Category: News

THE long-awaited Ennistymon Community School looks set to face even more delay due to legal red-tape involving the transfer of lands from the Redress Board to the Department of Education.

The proposed school, which would see the amalgamation of Scoil Mhuire, the CBS and Ennistymon Vocational School, was first mooted more than two decades ago. It was officially announced by the Department of Education in September of last year and is due for completion in September of 2009.

A spokesperson from the Department of Education revealed that no further progress could be made on the school until the land was transferred from the Redress Board.

“The amalgamation is not taking place until the new building has been delivered,” said the spokesperson.

“Ennistymon is not yet included because the critical issue of a site is still outstanding. The department’s property management section is, however, in the process of acquiring a site under the terms of the Residential Institutional Redress Act 2002. The transfer of ownership of the site is currently being addressed.”

Local county councillor, Martin Conway (FG), has reacted angrily to the delay, describing it as “unacceptable” and “a classic case of footdragging”.

“This has been on the table for more than 20 years and it now looks like it will be another 10 before any progress is made. It is disgraceful and another example of the Government taking Clare for granted. North Clare and Ennistymon seems to be the poor cousin of Ennis, Shannon and Kilrush who have already got schools.”

The Redress Board was set up in 2002 under the Residential Institutions Redress Act to make fair and reasonable awards to persons who, as children, were abused while resident in industrial schools, reformatories and other institutions.

The board cherry-picked a number of Catholic Church-held properties to oversee their transfer to community organisation and individuals.

Other properties, such as those related to Project Ennistymon beside the proposed Community School, were transferred by mutual consent and for nominal fees from the Sisters of Mercy.

A CHRISTMAS party turned to tragedy when a mother of two boys died from hypothermia, after she tragically fell and lost consciousness on her way home from a night out in Ennis.

Maria Talbot (42) was returning from her Christmas night out with her colleagues when she lost her footing, a mile from her home at Claremount, Clarecastle, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

She had socialised with her colleagues from Liam Cleary’s garage on Saturday evening. The group of 14 enjoyed a meal at Season’s 52 restaurant, over Charlie Stewart’s pub on Parnell Street. This was followed by drinks in the pub.

Maria, who had looked forward to the night out for several weeks, went to the Queen’s nightclub with some of the group to continue with the Christmas celebrations.

She was seen on CCTV footage, leaving the premises at 1.40am. She made her way up to O’Connell Square in Ennis where she got a taxi, along with two other women.

She was later dropped off and was found by a passer-by, unconscious, on open ground outside a truck testing centre at Lissane, a mile from her home, after 11.30am on Sunday, amid treacherous weather conditions.

She was taken to Ennis General Hospital where she died from hypothermia shortly after 5pm.

Gardaí initially treated the death as suspicious, but ruled out foul play, after Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Michael Curtis, carried out a post mortem examination at Limerick Regional Hospital yesterday.

Maria’s American-born partner Stephen, who works in Shannon, was in the States on a training course and her distraught sons Ryan (18) and Nathan (14) were being comforted by relatives and friends yesterday.

She was separated and her Portlaoise-based husband travelled to Ennis. He and Ryan formally identified her body.

Maria, who is from Dublin, moved to Clare five years ago. She recently celebrated her 42nd birthday and enjoyed her son Ryan’s 18th birthday just last week.

Maria worked at Cleary’s garage for the past six months.

THE DIRECTOR of Glór said yesterday that the centre was financially secure, but would continue to require subvention from Clare’s two main local authorities, in order to satisfy its cultural and community remit.

Five years after the opening of Glór, Katie Verling told The Clare People , “I think the main thing is that Glór has become embedded in the town and we are very much part of Ennis and Clare. We are part of the landscape, we have been accepted and approved by the people of Clare.”

Speaking before the Board and staff members celebrated Glór’s fifth anniversary, Ms Verling said, “The numbers are better than ever and we are breaking even and we have done so for the last three years. We are very financially secure and we are getting regular funding from the Arts Council.”

Glór this year received €100,000 from the Arts Council, while the subvention from Clare County Council and Ennis Town Council has been over €300,000 per annum which compares to the contribution the Arts Council makes to similar sized venues across the country.

Explaining the necessity of the local authority subvention, Ms Verling said, “The costs of a place like Glór are huge. There are three prongs to activity: culture, community and commerce. Culture loses money, community needs money and you need commerce to subvent them.

“If we were to become focused commercially, we would have to compromise our cultural and community remit and what the financing from councils does is that they ensure that we can get the balance right and make sure that we can be available to the community.

She added, “The aim is to generate enough money to fulfil our artistic and cultural objectives all the time.”

Currently, Glór is seeking funding for a €2 million extension to the facility that will provide a new theatre space for Glór.

“I’d love to see it happen. I think it would be an amazing facility for us to have and the costs base in Glor wouldn’t increase,” she said.

Five years on, Ms Verling said, “I am happy. It has been hugely challenging, but by God, it has been rewarding.”

Ms Verling also revealed that Glór Irish Music Centre will soon just be Glór.

“Glór means a lot to people now and can stand on its own,” she concluded.

THE €2 million expansion of a filling station and shop in Shannon has been put on hold because SkyCourt has refused consent for the development.

Local businessman Darragh O’Connor closed his Texaco filling station and convenience shop a month ago and had commenced its redevelopment. This was to incorporate knocking and rebuilding the site and the opening of a Spar store on the premises.

The project was to include the construction of a shop, treble the size of that which existed previously. Mr O’Connor had planned to locate the retail unit on the ground floor, with offices and store rooms upstairs.

The business has been operated by the O’Connor family for the past 30 years. Mr O’Connor was granted planning permission four years ago for this development. It is part of the SkyCourt centre complex. Texaco have leased the site from the town centre management company.

However, SkyCourt has now informed Mr O’Connor that they are “refusing consent” for the development. In response to a query from The Clare People , SkyCourt issued a brief statement on the issue, stating, “In general, SkyCourt welcomes the development of new units and the expansion of existing outlets at our shopping centre in Shannon. However, in this instance, regrettably we were obliged to refuse consent for reasons of good estate management and in the interests of overall trade at the centre.”

A spokesman said, “It is not an objection per se. It is a refusal to grant consent. The management company is refusing consent.”

Mr O’Connor, who took over the business from his parents Al and Mary 10 years ago, expressed frustration at this development taking place at such a late stage.

“I think it is a shame that somebody can come and object. I had expected to be off for five months working on this project and had intended to open in March or April next year, but it is gone back at least two months now,” he said. Mr O’Connor said he may now have no option but to go to arbitration in an effort to sort out the issue.Local councillor Tony Mulcahy (FG) said SkyCourt’s refusal to consent was a shame.

“This family have been in business in the town for many years. It is disgraceful that anyone would object to someone growing their business.”

CLARE doctors are paying up to €14,000 per annum for locum late-night cover, according to the Chairman of the Irish Medical Organisation’s GP Committee, Ian McGuinness.

This service, which provides cover for late-night ‘red-eye shifts’ in coops, has become a growing expense for small rural practices, such as those in west and north Clare, in recent times.

Galway-based GP, Dr Martin Daly, commented last week that a number of doctors in Clare were paying up to €14,000 each year for cover. In addition, doctors in Mayo were paying as much as €9,000, while some WestDoc doctors paid out close to €7,000.

“While this might be viable for larger general practices, it is not so for smaller ones.

“The Government and health management are storing up a massive well of frustration among our GP members in relation to out-of-hours work,” said Dr Daly.

It now looks likely that the members of the Irish Medical Organisation will push the doctor’s union to seek the exclusion of responsibility for out-of-hours work from any proposed new GP contract. Dr Daly added that since 2001 it has been impossible to engage with the Department of Health and the Government and to have any meaningful talks about out-of-hours work.

According to the Irish Medical Organisation, if Irish GPs were to follow their British counterparts and opted out of providing out of hours services, it would cost the government and Health Service Executive much more than it is costing at present.

A WOMAN’S nightmare of seeing her husband plunge to his death while performing a circus act with her, was recalled last week.

The inquest into the death of Vitaly Kharapavitski (26), a Berarussian trapeze artist who died while performing with the Russian Royal Circus in Scariff, heard that he had been performing with his wife Sasha, when he fell some 20 feet to his death.

Vitaly and Sasha had been suspended on a cage attacked to a cable and hoist, when the accident happened at the GAA field in Scariff, on August 28 last.

Ennis Coroner’s Court heard a deposition from Vitaly’s wife Sasha, who accompanied him in the act. She said he put up the equipment that evening, with his assistant. “My husband is very careful and makes sure everything is safe,” she said.

The equipment in which they were performing should be changed every five years and had been changed three years ago.

“I was in a harness, suspended underneath. He was in the cage. He was leaning out of the cage. Suddenly I fell to the ground. I did not hear anything, or see anything,” she explained. She heard someone saying he had no pulse. “I knew he was dead,” she said.

Eddie Moloney, who was one of 300 people at the circus, recalled in his deposition, the steel cable either snapping or coming loose. The cradle fell 15 – 20 feet, bringing the couple with it.

“His head crushed under the steel cradle and some of his limbs had been trapped inside it,” he recalled.

Patrick Doyle, who was close to where the accident happened, said it appeared to him that the man threw his wife clear, saving her life in the process.

Ringmistress Michelle Courtney said the act had been rehearsed an hour before the show and “all went well.”

“They are normally very meticulous in everything they do and if there is any doubt, they wouldn’t have performed,” she said.

Dr James O’Driscoll, who carried out a post-mortem examination on Mr Kharapavitski’s body, said death was due to cardiac respiratory failure, associated with the fracture of his skull into multiple small pieces.

Coroner Isobel O’Dea said it appeared that Mr Kharapavitski “pushed his wife out of the way and her injuries were less severe.”

She said the Health and Safety Authority had carried out an inspection on the circus, where the equipment for the act was set up.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

A VISIT to his native Wexford proved a fortunate journey for Willie Carr from Dun Aras, Hurlers Cross, Shannon when he purchased the national lottery ticket that got him entry on to last Saturday night’s television gameshow.

Willie, who is originally from Castlebridge in Co. Wexford, won prizes to the value of over €25,000 on the popular RTE programme hosted by Derek Mooney .

He has been living in Shannon for the past six years and is attached to the army transport corps at Sarsfield Barracks in Limerick. Married to Lorraine, who is a native of Shannon, they have an eight- month-old baby daughter, Leah.

He is interested in all sports and played hurling up until last year. He shared in the excitement of the local Wolfe Tones county championship win and is also a big fan of the Wexford county side.

Photograph shows Willie being presented with his winning cheque by Gerry O’Donoghue, National Lottery Security Manager as Derek Mooney gives the thumbs up.

A LITTLE known Shannon-based aircraft engine leasing firm employing just 16 people recorded a net profit of $46.7 million last year.

According to accounts filed to the Companies Office by Shannon Engine Support Ltd (SES), the company increased its net profit by 30 per cent on the $35.7 million net profit enjoyed in 2004.

SES, located in the Shannon Free Zone, employed just 16 people during 2005. Staff received on average a salary of $112,500 with the overall salary payout being $1.8 million.

The accounts show that of the 16 staff, seven work in customer support, four in marketing, two in finance and three in administration.

With the $46 million profit, the company now has accumulated profits of $185 million.

Turnover increased from $86 million in 2004 to $100 million last year. The largest proportion of the company’s business is carried out in Europe where last year it recorded sales of $46.7 million. This compares to sales of $26 million in Asia Pacific and $17.4 million in the US.

In relation to ‘Other Reserves’, the accounts state that the company has capital contributions totaling $308 million.

According to a statement attached to the accounts, SES had a successful year.

It goes on: “Demand for the company’s products as measured by the utilisation level of its portfolio of aircraft engines has been very strong throughout 2005 and is expected to remain at similar levels for the foreseeable future.

“The principle risk that the business faces is a downturn in the global aviation industry, in particular a slowdown in global passenger traffic as a result of an economic slowdown or an external shock.

“It is expected that the business will continue to develop and that the company is well positioned to benefit from any challenge in the aviation industry.”

The accounts confirmed that the company did not pay a dividend in 2005.

THE Environmental Protection Agency has said that issues relating to the pumping of raw sewage into the River Fergus in Ennis should be resolved as soon as possible.

The EPA’s Office of Environmental Enforcement has been in contact with Clare County Council about sewage treatment problems in Ennis following last week’s Town Council admission to The Clare People that it had been dumping raw sewage into the town’s river from its pump station at Francis Street.

The council said it was forced to take the drastic action because old technology at the pumping station couldn’t cope with the town’s population growth

The facility at Francis Street is operating beyond its capacity and during heavy rainfall it automatically pumps raw sewage in to the River Fergus at the rear of several home just 100 metres away.

The EPA said it was “following up on the issue to ensure that the waste water collection system meets the requirements of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations.

“These regulations require local authorities to have collecting systems in place for urban waste water from population centres over certain sizes.”

The environment agency said however that it “notes the commitment made by the council to carry out upgrade works and would like to see this issue resolved as soon as possible. The EPA will continue to monitor the situation.”

Last week, Ennis Town Engineer Tom Tiernan admitted to The Clare People that the council had “serious problems with the pump station at Francis Street”.

“The technology there was acceptable 25 or 30 years ago but unfortunately it no longer is.

“We are not going to pretend that this is a satisfactory situation but we have not been made aware of any safety or health risk associated with it and we have explained the situation in detail to anyone who has raised it with us,” he said.

“This is not an acceptable situation but we have no alternative. There are plans for a major upgrade of the pump house at Francis Street in the Ennis/Clarecastle drainage scheme but until that has been approved and completed, this is the alternative we are left with.

“The next step is to apply to the Department to appoint consultants to commence the design stage of the project,” he said.

THE DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has appealed the leniency of a three year sentence handed down to a 19-year old for the dangerous driving causing death of two Kilkee girls.

At Ennis Circuit Court last month, David Naughton (19) was jailed for three years after he pleaded guilty to the dangerous driving causing death of two girls, Stacey Haugh (16) and Lorna Mahoney on October 17, 2003.

Imposing sentence, Judge Con Murphy said that Naughton was on a campaign of dangerous driving on the night in question.

Naughton was 15 at the time and bought the green 1984 Opel Kadette that he crashed for €60 on the day of the accident.

Mother of Lorna, Geraldine Mahoney yesterday welcomed the DPP decision to appeal the sentence to the Court of Criminal Appeal.

She said, “I’m relieved that an appeal has been lodged. The bottom line is that three years is not long enough for two lives lost.”

Mrs Mahoney said that Naughton had “shown no remorse and did everything in his power to avoid being caught”.

Mrs Mahoney formally requested the DPP to appeal the leniency of sentence earlier this month through her solicitor, Eugene O’Kelly.

In the letter, Mr O’Kelly stated, “Our client feels strongly that she and her family have been let down by the continued inept handling of the case by the State.

Focusing on Naughton’s extradition warrant which prevented Judge Murphy considering imposing a sentence higher than five years, Mr O’Kelly asked, “Why was the Extradition Warrant incorrect and who was responsible for ensuring its accuracy? This error had the most significant impact on the length of the sentence imposed and was wholly within the Prosecution’s control.

“Our client would like the Court of Criminal Appeal to review whether or not Mr. Justice Murphy had the jurisdiction to depart from the terms of the Extradition Warrant and, therefore, commence his sentencing procedure with the correct maximum sentence under Irish law.

The letter continued, “Mr. Naughton had done everything in his power to avoid prosecution for this offence including failing to appear while on bail for the first time.

“His attempts to avoid prosecution added considerably to my client, and her family’s, distress and eroded their faith in the legal system . . .”