Category: News

THE Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell has told each member of Clare County Council that there is no danger of infiltration by subversives or criminals into the new Garda reserve force.

In a bid to counter what he calls the ‘disinformation’ put into the public domain over the new reserve, Minister McDowell has written to each member of Clare County Council and stated, “I am confident that many of our fellow citizens will be proud to serve in the new Garda reserve.

“The reserve will provide an opportunity for continued involvement in law enforcement by retired members of the force, for many of whom policing and serving the community has been a life-time passion.

“Far from undermining the professionalism of our police force, these people will provide a diverse and rich resource for An Garda Síochána. Police forces across the common law countries have had reservists for many years. Is anyone seriously suggesting that police forces in the US or Britain are second rate as a result.

“The Garda Reserve concept has won the support of the Oireachtas, both in the ranks of Government and Opposition parties. I believe that the support of the public will also be forthcoming as the concept and the clear benefits it will bring are well understood”.

The reserve proposal is facing vehement opposition from the Garda Representative Association (GRA). GRA Central Executive member for Clare, Tom Keane stated, “a reserve police force, with little training and full Garda powers is something that we will not accept. It will be met with the opposition it deserves.”

In response to the letter, Councillor Brian Meaney (GP) said, “I am in favour of the Garda reserve and the attitude of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) needs to change on the issue.”

Cllr Meaney said that he would be applying to join the reserve only for Minister McDowell had ruled out members of political parties joining.

“The reserve needs to be given a fair chance. It will enhance the role of the Garda. However the resentment of the GRA towards reserve members will make life intolerable for the Garda reserve.”

THE Health Service Executive has said that it expects to open its temporary replacement prefabricated physiotherapy unit in Ennis by the end of the month.

But there have been claims this week that there is not sufficient electricity being generated from the hospital to power it.

The HSE would not comment on claims that a generator would have to be brought in to power the unit on the grounds of the Mid Western Regional Hospital, Ennis, or give a timeframe for when it might be installed.

On Tuesday evening last, the physiotherapy unit in the hospital building had to be cleared to accommodate the overflow of patients from other units.

The portacabin at the front of the hospital was first muted as a temporary solution to overcrowding at the hospital.

It was expected to be open in December last year to house the patients of the physiotherapists. But the HSE say it will now be March. It will be used as an overflow ward for up to nine patients.

The emergency move was originally expected to cost the HSE over €150,000.

Trolleys will be put into the physiotherapy room in an attempt to cope with the ongoing overcrowding at the county’s hospital, once the portacabin is up and running.

Ennis General Hospital is currently working to a capacity of 115 per cent, 30 per cent higher than is recommended.

Meanwhile, the HSE hopes to submit the planning application for the €20.8 million development at the hospital by June, with a view to putting the works to tender before the end of the current year.

According to the HSE Network Manager of the Mid West Area, John O’Brien, this will enable the construction work to commence in early 2007.

He confirmed that the design team were currently preparing detailed drawing submission to the planning office.

Welcoming the development, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) said he was confident that Clare would have a top-class hospital within the next two years.

The €20.8 million development will see a new radiology department and Accident and Emergency Unit constructed at ground level.

Two new medical wards and a surgical ward will be constructed on the second floor, and ICU developed.

There will be a 20 per cent increase in beds, from 88 to 106.

CONTENTIOUS plans for a €50 million retail park on the outskirts of Ennis due to create 250 jobs when operational, have been given the go-ahead, in spite of opposition from An Taisce, independent retailers’ group RGDATA and local residents.

Ennis Town Council ruled in favour of the development on a 17-acre site, in close proximity to the St Flannan’s roundabout in Ennis.

According to the developer, Michael Lynch Ltd., 150 people will be employed during the construction phase.

It will comprise of a retail superstore, seven retail warehouse units and a garden centre.

A retail impact assessment lodged with the plan concluded that, “it will not adversely affect the viability and vitality of the existing Ennis town centre or the local economy.”

But as part of the 36 conditions attached to the planning permission, the council has ruled that no development can commence until An Bord Pleanala grants planning permission for a vehicular access to the development.

Residents of the Clare Road are appealing this decision to An Bord Pleanala. They are also set to appeal the granting of permission to the centre. A decision is due in August.

A spokesman for the local residents told The Clare People , “We are very disappointed with the decision and we feel that our concerns over the development, have been ignored by the Town Council. No concession was made to the residents concerns,” he said.

An Taisce has expressed “serious concerns with regard to the environmental sustainability of the proposal”.

GARDAI who orchestrated the security operation for US President George W Bush’s two refuelling stops at Shannon over the past week have defended the decision to deploy hundreds of extra gardaí to patrol the airport.

Anti-war activists and GRA general secretary PJ Stone have questioned why hundreds of gardaí were deployed to Shannon for the refuelling stops on Tuesday and Saturday nights. The entire operation included more than 500 personnel and cost an estimated €750,000.

But Garda management sources said there was a risk assessment carried out and the numbers deployed were appropriate for the occasion.

Referring to Gda Stone’s comments, Superintendent John Kerin said, “I cannot believe a member of the GRA would say anything so non-sensical. The local GRA representatives were part and parcel of the planning and knew in advance what numbers were involved in the operation.

“If they had qualms, they did not bring it to our attention. Gda Stone had nothing to do with the operation. He wasn’t part of the planning process,” he said.

Supt Kerin said the numbers deployed were necessary, given that a 10-and-a-half mile radius had to be covered.

He said gardaí were satisfied with the operation, which involved the Emergency Response Unit and Garda Mounted Unit, as well as the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps personnel. The operation was co-ordinated by Assistant Commissioner Gerry Kelly, in liaison with the American Secret Service.

“A number of attempts were made in the course of Saturday night to breach security, but all were thwarted. After the President left Shannon, there was an attempt to pass the gantry [security area] but no-one gained entry,” said Supt Kerin.

On Saturday afternoon, four antiwar protesters, including Tim Hourigan, made their way, on a bus, to the terminal building and unfurled two anti-war barriers, before being asked to leave the area.

“They didn’t get within the terminal building. There was absolutely no breach of security,” said Supt Kerin.

Meanwhile, anti-war activist Ed Horgan said he was not surprised that so few people turned out to support their protests. Just seven people turned out on Tuesday night and nine on Saturday night.

“I am disappointed but not surprised, considering the weather. Theoretically, four million people should have been there. Every Irish person is implicated in the killing of 100,000 people in Iraq.

“Far too many resources were put into Shannon, when compared with the gross lack of security in Dublin during the riots a week earlier,” he said.

A MAN found in possession of a stolen laptop, two brief cases and two driving licences told a court he had found them by accident and intended returning them to gardaí.

Thomas Halpin (36), of no fixed abode, was convicted of five charges of handling stolen property in Ennis in February. He had pleaded not guilty.

Principal of Ennis national school, Gary Stack, said a laptop had been stolen in a breakin to the school. A laptop was presented in court by investigating Garda Val McCormack and Mr Stack identified it as his.

Another witness, Donal Ó Loinsigh, said a briefcase containing GAA notes had been taken from his car, which was parked in the Tesco carpark, on February 9 last.

Gda McCormack told the court he found the items in the accused’s rucksack, on February 12 last.

“It was obvious the items were not belonging to him. They appeared to be stolen property,” said the garda.

Halpin was also convicted of a number of other charges including possession of a sharply pointed knife and criminal damage, on different dates.

Referring to the charges of handling stolen property, he told Ennis District Court, “I was afraid I’d be blamed for stealing them. I had full intentions of bringing them to the gardaí but I didn’t know how to go about it.”

Judge Joseph Mangan imposed a two year jail term, telling the Halpin’s solicitor Tara Godfrey, “He is not leaving me with a great deal of choice.”

ENNIS Town Council wants representatives of the town’s different religious organisations to meet with them, in order to identify suitable locations for places of worship.

In response to a motion tabled by Councillor Taiwoo Matthew (Ind), the council stated that it did not have in its possession land for this purpose nor was it in a position to make land available for such a project.

But the groups involved could engage in pre-planning consultation to identify suitable sites, prior to acquisition.

Such consultation would be beneficial to them in advance of making any planning application development.

Cllr Matthew requested that Ennis Town Council “provide a zoned, designated area of town where religious organisations can have a permanent place of worship without disturbing the public or the public being a disturbance to them.”

Cllr Matthew stated that many religious groups were currently using inadequate locations, in order to carry out their activities of worship.

“These groups presently carry out their activities of worship in rented premises/areas that are not designated for these activities, thereby causing discomfort to both the public and themselves.”

He added that the lack of a suitable venue for worship meant that many followers of religious faiths had been unable to carry out ceremonies important to their faith.

Cllr Donal O’Beara (GP) had earlier asked why the issues that were raised at last month’s meeting of Ennis Town Council concerning the development of a five-year plan for the management of the town’s graveyards, were not brought to the attention of the Council’s equality officer. The plan concerned the current and future needs of the Ennis and environs population.

“Given that we have the officer, I feel it is important that we be seen to be doing something proactive and that the person is actively interpreting the social trends that are emerging.

“The issues that were raised in the discussion should be raised with the equality officer of Clare County Council.”

Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) said, “Ennis has never refused the burial to anyone of any religion.

“It is a Christian burial ground and work to extend the graveyard is already being carried out.

“No-one has ever been left overground and there won’t be in the future.”

OBJECTORS to the chosen site for a new bridge to span the River Shannon are to hold a public meeting to rally support for their stance.

John Young, chairman of the objectors group, recently wrote to all of those directly affected by the decision on the route of the bridge, inviting them to a meeting to discuss the issue.

With a turnout at a meeting last week of more than 60 local people, Mr Young said the group was “heartened by the level of interest and support. We are now planning to have a further, public meeting to let people know what is happening and to formulate a strategy of opposition.”

He stressed that the people involved with his group were “not anti having a new bridge across the Shannon. We are very pro having a bridge. But this is not the right location for it.”

The decision to site the new bridge at the historic Clarisford Palace in Killaloe and Roulagh Cross on the Ballina side was announced a few weeks ago. A second crossing, to be completed at a later date, is expected to be located just below O’Briensbridge.

The project will involve the demolition of at least one house and will cut across land close to St Anne’s Secondary School.

The route was decided on after the completion of a constraints study report on eight different locations by consultants, RPS MCOS.

Locals angered by the choice of route say it will be a danger to the heritage of the town and to 400 students who attend St Anne’s. They fear it will bring huge volumes of heavy traffic into the town. The objectors say that in routing the bridge in front of Clarisford, the council proposes going through land, which has been “consistently protected by an Bord Pleanála because of the heritage importance of the house”.

The group also believe that “not enough consideration has been given to the rate at which Killaloe is expanding and the extra amount of traffic that this will generate,” said Mr Young.

Local councillors from Clare, Tipperary and Limerick attended the meeting of affected residents in May’s Bar last week.

The next meeting will be an open, public one and will be held on Monday, March 20, at 8pm in the Kincora Hall Hotel in Killaloe. Anyone interested in the issue is welcome to attend, the chairman said.

THE 32 members of Clare County Council last year scooped almost €1 million between salaries and expenses, figures released by the council reveal.

The figures show that the members shared €880,513 in 2005 with Clare’s Mayor, Councillor Patrick Keane (FF) accruing the highest amount at €37,842. That is some €7,000 more than the average industrial wage.

Cllr Keane came out top through the mayor’s allowance, which provides €22,500 and €7,500 for his deputy, Sonny Scanlan (FG).

The figures published are inclusive of the taxable €15,330 salary received by councillors.

Cllr Keane maintained this week that he was “good value” for the money received. Speaking days after being released from hospital after suffering from exhaustion, Cllr Keane said, “I would be on top by virtue of the mayor’s allowance and living the furthest from Ennis.”

Councillors living the furthest away from Ennis are paid the highest amounts to attend meetings, while those living in Ennis receive the smallest amounts.

“It is a major disadvantage in living in west Clare having to travel to Ennis all the time to make representations, but you have to get on with it,” he said.

Fine Gael’s Councillor Madeleine Taylor-Quinn is unique amongst Clare’s councillors in not claiming any travelling expenses for conferences last year.She received the lowest expense amount at €19,916. The average pay out was €27,516.

The figures also reveal that €11,561 was spent by councillors on foreign travel last year to the Western Isles in Scotland. It cost €5,832 to cater for Councillors John Crowe (FG), John McInerney (FG), Martin Lafferty (Ind), Joe Carey (FG), Tommy Brennan (Ind), Pascal Fitzgerald (Lab) and Tony O’Brien (FF).

It cost €2,088 to send councillors on a fact-finding mission to Portugal. The councillors on that trip were John McInerney, Pascal Fitzgerald and Tommy Brennan.

It cost the taxpayer €3,641 to send Councillor Pat Daly (FF) to represent Clare at the New York St Patrick’s Day parade.

Another globetrotter was Councillor Flan Garvey (FF) who went to Melbourne, Australia as part of a twinning expedition – the cost to the tax-payer: €2,618.

Chairpersons of the Council’s Special Policy Committees (SPCs) also feature high on the list as they receive €5,078.

They are obliged to hold only four meetings each year, though most hold more.

FURTHER prosecutions against owners of licensed premises across Clare over fire safety issues are pending according to Clare County Council.

The Council’s Director for the Environment, Ger Dollard said he “very much welcomed” last week’s fine of €1,500 on Ennis hotel nightclub, The Queens, for breaching fire regulations.

At Ennis Circuit Court last Wednesday, The Queen’s Hotel pleaded guilty to failing on December 19, 2004 to ensure that doors, gates and other-like barriers to access escape routes were not secured in such a manner that they could be easily and immediately opened by persons in the place of assembly.

Judge Carroll Moran said, “The inability of the people to escape is a serious matter and it is only weeks after the anniversary of the Stardust tragedy and that puts into context the seriousness of this matter.”

Clare’s Chief Fire Officer, Adrian Kelly told the court that a joint team of five fire officers and eight gardaí carried out an inspection while a disco was taking place.

“The nightclub is normally a well-run establishment. We had received complaints of overcrowding, but we found very little,” he said.

Chief Kelly said that in 30 years of operating the business, The Queen’s Hotel had no previous convictions. A follow-up inspection on December 20 found that all locks were removed and the doors were opened, while by the following Wednesday, a new exit was in place that would make the premises much safer. Michael Collins BL, defending, said the doors were temporarily locked to prevent people accessing the hotel from the disco for a late drink.

“The company accepts that the doors shouldn’t have been locked.

Fining the defendants €1,500, Judge Moran said that he had to take into account the significant factors that the hotel acted quickly to address the matter and they had no previous convictions in over 30 years in the business.

After the court hearing, Hotel General Manager Maurice Walsh said that the doors were closed ten minutes in advance of when they should be by human error and they were not a main exit.

“The door in question was manned and operational until ten minutes before closing. The directors of the hotel have strict policies in relation to fire safety and have provided and continue to provide on-going fire safety training for all staff.

“Since this event, extra exits have been installed and all systems audited to ensure a similar occurrence will not take place. We continue on a regular basis to work with the Fire Officer to ensure all systems are within best code of practise for such venues,” Mr Walsh concluded.

A 15-YEAR-OLD boy who bought a knife in a shop in Ennis and then attempted to rob a shop in Cloughleigh has been handed a three-year detention sentence.

The youth, who is now 17 and who cannot be named because of his age, admitted a charge of attempted robbery, on November 3, 2004.

Sgt Frank Naughton said a woman was working in the premises, a small supermarket, on the date in question.

Two people, the accused and another man in his 20s, wearing balaclavas and carrying what she thought were knives or screwdrivers, entered the shop.

He said the other man – who was not before the court – ordered her to hand over money.

Sgt Naughton said the woman, who had the “daylight” frightened out of her, got a stick and threw it at the man in his 20s.

She activated the alarm and both the accused and the other man ran out.

The two men were seen hiding in the bushes near the shop and gardaí were notified. A knife and balaclava were recovered from the hedge nearby.

Sgt Naughton said the accused told gardai he had bought a knife in Mary’s of Ennis.

The accused said they both ran into the shop. The other man ran in around the counter and demanded money. Sgt Naughton said nothing was taken in the incident.

Defence barrister Pat Whyms said his client was led by the other man.

Judge Carroll Moran said he took on board that the accused was not the main participant, but that the incident was “a serious matter” in a local shop in a local community.

He noted that the case was not returned for trial until over a year after the offence.

“I do point out that there has been considerable delay in this case. It may be for good reason,” he said.

He imposed a three-year detention sentence on the youth and backdated it to January 2005, giving him the benefit of time spent in custody.

The boy is currently serving a two-year sentence for a separate offence.