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THE Government has been accused of “blackguarding” the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coastguard by misleading them as well as elected officials about the ring-fencing of funding for a new coastguard facility in north Clare. This follows the revelation that more than €1.5 million promised by government for the development of the rescue centre is not ring-fenced, and the Irish Coastguard will have to make a case for the money to the Department of the Marine.

Speaking at last nights meeting of Clare County Council, Cllr James Breen (IND), accused successive ministers of deceiving both himself and the Doolin Coastguard.

“The minister has blackguarded the people up in Doolin for the last few years and he has no intention of putting forward this development,” he said.

““T raised this matter on a number of occasions when I was in the Dail and I was always happy with the answer I got back. But what has been done’ He has done absolutely nothing.

“It is not good enough for the vol- unteers up there to be operating out of a building which is essentially a cow shed. I am calling on the min- ister to honour what has been prom- ised and make sure that this facility goes ahead soon.”

A deputation from the Office of Public Works (OPW) met with mem- bers of the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coastguard in January to show them a number of proposals for the new facility.

It had been expecting that planning for the facility would be lodged to-

wards the end of last month but no application has yet been submitted to Clare County Council.

Speaking on a motion calling on the Government to clarify its position on funding for the project, Cllr Martin Conway (FG) said that the members of the Doolin Coastguard were not being treated fairly.

“These people are risking their lives to go out there and bring in 30 or 40 bodies a year and they deserve more than what they are getting at the moment,” he said.

For the last number of years, volun-

teers for the Doolin Unit of the Irish Coastguard have been working out of a 150-year-old shed for a number of decades and are forced to store much of their equipment off-site. This could potentially cause delays in emergency situations.

The proposed new centre has been delayed for years as the OPW had difficulty in obtaining a site locally. A source close to the coastguard ad- mitted that it would be “very unlike- ly” that the coastguard could raise enough money to proceed with the project by themselves.

Shannon transport hub hits snags

FUNDING has been made available for a study to see whether it’s pos- sible to prevent future flooding on the Limerick-Galway railway line at Ballycar and other locations. Recent flooding at the location closed the line for more than 70 days. Members of Clare County Council were told last night that the funding has been made available by the Department of Transport and a team of experts will be brought on- board to see what can be done.

A representative of the rail com- pany came to the council’s monthly meeting to fill elected representa- tives in on what efforts are being made to deal with the situation.

He said that the committee of various experts will look at the fre- quency of the flooding, the likely solutions and the cost of any such solutions.

“T have to say that cost will be a considerable factor in a decision on what will be done,” he told the meeting.

Councillors welcomed the fact that

a study is being put in place.

Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) said he hoped the report would not be an- other which would gather dust.

“What locals have said to me is that at least part relief could be gained by re-opening the channel that runs through Newmarket and Sixmilebridge. That would not be an expensive solution.”

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) welcomed the funding of the study saying, “I appreciate that we may find this 1s a once-in-20-years event but the de- velopment of the line represents an

investment of €156 million so fur- ther investment at Ballycar is surely warranted to protect that.”

Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) asked if there was “any reason that the OPW and other agencies should not be contributing to the cost of solv- barca mab swam

Cllr John Crowe (FG) said that lo- cal knowledge should be brought to bear on the study and Cllr Pat Daly (FF) said that “if the railway line between Dublin and Kildare was wet, it would be sorted out within 24 hours. This problem must be

solved.”

The issue of the rail link between Limerick and Galway – which is due to open next month – was also raised and Cllr Meaney asked whether it was correct that the journey will take two hours?

The Irish Rail representative con- firmed that would be the case and added that there are six stops to serv- ice various stations along the way.

“Tf you got into your car and went on to the motorway, obeying all the rules, you wouldn’t do it much quicker,” he said.

KILRUSH paid posthumous tribute to one of its great community activ- ists and an all-round gentleman on Thursday night last when the late Charles Glynn was named the over- all winner of the 2009 Gradaim Ui Ruachain Civic Awards.

The annual awards were established in 1993 by Kilrush Town Council in memory of its late chairperson, Cissy Roughan. The awards were to give public recognition to the great work, commitment and dedication of Cllr Roughan, a member of the coun- cil from 1980 to 1991.

In doing so, these awards were also promoting and encouraging partici- pation and achievement in the arts, social, business, entrepreneurial, education, sporting and general life of the town.

The awards, which are usually pre- sented during the summer, were de- layed last year due to the local elec- tions.

The awards were instead presented on February 4 by Mayor of Kilrush, Cllr Marian McMahon Jones (FG).

The presentation and celebration was also attended by the 10 2009 nominees and their guests, and by council representatives Cllr Ilan Lynch (FG), Cllr Mairead O Brien (Ind) and Kilrush Town Clerk John Cosas

The 10 nominees that were recog- nised on the night included Mary Hamilton, Martin Cahill, Mat Kelly, Brendan Egan, Kilrush RNLI Fun- draising, Kilrush Ladies Football, Therese Young, Vinny O’Hallaron, John Fennell and the overall winner, the late Charles Glynn. Charles’s son Charlie accepted the award in mem- ory of his father.

The Cissy Roughan awards are open to everybody. Those nominated do not have to be from Kilrush or resident there but are considered to have made an outstanding contribu- tion to Kilrush society.

“Kilrush Town Council is aware of the vital importance of community spirit and activity to the town, and of the positive contribution and ef- fect of those who strive for commu- nity spirit and welfare in a range of endeavours. Such people play a vital role in sustaining and improving the quality of life to be enjoyed here,” said Cllr Lynch.

TWO men charged with assault causing harm to the late teacher and county final footballer, Brian Casey (26) were further remanded in cus- tody last Friday.

The Lissycasey man died in hos- pital two days after an incident at O’Connell Square in Ennis on St Stephen’s night.

Harry Dinan (29) of 10 Waterpark Heights, Ennis and his nephew, Kevin Dinan (22) of 3 Clarehill, Clarecas- tle are charged with the assault of Mr Casey at O’Connell Square in En- nis on December 26-27 contrary to Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

The two were initially charged on December 28 and were yesterday making their fifth appearance in court.

At Ennis District Court on Friday, Insp John Galvin sought a remand in custody for a further four weeks due to the complexity of the inves- tigation.

Insp Galvin said that the file has been submitted to the state solicitor’s officer for the preparation of a Book of Evidence.

Solicitor for the two, Tara God-

frey said that the remand in custody should be for two weeks “as the real- ity is that we are on the first stage of a very long procedure’”’.

Requesting that the remand be for two weeks, Ms Godfrey said, “I ac- knowledge that it 1s a very sensitive matter.”

However, State Solicitor Martin Linnane told the court that the Book of Evidence “won’t be ready in two weeks”.

Insp Galvin said that a further four weeks is required and Ms Godfrey consented on condition that an accu- rate clarification of where the case 1s at is provided on the adjourned date.

Judge Joseph Mangan remanded the two in custody to re-appear be- fore Ennis District Court on March a

Mr Casey was buried on New Year’s Day in his home village of Lissycasey. He is survived by his parents, Martin and Eileen, sisters Martina and Aileen, brother Niall and girlfriend, Cecila.

NEXT weekend is a busy one for children of Clare, as they compete in three very different events in the Golden Vale Clare Community Games calendar.

On Friday evening, the Table Ten- nis (Boys and Girls, U13 and U15) takes place in St Anne’s School in Ennis, starting from 6pm.

On the following morning Saturday, one of the biggest county events, the

Art and model-making, brings hun- dreds of children from U10s to Ul6s to the CBS, again in Ennis with the competition starting at 10am. Artists and model makers must bring their own equipment and paper, and are asked to arrive in plenty of time.

Then on Sunday, attention switches to north Clare, when the Girls’ In- door Soccer competition takes place in Ennistymon Leisure centre. Ac- tion starts there at 10am.

Winners in the Table Tennis and

Indoor Soccer qualify for provincial finals at the end of March, while the Art and Model-making winners will be the first to qualify for this year’s National Finals in Athlone. The first weekend of Nationals will be at the end of May this year.

The events calendar in Clare is now in full swing, and the county draughts, handball and badminton are still to come this month.

Off the field of play, Quin/Clooney were presented with the Most Active

Area award for Clare at the re-sched- uled National Area Awards cer- emony in Ballinasloe last weekend. At the same ceremony, long-serving county President John O’Sullivan of Ennis received the Vounteer Recog- nition award for Clare, and a Young Volunteer award went to Stephanie Griffin of Sixmilebridge/Kilmurry.

Quin/Clooney also received a Spe- cial Merit award, as they just missed out on the overall award for best area in Munster.

FORTY-FIVE people last night reaped the rewards of their studies as they received FETAC awards at St Patrick’s Comprehensive School in Shannon.

The group took PLC (Post Leaving Certificate) courses in_ childcare, business studies and sports and rec- reation.

The childcare course included a focus on special needs; the business studies course also included secre- tarial and IT skills, while the sports and recreation course featured a wide-ranging programme.

“Tt will allow people to work in a gym, leisure centre or sports com- plex or in primary schools coaching young people. There is a swimming module and water safely and also IT. We feel they need it for running a leisure centre,’ said Bernie Ruane, who is the co-ordinator of the PLC programme at the school.

She explained the idea behind choosing those particular courses. ‘I do a bit of market research to see what people in the locality want and See what our students want,’ she said.

“Some students use these courses to progress to third-level courses. Some of the institutes of technology have reserved places for FETAC ap- plicants,” said Ms Ruane.

Those who take the courses range in age from 18 to 60 and they engage in their studies between September and May (daytime). “If you haven’t done the Leaving Certificate and are aged over 23, you can come into the course,’ she said.

There is a significant level of in- terest in the courses, which also give participants the opportunity to engage in work experience. “There seems to be huge demand for the childcare one since the Health Serv- ice Executive (HSE) got more in- volved in créches and pre-schools.

There is always the need in Shannon for the business course. They have very good data entry skills and very good typing skills,’ said Ms Ruane.

“The courses are very accessible for local people and also for people with families who want to get back into education,’ she said.

Such has been the demand for the courses that there are not always

enough spaces available. “We have had to refuse people. Last year there was a big long waiting list for the sport and leisure,’ she said.

The courses are government-fund- ed and the cost is just €100 for the year. Anyone interested in taking any of the courses for the coming year should phone St Patrick’s Com- prehensive School on 061 361428.

FOLLOWING last week’s revelation that almost 400 Clare farmers are yet to receive their payment for 2009 under the Rural Environmental Pro- tection Scheme (REPS), the Depart- ment of Agriculture has highlighted the €5 million which has been is- sued to 356 Clare farmers under the Farm Waste Management Scheme to date this year.

The scheme, which was set up to part fund farmers to construct the necessary infrastructure to comply with the EU directive on nitrates, has resulted in more than €45 million

being issued to Clare farmers in the last five years.

According to Clare TD and Junior Agriculture Minister, Tony Killeen (FF), a total of 2,092 Clare farm- ers have benefited under the scheme since 2006.

“The substantial payment of grant- aid under the scheme represents a vote of confidence in a vital indig- enous industry with a huge export presence,” he said.

“Successive Fianna Fail-led Gov- ernments have provided funding of over €1.2 billion to some 34,000 farmers nationwide, which is a clear indication of our commitment to Irish

agriculture and the rural economy.

“The scheme represents essential infrastructural investment in the Irish rural economy and ensures the protection of the single farm payment and other EU funding worth 1.6 bil- lion euro annually to Irish farmers.

‘Following the payment this month of €190 million in respect of the second tranche of grant payments of 40 per cent, over €1 billion has now been paid out since the scheme’s in- ception in 2006. This represents 90 per cent of the total funding of the scheme.

“When the final tranche of 20 per cent is paid out under the Farm

Waste Management Scheme in Jan- uary 2011, total expenditure will exceed €1.2 billion, all of which will have come from exchequer an etebnetcaue

Minister Killeen also reminded Clare farmers seeking payments un- der the Suckler Welfare Scheme to complete and return their applica- tions without delay.

Applicants for the scheme must continue to complete and return their forms as quickly as possible and within 12 months of the birth of the animals at the very latest. Farmers seeking clarification regarding this should ring 1890 252707.

A CHILDCARE facility in Sixmile- bridge is to benefit financially from a mammoth marathon challenge being undertaken by a local resident.

Tom Enright has set himself the task of running nine marathons this year in Ireland and the proceeds will go to Bridge Kidz. Bridge Kidz is a subsidiary of Sixmilebridge and Dis- trict Community Complex and pro- vides a childcare service for children in the area.

Tom (36) has seen the excellent service provided by Bridge Kidz as his youngest son Dylan (2) attends on a regular basis. He was so im- pressed with the facility that he de- cided to raise money for the group and hopes to accumulate €10,000 over the year.

He has set his sights on running marathons in Connemara (April), Limerick, Belfast Burren and Newry (May), Cork (June), Longford (Au- gust), Dingle (September), Dublin (October) and Sixmilebridge (De- cember).

It will be a tough challenge, not least running three marathons in May. Two of those will be run in as many days as the Limerick run on May 2 will be followed by the Bel- fast marathon just 24 hours later. The challenge will get off to a tricky start in Connemara as he has signed up to do the ultra marathon, which is 39 miles, on a tough course.

As part of the challenge, Tom is hoping to encourage 10 people to take part in the Cork marathon and he will provide training for those in- terested in this.

Tom, who 1s a native of Charleville, has ran 17 marathons over the past four years and last year took part in a Clare Crusaders cycle from Malin

Head to Mizen Head.

He explained his decision to run nine marathons this year.

“It started off as a new year’s reso- lution, but it has got a bit more seri- ous than that,’ he said.

He is hoping to encourage people to join him in running part of or all the Cork marathon in June either in- dividually or as part of a relay team. “We are hoping to get 10 people to

sing up and full support will be given to them. All that is required is a will- ingness to do it and a wish to raise some funds for Bridge Kidz,’ said ‘Tom.

It will be a tough challenge, but he is looking forward to it. “I enjoy it because I get a buzz out of it. | am doing something that I enjoy,” he PHO

His ultimate aim would be to raise

€10,000 over the year and is hopeful that he will get the support of the lo- cal community in Sixmilebridge and across the county. “It’s hard to call how much we will raise. It depends on how many people sign up for the marathon in Cork,’ he said.

DESPITE difficult trading condi- tions, one of the county’s best known hotels still managed to report an op- erating profit of €282,076 last year.

According to accounts recently re- turned to the companies’ office for the year to the end of June 2009, the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon recorded a pre-tax profit of €14,003.While this represents a 40 per cent drop on the €23,437 pre-tax profits recorded in 2008, the significant difference between operating and pre-tax profit was a €268,073 bank loan interest charge last year.

The hotel’s gross profit last year dropped by 3 per cent from €3.7m to €3.6m with its cost base dropping by 2 per cent from €3.4m to €3.3m The pre-tax profit recorded last year resulted in the company having ac- cumulated profits of €960,595.

The accounts show that the com- pany has fixed assets valued at €7.8 pebdeeLOee

The directors are listed as Daniel McCarthy and Eileen McCarthy and the accounts show that the company had a €5.2m loan from the Bank of Scotland.

The McCarthys purchased the busi- ness in 1986 when it comprised of a small 20 bedroom hotel. Now, after a significant expansion programme, the hotel has 150 bedrooms and nine duplex apartments; weddings and

banqueting facilities for up to 350 people; conference facilities for 350 people; an aqua and fitness club and a river spa which incorporates 12 treatment rooms and a thermal suite.

More recently, the Falls Hotel se- cured planning permission for a hy- dro scheme in a bid to reduce energy costs at the hotel.

The second generation of the Mc- Carthy’s are now working in The Falls Hotel. Eldest son Michael Mc- Carthy is the General Manager and his brother John is the Deputy Man-

ager.

The hotel has arich history. Towards to end of the 1930’s, it was leased for five years to the late Brendan O’Regan, who later pioneered cater- ing and sales services at Shannon International Airport. O’Regan ran the hotel during the years of World War Two, and one of his innovations was to supply hot meals in hayboxes to the golfers in Lahinch.

The next owner was a retired Welshman Gerard Henry Williams- Owen who operated the business

during the summer months only.

In 1955 John F. Wood and his wife Bridget acquired the hotel. They added the hydro-electric plant which for many years provided power to the building and the ‘plant’ can still be seen a short distance upstream, just below the cascades.