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A PLANNED TESCO four island petrol station for Kilrush could result in the loss of a significant proportion of the 100 people employed in inde- pendently owned petrol stations in west Clare.

That is the view of the Irish Petrol Retailers’ Association (IPRA) who are once more opposing plans by the Supermarket giant to construct the petrol station adjacent to its recently opened store in the west Clare town.

Earlier this year, An Bord Pleanala turned down a previous plan by TES- CO due to traffic considerations.

Now, in response to a new plan, the

IPRA, independent retailer group, RGDATA and independent petrol owners are opposing the application.

In its objection, the IPRA states that petrol stations and associated shops provide full-time and part- time employment for some 100 peo- ple in the area, a significant number of which could lose their jobs based on the UK trend being replicated in Ireland whereby half of all petrol stations will have closed within a 15- year period.

The objection states, “We submit that such an impact is unacceptable in a period of economic recession in an area that has already a high un- employment rate. The evidence from

the UK is clear and unequivocal whereby the UK supermarkets have increased their market share from 11 per cent in 1992 to 40 per cent to- day in a market where the number of operators has over halved. The link therefore between supermarkets en- tering the petrol filling station mar- ket and offering discounted fuel and the closure of other petrol filling sta- tions cannot be questioned.

The objection states, “The open- ing of Kilrush Tesco petrol filling stations will result in preventing communities from accessing food supplies in station shops, remov- ing a critical and regular reason for residents to visit a location, therefore

reducing the critical mass of the area and affecting local traders, motorists having to travel further in order for petrol and in reducing the viability of west Clare as a place to live.

‘The closure of petrol stations will have an adverse and negative impact on the provision of retail services to vulnerable members of the commu- nity, who currently rely on access to retailing facilities associated with, and existing filing stations in the ru- ral area and from where there are no public transport links to Kilrush.

“We request the Council to con- clude therefore that the proposal is contrary to the provisions of sections 90-95 of the Retail Planning Guide-

lines and therefore not in the proper planning and sustainable develop- ment of the area nor in the interest of the common good and that the pro- posal will endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard.”

In its objcction, RGDATA state that the application should be refused as it is not consistent with the proper planning and sustainable develop- ment of Kilrush.

Others to make submissions include David and Colette of Colleen Bawn, Texaco Station, Killimer; John and Vincent Crowley, Crowley’s garage, Kilrush; Michael Fitzpatrick, Fitz- patrick’s station, Killimer and Mar- rinan Oil, Cappa, Kilrush.

Credit Unions to help bail out flood victims

The Clare Champion newspaper last year incurred after tax losses of €3,000 per week as the recession hit the regional newspaper industry.

Abridged accounts for 2008 show after tax losses of €187,000 to the end of December last.

However, the company has strong cash reserves of €2.46muiullion as a result of accumulated profits over a number of years.

One of the few remaining inde- pendently owned newspapers in Ire- land, The Clare Champion is now in operation over 100 years and for the past four years has faced direct competition from The Clare People newspaper.

The Clare Champion accounts show the company remains in a healthy fi- nancial state though its financial as- sets took a hit last year going down from €988,188 to €864,995. As a result, the value of the company’s fixed assets dropped from <€4.4mil- lion to €4.2million. Cash at bank and in hand dropped from €1.073million to €1.072mil- lion. With shareholder funds drop- ping to €5.47million as a result of last year’s losses, the company had total funds of over €6.5 million The shareholders funds include a revaluation reserve which relates to the revaluation of the company as- sets. There was a gain of €1 million in the account in 2006, though last year there was no increase. The accounts are signed by the company’s General Manager, John Galvin and his wife, Shelley, who 1s also a director of the company. The paper is wholly owned by the Galvin family and its other directors include John Galvin’s mother, Gemma. A sister company, Clare Cham- pion Printers Ltd., also recorded a loss last year of €50,058. The filings show that the company’s accumu- lated profits now stand at €929,376. This company had cash of €267,791 at the end of 2008 - slightly up on the 2007 figure of €260,133. The Galvins also have a substantial shareholding in local radio station, Clare FM and were last year set to be the major winners from the station’s proposed €7.2 million sale to Radio Kerry. The family’s 51,000 shares would have delivered an estimated pay-off of €1 million but the sale fell through. General Manager John Galvin de- clined to comment on the accounts filed with the companies office.

can reveal that a key member of Cratloe’s his- toric senior championship winning management team could be line for the team trainer’s role.

Fiach O’Loughlin, who is credited with turning Cratloe’s season around after linking up with the squad mid- term, is hotly tipped for the team

trainer’s post — the job seen as cru- cial to the re-building process to be undertaken by Ger O’Loughlin, starting with the National League DOB h Baal las

Fiach O’Loughlin’s prowess as a trainer led Cratloe to their famous county final winning day on Novem- ber 1, ironically the same day that Clare senior players met and voted no confidence in 2009 senior man- ager Mike McNamara.

He came to the training role in Cratloe via professional rugby, hav- ing been a key member and captain of Shannon’s All-Ireland League winning team in 2009. Now, his me- teoric rise in hurling could be capped with landing the plumb county senior or bae cM Oe-BUOUDOTSam [Oly

However, Ger O’Loughlin, who was ratified as new senior man- ager for “at least two years” at last

Thursday’s annual Convention in the Auburn Lodge Hotel is remaining tight-lipped on the make-up of his backroom team.

“T’m only in the job since Thursday evening so the situation is that over the next 5 or 6 days, I will hopefully have that put to bed,” he told

now has losses of over €4.5million but, according to Mr Collison, this rep- resents the full start-up costs of the newspaper since December 2005.

He said that this figure was “sig- nificantly below what we anticipated in our original business plan.”

‘The paper made a profit for the first time in September and is on course to break-even for the final quarter of the year. This was achieved through

extensive cost reductions, which cut weekly operational costs by over 50 per cent.”

“This would not have been pos- sible without the active cooperation and goodwill of staff whose sacri- fices over the past year have ensured the paper’s long-term survival’, he added.

The paper was established to chal- lenge the 100-year long dominance of The Clare Champion and _ latest ABC figures show The Champion’s circulation at 19,046 compared to The People’s 12,154.

Mr Collison said: “As a start-up operation, The Clare People had no accumulated reserves and felt the effects of the recession at an earlier stage than most of the legacy titles.”

‘This in some way proved a bless- ing in disguise as it enabled us to tackle our cost base earlier than might have been the norm. I would

expect that we will be one of the very few regional newspapers reporting break even or a profit for the final [VET to) axe) O hae

In the returns, the directors state that the key to this will be the achievement of forecasted revenues and the ability to contain costs at projected levels.”

“We initially hoped to reach breakeven during 2009 but the ex- pectation now 1s of further losses, but at approximately 45% of the 2008 levels, which in the current economic environment, 1s a positive result.”

The directors state that they and the shareholders have advanced interest free loans of €3.3million to the end of 2008 and have advanced further loans of €326,000 to the company up to September 20, 2009.

TWO people have been charged after counterfeit €50 notes were found in circulation in Shannon.

Liam Glennon (22), of Rowlagh Crescent, Dublin 2, is accused of possession of drugs for the purpose

of sale or supply; obstructing a garda at Shannon Town Centre and having four counterfeit €50 notes, on March 11 last.

Josh Hand (19), of Longstone Park, Portrane, County Dublin, is accused of tendering a counterfeit €50 note at a premises in Shannon, on March

9 last. He 1s also charged with having a counterfeit €50 note on March 11.

Garda Bryan McCarthy told Shan- non District Court on Thursday that he met the two accused by appoint- ment that morning and charged Weloveee

The garda said it would be alleged

that counterfeit ©€50 notes were cashed in shops in Shannon. A de- scription of a car was obtained by gardai and they launched an investi- gation.

He said that the accused were stopped and spoken to by gardai. A quantity of cocaine was found in the

car. He said that Mr Glennon took responsibility for the cocaine, which was valued at €250. One individual had four counterfeit €50 notes, while another had one note, he said.

Judge Joseph Mangan accepted ju- risdiction of the case and adjourned it until early in the new year.

A KILRUSH solicitor has expressed concern that a bench warrant was left “hanging around” a garda station for more than four months before being CLARO B

However, gardai say that the war- rant was executed as soon as it be- come known that it was still in exist- ence.

The comments were made in the case of Patrick Hall (23), of Craw- ford Street, Kilrush, who is accused of urinating in public at O’Curry Street, Kilkee, on June | last.

Garda Keith Hughes told Kilrush District Court on Wednesday that he executed a bench warrant by ar- resting the defendant the previous evening in Kilrush.

Defending solicitor Eugene O’ Kelly asked the garda had he been ap- proached by the accused on a number of occasions in relation to the bench warrant. Gda Hughes said the ac- cused has asked him if there were any pending cases against him.

Mr O’Kelly said his client was granted temporary release from Lim- erick prison on November 3 last and subsequently approached the garda and asked him if there were any out- standing matters.

The garda said he encountered the accused in mid-November when “there was no discussion about a warrant. There was a discussion about pending cases.”

Mr O’Kelly put it to the garda that the accused was in court on Novem- ber 8 last. The garda said he was not Sure at that time if the warrant had been executed.

Mr O’Kelly asked the garda, “Is there something about the impending approach of Christmas to do with the warrant being executed now?” The garda said there wasn’t and Superin- tendent Michael Comyns, prosecut- ing, said gardai were not objecting to bail being granted to the accused.

Mr O’Kelly said his client “wanted to clear the decks. I am satisfied Mr Hall has turned a corner. He wants to get on with his life. It’s very unfair that a warrant that has been hanging around the garda station since July is now being executed on the eve of Christmas.”

Supt Comyns said the bench war- rant was issued in July at the time warrants were issued in the circuit court. When Mr Hall presented him- self, the circuit court warrants were executed and Garda Hughes was not aware if the district court bench war- rant had been executed.

He said that Gda Hughes then made enquiries and last week’s district court was the first sitting since No- vember 8 and he executed the bench warrant in advance of the court.

Judge Joseph Mangan adjourned the case until next month and the ac- cused was granted bail.

A COURT has heard that a man’s nose was broken and teeth were damaged during a pub incident in GR

THE Labour Party revival in Clare has seen the formation of a new branch in the west.

It once had a party stronghold in west Clare, providing the first female chairperson of Kilrush Town Coun- cil, but in the last number of years the party had lost support and mem- bership.

At an open meeting of the party in Kilrush last week however, the latest branch of the party has been formed.

Constituency Chairman Michael Corley reminded the meeting that,

“west Clare has had in the past a strong tradition of Labour Party rep- resentation down through the years, there have been strong and dedicated representatives pushing for a fairer and more equal society for the peo- ple of Kilrush and the rest of west Oren

Labour councillor Tony McMahon said the turnout was a testament to the level of concern that people have for the social fabric of the commu- nity. “Everyone here is concerned about the problems that affect Kil- rush and west Clare and I believe that it is in the hands of individuals com- ing together in this community that

these problems will be solved. I en- courage everyone here to be proud of this step taken in bringing together a force for positive change in Kilrush and West Clare.”

A spokesperson for the party said that the formation of new branches throughout the county overcomes the perception that Labour is an urban and east coast party.

‘The Labour Party is ready to pro- vide a new leadership and direction to Ireland where the insanity of give- away tax-breaks and the protection of the wealthy at the expense PAYE workers, small business owners and the most vulnerable in society will

not be an option. We believe in a so- ciety where fairness and equality are the guiding principles of how a gov- ernment should plan for its people,” he said.

A wide range of topics were dis- cussed in the meeting including “Government attacks on rural life’, the proposal to cut Government sup- port for the Rural Transport Pro- gramme, and the high rate of unem- ployment and youth unemployment in the county.

More than 10,000 people in Clare are without jobs at the moment and the number of people under 25 with- out work is almost at 2,000 in Clare.

AN Ennis man who was jailed for four years last month for a drugs of- fence has been handed an additional jail term for criminal damage.

Michael Clune (24), of John Paul Avenue, Ennis, pleaded guilty to a criminal damage charge arising out of an incident a year ago.

Ennis District Court was told on Friday that an apartment door was damaged. The accused admitted to gardai that he had been in the apart- ment.

The court was told that Clune is currently serving a four-year sen- tence, handed down in the circuit court last month for a drugs offence.

Defending solicitor Tara Godfrey said that her client was “acting un- der the influence of controlled sub- stances and alcohol” on the night in Ltn Coyne

“Unfortunately my client forced open the door,” she said, adding that the accused believed this was the apartment he had been in, earlier that night.

‘He had been drinking and had been anxious to get back into the flat where the party was on,’ she said.

Judge Joseph Mangan imposed a four-month jail term, to run consecu- tively to the four-year term Clune is currently serving.

He fixed a bond in the event of an appeal.