Category: News

A LAKE popular with tourists has been closed due to the outbreak of a toxic algal bloom.

Clare County Council has erected signage around Lake Inchiquinn advising people not to enter the lake after an outbreak of blue-green algal bloom. The council took the measures after a dog which had drank water from the lake died. Another dog, which had also been in the lake, fell seriously ill but recovered soon after. The dogs were owned by two English tourists who were visiting the Corofin area last Saturday, June 3. When the incident occurred, they took the sick animal to an Ennisbased vet. Signs were subsequently erected by the county council on the Monday following the incident.

ENNIS Town Council have blasted an An Bord Pleanála decision to grant planning permission for a controversial telecommunications mast in Ennis.

But members of Ennis Town Council resisted calls to launch a judicial review into the board’s decision to grant planning permission for the mast at an ESB substation in Cahercalla More.

The council say they will write to the Taoiseach to voice their opposition to the move and will explore the possibility of contributing to a legal campaign being taken by local Riverview residents.

The Mayor of Ennis, Frankie Neylon (Ind), urged those opposed to a proposed mast in Knockanean to join with Ennis residents in their campaign.

It was also revealed that a section of the legal advice presented to the council stated that the ESB did not conduct an adequate search of the available sites for the 80-foot mast.

The advice said it should be noted that the eventual site at Cahercalla More should only have been chosen as a “last resort”.

However, the advice stated that the council should not proceed with legal action, as there was no precedent for doing so. Since then, local residents have decided to fund their own judicial review to block the erection of the mast.

There was widespread condemnation of the board’s actions at last week’s monthly meeting of Ennis Town Council.

Councillor Johnny Flynn (FG) requested the council reconsider its decision and take legal proceedings.

“There were no other sites looked at and there wasn’t an analysis done and we are bound by this. This council shouldn’t be slave to precedent.”

Mayor Neylon said that big business was taking precedent over people’s health.

“There is concern about this mast and the one in Knockanean. The question is what should come before our health, and that is nothing. Political parties should move on this in the Dáil. To me, An Bord Pleanála are the faceless people of Ireland.”

Councillor Tommy Brennan (Ind), who lives close to the proposed site and who requested the council take legal advice, was equally critical.

“I asked the ESB if this was needed as a replacement mast and I was told that it wasn’t. An Bord Pleanála don’t know where this mast is located. We have inspectors and planners making decisions and they don’t know anything about the area.”

Cllr Donal O’Beara (GP) added that it was ludicrous that health concerns were not considered when planning decisions were made.

A 100km cycle from Limerick to Doonbeg is to benefit cancer suffers in Clare.

The Limerick office of BDO Simpson Xavier has launched a major fundraising drive for cancer treatment equipment for the Mid West through its Get Back Challenge, Business Against Cancer initiative.

In order to achieve the €200,000 target the organisers are holding the 100km cycle on July 1.

The BDO Get Back Challenge has also brought together a range of business sub sponsors that include AIB, Bank of Ireland, Bloxham Stockbrokers, and solicitor firms, Leahy & Partners and Sweeney McGann.

Speaking at the launch of the Get Back Challenge, BDO Simpson Xavier Managing Partner Brian McGann explained “the Business Against Cancer programme has been devised to bring together as many businesses as possible to make a telling contribution to cancer care in the region.

It is significant that a number of our sponsors work in the same sectors but have come together for this event.

“This cause has demonstrated the strength of feeling in the business community towards cancer care and the opportunity to contribute something tangible together,” he added.

In addition to the 100km charity cycle event, the BDO Get Back Challenge includes a children’s activity and nutrition educational element aimed at parents, sports coaches and teachers.

The main message of the educational project is to encourage people to look at their activity and nutritional habits.

Recent research by the World Cancer Research Fund has highlighted how 30 to 40 per cent of cancers can be prevented by being physically active, maintaining a healthy body weight and eating healthily.

The highlight of the activity and nutrition campaign will be a major autumn seminar that will bring together top sports personalities, coaches and health experts.

A MAN who had a gripe with a priest over a book he wrote, shouted obscenities outside another priest’s house late at night.

Joe Cullinan (57), of 6, Elm House, Shannon – a writer of books and poetry – appeared before Shannon District Court, facing criminal damage and public order charges, following two separate incidents.

Sergeant Michael O’Connell told the court that Fr Colm Hogan complained that the front window of his house had been broken during the night of March 18.

He said the accused was seen shouting in the area, calling the priest a “Tipperary f*****.” The incident took place at around 11pm.

“He admitted that he was very drunk and was shouting, roaring and calling the priest obscene things. He said he had no fault with Fr Hogan but he had with another priest,” said Sgt O’Connell.

Relating to a separate incident, Garda Chris Lanney said the accused banged on the front window of the porch of a house, at around 1.30am on December 27 last.

He broke the porch during the incident and verbally abused the occupant of the house.

“He called the occupant a f***ing c*** and a b****. It is an ongoing thing between the occupant and the defendant. A friend of his lives next door,” said the garda. The court was told the accused, who has a drink problem, agreed to pay €450, in respect of the criminal damage to the porch.

Mr Cullinan, a separated father-of-two, writes books and poetry on Clare, which he sells to tourists. He was in dispute with a priest in relation to one of his books.

Defending solicitor Rachel Dobson said both matters related to alcohol and her client had never been in trouble before.

Judge Joseph Mangan noted that €450 damage was caused on one occasion and €40 on the other and heard that no compensation was in court.

“If someone has a dispute with a neighbour, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about it,” added the judge.

He adjourned the case for a week, remanding the accused in custody with consent to bail.

Referring to the compensation, he said, “I don’t expect him to have all of that next week, but I’m certainly not going to wait another six months.”

He ordered that a Probation report, with specific reference to alcohol abuse and anger management, be carried out.

CONCERNS expressed by a number of organisations over the development of a €115 million incinerator for the mid-west region seem unlikely to halt the project.

This follows the publication of the review of the Regional Waste Management 2006-2011, which contains a number of changes to the original document after a wide-ranging public consultation exercise.

One of the contentious parts of the plan is the proposal to develop an incinerator in the region where, by 2013, over 40 per cent of Clare’s waste will be treated.

In its submission, The Centre for Environmental Living and Training said an incinerator would be detrimental to the region in terms of health landscape and tourism and would require constant supply that would negate the value of recycling.

Clare Council’s Special Policy Committee (SPC) on the Environment submitted that there was an inherent contradiction in the draft regional waste management plan proposing an incinerator while promoting reduction, reuse and recycling.

However, in its submission, the Ennis Chamber of Commerce stated that the provision of an incinerator should be considered as a form of waste management.

Chamber CEO Rita McInerney said the advantages of thermal treatment outweigh the disadvantages, but only as a last resort as there were questions over the technology. In the short-term, efforts should be concentrated on recycling and re-using, she said.

In spite of the submissions to halt the drive towards an incinerator, the revised draft plan maintains that thermal treatment is required for the region and only adds that “the policy will encourage industry to substitute the issue of fossil fuels with alternative fuel sources”.

The new draft regional waste plan doesn’t identify a site for an incinerator, although a feasibility study for the provision of thermal treatment has stated that the provision of such a facility “can be best achieved through some form of public-private partnership arrangement”.

“The plan allows for such a facility to emerge from the private sector, with the local authorities facilitating the provision of a thermal treatment facility in the region as a means of achieving landfill diversion targets.

“If progress is not made in implementing thermal waste treatment in the region by 2009, the local authorities will take steps to ensure that it is delivered according to the public-private model or a similar approach.

It is anticipated that the incinerator will treat 150,000 to 200,000 tonnes of waste each year.

A spokesperson for the environmental section of Clare County Council says the council moved swiftly to warn people of the dangers. The lake will remain closed for the foreseeable future and the council is to continue to carry out testing on the water.

“Our understanding is that two dogs were taken sick and taken to a vet in Ennis. There was a prescence of blue green algal bloom in the water and we have taken steps to ensure people don’t go in the water,” said a spokesman.

The problem arose after high temperatures and a prolonged period of dry weather.

“The advice would be not to bathe in the water and to not let animals in the water as it is potentially toxic. The algae is always present in the lake, it is just that the hot weather caused it to bloom so much. We would hope that the change in the weather would cause it to disperse.

“We haven’t seen the neurological toxicity tests, but it our understanding that one dog did die.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not been contacted over the issue, as the lake is not classified as a bathing area.

“As far as I am aware, there has been no contact with the EPA. The area isn’t considered a bathing area so there would not have not been any contact. In the case of Blue Flag beaches they would be contacted.”

In July of last year, an outbreak of algal bloom forced the closure of Ballyalla Lake near Ennis.

In that case, a dog also died shortly after swimming in the water.

It was the second time in just over a month that Clare County Council had issued a bathing warning. In June 2005, a bathing ban was enforced in Lough Derg following an outbreak of a suspected toxic algae.

A NUMBER of Ennis taxi-drivers are at the forefront of an “army-deafness” style legal action against the Government to secure millions in compensation over the deregulation of the industry.

Prior to deregulation in 2000, the most expensive taxi “plates” in the state were being sold in Ennis because the local taxi market was restricted to just 20 taxi-drivers.

In the previous year, a local man bought a plate for €150,000, while others purchased plates for €142,000 and €135,000.

However, as a result of legislation introduced by former Progressive Democrat Minister, Bobby Molloy, any person could enter the taxi market by purchasing a plate for €6,500.

Six years on, Ennis has 116 licensed taxis. One of the original 20 taxi-drivers Paul Kelliher is among the local operators who has been contacted to join the legal action.

The Ennis man purchased his plate for €92,000 in 1996 and is confident the legal action will succeed.

“You could buy a decent house in 1996 in Ennis for €60,000. When we purchased our plates, we were investing in our futures and our pension and that was wiped out overnight and we are hoping to be re-imbursed. Natural justice would suggest that what was done was wrong.”

“Deregulation is not the issue – restrictive entry enforced by the Government was and is wrong. Allowing entry at very little cost, thereby wiping out the investment made by existing operators, is at issue here. If the government had issued licences at a cost to reflect value, existing taxi drivers would not be aggrieved nor would a legal challenge be now pending.”

“No single group of self-employed businessmen had ever been isolated and destroyed as quickly and effectively.”

“All these operators converge on the only taxi rank in Ennis to ply their trade. Ennis Town Council has got a windfall of €624,000 in licensing fees since deregulation and their only response has been a proposal to move the existing taxi rank to a ‘back-alley’ location in possibly the most dangerous location in Ennis, at the Parnell Street car park.”

He said that Limerick legal firm, Mc Mahon O’Brien Downes has been in contact with him on the issue of instituting proceedings – the firm was one of the highest earning firms in the legal actions taken against the Government over the army-deafness cases.

AS EXAM tension grinds on, it has emerged that Clare students perform better than average in the Leaving Cert, according to an important new study.

Clare came fifth in the nationwide study of Leaving Cert results for 36,000 students in 2004.

Using figures compiled for the Higher Education Authority, the analysis looked at the number of students who entered higher eduction with five higher-level C grades, or better. The national average came back at 39.7 per cent, but Clare’s average was 45.1 per cent.

The results come as thousands of the county’s students prepare this week to face papers on history, business studies, science, German and home economics. Last week, students were generally pleased with the papers. There were no surprises in the English paper, while the Irish paper was being described as fair, with maths a little tricky.

The Banner county came in behind Cork, which scored 52.3 per cent, Dublin, which had 46.3 per cent, Limerick which returned 45.6 per cent and Kilkenny, which had 45.4 per cent. The figures were published as part of a HEA/ESRI survey.

Students in large urban areas outperformed those in rural areas. The high performing counties were also those with a large number of fee-paying schools.

CAMPAIGNERS are confident that a proposed new transitional housing service will serve the needs of homeless people within Clare.

Clare County Council has acquired a site near Ennis Town Centre for the provision of Transitional Housing for Homeless Persons. A €2.1 million budget to cover the cost of acquisition and refurbishment has been approved by Minster Noel Ahern TD, Minister for Housing & Urban Renewal.

Laurel Lodge will be located on the site of a former B&B on the Clare Road and will have the capacity to accommodate 12 people, all men. The centre will be staffed by the St Vincent de Paul who will lease the building from Clare County Council. St Vincent de Paul worked closely with Clare County Council, Ennis Town Council, the Health Services Executive and Clare Homeless Forum over the past five years to identify and acquire a site within the town centre.

The centre will provide temporary accommodation for people who have found it difficult to acquire affordable housing.

Outreach workers will work and community welfare officers will maintain contact with residents once they leave the centre and will provide assistance in finding permanent housing. Referrals will be made by the Homeless Unit of Clare County Council.

Councillor Joe Arkins (FG), Chairperson of the Homeless Forum, said the move represented a vital step forward in the implementation of the Homeless Action Plan for Clare.

“The centre will provide a vital first point of contact for people who the St Vincent de Paul may not have come across. It also provides a location for outreach staff to keep in touch with people and help them find permanent housing when they leave.”

Cllr Arkins added, “I think it is the optimum site. Frankie Neylon lives in that area and I think that neighbours will be pleased to see it go in there. There is an older community living there, a lot of second generation families who I think will accept it.

“We expect Laurel Lodge to be a good neighbour in the community, no vagrancy will be tolerated there. Some of the local councillors visited a similar centre in Limerick and I think they were quite surprised.”

Mayor of Ennis Frankie Neylon said the service will be of great benefit to Ennis

Director of Clare County Council’s Housing and Social Policy said the Council was delighted to have found the site. She added that it would provide an “absolutely essential service for the town”.

The Council will seek planning permission to develop the centre, which is expected to be operational within four months.

THE VILLAGES of Flagmount and Scariff were in shock yesterday after a popular local man was found dead in the River Graney.

Local people joined gardaí from Scariff in a search of the river after the Flagmount man failed to return home from a fishing trip on Sunday night.

His body was located in shallow water near Caher this morning. Emergency search and rescue services were put on alert when the fisherman was reported missing but they were stood down after he was found.

He has been named locally as 56 year old Johnny Leonard, a father of four grown up children from Knockbeha in Flagmount.

A driver for the forestry service, he was married to Margaret and one of a large family. His brother, Michael Leonard, is a priest working with emigrants in Chicago. Other family members living abroad were being informed of the tragedy last night.

A post-mortem examination will be carried out today at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick, but gardaí said they did not suspect any foul play.