Category: News

EXTRA difficulties are being imposed on the public due to Clare County Council departments being dispersed around Ennis.

That’s according to North Clare Councillor Martin Lafferty (Ind), who has claimed it is now harder than ever to deal with the council.

Clare County Council currently has its offices and departments spread out at locations around Ennis, while work continues on a permanent home on New Road.

In requesting a progress report on the likely completion date, Cllr Lafferty (Ind) said the current situation made it very inconvenient for the public and public representatives alike, to work with the council departments.

“I understand that the new building will be completed on time, but I want to get across the inconvenience this is causing. Anyone trying to deal with the council is experiencing extreme difficulty on account of the heavy traffic flows around Ennis”

According to County Manager Alec Fleming, construction work on a new home for the council should be completed on time and on budget by November 2007 Mr Fleming also revealed that the council was spending €83,000 renting temporary accommodation and said the costs were in no way excessive.

“We have signed a contract for €83,000. Some of the buildings are on lease from Shannon Development and this is a very reasonable agreement. As for the new building, we are on target and expect work to be completed on time”

CLARE TD Síle de Valera is standing over a statement made last February that she would not vacate her junior ministry at the Department of Education until December.

The Minister of State, who last November announced she would retire from politics at the next election, will not say however on what date she will stand down.

Several young politicians are in line for her coveted position in the run up to a General Election, but the front runner is believed to be son of the late controversial Taoiseach Charles J Haughey – Sean Haughey.

Minister de Valera had promised to go by the year’s end after the Taoiseach declared at the beginning of 2006 that there was a tradition in Fianna Fail that TDs not standing in the next election passed on their ministerial position. Minister de Valera said the time of departure had been decided when she told the Taoiseach of her retirement.

She said she “had a job of work to do” and “intended on completing it”.

The Dáil is due to rise on December 15 and if the minister decides to resign in the latter part of the month, her replacement could not be formally appointed until the Dáil next sits on January 3.

Síle de Valera was first elected to the Dáil in 1977, and has represented the Clare constituency since 1987 She has already outlined her plans to write her memoirs and study for a PhD on her retirement.

A PRIMARY school teacher in Clare has appeared before Ennis District Court, charged with 69 counts of sexual assault.

The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and who has an address in Clare, is facing the charges arising out of alleged incidents on a number of dates between 2001 and 2004.

The charges relate to the alleged abuse of several young boys.

Garda Denis Collins told the court on Friday he arrested the accused on October 8 last.

When charged at Ennis Garda Station the accused replied, “no comment” after each charge.

The alleged assaults are understood to have occurred at various locations, including at the defendant’s home and the school where he taught.

Inspector Kevin Moynihan (prosecuting) told the court that the State did not have any objection to a remand on continuing bail to appear in court early next year, to facilitiate the preparation of the Book of Evidence.

Inspector Moynihan said the DPP has directed to a trial on indictment and he applied to extend time to serve the Book of Evidence.

There was no objection from the accused’s solicitor, Ted McCarthy.

Judge Joseph Mangan agreed to the request. He adjourned the case until early in 2007.

A SHANNON man has been awarded €45,000 after it was found that he was unfairly dismissed from his job for allegedly falsifying an expenses claim.

Pat Clune of Cronin Gardens in Shannon took his case to the Employment Appeals Tribunal after being fired from his post of 25 years at SPS International Ltd in Shannon Industrial Estate.

The tribunal learned that Clune was given €400 by management to take visitors and some of his own colleagues out for a meal and drinks in December 2002. But after the meal, one of the visitors paid the bill.

After being presented with an expenses sheet to fill out, Clune documented having spent €300 on a meal and €150 on drinks. Management became aware that there was a rumour that Clune had not paid for the meal and Clune was called to a meeting.

Company witnesses told the tribunal that Clune did not “come clean” about the situation and later said that the group had gone to a lap dancing club for which he could not produce receipts.

He later repaid €140 to the company.

Clune said that he had not been asked before to fill out an expenses form, nor did he get an opportunity to refute the allegations.

The tribunal found in his favour on the grounds that the company did not carry out a full and detailed investigation and that the employers treated Clune differently after evidence from another employee that he did not have to complete a claim form after travelling on company business.

CLARE TD, Pat Breen, came under fire yesterday from a rights group for sex abuse victims. The row arose after he tabled a Dail question asking when a jailed Clare sex offender would be eligible for early release.

In a written question to Justice Minister, Michael McDowell, Deputy Breen asked when 74-year-old bachelor farmer, Joseph Nugent, from Dromellihy, Cree, would qualify for early release.

A farmer of 65 acres, seven miles from Kilrush, Mr Nugent was jailed four years ago and is currently serving two six-year and one three-year concurrent sentences in Portlaoise prison and is due for release with normal remission on February 9, 2008.

The cases against Mr Nugent involved two young boys and, imposing a sentence of six years in November 2002, Judge Brian McMahon said that Nugent had acted in a premeditated and predatory nature for his own self-gratification and beastly pleasure.

The judge added that the abuse on a neighbour, who was aged eight when the abuse started, involved the use of physical violence by an adult on a young child.

Colm O’Gorman of the One-inFour group said he would be appalled if any TD would intervene on the issue of early release of a convicted sex offender.

“I am not saying that Deputy Breen was trying to manipulate the system by placing this question, but it is difficult to see how it could be appropriate. The most benign take on this matter is that Deputy Breen made a representation on behalf of a constituent without knowing the full facts of the case.”

SHANNON-based charter airline Eirjet has confirmed it will continue to attempt to secure funding in an effort to save the cash-strapped company, after it voluntarily suspended all its flight operations last Wednesday.

It’s thought that the ailing company needs a cash injection of €5 million following the collapse of a €20 million leasing deal in Indonesia.

A rescue plan is due to be submitted to shareholders and directors this week.

Eirjet was issued with a 10-day “temporary licence” by the Commission for Aviation Regulation on Tuesday last amid fears that the airline would cease operations before the end of the month. Eirjet, however, cancelled all flights the following day.

A company spokesman said, “We have voluntarily suspended all flights so as to minimise inconvenience to the public. We are endeavouring to secure further financial support to try and save the company and remain in negotiations with the Commission for Aviation Regulation. We are in very difficult financial circumstances at the moment. We have ceased operations but we have not ceased trading.”

The Commission for Aviation Regulation issued a temporary air carrier licence to Eirjet that will expire on Friday October 27 next. But the commission was reluctant to give any details about the move and would only confirm that it had been notified by the airline that it was “not in a position to fulfil its current obligations to its tour operator clients.”

A spokesperson for one of the airlines customers, Falcon Holidays, confirmed, “Our summer season has come to an end and we only have one flight programme with Eirjet for the 06/07 winter holiday period and that is to our new destination Cape Verde. We are monitoring developments regarding Eirjet’s future plans. As far as our summer 2007 schedule, we are in negotiations with a number of airlines at the moment.”

Eirjet commenced operations in 2004 with an inaugural flight to Agadir using an Airbus A320 jet. Another two aircraft were added in summer 2005 to cater for flights from Cork and Shannon while the airline acquired a fourth jet in July of this year.

A SHANNON-BASED multi-national company generated almost a million euro for every member of staff employed at the company in 2005.

According to accounts filed to the Companies Office by Halifax Insurance Ireland Ltd, the company generated €364 million (£244 million) to the end of December 2005.

In 2005, the company employed 264 staff at its Shannon base, however, the company’s profits plummeted from €185 million (£124 million) in 2004 to €59 million (£40 million) in 2005.

The drop in profits is due mainly to acquisition costs in 2005 of €189 HOWEVER, if Deputy Breen was aware of the facts, Mr O’Gorman said it was extraordinary that he would inquire into the possibility of an early release of a sex offender.

“One in Four has cited this case involving Mr Nugent over the years as how the Criminal Justice System fails victims of sex abuse. The sentence given to Mr Nugent was derisory and it would be a travesty if he secured an early release in the case.

“The abuse perpetrated on one of the young boys started when he was eight and continued for six years two to three times a week. Nugent said million.

The company paid out €83 million (£46 million) in claims in 2005 – down from €91 million (£81million) in 2004.

The company’s has accumulated profits of €388 million (£260 million), and has assets of €801 million (£537 million). It was voted in the top 10 of Ireland’s employers in 2004 and No 1 in the 250-500 employees category.

Halifax Insurance Ireland is a subsidiary of HBOS plc (Halifax Bank of Scotland).

The company accounts state: “The commission rates paid by Halifax Insurance Ireland Limited to BOOS General Insurance were altered durthat his cattle meant more to him than the boy he abused and had not shown any remorse for what he did.”

Deputy Breen said he tabled the Dail question after being approached by a relative of Mr Nugent at a clinic to inquire into the question of early release.

“I was not making representations on behalf of Mr Nugent and I wouldn’t be in favour of an early release in the case. It was a terrible case. I put down the question to establish the facts and receive factual information in response to a request from a relative of Mr Nugent. There is nothing more to it.”

He said he was aware that Mr Nuing the year as the result of an independent review carried out comparing market rates to the rates paid by the company in the years 2004 and 2005. This resulted in a significant compensation payment affecting 2005 profits.”

Arising from the accounts, the director’s do not recommend the payment of a dividend.

In relation to principal risks and uncertainties, Halifax has identified a number of risks that are being monitored continuously.

“The company is currently facing deterioration within the UK creditor insurance market; this is a major concern area as the company is reliant at present on UK retail sales. gent was a sex offender but wasn’t aware of all of the facts in relation to the cases.

Mr Nugent was initially sentenced at Limerick Circuit Court to six years on each of 23 counts of buggery and three years imprisonment on 24 counts of indecent assault on a male neighbour and in November, 2004 was sentenced to six years on one count of buggery and six years on one count of indecent assault in relation to another male victim.

In his response, Minister McDowell said: “In view of the very serious nature of these offences, I am not prepared to authorize any form of early release in this case.”

“The company also forecasts a rise in unemployment and as a result will be monitoring loss ratios very closely and accordingly amend reserves.

In relation to future developments, the accounts state: There is also a move to risk based pricing for the unsecured loan products.

This will have the effect of moving from a one price fits all based pricing strategy, to a price that reflects risk on individual contracts.

“A number of initiatives have also been identified as a result of a review on both the Total Mortgage Protection Plan and Credit Card Repayment Insurance products to increase in-force business.

THE achievements of Clare’s all conquering handballers along with the career of the county’s best-known journalist are to be jointly celebrated by Clare County Council.

A civic reception is to be held in honor of Clare’s handballers, who swept all before them at the World Handball Championships in Edmonton, Canada, last August.

Tuamgraney duo Diarmuid Nash and Niall Malone captured the under 15 doubles title while Clarecastle man Declan Frawley and Fermoy’s Colm Jordan teamed up to win the Men’s A Doubles title.

Others who performed with distinction included Sara and Lisa Loughnane, Ann Marie Fitzgerald along with Fergal and Gerard Coughlan.Also to be honored on the night is former Clare Champion journalist, Tony Mulvey. Mr. Mulvey who recently retired from his post, spent 47 years as a reporter chronicling life Clare. The joint-reception is expected to take place on Monday, November 20.

Councillor Richard Nagle (FF) proposed that Mr Mulvey be honoured, at last week’s monthly meeting of Clare County Council. He said Mr Mulvey along with photographer Michael John Glynne, documented countless events of local importance. Seconding the motion, Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) praised work he called a great source of history.

IT’S a night Sara Keogh will never forget. But neither she nor her family will reveal the date they got a call to rush Sara to Dublin for a transplant. To dwell on it is to touch too closely on the identity of the person whose tragedy has transformed the young Tullycrine girl’s life.

But 15-year-old Sara will be forever grateful to people who found strength to be generous in the depths of terrible grief.

“I really want to thank the donor’s family. This has changed my life. No-one can imagine what it means. I can do things now I was never able to do,” says Sara.

When The Clare People last spoke to the plucky Tullycrine teenager in April, her dearest wish was to be able to eat a packet of crisps and take a bath.

Dialysis 10 hours a day, six days a week, meant she could do neither.

An open wound for the dialysis tube debarred her from playing any contact sports or going swimming and exhaustion left her with a pale reflection of the social life which would be normal for someone her age. Family holidays couldn’t even be contemplated.

But since the night Sara and her parents rushed to Temple Street Children’s hospital under garda escort, all of that has changed.

Sara has tucked into more than one packet of crisps and she can “go swimming, I can go out with my friends and I’m going on the school ski trip to Italy in February – I never thought I’d be able to do that. It’s amazing,” said Sara.

What she notices most, however, is that her energy levels have rocketed.

“I’m not tired all the time anymore. I can stay up until a normal time – and I can eat everything, including crisps.”

Sara’s mum, Mary, agrees that everything has changed for her brave daughter.

“She never complained but I would see her come in from school, white in the face with tiredness. We couldn’t thank the donor’s family enough or, for that matter, Temple Street Hospital, who were fabulous,” said Mary.

The gratitude which organ recipients feel was marked recently at the Irish Kidney Association’s 21st Annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving in Corpus Christi Church in Dublin.

The service – at which recipients and their families remember those who gave the gift of life – will be televised on October 29 on RTE at 11.10am.

DOONBEG Golf Club confirmed yesterday that it had secured €41 million through the sales of luxury suites at the ‘Lodge’, its €150 million golf resort at Doonbeg.

Accounts for the venture returned to the Companies Office show that in 2005, the club recorded a loss of €1.2 million, with a spokesman ascribing the loss “to the development and preparation costs associated with entered 32 sales contracts totaling the pending opening of the five star €27.6 million for these properties. lodging, golf, and hospitality faciliThe remaining 15 suites totaling ties”. €13.4 million were sold during the

The accounts also show that the early part of 2006. US investors behind the project have injected €48 million into the golf by next month,” he said. resort, while there were 270 people employed at the golf club over the mained at about the same levels as summer months in 2006. 2004, but with the opening of the

A spokesman said yesterday, “DurLodge, the spokesman said, “golf ing 2005, The Lodge at Doonbeg rounds have dramatically increased

“Almost all sales will have closed Last year, golf rounds for 2005 reTHE west Clare peninsula is in danger of losing its only remaining post office, with the people of Carrigaholt accusing An Post of using underhand means to close down the service vital to the small village and rural community.

An Post maintains however that it wants to keep the service in the small village and is hoping someone will apply for the contract. It said it is offering the same terms as other offices by 40 per cent for the current year to over 20,000 rounds”.

With green fees pitched at €185 during week days and €195 at weekends, the golf club has accumulated €3.7 million in green fees last year.

The spokesman said, “Club membership sales continue to be strong with 2005 being 39 per cent ahead of the sales levels achieved in 2004. That trend has continued in 2006 with membership sales levels beare working under – that the salary is directly related to the volume of business.

“We want to have an office there but it is dependent on someone coming forward to run it as a singular business or as part of a retail business,” a spokesperson said.

But, local people believe they are loosing their post office by stealth. Concerned parish priest Fr Patrick Culligan said that no one could be expected to work a six-day week for the sum offered. He said the person ing another 44 per cent ahead of the 2005 levels.

“There are now 430 Irish and international members. Approximately 40 per cent of members are Irish.

“Doonbeg Golf Course has now moved from number 58 in Golf World rankings in 2005 to number 47.

“Making this a banner year, the course was voted the IGTOA (Irish Golf Tour Operators Association) Golf Course of the Year in 2005.” would have to provide a premises if they were to take on the job.

Fr Culligan said that the loss of the post office dimished the social and business life of the village and affected tourists and visitors to the famous Irish College, Coláiste Uí Chomhraidhe.

General Election Candidate, Cllr Madeleine Taylor Quinn (FG) said, “Older people should not be forced to travel long distances to do their banking, not to speak of pensions and social assistance payments. Local businesses will be adversely affected.”

For almost seven months the people of Carrigaholt and the peninsula have been without the services of the local post office. Postmistress Mary Ginnane retired last July following an illness. She had hoped the position in the automated office would be filled. Four other post offices have already closed on the peninsula – Kilbaha, Cross, Doonaha and Querrin. The nearest post office is now in Kilkee, over 10 km away.

This Sunday RTÉ’s new regional and community affairs programme, Pobal will feature the plight in Carrigaholt at 5.25pm.