Category: News

PAYMENT of close to € 1 million will be made to farmers involved in conservation farming in the Burren this week, but these payments could be just the tip of the iceberg.

The 157 farmers involved in the Burren Farming for Conservation Project (BFCP) will share € 986,000 in funding from the Department of Agriculture. The funding is in payments for monitored works carried out on their farms over the last 12 months, which have resulted in environmental benefits for the region.

Head of the Carron BFCP, Brendan Dunford, said yesterday that his group are pushing strongly for a ma- jor expansion of the programme for 2015, which would see level of farmers involved in the programme quadruple and the funding just around € 4 million per year.

“We’re hopeful that we can secure funding for an expansion of the BFCP across the Burren under the new Rural Development Programme 2015 to 2020,” he said yesterday.

“Our target is for a four-fold expansion which would enable any Burren farmer who wants to farm for conservation access to gain access to the required support. This would be an enormous investment in the local economy, community and heritage of this wonderful place.”

The programme, which is one of the first of its kind in Europe, pays farm- ers to manage their land in a way that promotes biodiversity and sustainability. One of the major successes of the programme to date is the better management of the encroachment of scrub, which had been taking over in many areas of limestone pavement in the Burren in recent decades.

The project works through a meticulous list of on-farm criteria, with each section of land on a farm being assessed for its environmental benefits and farmers receiving payments based on the status of the land and the works carried out.

The Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney (FG), yesterday confirmed € 1 million of funding for the project in 2014 but did not comment on the prospect of rolling it out across the entire Burren area.

Over the past four years, farmers in the Burren have received more then € 3.8 million through the project. Over the same period more than 67,000 metres of stone walls have been repaired while 180 hectares of invasive scrub has been removed – mainly by hand – from rare, species-rich grasslands and ancient monuments.

Almost 100 km of paths have been reopened enabling livestock access to under-grazed grasslands which can then be restored. Hundreds of water supplies have been protected by installing new tanks, troughs and pumps, resulting in improved water quality in this very sensitive karst landscape.

The Cla re People has learned.

The service, which has been closed

since February 2 as a result of seri

ous flooding in the Ballycar area, a

spokesperson from Iarnród Eireann

confirmed yesterday that the service will not be reopened until the middle of May at the earliest. The track was originally closed in early February of this year following severe flooding in the wake of ongoing wet conditions last winter. This flooding increased water levels on nearby Ballycar Lough dramatically and resulted in the rail line becoming severally submerged. At the time, it was estimated that the rail service would be up and running again in the middle of last month. However, a spokesperson from the national road company revealed yesterday that the Ennis to Limerick section of the Western Rail Corridor will not reopen again until the middle of next month. “It will now be mid May at least. It is just a matter of waiting for the levels to subside,” said a spokesperson from Iarnród Eireann. “The landscape is know as Karst and it feature porous rock that takes a long time for the water to get through.” The train station at Sixmilebridge has been closed since February with bus transfers taking commuters back and forth between Ennis and Limerick. This latest flooding comes despite the railway company raising the track levels in the Ballycar area by 60 centimetres in 2003, in an effort to avoid flooding. The level of flooding taking place this year was so severe that the water levels were recorded more than half a metre above the raised track. The existing rail timetable on the Ennis to Limerick section of the Western Rail Corridor will continue to be honoured by Iarnród Eireann, with busses taking the place of trains on these routes.

CONTRACTS to begin construction work the M18 motorway, which will provide a completed motorway between Ennis and Galway, will not be signed this week, despite repor ts circulated to the contrary.

This is the latest in a series of false starts for the completion of the motorway, which is expected to create as many as 2, 000 jobs in direct and indirect employment during the construction phase.

The motorway has for some time been heralded as a possible saviour for construction in the county with a number of the county’s smaller sub-contractors expected to tender for valuable contracts once the proposal receives the green light.

It is also expected that the motorway, when completed, will provide significant advantages for Shannon Ai rpor t, opening up the market for tourists to use Shannon as their destination air port for visiting Connemara in the closure of all commercial flights out of Galway Air port.

A spokesperson from the National Roads Authority (NRA) told The Clare People yesterday that contrary to recent reports, contracts for the € 550 million motorway extension were not to be signed this week.

This is another delay in a series of delays which have plagued the motorway since it was signalled that it would go ahead in this year. Indeed, when the announcement of the completion of the motorway was made last October, it was envisioned that constr uction work would already be underway on the motorway at this stage.

It is still expected that, providing contracts are signed in the next number of months, that the motorway will be up and running before the end of 2017. It is not yet clear what issues are preventing contracts from being signed for the completion of the motorway.

The NRA are understood to be in ongoing negotiations with the prefer red bidder, but the identity of the prefer red bidder has not yet been made public.

A SENIOR official has re-iterated Ennis Town’s Council’s “significant concern” at having to foot a near € 500,000 legal bill in respect of cases taken against it in relation to national legislation.

The council was forced to defend two separate legal challenges taken in the High Court concerning the deregulation of the taxi industry and new casual trading byelaws.

Ennis Town Manager and Director of Service Gerard Dollard said it remains the local authority’s view that it should not bear the costs alone.

Mr Dollard’s comments are contained in the statutory audit of the Ennis Town Council’s financial accounts for the year ended December 31, 2012.

He states, “The cases referred to relate to challenges to national legislation and are cases that have been taken against the council. The council has no choice but to defend cases taken against it. Both cases have involved extensive High Court hearings. The council has had detailed discussions with the relevant government departments and also made every effort to operate the cases on the most cost effective basis possible. It remains the council’s view that costs relating to cases such as these should not be funded solely by the council.”

The auditor states the council was involved in two cases as a defendant in regard to challenges taken on matters relating to national legislation. One case related to the Ennis Casual Trading Byelaws 2011, which represented a challenge to the Casual Trading Act 1995 and in particular the status of casual trading on market rights.

The auditor states the council incurred legal costs of € 147,000 in respect to that matter. The council is also involved in a High Court case regarding the deregulation of the taxi industry some years ago.

The report states that a number of sample cases are being heard including one involving the town council.

The legal costs in this case are estimated to be in the region of € 300,000 and € 450,000.

In January, Mr Dollard said the council would receive € 200,000 from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Department of Transport towards the cost of the court hearings.

Mary GUERIN (née Harrington)
, Drewsboro Road,Tuamgraney. Funeral mass today (Tuesday), at 11.30amat St Joseph’s Church, Tuamgraney, with burial afterwards in St Cronin’s Cemetery. Family flowers only please, Donation if desired to Raheen Community Hospital. May she rest in peace.

Susan BANNON (née Keane)
, Loughville, Lahinch Road, Ennis. Formerly of Connolly and London. Laid to rest in Mullagh Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Berna LYONS
, Sunset House, Strand Line, Kilkee. Peacefully at The Galway Clinic. Reposing onTuesday evening 15th April at Lillis’ Funeral Home in Kilkee from5.30pmwith removal at 7pmto Kilkee Parish Church. RequiemMass on Wednesday at 11.30amfollowed by burial in Lisdeen Cemetery, Kilkee. Family flowers only please, donations in lieu toThe Clare 250 mile cycle. May she rest in peace.

Seamus WALSH
, Broadford/Shannon. Peacefully at Milford Care Centre after a short illness. Being laid to rest onTuesday. May he rest in peace.

Michael HICKEY
, Bridge Street, Scariff. Laid to rest in the NewCemetery, Moynoe. May he rest in peace.

Kathleen BARRY (née Benson)
, Bridgetown. Peacefully at Milbane Lodge Nursing Home Newport. Laid to rest in Bridgetown. May she rest in peace.

Mary CORRY (née Grace)
, Coolin, Coolmeen. Laid to rest in Kilfiddane Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Mary CUDDIHY
, Birmingham, England, and formerly of Bouladuff, Inagh. Laid to rest in Moohana Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Kathleen GEANEY (née Gissane)
, Knockanpierce, Nenagh/Killaloe. Formerly of Cross Roads, Killaloe. In the loving care of the staff of Nenagh Manor Nursing Home. Laid to rest in Old Abbey Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Michael James KELLY
, London and 18 St Patrick’sTerrace, Kilkee. Laid to rest in Lisdeen Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Kieran MULKERE
, Drumsallagh, Crusheen. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. Donations, if desired, to Cancer Campaign. May he rest in peace.

Ann (Nan) GOONAN
,Whitegate. In the gentle care of the Staff of Portumna Retirement Village, Portumna, Co Galway. Laid to rest in Clonrush Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Teresa HYNES
, Mullagh Road, Miltown Malbay, Laid to rest in Ballard Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Karen RYAN (née Mc Cormack)
,The Hill, Loughrea/Inagh, Boston, Massachusetts. Laid to rest in Mount-Pleasant Cemetery. Donations, if so desired, to Galway Hospice Foundation. May she rest in peace.

David OWENS
, Dal Geish, Scarriff Road, Killaloe. Suddenly. Funeral Mass held in Killaloe. May he rest in peace.

Peter GUY
, Formerly of Ard na Greine, Ennis/ Clifden. Laid to rest in Banogues Cemetery, Galway. May he rest in peace.

PJ MURPHY
, McHughVillas, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Peggy MCDONAGH (née McMahon)
, Knockdromagh, Ennistymon. Peacefully at The Galway Clinic. Laid to rest in the Old Cemetery, Ennistymon. May she rest in peace.

Stephen MALONE JNR
, 6 Dalcassian Drive, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. Donations, if desired, to the Irish Kidney Association. May he rest in peace.

THE actions of a mystery guitarist, who played a half hour long guitar solo on a small rocky outcrop in the Ennistymon cascades, have been described as “reckless” and “highly dangerous” by Clare’s most senior water safety official.

Clare County Council Water Safety Officer Liam Griffin, yesterday appealed to members of the public not to copy the bizarre incident, which he said could easily have lead to a fatality.

The incident took place on a rocky crag in the centre of the famous En- nistymon Cascades, beside the Falls Hotel, earlier this month. A man was seen to enter the cascades underneath the bridge in Ennistymon and play a Slash-style guitar solo in the centre of the river for around half an hour.

While no one was hurt in the incident, a photograph of the guitarist was released on social media last week – prompting Clare’s Water Safety Office to issue a warning.

“This behaviour is both reckless and highly dangerous. I would appeal to the public not to imitate these acts as repeat acts of this nature will lead to a fatality,” said Mr Griffin yesterday.

The guitarist has been identified as a member of Clare band ‘Los Paddys de Los Pampas’ who intend to use footage of the guitarist for an upcoming music video. Band spokesperson Paddy Mulcahy, yesterday declined to identify the guitarist and claimed that the incident was safe.

“I can understand him [Clare Water Safety Officer, Liam Griffin] not wanting to encourage folks to play on the waterfall, but what we did was perfectly safe,” said Mr Mulcahy.

“Of course we don’t want kids playing there, but recording a video of a guitar solo is different to playing. If we were running across the waterfalls just for a laugh, I’d say that would have been a bad example for people. But we went there for a single purpose, did it quickly, and then left.

“The video is a scene for an upcoming music video. The guitarist wanted an epic scene for his guitar solo in the middle of the song, so we decided the most amazing looking place we have on our door step was the falls in Ennistymon.”

THERE is “disquiet” in Clare and other jurisdictions over the operation of the Go Safe speed van system, a Judge has said.

Judge Patrick Durcan said concern exists nationwide at prosecutions taken by Go Safe for speeding offences.

The privately-run Go Safe has operated speed camera vans in Ireland since winning the Garda contract in 2009. The cameras operate on sections of road, which have a history of collisions occurring where speed was a contributory factor.

In recent months, Judge Durcan has been critical of Go Safe and has struck out a number of speeding charges brought against motorists in Clare.

Last month, he adjourned eight cases to May 2 after requesting the State look at the legislation underpinning the prosecutions brought by Go Safe.

After hearing evidence in one alleged speeding case, Judge Durcan raised concerns over the evidential basis of photographs taken by the vans’ cameras of alleged speeding motorists.

Ennis solicitor Daragh Hassett represents one of the people whose case has been adjourned to May. His client is contesting the charge.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Mr Hassett told Judge Durcan he would be making submissions to him on May 2 about Go Safe.

Mr Hassett said his client is “troubled” as to how Go Safe cases are being prosecuted.

Judge Durcan said Mr Hassett’s case would be treated as the lead case and he would hear submissions on May 2.

Judge Durcan said there is “disquiet throughout the county” and many areas of the country over Go Safe prosecutions.

Judge Durcan said he was also aware of what he called “startling admissions” made by a director of Go Safe in a Dublin court recently.

Go Safe was recently the focus of an RTÉ ‘Prime Time’ investigation, which uncovered allegations that motorists may have been wrongly fined for speeding offences.

PLANS have been lodged with Clare County Council which could see major developments in a number of key companies in the Shannon Industrial Zone in the months ahead.

EI Electronics, which currently employs more than 500 people at large campus in Shannon, has applied to construct a link building between two buildings in the Shannon Industrial Estate – a development which would also involve a major increase in the parking capacity in the local area.

Fabricated Products Shannon Ltd has also applied to planners for permission to extend its own factory facility and to create new office space in its Smithstown site.

It is not clear whether these enlarged facilities will lead to extra full-time employment in the Shannon area but a number of jobs are expected to be created during the construction phase of both projects.

The EI Electronics development in particular has raised hopes for the possibility of more jobs coming to Shannon.

The plans include a proposal to create an additional 138 parking places at its factory, which could indicate a future employment growth for what is already one of Clare’s biggest employers.

The EI Electronics proposal also includes plans to connecting properties known as Units 40-46 and Units 55-56 in the Shannon Industrial Estate by the construction of a link building.

The new building will be constructed across an existing access road preventing through access and generating a cul-de-sac at both sides of the building.

Other miscellaneous items including the provision of speed ramps and company signage on entrance gate are also included in the proposal.

Meanwhile, Fabricated Products Shannon Ltd has lodged plans for the construction of an extension to its existing factory including the construction of new offices, ancillary toilets and to relocate entrance gate including ancillary site works.

A decision on both proposals is not expected until June of this year.

ENJOY it while it lasts is the message for sun worshippers this week as the county is set to bask in sunshine and warm temperatures.

The fine weather is expected to last this week and into next as high pressure dominates our short term forecast. Temperatures could reach as high as 17c this Saturday.

Already, this April has been one of the lowest on record for rainfall and that trend will continue past the Easter weekend.

According to founder of Irish Weather Online Mark Dunphy, however, we shouldn’t be making any long term assumptions based on a fine Easter.

“Long range forecasts are rarely accurate,” he told The Clare People on Monday evening.

“Basing long range weather prospects on the chances of another hurling All-Ireland or behaviour of animals or nature in general is also a flawed science.

“Nature responds to weather and does not signal long term prospects. Therefore, I cannot give any insight on the long range prospects only to say that it appears that it will remain largely dry but overcast times up to and including Bank Holiday Monday.

“It is looking less settled and a little cooler next week,” he added.

Happily coinciding with the school holidays and fine weather is the reopening of The Loop Head Lighthouse in West Clare.

The popular tourist attraction will reopen to the public this Saturday (April 19), Clare County Council has announced.

The local authority, which manages the facility in conjunction with the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL), says the historic lighthouse will remain open daily (10am to 6pm) until the end of September.

THE legal community has paid tribute to the late Albert O’Dea who served as District Court Judge in Clare for 17 years.

Judge O’Dea passed away in Galway last week.

He was appointed District Court Judge for Clare in October 1983 and served until his retirement in July 2001.

Ennis District Court paused shortly after 3pm last Wednesday to remember Judge Al O’Dea.

Leading tributes, Judge Patrick Durcan said that while he had not known Judge O’Dea, the retired judge was spoken about affectionately.

The judge said words like kindness, flexibility and courtesy were mentioned frequently about Judge O’Dea in conversations he had last week with legal professionals and members of the judiciary.

He said Judge O’Dea was a man who served the people of the Clare “with a myriad of great qualities”. Judge Durcan expressed his deepest sympathy to Judge O’Dea’s family.

President of the Clare Law Society, William Cahir said Judge O’Dea was a “gracious” man and all members of the legal profession in Clare were sad to learn of his death.

State Solicitor for County Clare, Martin Linnane said Judge O’Dea’s family originally hailed from Carron in North Clare.

He said Judge O’Dea loved Clare and was a “gentleman” to appear before.

“I was very saddened to learn of his death. In my mind he was still a very young man,” added Mr Linnane.

Inspector Tom Kennedy appeared before Judge O’Dea as a guard, sargeant and inspector.

Insp Kennedy said he wanted to extend the sympathies of gardaí and particularly retired members of the force to Judge O’Dea’s family.

“He was very compassionate. There was no doubt about that.

“He had a great temperament,” added Insp Kennedy.

Ennis courthouse manager Josephine Tone said staff always spoke with great warmth and affection about Judge O’Dea.

In a statement, President of the Law Society, Clare solicitor John Shaw, said Judge O’Dea was “the epitome of courtesy and a true gentle person”.

SHANNON Airport has taken to the Big Apple to promote the latest strengthening of its US network – Aer Lingus’ first year-round service to New York since 2009.

The airport kicked off the most significant week for route commencements in almost a decade as it held meetings with travel, trade and US media in New York to promote the enhanced services.

Airport chairman Rose Hynes and marketing manager Marie Slattery led the Shannon delegation and during the four-day visit also held meetings with New York-based business interests and investors with regard to the wider Shannon group activities, including members of the influential Irish diaspora.

According to the airport chairman, the American market for services into the west of Ireland is heating up. “We have had a tremendous response from the trade, which is our key audience this week, as well as US media. There is a particular demand from the US for services into the western half of the country and Shannon because of the uniqueness of the product we have.

“Shannon is, of course, the only airport on the entire Atlantic coast with direct access from the US and we are delighted to have strengthened the services this year again. The Wild Atlantic Way is also generating considerable interest. It will be the longest coastal driving route in the world and that’s the type of product the discerning US market demands,” she said.

Aer Lingus will add 31,000 seats on its transatlantic services in 2014, a significant increase in capacity over last year when it operated seven flights a week between Shannon and the US compared to 13 flights a week this year.

Said Tourism Ireland’s Head of North America Alison Metcalfe, “The Shannon region has extensive links with the US, forged over generations, and it has been a major gateway to the West of Ireland for US visitors over the years.

“Getting to the Shannon region has never been easier with great value non-stop flights from cities such as New York, Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia with a welcome that is second to none.”