Category: News

THERE has been a dramatic increase in the number of serious drugs offenses detected in Clare over the first 10 months of 2013.

According to figures released at last night by Clare Chief Superintendent, John Kerin, Section 15 drug offenses have increased by a massive 68 per cent compared to last year.

There has been a total of 74 Section 15 offenses in Clare so far this year – a 68 per cent increase on the first 10 months of 2012.

Section 15 offenses refer to larger quantities of drugs, which are deemed to be for sale or supply.

There was also a 29 per cent increase in Section 3 or minor drugs offenses, which rose from 154 in 2012 to 200 so far in 2013.

Chief Superintendent, John Kerin, told last night Joint Policing Meeting of Clare County Council that there was no town and village in Clare were drug dealing was not taking place.

“The big increase that we find is in drug cultivation, where some people are growing their own cannabis plants.

“There is a lot of that in County Clare. Most of the time this is for a persons private use but not always,” said Chief Supt Kerin.

“We have had an increase in detection this year – but it is hard to know if that is because of an increase in activity or better detection.

“There is no village in Clare that doesn’t have people taking drugs or selling drugs – there is no point in saying otherwise.”

Former Mayor of Clare, Pat Daly (FF), criticised the judicial system saying drug dealers are getting off on technicalities and judges are being too lenient.

“The gardaí are doing an excellent job but there is something wrong in the courts somewhere.

“There are a lot of people getting off on technicalities and I think that that is wrong,” he said.

Chief Supt Kerin commented that he could not comment on any decisions made in the courts.

“We don’t like to see anybody getting off but should a person be convicted in the wrong?

“You have to balance that,” he said.

CLARE County Council has been urged to deal with ‘disgraceful’ levels of noise and litter that have developed in the Watery Road area of Ennis.

Yesterday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council heard complaints about the condition of vacant properties in the area.

Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) told the meeting residents are putting up with the sounds of chainsaws going “morning, noon and night” and wild foul and guinea foul running around houses. “They’re screeching like hell day and night,” he said.

He said Clare County Council should consider demolishing some of the empty houses.

“It’s a downright disgrace. I can’t understand why you have people living in houses at either end and four empty houses between them. Why can’t the vacant houses be knocked and the two put together?” he added.

Cllr Brennan said horses are also running loose in the area.

The meeting heard the scheme is the responsibility of Clare County Council. Cllr Brian Meaney (FF) said the council should consider serving a derelict site notice on the vacant properties.

He said the same tenancy rules and laws that apply to other local authority residents should also apply in the Watery Road.

“There should be no fear or favour in this regard,” he added. Cllr Meaney continued, “The situation in the Watery Road cannot continue. It’s an eyesore. It’s a fester.”

Cllr Peter Considine (FF) said the situation with anti-social behaviour is not unique to Ennis. “The Watery Road [problems] have been going on for over 15 years. It has deteriorated. It is a disgrace.”

Cllr Brennan called on Clare County Council to provide a full report on issues in Watery Road.

He said, “If I was breaking the law and I was causing the nuisance, I’d be prosecuted.”

Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) said there have been issues in other estates in Ennis including Bridge View where smoke bombs have been thrown through letterboxes.

Town manager and director of Service Gerard Dollard said a report from Clare County Council on issues at Watery Road would be available at the next meeting of Ennis Town Council.

A LIMITED policy of pedestrianisation will be in effect in Ennis during December after a meeting heard a lack of support exists among businesses for a longer period of pedestrianisation.

The council had previously proposed pedestrianising O’Connell Street on December 7 (Saturday), December 14 (Saturday), December 21 (Saturday), December 22 (Sunday), December 23 (Monday) and December 24 (Tuesday).

At yesterday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council, Town Clerk Leonard Cleary said the council had sought the views of business people, rate payers and property owners in the town.

He said Ennis Chamber had proposed closing O’Connell Street to traffic on the final two Saturdays and the days leading up Christmas Day.

“A larger December pedestrianisation policy does not seem to be gaining currency at the moment,” explained Mr Cleary.

Under the 2013 policy, O’Connell Street will be pedestrianised from December 21 to 24. Town manager Gerard Dollard told the meeting the on / off nature of pedestrianisation had created difficulties around it.

He said until such time as the council makes a decision on whether proceed with a longer trial of pedestrianisation, the council would have to manage the existing approach.

Cllr Peter Considine said he was “disappointed” with the shorter period but agreed to support the proposal.

Welcoming the decision, Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) expressed concern “organised begging” could undermine the council’s attempts to create a festive atmosphere in the town centre in December.

Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) called for the council to take action against so called ‘chuggers’ who have set up in front of Dunnes Stores.

Cllr Guilfoyle said pedestrians are being forced out onto the street by people collecting money for charity. He told the meeting it was only a matter of time before someone is hurt.

Councillors agreed to a limited pedestrianisation as the council announced details of a free car-parking initiative for Christmas.

Town clerk Leonard Cleary stated, “Following the success in recent years, Ennis Town Council has developed and researched a Christmas Parking Initiative 2013. A recent consultation was held between representatives of Ennis business com- munity and Ennis Town Council with the key task of promoting shopping in Ennis over the Christmas and New Year period.”

Free parking will be in place up to 12 noon daily during December to January 6 both on street and off street. Parking will be free in Cloughleigh car park until January 6. The council is also encouraging staff of shops and business owners to free up spaces close to the town centre by using alternative spaces.

Mr Cleary said the council will promote the initiative online and through media. “The business community is also taking an active involvement promoting the initiative.”

THE Irish asylum system treats emigrants like “prisoners” and is need of urgent reform. That is the opinion of North Clare Senator and Fine Gael spokesperson on Justice in the Seanad, Martin Conway, who visited two direct provision centres last week. Conway, who is also heading up Seanad group of reform of the Irish asylum system, believes that delays in the speed at which applications are processed is creating major difficulties for asylum seekers and increasing costs for the State. “I found that the management in the centres were doing their best to deal with problems as they arose and the residents said that they felt like they were in jail. There could be six residents in one room in these facilities and eventually, living like that, they become worn down,” he said. “Their big issue is that they don’t know the length of time they will spend in the facility. Some of them could be there waiting for 10 years before their cases to be heard and that is not acceptable.” The cost of providing direct provision centres for asylum seekers in Ireland is drastically higher than in it in many of our EU neighbours. The Portuguese system costs just over € 1 million to run each year compared to € 55 million in Ireland. “While the Portuguese system is not perfect, the big difference between here [Ireland] and Portugal is that the most a person will be kept is a centre over there is six to 12 months, while in Ireland people are kept for anything up to ten years before their case is heard. “We need to get our act together on this issue. Million of Irish people have emigrated over the years, some were treated appallingly and other were treated very well. As a country with this history we need to do the right thing for the people who come into this country, especially asylum seekers. “If the system worked better and quicker it would certainly be cheaper. No one seems to be happy with the system. There is a better way of managing this situation and I think we have a duty of care to people which is not being met in this system.”

OLDER Clare farmers are facing fresh banking difficulty this winter with the news that ACC Bank is to close all its branches and switch to online-only banking.

The bank, which lends primarily to farmers and small businesses, said in a statement that its agri-division will continue to be a regulated entity and will support its customers in the farming sector.

With the average age of a Clare farmer now 55, fears have been expressed that many of the county’s farmers may not be technologyminded enough to access their accounts and may be forced to transfer loans to other lenders and a higher interest rate.

While many Clare farmers look to have dodged a second successive winter fodder shortage following the longer than expected summer, many farmers could still find themselves in need to credit to purchase feed if we get a repeat of this year’s poor spring in 2014.

Clare ICMSA chairman Martin McMahon said the announcement will cause “huge difficulties” for older Clare farmers and will also increase rural isolation.

“This is another example of rural life being eroded away. A lot of Clare farmers, especially the older ones, just won’t be able to switch to online banking. When your age profile of farmers in Clare this is going to create a lot of difficulty,” said the O’Callaghan’s Mills farmer.

“It’s okay for the younger generation. But the older farmers will have no choice but to move their accounts if they can. If they have loans, their interests rates will certainly go up. Some farmers might not be able to transfer their loans to other banks and I’m not sure what they will do,” he said.

“Thankfully the worst of the fodder crisis may be behind us. But if we have another late summer next year then farmers will be looking for credit with banks to buy feed. Who knows how this change with ACC Bank will affect this,” the chairman added.

CILLIAN Griffey is the youngest candidate in the country so far nominated to contest the local elections.

The Fine Gael young gun will run for the first time ever in the Ennis Municipal Area alongside four more seasoned campaigners.

Putting his name forward to seek a place on the Fine Gael ticket did not come easy for the 23 year-old from Ballymaley.

“It wasn’t an easy decision to make but I am passionate about the party and about the community I want to represent,” he said.

“Recent events have shown us all that we need to fight for our nation’s future. I, like you all, am angered and sickened by the plight of unemployment and emigration. My single resolve is to contribute to the re-energising of the values and passion for public service that our party stands for.

“I joined the party in 2005 when I thought we needed a change. The Government was getting stale. I felt there were not enough young people in politics. By me doing this I hope to encourage more young people,” he told The Clare People .

From a farming family he was instrumental in setting up the Ennis Macra na Feirme branch, as well as extending the Young Fine Gael East Clare Branch to include the whole county.

The business support manager at HR Locker in Lahinch has no illusions about how difficult it will be to complete in an election as the new kid on the block.

“I am realistic. As I am not as well known I need a bit of a head start,” he said.

The Doora Barefield clubman is also secretary of the Ballyalla Lake Working Group and has volunteered with the Clarecare Homework Club.

RYANAIR has set a target of bringing one million new passengers into Shannon as it gears up to reach 2007 levels when its traffic numbers through Clare’s international airport reached a record 1.9m.

This vision and commitment of the low-cost airline for Shannon was sounded out at the airport on Thursday by deputy chief executive Michael Cawley, at the announcement of eight new Ryanair flights out of Shannon that will commence in April 2014.

“My ambition for Shannon,” said Mr Cawley, “we talked about one million passengers. I wouldn’t lessen that in any way. We can move on. 300,000 is a very good start – this is a very significant step, almost doubling our business,” he added.

In 2011, Ryanair pledged to grow traffic numbers in Shannon by one million, provided it secured the same incentive deal that was being afforded to Aer Lingus by the Dublin Airport Authority at Dublin Airport.

Now the commitment of delivering 300,000 new passengers to Shannon as early as 2014 comes on the back of the announcement of new routes to Berlin, Munich, Krakow, Paris, Nice Fuerteventura, Warsaw and Faro as well as increased frequency on the Stansted route.

“I think we have to walk before we run. I would characterise the announcement as running fairly fast,” said Mr Cawley. “As the economy grows from a very low level, we would see great opportunity as well as putting new spots on the map. It provides us with a platform. “Once these can be bedded down and successful we can grow more. We take one step at a time. That is critical in our business too. We bed down what we have and we move on. This is a very big step,” he added. The Ryanair deputy chief refused to disclose the terms of the new deal, but said “Shannon wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t good for them, Ryanair wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t good for us. All we want is Shannon to be competitive and they have been competitive on this issue and we have a very good understanding. We have met on the middle on that – the tax has been a critical ingredient in making it happen. We are committed for a good number of years under this deal – so is the airport. “We have 30m more passengers that we want to allocate to airports over the next six/seven years – we want to be with people we can ring up and say ‘are the terms the same as the last time’, ‘can we extend it further’. “I would be very disappointed, now that the shackles of the Travel Tax are removed, that Shannon doesn’t participate, at least pro-rata or possibly more so, in that 30m expansion. We are here to stay, we are here to grow,” he added.

DURING the Fine Gael selection convention for the Ennis Municipal Area at the Auburn Lodge Hotel, a councillor of almost three decades retired, leaving way on the ticket for the youngest local election candidate to date.

Five Fine Gael candidates in total were selected to contest the eightseater constituency in the 2014 Local Elections, with no decision yet if another candidate is to be added.

Former Deputy Mayor Cllr Sonny Scanlon announced his retirement from the council and withdrew his nomination at the convention, as three other sitting county council- lors were returned to contest the first ever election for the new look local authority.

Cllr Paul Murphy, Cllr Johnny Flynn, and Cllr Tony Mulqueen were nominated and selected, along with Ennis town councillor Mary Howard and newcomer to elected politics 23year-old Cillian Griffey.

The Michael Howard Ennis Branch of Fine Gael nominated Cllr Johnny Flynn, Cllr Tony Mulqueen and Cllr Mary Howard. Cllr Paul Murphy was nominated by the Clarecastle/Ballyea branch and election newcomer, Cillian Griffey was nominated by the Barefield and Quin Fine Gael Branches as well as the Clare Young Fine Gael branch.

There were no other nominations on the night. Fine Gael Party Headquarters had directed that five candidates would be selected for the Ennis area which meant no vote would have to take place and all five remaining nominees were selected to run in the new Ennis area.

The guest chairperson for the Ennis convention was Senator Hildegarde Naughton from Galway.

INDEPENDENCE has been the key in sparking a huge upturn in the fortunes of Shannon Airport over the past year, with the freedom of being allowed to chart its own future ensuring that it is “first out of the blocks” when it comes to attracting new business.

That was the message sounded out by airport chairperson Rose Hynes and chief executive Neil Pakey on Thursday last as Ryanair announced details of its 2014 operation that will see budget airling operate 18 routes out of Shannon.

“It demonstrates the benefits of Shannon being an independent airport,” said Neil Pakey. “The focus on route development is evident, and decisions are being made decisively and speedily.

“The new routes will increase both inbound and outbound footfall and revenue to the airport and the region; Irish leisure travellers will benefit from greater destination choice, while the business traveller, particularly at sub-supply level, can access new markets in Central and Eastern Europe,” he added.

“I thought that Shannon had the potential to do this all along,” said Rose Hynes.

“We said it in the Task Force Report. We are doing exactly what we said we would be doing; we said we would deal with passengers as a priority and we are doing that.

“We are doing exactly everything we said we’d do and we are doing it on time as I see it. We were in recovery mode, but we are now in growth mode as I see it. We have stablised the airport and are now in growth.

“We are first out of the blocks to avail of Ryanair’s response to the Government. This is a major boost to the passenger numbers in Shannon, but not alone that it is also a major boost to business and tourism interests in the region,” she added.

“The airport is now free to set its own price and its own business plan and that’s hugely important,” said Michael Cawley.

“We pulled back from Shannon before because Dublin changed the rules. Dublin increased our price by seven and a half times.

“I don’t expect that type of interference again. This is an independent board. Ryanair is in the business of growing airline passengers and we want to do it. Shannon’s destiny is in the hands of people locally and that is critically important. It wasn’t in the previous time,” he added.

“We have a very good relationship with Ryanair and we intend to develop that,” continued Rose Hynes. “We intend to collaborate with all the stakeholders in the region. This brings to 18 the number of Ryanair destinations from Shannon – that’s significant. We want to collaborate with our stakeholders to make those routes a success,” she added.

IT IS likely to be a tale of two very different meetings when Fine Gael holds its Shannon and West Clare section conventions next week.

There are just two nominees for the Shannon Selection Convention to be held on Monday, with Clare county councillors John Crowe and Sean McLoughlin nominated to go before the members.

With just two candidates before the convention, it is likely they will be automatically added to the ticket to contest the 2014 Local Election in the six-seater constituency.

It is not clear as yet how many people if any will be added to the ticket after the convention, as the directive from the party headquarters has yet to be received.

West Clare is likely to be a livelier convention however with seven nominees to go before convention.

Clare county councillor Bill Slattery is the only candidate from the north of the constituency to be nominated, with the majority of candidates coming from the old Kilrush Electoral Area.

There are two nominees from the town of Kilrush in the form of Kilrush town councillors Marian McMahon Jones and Ian Lynch.

The other Fine Gael town councillor, Cllr Liam Williams, was not among the nominees.

West of Kilrush there are a further two nominees, as Clare county councillor Gabriel Keating and Kilkee town mayor Paddy Collins have been nominated.

No other Fine Gael member of the Kilkee Town Council is to contest the convention.

Cllr Oliver Garry from the Kildysert area has also been nominated to go before the delegates for selection on Friday night week, as has newcomer Johnny Pilkington.

From Cree, Johnny is a prominent member of young Fine Gael and is the son of former constituency chairman and director of elections for Fine Gael Dick Pilkington.

There are no indications how many candidates the party will run in the geographically expansive eightseater constituency that takes in the current Kilrush Electoral Area and a significant part of the Ennistymon Electoral Area.