Category: News

DOONBEG Golf Club Limited has described as “minor alterations”, an application it has made to Clare County Council for retention of works on the multi million-euro development.

“These are minor alterations which in no way alter the foot print, or the shape of the development,” a spokesperson for the golf course said.

The local planning authority received an application for retention and completion of the development on January 25.

As part of the application, the golf club requested reconfiguration of part of a building to omit two one-bedroom suites and put one three bedroom suite in its place.

It also applied to omit a building, which received planning permission in 2003 to accommodate two suites.

It proposed instead, to construct a two-storey building of 536 square metres to accommodate three two-storey three-bedroom suites.

It also requested that the relocation of one of the buildings three metres to the east be permitted.

“There is something they (the golf club developers) wanted to do as it was going along, but it does not change overall plans,” said the spokesperson.

While the golf club maintain that the retention application is for “minor alterations”, local objectors say that the changes involve “significant additional and unauthorised development work at the site.”

A COMPANY building a range of tourism accommodation in the north Clare area has suffered a setback, with An Bord Pleanala refusing a hotel development in Doolin.

Over the recent past, Bespoke Development Ltd has been involved in developing tourist facilities — mainly holiday homes — in Doolin and Liscannor.

However, the appeals board has refused planning for a hotel, bar and restaurant at Coogyulla, Doolin.

The proposed development site is in the vicinity of the crossroads at Coogyulla, which is already built up, primarily with clusters of singlestorey and dormer holiday homes.

Bespoke Development lodged plans in December 2004 for the two-storey hotel, in a bid to avail of tax incentives under a Government scheme.

However, the county council turned down permission, stating that the overall proposal comprised

haphazard and non-integrated de velopment, which would frustrate the comprehensive development and servicing of adjoining lands, and would set an undesirable precedent.

The local authority also ruled that the proposal be refused planning having regard to the poor draining soils, high water table and number of septic tanks and wastewater treatment systems in the area.

However, in their appeal, Bespoke Development claimed that the proposal on zoned land would improve the range of accommodation and services available in the settlement.

The company also stated that the proposal would provide a complimentary Park and Ride facility for the €32 million Cliffs of Moher visitor centre identified for the area.

The developers pointed out that the council accepted the principle and design of the development on the site.

However, An Taisce pointed out that the site lay outside the designated settlement, on a scenic route, and would be outside of the services.

In the inspector’s recommendations, he stated he was not, “satisfied that the proposed wastewater treatment facility on a separate site can adequately treat and dispose of effluent without any adverse impact upon the sensitive and vulnerable groundwater regime of this area.”

This view was endorsed by the appeals board and it refused permission, ruling that the site would constitute an unacceptable risk of ground and surface water pollution.

“The proposed development would, therefore, be prejudicial to public health.”

HAVING returned from overseeing the democratic process in one of the most volatile areas on the planet last week, Theresa Kearney was relaxed and looking forward to her next venture abroad as part of the EU Election Observers Mission.

The Crusheen woman, now living in Ennis, is a seasoned election supervisor, having previously overseen elections in Bosnia Herzegovina and the Palestinian presidential elections last year.

With over a decade of experience behind her, the HSE worker spent part of her annual leave last month witnessing one of the most surprising election results in recent times, coming to fruition.

Based in Ramallah, she visited 18 stations across the state on the historic Election Day.

“At most of the polling stations I visited, both the day of the election and the day previous, it was like being at a St Patrick’s Day Parade. I mean, there was a sea of green everywhere and you got the sense that the election was going to go in a particular way. There was certainly evidence of Hamas support in every village that we visited,” she told The Clare People .

But Theresa hadn’t time for considering the outcome. Her 23-hour election workday began at 5am, when she met her driver and interpreter to organise the route they were going to take across a country with no signposts and highways secured only for Israeli travel.

Arriving at the polling stations half an hour before opening, the observer’s mission began.

“We can’t intervene in the process, but report back,” she said.

She observed the count and tidied up before travelling back with the ballot boxes to the intake centre.

Asked if she feared for her life working in such a volatile area she said, “Not really because you have a job to do and you are engrossed in the task at hand.”

Like all volunteers, she took precautions.

“You don’t assume that because you are wearing an EU badge that are going to be safe,” she said.

Ms Kearney was recruited through the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The department then recommended her to the EU, for a the final decision.

Her previous experience working with Concern for two years made Ms Kearney an ideal candidate.

Theresa had to be evacuated ten days after travelling in Somalia in the mid 1990s. She survived that trauma, and was brought to Uganda to continue her aid work there.

RESIDENTS opposed to the multi-million euro extension of the Whelan Group’s flagship operation have called for an oral hearing to be held into the contentious proposal.

Last month, in spite of location opposition, Clare County Council gave the green light to the Whelan Group to extend its quarry at Fountain outside Ennis.

In their appeal to An Bord Pleanala, local residents, Michael Halpin, David Copley and John Hehir have requested that an oral hearing be held, “taking into consideration the many issues of public importance raised in this case, the EU dimension and the large number of submissions made.

“There are many issues not least the location of the development in Drumcliffe Springs catchment, an area of extreme vulnerability, and recent public concern about the quality of water in Ennis and environs with the recent ‘boil notices’ issued.

“We have been subjected over the past twenty-five years, to a deterioration in our quality of life as a result of serious vibrations from blasting, noise and dust and as the quarrying moves nearer to our dwellings and into yet another townland the proposals for the future look bleak indeed, should the appeal fail.

The company now has an opportunity to respond the residents’ claims and a decision is expected on the appeal in the summer of this year.

VISITING restrictions remain at Ennis hospitals and will not be removed until they are clear of the ‘Winter Vomiting Bug’ for more than 72 hours.

Two cases of the highly contagious infection were confirmed in St Joseph’s Hospital yesterday (Monday), with three other suspected cases also being investigated.

There is just one suspected case of the virus in the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Ennis.

The Health Service Executive Mid West Region first confirmed an outbreak in the Ennis hospitals over two weeks ago, when 11 cases were confirmed among patients.

The ‘Winter Vomiting Bug’ is a community infection, with outbreaks in hospitals a gauge of what is happening in the community.

Anyone wishing to visit the hospital is requested to check with reception staff or contact the hospital.

“Attendance at the Accident and Emergency Department should only be if absolutely necessary,” said a HSE spokesperson.

Out-patient, day care services and routine hospital admissions are not affected by the restrictions however.

In Healthcare Settings, such outbreaks are not completely preventable, but they are controllable, according to the National Guidelines on the Management of Outbreaks of the Norovirus Infection.

OPPOSING factions in a feud, who ended up on charges because they had a set-to on the steps of the courthouse, had a second courthouse showdown while waiting for that case to be heard.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy was told that every time particular members of the McDonogh and Mongan families met, there was trouble.

Bernard McDonogh of Ashline in Ennis, Christopher McDonogh of Davitt Terrace in Ennis, and Edward and Christopher Mongan of Clondalkin in Dublin had previously been convicted of violent disorder. While they were leaving court after that conviction, they started trading insults on the steps of the court, Ennis District Court heard.

That resulted in their appearance in the court on Friday on Public Order charges before Judge Aeneas McCarthy.

But Inspector Michael Gallagher told the judge that after the court rose for lunch, while the two sides waited for their case to be heard, “there was another altercation.”

He said that the on-going tensions were the result of a long-standing feud between the two sides. But apart from their flare ups when the two sides met, the judge was told, they were law-abiding citizens who had never been in trouble with the gardaí.

“After each incident, all four appear genuinely remorseful, but when they confront each other, it is like a red rag to a bull,” Sergeant Alan McLeish said.

Solicitors for both sides said their clients were pleading guilty to the charges and wanted an end to the tensions.

As the Mongans had now moved to Dublin, the opposing factions were less likely to meet. Each of the men is father to five children, the court heard.

The court heard that as a result of the original violent disorder conviction, the parties were due to have three year suspended sentences imposed and these would take effect in July, provided there was no further trouble.

Judge McCarthy said that he took “a serious view of trouble at the courts. People should be able to come to court without getting caught up in feuding gang violence.”

He jailed each of the men for terms of four months and two months on the two public order charges. He set bail at an independent surety of €1,500 and their own bonds of €500 each.

MORE than 100 jobs will be created in North Clare this summer through the launch of a major new tourism company, the Atlantis Holiday Group.

The Liscannor based group will bring together a variety of different forms of accommodation in the North Clare area and hopes to cash in on the new visitor facilities at the Cliffs of Moher, as well as other new visitor attractions throughout the county.

The group consists of two hotels, a guest house, holiday homes and a pub, as well as a new music and performance facility, in the Doolin and Liscannor area. Prominent member of the Clare Tourism Council and former manager of the Burren Centre in Kilfenora, Paddy Maher, will act as Group Development and Marketing Manager for the Atlantis Group.

“We are trying to focus on the tourism markets that are developing at the present time,” said Mr Maher.

“We know from Fáilte Ireland that traditional pursuits, such as music, will be a major focus of development over the next 10 years or so.”

The group is currently involved in redeveloping Joseph McHugh’s famous pub in Liscannor, which was formerly owned by Clare hurling legend, Davy Fitzgerald. They are also developing the new Cliffs of Moher Hotel, on the site of the old Captain’s Deck Restaurant, in the town.

“It will be a 23 bedroom hotel located just across from the harbour in Liscannor,” said Mr Maher.

“We are hoping to receive four star status with a restaurant and a bar area out the front.”

The group also has interests in Doolin, where Ballyvara House, the Tír gan Éan House Hotel and the Doolin Holiday Village will all be flying the Atlantis Group’s flag. The five diamond rated Ballyvara House will also feature a new 40-seater restaurant.

Aside from the portfolio of accommodation, the group has plans to develop a new music and performance facility in Doolin.

“We are hoping to have that up and running by the end of the summer,” continued Mr Maher. “It is going to be open all year round and will be available for any local group who wants to put on plays and concerts.”

Ballyvara House and Joseph McHugh’s pub are scheduled to reopen next month, while the two hotels will be fully operational for the 2006 Summer season.

THE long running saga over Cahercon Pier took another twist last night after it emerged that a marine surveyor employed by Clare County Council was denied access to vessels moored at the site.

At Clare County Council’s monthly meeting, members were told that a marine surveyor had been employed by the council to undertake an assessment of the vessels located at Cahercon Pier under the Merchant Shipping Act.

While an initial report was obtained by the council, the report was incomplete as the surveyor was denied access to the vessels. The council have also been unable to determine who owns the vessels and are seeking advice on how to proceed with the matter.

Fine Gael Councillors Oliver Garry and Martin Conway both requested to know what options were available to the council since the decision was taken not to include Cahercon Pier on a list of protected structures. Last month the council went against the advice of the County Manager and voted not to include the pier on a list of protected structures.

An updated structural report on the pier showed that while the pier was in reasonably good structural condition, damage and dilapidation had occurred along the pier walls.

Cllr Garry, who had previously proposed that the pier be listed, stated that he was wasn’t against encouraging employment in the area and urged the council to resolve the issue of access as speedily as possible.

Cllr Conway said that a large number of people in West Clare were disappointed with the outcome of last month’s vote and proposed that a special meeting to discuss the matter be convened in April.

Cllr Madeleine Taylor-Quinn asked the council to find out who the ships were registered under and whether the substances that were carried on board were harmful or not.

A LEADING Clare psychiatrist has identified a new addiction afflicting western society, and putting lives at risk.

“Tanoraemia” is an addiction to tanning, according to Dr Moosajee Bhamjee.

“Tanoraemia people wish to look tanned all the time, winter and summer and for every special occasion. These people are called Tanorexics,” he said.

Tanoraemia can occur at any age, and does not discriminate between genders or class.

The outspoken psychiatrist and former TD warned that addiction to tanning can be detrimental to a person’s health as well as affecting their finances.

“They are so addicted to looking tanned that they will not heed advices about the dangers,” he said.

“People are going from one sun bed centre to another and are not listening to the advice of the sun bed owner.”

Dr Bhamjee told The Clare People that a worryingly high number of people were changing tanning centres without informing the owners that they might already have been on a sun bed that day or week.

“Some people are even buying their own sun beds and installing them in their own homes,” he added.

It is not just sun beds that are causing concern for the Clare psychiatrist. Spray tans and self-tanning products are also feeding into the tanning frenzy, he maintains.

“The consequences of the “false tan” are that people may develop an allergy to the liquid. It may harm one’s eyes, it can come off on clothes,” explained Dr Bhamjee.

“Prevention is very difficult and needs community support and for people to heed the advice of their friends and doctors,” he added.

Those addicted are also finding it difficult to take precautions to prevent the development of skin cancer, he said.

According to research by the Irish Cancer Society, as many as seven per cent of people use sun beds in Ireland.

The research also shows three per cent of users use sun beds once per week, five per cent use them twice per month and eight per cent about once a month.

The majority of users are in the 1534 year old age group.

Six per cent of users admit to have used sun beds for the first time before aged 15 years and 27 per cent, when they were between 15 and 19 years of age.

CLARE County Council have given up the fight for the land sought by Limerick City Council in the proposed boundary extension, just weeks before the issue is to be decided.

That is according to one Limerick city councillor who said the Clare local authority has been negligent in their responsibility for the south east of the county.

Limerick City Councillor John Ryan (Lab) told The Clare People that Clare County Council have given approval for planning permission for houses in the Corbally area with no consideration for infrastructure, schools, roads or child safety.

“It shows Clare County Council have given up the fight on this one,” he said.

“If they were interested in stopping an extension of boundary they would have invested in it (the area).”

Accusing the Clare council of having “no regard for people who are going to be living in that area”, he said that he had received numerous complaints from people about the state of the roads from outside Corbally, towards Clare.

Should the boundary be extended, the Limerick City councillor said that plans could be put in place to link the Dublin and Ennis roads, and therefore ease traffic through the city.

He said while Limerick has plans for such a link it would mean going through County Clare.

Members of Clare County Council remain defiant, however, that not an inch of Clare will be given over to Limerick City.

A decision on the Clare-Limerick boundary extension will be decided long before the first whistle is blown in this year’s Munster championship, and county jerseys bought for the coming season.

The Minister for the Environment and Local Government Dick Roche has promised to have a decision made within weeks on the controversial proposal to move the county line.

An application from Limerick City Council to extend its boundary into Clare and Limerick city is currently with the Minister. The Minister met with the Limerick Manager on Friday before meeting a deputation from Clare County Council.

“It is a matter of weeks before I issue the determination. I am going to make the determination. I am not going to play it safe politically and do the cute thing and kick it off to some commission. I don’t think that is the way to go,” he said.

“I understand fully the passion that people in this county have, as they do in other counties, about their place.”