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A TOTAL of 48 procedures were cancelled at Ennis General Hospital between January and June of this year.

There were no recorded cancella- tions at the Mid Western Regional Hospital Limerick during the same six-month period or in St John’s Hos- pital Limerick.

Neighbouring hospital, the Univer- sity College Hospital Galway also had a clear record.

Nenagh General Hospital, a hos- pital in the mid-west that shares a similar history to Ennis and many of the same fears regarding a possible downgrading, had 11 cancellations.

The largest cancellations have been in Cork University Hospital with a staggering 945 cancellations.

The Dublin hospitals also recorded a large number of cancellations with the Mater Hospital badly hit with 756 cancellations.

The figures were released by Fine Gael whose spokesperson has claimed that the 15,000 operations cancelled in 2007 could be exceed- ed.

Deputy Damien English (FG) said, “This worryingly high figure indi- cates that the 2007 figures will be re- peated or even exceeded. Cancelled operations have a real impact on patients, postponing important pro- cedures, prolonging pain and delay- ing investigations which may lead to early detection.”

In the first five months of this year, an average of 256 patients were on trolleys in A and E each day accord- ing to INO figures.

ENNIS town engineer Tom Tiernan believes an end may be in sight to the current embargo on planning permissions for new developments in the greater Ennis area.

Stating that firm conclusions will be shortly made on a proposed in- terim measure to allow new develop- ments proceed, Mr Tiernan said this would include an upgrading of exist- ing sewage treatment works to facili- tate new housing schemes.

The council’s new €75 million sew- age treatment plant is not expected to come on stream before 2012 and ap-

plications as small as 26 homes are now being refused as the network is at stretching point.

Speaking after the council refused planning permission to a ©50 million retail park at Skehanagh, Clarecas- tle last week, Mr Tiernan said, “We don’t want to be a situation where we can’t allow development, but that 1s where we are now and we want to change that.”

Asked how much developers will be asked to pay for the interim meas- ure, which is expected to cost over €1 million, Mr Tiernan responded, “Ideally, all of it.”

“The demand for new housing has

slumped to a low, but I hope that cir- cumstances will allow an upgrade of the Clonroadmore plant.”

He said that it was difficult to state how many new homes the upgrading works would accommodate and the options would be examined before the end of the year.

He said that Ennis development firm, Crystal Partners are in the process of tendering for the construc- tion of anew temporary sewage plant near Clarecastle which is expected to accommodate development in that part of the greater Ennis area.

Already, developers have written to the local authorities and councillors

warning that the economic effects of no developments being allowed in and around Ennis will be “wide- spread”.

‘Despite over ten years of unprece- dented development, the area is now being choked by the chronic lack of capacity in the wastewater treatment system,” they claimed.

‘All the developer contributions and funds raised from various serviced land initiatives have not financed the infrastructure that is required.

“This lack of treatment capacity and capacity in the pump station net- work have been ignored for far too oyna

WITH the last of the weekly Doo- lin markets just four weeks away, organisers have announced that the popular weekly fairs will return in December for a series of Christmas specials.

The Doolin Saturday Market and Craft Fair has proved very successful since it’s inception and now organis- ers are keep to revive them during the festive season.

“We have just decided that we will definitely have a Christmas Market this year. We are not sure yet of the exact dates because of the availabil-

ity of the hall, but it will definitely take place,’ said organiser Toby Sachsenmaier.

“We will be looking for vendors who are interested closer to the date and we would hope to have many of our summer vendors back. We will have a lot of local craft and art, a dif- ferent foods.

‘“[ have already been approached by people who are interested in doing a Christmas style food, like those big American cinnamon buns, differ- ent cakes and sweets. A lot of our craft people are already working on Christmas ornaments and decora- tions. It just won’t be a recap of what

we have now, it will be very different and will have a very Christmas feel to it.”

The Doolin Market takes place eve- ry Saturday from 10am to 4pm at the Russell Community Centre in Doo- lin. The market will continue each Saturday until the end of September.

“The market has been going so well, it’s been a really great success so far. We have a core of people who are there every week, but with more than 20 stands every week it means that we also have a few different peo- ple who come in each week – which is great, it means that we always have a few new things each week,’ contin-

ued Toby

“One of the newest stands offers a selection of organic pork products. With that, you could now cook a full meal easily with the things that you pick up at the market. It’s getting to the stage where you could almost do your weekly shop there.

“People always comment that the atmosphere is always brilliant. That is due to the personalities of the peo- ple who come along with the music and the indoor bistro feel. There is a really great atmosphere.”

Anyone interested in hearing more about the market should contact doolinmarket@ gmail.com.

THE latest financial results from a Shannon company show that even the sales of women’s lingerie is not immune from the economic down- neheee

US-owned multi-national, Maiden- form describes itself as a producer of women’s ‘intimate apparel’ and re- sults for its Shannon operation show that profits have dropped by over €350,000 in 2007.

Maidenform International Ltd re- corded profits of €2,989,000 last year – down by €352,000 on the €3,341,000 recorded in 2000.

Profits were also hit by the weak- ness of the US dollar with foreign exchange losses increasing from €33,000 in 2006 to €246,000 last year.

Turnover rose from €11.9 million to €12.8 million in 2007 while cost of sales increased from €5.8 million to €6.6 million.

Accumulated profits of €5.4 mil- lion were recorded.

Staff costs of €1.2 million were re- corded for the 33 people employed at the firm’s base on the Shannon Free Zone.

A statement accompanying the ac- counts, states that “both the level of business and year end financial posi- tion were considered satisfactory.

The risk to future business are those inherent to a global intimate apparel company and including cur- rency fluctuations, market volatility and the reliability of product deliv- Clu Loe

“The company is primarily en- gaged in the distribution of intimate

apparel throughout Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

“The directors expect that the present level of business will be sustained for the foreseeable future and it is their intention to continue to develop the current activities of the oe) anh ey: beh ae

The history of Maidenform began at Enid Frocks, a small dress shop in New York City owned and operated by Enid Bissett.

A Russian seamstress at Enid’s shop, Ida Rosenthal decided with Enid that the fit and appearance of their custom-made dresses would be enhanced if improvements were made to the style bras then in vogue. They called their bras “Maidenform”, in contrast to the “Boyish Form” brand then in vogue.

CLARE County Council is facing a financial crisis after it emerged that funding for essential works across the county has not materialised.

In the first real sign of the eco- nomic downturn hitting local author- ity finances, figures for the first six months of the year show that Clare County Council and Ennis Town Council received a paltry €739,000 in developer contributions for new developments — a 74 per cent drop on the €2.9 million received during the first half of 2007.

Further underlining the slowdown

in the construction industry, the €739,000 received for the first six months is in contrast to the €10.7 million the councils received in de- veloper contributions for the whole of last year.

It also falls far short of the €21 million the council was hoping to generate in its new developer contri- bution scheme this year. Councillors have failed to adopt the draft scheme as they believe that the new charges AuomKOlOm opted eb

The monies from the developer contribution scheme are needed to part-fund council infrastructure throughout the county, including the

much needed €75 million sewage treatment plant in Ennis where the council have placed an embargo on all new developments due to inad- equate sewage infrastructure.

Leader of the Fianna Fail group, Cllr PJ Kelly said that the council is facing “a crisis of unbelievable pro- joe) male) ae

“There is ©260 million in approved capital projects for Clare, but the council has only money for half that amount,” he said.

“The large drop in contributions doesn’t surprise me. It 1s caused by the economic downturn and the dis- illusionment that people have with

planning in Clare.”

Mayor of Clare, Cllr Madeleine Taylor Quinn (FG) said, “It 1s a dra- matic drop and reflects the economic downturn in the county and it will present challenges to the council as it prepares its budget for 2009.”

Cllr Brian Meaney (Green Party) said, “The collapse in developer contributions has been dramatic and represents a serious challenge to the council. Combined with the way cen- tral government treats the funding of local government, it’s clear that tough decisions will have to be made and the council will have to study how it funds non-core items.”

IT’S all happening in Corofin this weekend. A drama of epic propor- tions is about to unfold, and the peo- ple of the locality have been invited to come along and enjoy the show.

On August 30 a mock wedding and garden fete will take place at Clifden House, with all money raised going to the refurbishment of St Patrick’s Hall. The event, which will include performers from the All-Ireland Drama Champions, the Corofin Dra- matic Society, will see well-known local socialite Ms Matilda Forde- Cortina marry a person of her fathers choosing.

If she fails to marry before sunrise on her 30th birthday on August 31, the family fortune bequeathed to her by her late grandfather Colonel Bar- tholomew Simpson-Prankster will be lost.

“Well it’s not much of a marriage of convenience but I don’t know who the gentleman groom is just yet. I believe that my father way be short- listing a few eligible bachelors as we speak,” said Ms Matilda.

“Unfortunately for me my heart lies elsewhere, just between me and you, I am in love with my gardener. He is my true love. But my father doesn’t approve, he believes that the a simple gardener is below our station in the

community.

“We have invited all the local peo- ple to the wedding. The family are putting on a great spread including a hog roast, live entertainment and the straw-boy. We will also be opining up the estate to the local classes of Corofin and we will have games for the little ones.

“I think it’s going to be a day of high drama. My heart does lie else- where, but if I don’t marry the man of my fathers choosing our fortune will be lost. I think it will a day of surprises.

“As it 1s a wedding, people should look their best. While we don’t want anyone to outshine me, the bride, we

will be giving a prize for the best costume on the day,” she said.

Tickets for this wedding are now on sale locally at a cost of €40. Other than the Forde-Cortina family the main beneficiary of this event will be Corofin Parish Hall with all monies raised going towards a planned ma- jor renovation project.

SPIN South West regional radio sta- tion has topped national listnership figures as the most listened to station among 15-34 year olds across Clare.

For the third time running, the of- ficial JNLR figures put SPIN South West number one in the critical “lis- tened yesterday” ratings. The figures show that over the past three months, 112,000 adults listened to the station on a weekly basis and 59,000 on a CPTI MMos IIe

SPIN South West Chief Executive, Clarewoman Aevann Upton said that the figures are tremendous news for everyone who has worked so hard to make the station a success.

‘To have made it to the top of the JNLR listenership charts so soon af- ter launching the station was a huge achievement. We’ve topped that by staying there for the past nine months which clearly shows that we’re keep- ing up the momentum. Our thanks must go to our listeners in Clare for choosing to tune in to SPIN South West and for remaining loyal.

‘“Today’s figures reinforce our be- lief that there is a very significant regional radio market out there,

particularly among 15-34 year olds. They also confirm the quality of our programming which clearly captured the attention of our target audience.

These figures are also important to SPIN South West is the region’s our sponsors and advertisers as they first dedicated youth station and show that we continue to deliver tre- broadcasts on 102-103 FM across mendous value for money.” she said. | Limerick, Kerry and Clare and on

9477 in North Tipperary and South West Laois. Live streaming and a series of podcasts are also available on the station’s website — www.spin- southwest.com.

The regional youth radio station, which employs 43 people, has cap- tured the 15-34 year old audience by delivering a brash and upbeat style of broadcasting. SPIN’s programming consists of urban, dance, rock and pop music, a daily youth oriented current affairs programme called ‘SPIN TALK’ and a heavy focus on sports including GAA, rugby and soccer.

SPIN South West shareholders include former Lions, Ireland and Munster rugby star Keith Wood from Killaloe; Clare Community Radio Holdings; Liam O’Shea, Man- aging Director of Clare FM who is also Chairman of SPIN South West; Setanta Radio Limited; Tralee businessman Jerry Kennelly; John O’Connor, Independent Radio Sales and the Communicorp Group Lim- Krew

A PIONEERING new initiative, de- signed to map and conserve the sea- life around the Irish coast, will begin in Doolin this weekend.

Sea Search is the first course of its kind to be held in the country and the organisers believe that it could prove a critical step in the fight to preserve precious fish stocks and plant life.

The course, which is being organ- ised by the Burren Sub Aqua Club, will give divers the skills required to create the first map of the sea life off Ireland’s coast.

‘This is the first time that a course

like this has ever been tried in Ire- land. It’s a bit of a test in many ways, and depending on what happens here the Irish Underwater Council might decide to broaden it out around the country,’ said Tadhg O’Brien of the Burren Sub Aqua Club.

“The long-term goal of this is to create a map of the sea-life and plants around Ireland and track how that is changing.

“Sea Search aims to use sports divers to record marine life in their particular areas and to build up a database as to what is happening with the marine life over time. This is critical information for the bigger,

long-term goal of preserving the ma- rine environment into the future.”

The course is aimed at experienced divers and has a very limited number of places available.

“It’s a simple enough idea, where divers just have to take note of the animal and plant life that they see when they dive in specific spots. The course will train divers up to become observers and to have enough infor- mation to recognise different species and record what they see,” he contin- Tere

‘The basic equipment here is a per- sons eyes and a simple slate for re- cording what you find and possibly a camera. It’s a simple process in itself but the key is to have the knowledge about what you are looking for. The course is really for qualified divers. You have to be comfortable with all the other things involved in diving SO you can concentrate on looking at what is around you.”

For more information contact the Burren Sub Aqua Club on 086 8180044. The course consists of lec- tures and practical work and take place in Doolin this weekend, Au- gust 23 and 24.

A PIONEERING new initiative, de- signed to map and conserve the sea- life around the Irish coast began in Doolin last weekend.

Sea Search is the first course of its kind ever to be held in the country and the organisers believe that it will prove a critical step in the fight to preserve precious fish stocks and plant life.

The course, which is organised by the Burren Sub Aqua Club, gives divers the skills required to create the first map of the sea life off Ireland’s coast. “This 1s the first time a course

like this has ever been tried in Ire- land. It’s a bit of a test in many ways, and the Irish Underwater Council might decide to broaden it out around the country,’ said Tadhg O’Brien of the Burren Sub Aqua Club.

“The long-term goal of this is to create a map of the sea-life and plants around [Ireland and track how that is changing. “Sea Search aims to use sports divers to record marine life in their particular areas and to build up a database as to what is happening with the marine life over time. This is critical information for the bigger, long-term goal of preserving the ma- rine environment into the future.”

Undertaking work of this kind is aimed at experienced divers with good experience under their belts.

“It’s a simple enough idea, where divers just have to take note of the animal and plant life that they see when they dive in specific spots. The course will train divers up to become observers and to have enough infor- mation to recognise different species and record what they see,” continued Mr O’Brien.

“The basic equipment is a persons eyes and a simple slate for recording what you find and possibly a camera. It’s a simple process in itself but the key is to have the knowledge about

what you are looking for. The course is really for qualified divers. You have to be comfortable with all the other things involved in diving so you can concentrate on looking at what is around you.”

For more information § contact the Burren Sub Aqua Club on 086 8180044.

NASA and the opportunity to work with some of the brightest minds in science beckons for Clare man Rory Murphy.

Rory, who hails from Inch, will take part in a FAS led initiative, which will take him to the National Aero- nautics and Space Administration (NASA), the University of Central Florida and the Florida Institute of Technology, next month. Rory is an electrical craftsman working in Ro- che Ireland and his study programme and work placements will include fi- bre optics, advanced process control, instrumentation as well as alternative energy systems.

Rory has taken advantage of sev- eral opportunities to further his edu- cation, skills and knowledge in the past both in Roche and academic institutes like LIT. He described this latest opportunity as “the chance of a lifetime”.

The overall aim is for the partici- pants to transfer and apply the skills

and knowledge they gain to their future careers. This in turn benefits Ireland’s academic institutions, and future employers, and _ ultimately, enables the country to move up the value chain as a knowledge-based society.

Cyril Treanor, Director of Human Resources at Roche Ireland said the company is delighted to be support- ing Rory. “Our company is very in- terested in opportunities to provide

increased training and development to our employees.” He added, “The programme will provide a valuable opportunity for Rory to realise his potential by developing a deeper un- derstanding of technologies, gaining insights to potential opportunities and enhancing his skills.”

In association with participating companies from all over the country FAS founded the Science Challenge. It comprises two distinct programmes – Up skilling and Internship – en- gages young people learning science and engineering and exposes them to new technologies and research op- portunities.

FAS has also forged partnerships with Space Florida, BioLink USA- Ireland, the National Space Biomed1- cal Research Institute (NSBRI) and a multitude of related companies and academic institutions. The overall aim is for the participants to transfer and apply the skills and knowledge they gain to their future careers.