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HOMEOWNERS in Clare are being urged to come together to slash the cost of rising energy bills.

Under the second phase of the home energy and saving scheme, any eroup of homes can come together to form a cluster – for instance via a residents’ association or a property management company.

Landlords with multiple dwellings can also apply. Third parties, such as local energy agencies or building contractors, can also gather a group of participants to form a cluster. The scheme has already been taken up by 1,000 homes in north Tipperary, Limerick and Dundalk. The next phase, which has just commenced, is open to 500 homes across Ireland.

All homes may have home energy

assessments carried out and an en- ergy saving report will be provided. The assessment is available from all registered energy assessors. This will cost the householder €100. Ap- plicants who apply in a cluster basis are eligible for grants of up to 30 per cent to a maximum of €2,000 per home from Sustainable Energy Ire- land (SEI).

“Its definitely worth it for home- owners,’ explained Vinnie Blake of the Ennis-based National Energy Assessors (NEA) Clare.

He continued, “In normal cases getting work like this done to make homes more energy efficient would cost around €500 per home. Under the scheme, when homes come to- gether, its only €100.”

Recently opened in Ennis NEA Clare offers a range of services for

the local market, including: building energy rating (BER) certificates, en- ergy audits, air tightness testing and thermal imaging.

According to Mr Blake, a former senior environmental engineer with Limerick-based subsidiary of the US multi national, Analog Devices, “the energy challenge which faces every home and business owner is becom- ing critical to how we run our homes and businesses.”

Meanwhile local Green Party councillor Brian Meaney has called for industrial parks in Ennis to be designated as carbon free zones as part of an overall strategy to attract foreign investement and re-invigor- ate industry.

“We are on the cusp of the third industrial revolution,’ said Cllr Meaney.

“The escalating cost of fossil fuels and the acknowledged ‘peaking’ in production have kick started an in- vestment cycle in renewable energy of enormous proportions. Analysis in any of the [Irish business media of venture capital funding in the US and Europe clearly demonstrates that the mobile investment capital is con- centrated in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors.”

Councillor Meaney added, “It should also be borne in mind that while there is no history of solar manufacturing or development in Ireland, if you breakdown the con- stituent parts, we have extensive silicon fabrication and optics exper1- ence with the like of Analog devices and Vistakon; these are core skills that would be vital in attracting new investment.”

THE reinstitution of the Western Rail Corridor has moved a step closer with the granting of planning permission for the redevelopment of Gort train station last week.

The corridor, which is currently on schedule to connect Ennis to Galway by early next year, had faced long de- lays if planning permission had not been granted for the Gort railway station.

The old Gort station, which is a listed building, will now be com- pletely overhauled and transformed into one of the largest stations on the

proposed rail corridor.

Galway County Council last week granted permission for Iarnrod Eire- ann to construct two new 90 metre platforms, an 80-bay car park, a pe- destrian bridge, a platform and bicy- cle shelters.

Earlier this year, the rail com- pany got permission to upgrade Craughwell and Ardrahan railway Stations.

Meanwhile, the campaign to secure a rail stop at Crusheen on the West- ern Rail Corridor continued this week with the instigation of a major postcard writing campaign to politi- EE

Hundreds of postcards featuring an image of the old Crusheen rail station have been sent to politicians over the last week.

“The campaign is continuing and we are making progress but it is slow going. We are in contact with larn- rod Eireann on an ongoing basis and we are very hopeful that this situa- tion will be resolved but it will take a concerted effort from all concerned,” said Mike O’Doherty of Crusheen Development.

“We are still very hopeful that a station can be up and running in Crusheen before the rail corridor 1s introduced. We are not going to put

a time limit on the process but we would like to see it happening sooner rather than later.

“It is definitely still possible for us to get this station up and going. We have already received the support of a number of people including Minis- ter Eamon O Cuiv.”

Mr O’Doherty also confirmed that Crusheen Development were cur- rently waiting for a response on a number of new proposals from Iarn- rod Eireann.

He also confirmed that that organi- sation would stage another public meeting before the end of August to discuss the way forward.

that there is no proof that the vaccine is effective five years after inocula- tion, and studies supporting it for that period of time have been carried out solely by the drug companies supply- ing the vaccine.

‘At the time these girls can be sexu- ally active they are left wondering if it is working, and if they will need a booster.”

The experienced practice nurse,

who is an advocate of vaccination and cancer screening programmes, also has reservations that just 50 per cent of the population are being vac- cinated against HPV, the sexually transmitted infection that affects 80 per cent of the population – male and eet N ee

The Kilmihil nurse said that if the vaccine is to go ahead both genders should be treated, so as to interrupt the transition of the HPV virus and ensure true community immunity. As well as contributing to cervical cancer HPV also contributes to rare cancers such as penile cancer and anal cancer in men. These cancers are also more common in men that have sex with other men, leaving men without the vaccine exposed.

Ms Harty believes that the vaccine

programme should be postponed un- til the cervical screening service has been rolled out nationwide and more is understood about the three-course injection available in Ireland since PAU ies

“Vaccination does not mean that screening will cease in the future, that will have to continue so I be- lieve it is more important to use the finances to get the programme rolled out nationwide first. Then wait a few years until the vaccine has been prov- en elsewhere,” she said. “The time is not right for a knee jerk reaction.”

“There is no epidemic of cervical cancer. More women die from breast cancer, and more women in Ireland die from heart disease than breast cancer and cervical cancer together,’ she said.

In research for a paper she is writ- ing, Ms Harty studied New Zealand, which has a similar population to Ireland.

“There they decided not to run with the vaccine programme,” she said.

The nurse believes that if the vac- cine is so powerful that it should be supplied almost immediately to the developing world where no screen- ing is available and where 80 per cent of the world’s cervical cancer deaths occur.

This 1s one of the few points of view that Ms Harty and the drug companies supplying one of the HPV vaccines are likely to agree on.

In its information on its HPV vac- cine GlaxoSmithKline said “lack of screening makes the need for a vac- cine against cervical cancer even

more pressing.”

Ms Harty believes that as a screen- ing service will be required in Ireland even post vaccine that the funding for the vaccine should be used instead to ensure a nationwide cervical screen- ing programme.

The pilot cervical screening serv- ice was rolled out in the mid-west in 2000. In 2008 the service still has not reached women outside Clare, Bile. e-iCw ulm Blnoe-vay

Under the service the Irish Cancer Screening Programme provided free Smear tests to 20,278 women each year.

The uptake among eligible women was 62.2 per cent last year. The de- tection rate of women with invasive cancer was 1.5 per cent while 3.7 per cent were referred for a colposcopy.

EVER feel you’re not making the most of your talents, stuck in a rut at home or at work or could achieve much more if only you had the op- portunity? Then the Higher Educa- tion Grant Scheme could give you the opportunity you’ve been waiting for, to re-train, qualify or pursue the career you’ve always wanted. Even if you have found the course of your dreams but are worried about money the scheme may be able to help.

“In a recent case a man went into Shannon Citizens Information Cen- tre (CIC) who was unhappy at work. He’d spent years working as an elec-

trician in a specialist company but felt frustrated and limited career- wise. His hobby and real interest was photography but he felt it was too late (and too expensive!) to re- turn to education. The information officer suggested he might consider a photography qualification (for ex- ample, a degree) and explained the range of educational grants available to him. Now in his second year at the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art & Design, the former electrician is doing extremely well. Although his income has changed, he receives a Higher Education Grant to help with the costs of returning to education,” said Paul Woulfe, Manger with the

Citizens information Service in the

eee ANe The Higher Education Grants Scheme provides means-tested

grants to eligible students on ap- proved courses. Application forms are available from your local author- ity or VEC. If you are already on a social welfare payment, the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) al- lows you to study at second and third level without losing your benefits. You must meet certain criteria to be eligible for the BTEA.

A candidate is deemed a mature candidate for the purpose of a grant if he is at least 23 years on | Janu- ary of the year of entry or re-entry

to an approved course of third-level education in an approved institution. Eligibility is normally calculated by comparing the reckonable income of the candidate in the year ending December 31 of the year in which he enters the course with the means test tables of the scheme in that year. In the case of mature students who are deemed dependent on their parents, reckonable income of their parents must be assessed. A mature student is deemed dependent on his parents if he ordinarily resides at home with his parents.

In the case of our electrician, his income entitled him to 75 per cent of the maintenance grant (part-mainte-

nance and full fees) as his earning in 2007 was below €42,235. The grant is worth ©2,565 per year to him. Students who qualify for grant as- sistance also have the student service charge paid on their behalf.

The non-adjacent rate of main- tenance grant shall be payable to all mature candidates who qualify, having been assessed either as a de- pendent or independent mature can- didate.

Make sure you apply early and study all the documentation, seeking assistance if necessary advises the Citizens Information Service.

The deadline for applying for the grant is August 29.

THE ANCIENT art of calico sail making will be celebrated at this year’s Cruinniu na mBad (Gather- ing of the Boats) festival in Kinvara, County Galway.

There is just one family left who hold the secrets of making the beau- tiful sails. The late Johnny Bailey from Galway had the skill and passed it on to his children, who now make the sails and tar and bark them.

Marking the festival’s 30th birth-

day, the organisers have ordered a set of the calico sails which will be presented to one of the 100 Galway hooker’s taking part.

“We will have a set made every year and down the line, every hooker will have the traditional sails,’ said Dr Michael Brogan, Cruinnia na mBad organiser.

“This year we will have two dif- ferent races, one for boats which al- ready have the calico sails and one for those using modern sails.”

Every year the festival poster cel-

ebrates someone involved with the event and this year, it features the late Tony Moylan from Kinvara, who started the festival in 1978.

The races will be for the four types of Galway hookers. They include the Bad Mor, which is the largest vessel measuring between 35 to 44 feet in length; the second largest, the Leath Bhad , has a hull length of roughly 32 feet; the Gleoiteog; and the diminu- tive Pucan. The fun starts this year on Thursday, August 14, when the boats will gather from 3pm at The

Docks in Galway near Sheridan’s Bar. They will be joined by the visit- ing Jeannie Johnson before a night of traditional music and the boats will take part in the Claddagh race across to Kinvara.

The Turf Race will arrive at the pier in Kinvara on Saturday at around Spm and the Climin (seaweed raft race) will be held on Sunday.

There will be sean-nos singing and dancing as well as trad and other mu- sic sessions all over the town for the weekend.

VISITOR attractions at Craggauno- wen and Knappogue Castle are to close early this year, with Shannon Heritage pointing to falling tourist numbers and an early start to the sea- son as the reasons for the decision.

Staff at both attractions have been told that they will shut up shop for winter on September 2 this year. Both would normally stay open to daytime visitors until the end of September and some years, until the middle of October.

While many of the staff who work

the summer season at the various attractions are students who would leave to go back to college in Sep- tember, a small number of the sea- sonal staff could normally hope to be employed until October and some would transfer to Bunratty Folk Park and continue into December.

Shannon Heritage Chief Executive Officer, John Ruddle confirmed that the two facilities are closing early. He said that it has “been a difficult season. Tourism numbers are down across the board.

“We have had a drop of eight per cent this year and while that doesn’t

sound like a lot, that’s quite a lot of people in our terms. I would also say that I would hope this is a once-off and that next year will be much bet- ter,’ said Ruddle.

He added that another factor in the decision was that the facilities had opened three weeks early this year to accommodate an early Easter.

Shannon Heritage had been ex- panding it’s programmes this sum- mer, staging Living History events in conjunction with a Clare re-enact- ment group and working on the fa- cilities at the visitor park.

The hugely popular Shannon Herit-

age banquets at Bunratty, Dunguaire and Knappogue are normally booked out throughout the busy summer sea- roe

But this year, the medieval feast- ings, along with other attractions including Bunratty Folk Park, the Irish nights and King John’s Castle, are also down in visitor numbers by eight per cent.

The Shannon Heritage concerns are not the only ones feeling the pinch. According to Barbara Faulkner, of the award-winning Ailwee Caves project, they are down at least one in ten visitors this year.

CLARE hurler Tony Carmody has urged GAA fans to log on to the new ESB/GAA website www.culgreen.ie to help make Croke Park carbon neu- tral. Clare fans will also be in with the chance to win All-Ireland Final match tickets and €20,000 invest- ment in the county’s juvenile clubs. From today, fans and the public can log onto www.culgreen.ie to access details of how they can support the Cul Green environmental initiative by making energy saving pledges.

Prizes will be made to individual fans pledging on the website, includ- ing match tickets.

The website gives details of the level of carbon that can be offset through simple everyday tasks and encour- ages fans to travel to Croke Park at minimum cost to the environment by using public transport, park and ride and car pooling.

Cul Green was launched in May this year and since then Croke Park has contracted its electricity supply from a renewable source and envi- ronmental projects are ongoing at

the stadium.

As part of the Cul Green initiative, a grant of €20,000 will be made to the county that makes the most carbon-saving pledges per head of population. This prize money will fund sports equipment for juvenile clubs in the winning county. Further prizes will be made to individual fans who make a pledge on the Cul GTM (eli Ker

HEADSUP Text, the text support service operated by Rehab and sup- ported by Meteor, is expecting to see a spike in the number of texts received from stressed young people during the ‘results season’. Almost 57,000 students sat the Leaving Cer- tificate this year and with thousands more expecting Junior Certificate and

college exam results over the coming weeks, the last days of summer could be extremely stressful for some of our young people. In August 2007, Head- sup received texts from over 2,500 people highlighting that not all young people are carefree at this time of Merle

Headsup is reminding students who may be feeling under pressure in the lead-up to exam results that help is on

hand. Headsup Text, a free and confi- dential 24-hour text support service, gives access to a range of helplines and support services on a range of topics for young people in difficulty throughout the year. At the touch of a button, the service can be accessed free of charge by all mobile phone us- ers on all networks. By simply texting the word “Headsup” to 50424, young people can receive information on a

range of topics, including teen issues, alcohol, suicide, drugs, relationships and mental health.

“The Leaving Certificate results, in particular, can represent a crossroads in a person’s life and it can be a par- ticularly difficult time for students whether they have concerns over their grades, decisions about their future or anxiety over starting college. While for some, it is undoubtedly a time of

celebration, for others it can still be a time of stress and isolation which is why it is crucial that young people know that they have somewhere to turn to for support and information,’ said Angela Kerins of Rehab.

The Samaritans, AL Anon, Aware, Women’s Aid, Childline, MABS and Bodywhys are amongst the many sup- port services offered through Head- SOF

PREPARATIONS continue for one of Clare’s most popular public events, the Burren Ramble which takes place Od NST =) 01030010 aeA

Registration is at 12 midday at St Patrick’s church Fanore. The walk commences at lpm sharp and follows a six-mile route that takes in much of the Burren’s natural splendor.

From St Patrick’s church, walkers will head towards the Caher valley before crossing over the Caher River and into the Blackhead Mountains and the sweeping views of Galway BeM A

Organisers anticipate that the last of the walkers should have complet- ed the route by 6pm. Participants are also being urged to collect sponsor- ship cards before the event. Cards are available from Joe Queally (087

6260301) and Tomsie O’Sullivan (065 7081022). Clare FM presenter Ger Sweeney will lead out the walk.

Again all funds raised from this year’s event will go towards the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI).

The RNLI provides on call, 24- hour lifeboat service to cover search and rescue up to 100 nautical miles off the coast of Ireland. The crews are made up of volunteers from all walks of life that give up their time and comfort to carry out rescues and train for them, in difficult and often dangerous conditions.

The RNLI has lifeboats stationed on the west coast of Ireland at Gal- way Bay, Kilrush and Kilronan on Inis Mor and continues to play a vital role in water safety along the Clare coast.

Last year’s Burren Ramble attract-

ed 500 people and raised ©20,000 for the RNLI.

Joe Queally RNLI volounteer and Burren ramble organizer, points to the scenic beauty of the Burren re- gion as one of the main factors be- hind the event’s growing appeal.

“In September, particularly, the Burren takes on a new life. The sea- sons are changing over. You have all these streams that would have disap- peared over the summer, re-appear- ing. People taking part in the ramble get to see the different moods of the Burren first hand. It’s a unique op- portunity”.

He added, “The route this year, will take people through some parts of the Burren that people really don’t get to see that often’. The success of the Burren ramble has contributed enor- mously to the ability of the RNLI to perform lifesaving duties.

Recent tragic events along the Clare coast, have, according to Joe, emphasised the continued need for oneaN E-v Neen

“The RNLI has received amaz- ing support from people, even those communities who wouldn’t be direct- ly linked to the sea. People recognize the importance of lifeboat services. Lifeboats go out on average 12 times a day over the year. Its not a service for anyone, its for everyone”’.

OVER 50 events are scheduled to take place around Clare as part of Heritage Week, which takes place from August 24 to 31.

The programme will include a range of talks, field trips and exhibi- tions aimed at encouraging people to take an interest in their local herit- age.

Mayor of Clare Madeleine Taylor- Quinn said that while enjoyment is

essential to the activities of the week it was also reassuring to see the em- phasis on learning that is at the core of Clare Heritage Week.

She paid tribute to the many indi- viduals and community organisa- tions who have decided to partici- pate in and contribute to the week’s activities.

“The council and organisers of the various events are to be commended for encouraging a greater sense of ownership of and respect for Clare’s

unique heritage. Heritage Week has proven to be a wonderful vehicle for raising awareness of the role we all play in conserving and protecting our heritage for future generations,” she said.

Heritage Project Co-ordinator To- mas MacConmara said the event invariably sees an increased engage- ment between the people of Clare and the heritage of their county.

“The strengthening of this connec- tion is imperative to the future health

of our cultural, built and natural her- itage. If it does nothing more, herit- age week performs a very important function in encouraging this relation- ship,’ he added.

This year’s events vary from late night bat walks, a tour of Doolin’s high cliffs and deep caves; a talk on loss of arctic char and changes 1n fish communities in Lickeen Lough; a discussion on the cultural heritage of Miltown Malbay and learning more about Clare’s heritage through the numerous guided walks and lectures taking place around the country and in museums and libraries.

The Clare Biodiversity Group 1s also hosting a series of educational walks outdoors for both adults and ivi elnonmcenony ene

Clare Biodiversity Officer Brigid Barry said that in order to facilitate the needs of families it was decided to hold Heritage Week at the end of August so that parents can participate in the various events with their chil- dren before they return to school.

Heritage week is part of European Heritage Days, a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union. Locally the event is co-ordi- nated by Clare County Council and the Heritage Council with support from the Department of the Environ- ment, Heritage and Local Govern- ment.