develop from something as small as a scrape. Early screening can prevent amputations.”

In Clare between 2005 and 2009, 37 per cent of the 535 hospital admissions for foot ulcers related to diabetes sufferers.

For the same period, of 99 hospital admissions for foot ulcers (under the age of 65), 53 patients had diabetes.

The figures also showed that of 115 lower limb amputations, 55 patients had diabetes (48 per cent); of 43 lower limb amputations (under the age of 65), 23 patients had diabetes (51 per cent).

Last September, Diabetes Action’s ‘Half the Services, Half the Care’ campaign drew attention to the high levels and heavy financial cost of foot ulcers and lower-limb amputations in a drive to secure a screening programme designed to identify foot disease in Ireland’s growing diabetic population.

Meanwhile, the Clare branch of the Diabetes Federation of Ireland will hold Type 2 Diabetes meeting tonight, Tuesday, January 18, in the Marie Assumpta Hall at 8pm. For further information contact clarebranchdfi@gmail.com or 087 641 5747.

AN inability to effectively collect payment and perceived unfairness were the main arguments against increased charges at the Lees Road Sports and Amenity Ground, put forward at a meeting in Ennis last week.

Speaking at the January meeting of Ennis Town Council, Councillor Johnny Flynn (FG) described the facilities available at Lees Road as “first rate”.

However, he added that it would be unfair to introduce charges for the cross-country track at a time when many people are experiencing financial difficulties.

Cllr Flynn said he opposed the charges as the area to which they would apply was not fenced off. He claimed this would make it “virtually impossible to police”.

He said the fact that the charge doesn’t grant an individual or team “exclusive” use of the track was another reason for leaving the current system unchanged.

He said, “The cross country track has generally been available and has been free.”

Cllr Flynn, who submitted a motion calling on the council not to introduce new charges, said it was important the council do nothing to discourage people from taking up walking or running.

Outlining her opposition to the proposed charges, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) questioned how the area would be policed and how the charge would be implemented on a fair basis to all.

Clr Howard also expressed concern over how the council would distinguish between clubs and individuals when charging for the use of facilities.

She said she had discussed the proposal with Clare Sports Partnership and Marian Athletic Club and other users of Lees Road.

In a statement yesterday, John Sweeney, co-ordinator with Clare Sports Partnership, said he had “no comment to make regarding Lees Road at this point”.

Responding to comments from Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) that charges should exist given the availability of dressing rooms and showers, Cllr Howard said that most walkers and runners using the cross country running track go straight home afterwards anyway and “don’t use the showers”.

Cllr Paul O’Shea (Lab) told the meeting that he was also opposed to the charges.

A CLARECASTLE man who scored a multi-million euro windfall during the property boom has said he will run as a candidate in the forthcoming General Election.

73-year-old JJ McCabe told

RESIDENTS have echoed calls made by the mayor of Ennis for certain details of a lease agreement between Ennis Town Council and Clare Youth Service over a new youth and community building to be made public.

The centre, which is under construction at Cloughleigh Road, has been the subject of two public protests, while last year almost 90 people attended an unscheduled meeting at the Council Chamber in Waterpark House, presided over by then mayor of Ennis, Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind).

Residents in the Cloughleigh area are opposed to the location of the building and were also disappointed by the council’s approach to the consultation process that led to the site being chosen.

While Ennis Town Council is the contracting authority for the € 531,581.70 construction project, it is intended to lease the building to the Clare Youth Service who will deliver a range of programmes to teenagers and young adults ranging from 13 to 21 years.

The lease agreement was raised at last week’s meeting of Ennis Town Council. According to the residents’ spokesperson, Geraldine Dinan, many people living in the area were surprised to learn the matter had come back before the council.

She said residents had met with the council on three occasions between September and December 2010, to discuss concerns over the “general running” of the building.

“We were surprised that it came up at the meeting. We would’ve hoped that we might’ve been informed about the lease,” she said.

Ms Dinan explained that residents did not have an issue with the length of the 10-year lease but added that many elderly residents are worried about the proposed opening hours of the building.

She said, “Most buildings like this are in the middle of a town or in the middle of the community, but this one is different. The concerns are not unreasonable. We would hope that they would be taken into account.”

Speaking at the January meeting of Ennis Town Council, mayor of Ennis Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) repeated his call for details of the building’s opening hours to be brought before the council before the lease is signed.

“We gave a commitment to residents in opening hours,” he said.

Cllr Brennan added, “I would insist that we see the lease. I was the one who insisted that the terms on conditions be brought before the council…We gave a commitment to people about the conditions and they are the people who elected us.”

A LOCAL councillor is advocating the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle after surviving a major health scare last year.

Pat Daly, a Fianna Fáil member of Clare County Council, suffered a stroke while at work in Ennis in September 2010.

Cllr Daly, who has worked for 18 years as a personal assistant to the outgoing Minister for Defence and Clare TD, Tony Killeen, was subsequently diagnosed as having an irregular heartbeat.

He recalled, “I was at work and coming up to lunch hour, I got a bit of dizziness and my voice slurred and I couldn’t speak straight. I put it down to a cold but I wasn’t 100 per cent sure. I went home, my wife was there, a few neighbours came in and medical people. My wife rang the ambulance. I was hospitalised and I was diagnosed with a stroke. I was out of work for almost three months.”

He said, “It was a desperate shock, traumatic. I didn’t expect it. The family were great. Brothers and sisters and their family and my own family, my wife, two sons and a daughter. They were great in the hospital and when I came home.”

The 56-year-old father of three was treated at Ennis General Hospital and is currently on a course of the blood-thinning agent, Warfarin.

The Ennis native admits he was fortunate to survive the incident. He said, “I was very lucky because I made a full recovery and a lot of people don’t.”

Cllr Daly explained that his lifestyle has changed since his recovery from illness.

He said, “There’s been a big change in my life. You have to watch the diet. I eat a lot of fish now. I go walking. It’s the best form of exercise, walking. I’m watching the diet and drinking plenty of water.”

Cllr Daly is now encouraging more people to stay healthy and active.

He explained, “I wasn’t a great man for walking. People in their late 40s, 50s, 60s, they don’t get enough exercise and they need to walk a couple of miles every day, which I do now. I played a game of golf on Sunday morning – that was all I did. I thought that by playing golf on a Sunday morning, I was fit. But you need to do more. You need to do a bit of walking.”

Cllr Daly, who topped the poll in the Ennis area when he was first elected to Clare County Council in 1999, receives regular treatment at the outpatient’s clinic at Ennis General Hospital. “It’s a fantastic facility, a great facility,” he said.

TOWN manager Ger Dollard has said he his happy that all “checks and balances” are in place with regards to the running of a new € 500,000 youth community and resource building in Cloughleigh, Ennis.

Some details of the lease agreement worked out between Ennis Town Council and Clare Youth Service were revealed at Ennis Town Council’s January meeting. The council is proposing to lease the property to Clare Youth Service for a period of 10 years at a consideration of € 10 per annum.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) expressed concern over the length of the lease and proposed that the € 10 yearly charge be increased to € 1,000.

Town manager Ger Dollard said he was quite satisfied that Clare Youth Service are prepared to “act responsibly” and will run the facility very well.

He told the meeting that a council- lor and a member of the council executive will sit on an advisory board.

“I am satisfied that all the checks and balances are in place and that we have a responsible operator,” he said.

Mr Dollard added that he did not agree with increasing the charge as the youth service is not a business or commercial orgaisation.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said the history of the building is well known. He said that in the initial consultation process, local residents “felt they were deceived and not listened to”.

He added, “A lot of good aims and objections were put at risk because the council didn’t listen to the concerns of the elderly”.

Cllr Flynn was then asked by Cllr Peter Considine (FF) to withdraw his remark about residents being deceived.

“I certainly never deceived anyone. I would like ‘deceived’ removed from the record,” he said.

Cllr Flynn agreed, and sought to clarify his comments, saying there was a lot of “anger and frustration” among residents who felt they were deceived by the process.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) said the Clare Youth Service had an excellent record over 52 years operating services and facilities in Clare. He said he had no problem with the lease and the charge. He said the youth service had “corrected an awful lot of lives that could have gone astray” and had been regularly highlighted as a model of best practice in reports by the Mid West Regional Drugs Task Force.

Cllr Paul O’Shea suggested that the charge be increased to € 500 and that the sum be used to fund a Young Person of the Year award.

Mr Dollard said he would discuss the charge with the youth service, a comment which drew a strong reaction from Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind).

Cllr Neylon said the youth service was getting a “pretty good deal” from the council and that Mr Dollard should “tell them” and not “ask them” about the proposed increase.

HIS motto in life is ‘Give it a lash’ and that is exactly what Tony Mulcahy intends to do in his quest for a seat in Dáil Éireann.

As had been widely expected, the 51-year-old was added to the Fine Gael general election ticket in Clare at the weekend by the party’s headquarters.

This followed the party’s convention in December in which sitting TDs Pat Breen and Joe Carey were selected to run for the party in the forthcoming election.

Mr Mulcahy, a native of Newcastlewest in Limerick, received 3,408 votes when he ran in the general election in 2007. Speaking to The Clare People following his addition to the ticket at the weekend, he said he is confident that he can secure 6,000 votes this time around and win a seat.

The father-of-four, who runs his own catering business in Shannon, has been a member of Clare County Council since 1999 and Shannon Town Council since 1994. He has enjoyed spells as mayor of both the county and town councils.

While his intentions to contest the election were not formally announced until just days before Christmas, in reality there was always a possibility that he would allow his name to go forward.

He thoroughly enjoyed the campaign four years ago and although he has had some health difficulties since then, he has recovered and endeavours a good challenge.

Two years ago, he had a kidney rebuilt, while last year he had issues with blood pressure, but has now declared himself “fighting fit and mad for the road”.

Mr Mulcahy explained the situation, saying, “Just before Christmas, I was asked would I be interested in letting my name go forward by a very senior figure in the party’s management structure after the convention. At the convention I was there to support my two colleagues.”

After he was approached, he discussed it with his wife, Carmel, and “I decided I’d give it one lash. It was a long campaign the last time. I got tired in the end. This one will be shorter.”

Mulcahy will pick up a huge vote in the Shannon area, where he has lived for several years. In the last election, he secured more than 55 per cent of the vote in Shannon and won 33 per cent of votes in the Shannon Electoral Area, which takes in Newmarket-onFergus, Sixmilebridge and Kilmurry. “I believe I can and I believe I will win a seat for Fine Gael in Clare. It will take 6,000 votes,” he said.

Since his entry to politics, he has polled consistently well. His vote of 440 in his maiden election campaign for the county council in 1999 increased to 1,200 in 2004. He secured 1,350 votes in the 2009 local election and while these tallies were impressive, he is acutely aware that winning a seat in the Dáil is a totally different ball game.

Pat Breen is poised to focus on win- ning votes in north and west Clare, while Joe Carey will zone in on mid-Clare and Ennis. This means that Mr Mulcahy is likely to focus on the lion’s share of his campaigning in Shannon and south-east Clare. While the creation of geographical divisions leads to angst in some circles, he embraces it.

“We will have to look at a divide like we did the last time. We would be well placed. The key for people voting for Fine Gael is the balance vote,” he said.

Indeed, he believes that geographic reasons played a key role in him being added to the ticket ahead of Madeleine Taylor-Quinn and Martin Conway.

“No disrespect to Madeleine and Martin but they live in different areas. I ran the last time, I was the may- or since and I am living in the second biggest town in the county,” he said.

He also dismissed speculation that he was added to the ticket merely to help get Joe Carey cross the line. Both live on the same side of the county and votes would be expected to transfer between them.

“Joe Carey won’t need any help from me to get over the line. He wasn’t idle over the past three-anda-half years. Neither was Pat Breen. I’m there to get a third seat for Fine Gael,” he said.