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ONE of the largest employers in the Shannon area, Molex Ireland Ltd, suffered a loss last year due to a €6 million restructuring charge. Accounts filed with the Compa- nies Office show that the company sustained an operating loss of €1.49 million to the end of June 2007. In

2006 operating profit was €2.3 mil- lion. According to the accounts, the loss is made up of a €5.656 million restructuring charge and a fixed asset write off of €971,000.

However, the overall financial health of the company remains very strong with accumulated profits of €61 million. The company has other reserves of €33 million.

Underlining the contribution the company makes to the Clare econ- omy, Molex spent €22.6 million on staff costs last year, down slightly from €23 million in 2006.

The accounts show that 533 people were employed at the plant at the end of last June, an increase on the 501 employed at the plant twelve months previously. Some 454 employees are

engaged in production. The sales and marketing team has been cut back from 22 to 15.

The accounts show that the compa- ny increased the size of its business by 17 per cent in 2006, from €122 million to €143 million. Cost of sales in 2007 was €128 million.

The large rise in administrative ex- penses from €11.2 to €15.5 million,

which includes the restructuring charge, resulted in the company re- cording an operating loss of €1.499 million. The accounts show that a loss before tax of €8,000.

The US-owned Molex is engaged in the manufacture of electrical compo- nents and according to the accounts, directors expect a general level of ac- tivity to continue.

A COORACLARE man who claims his daughter was the victim of a minor assault in the seaside town of Kilkee during the bank holiday weekend believes there is need for more gardai to be available in the area.

Kilkee town councillor Claire Haugh (FF), who in the past has been vocal about the need for more gardai in the town during the sum- mer months, said while she was not familiar with this case gardai had been maintaining a high profile in

the area during the busy weekends and praised them for their work to CFT Ken

On Sunday evening the Cooraclare man said he had been at the beach with his two daughters when his young teenage daughter decided to go to buy an ice cream.

On her way out of the shop anoth- er teen which, he said, was visibly drunk knocked the ice-cream cone into her face.

He said that he called the gardai in Kilkee immediately but they had gone off duty and when he rang Kil- rush he was told the squad car had

gone out on another job.

A local Garda spokesperson said that there was now a sergeant and two gardai stationed in Kilkee.

He said there was a member of the Kilkee unit on duty from 9am until Spm on the day in question and the squad had driven out to the area on numerous occasions.

Former Kilkee mayor Cllr Haugh said she was happy with the number of gardai on duty during the busy bank holiday weekend.

“There was a lot of coverage at night in the town and gardai on the beat during the weekend, I saw it my-

self,’ she said.

She commended the superintend- ent in Kilrush saying he put exten- sive manpower in to the busy seaside town during the peak summer season and the busy weekends.

During the summer months the population of Kilkee swells to more than 20,000 people or more than 10 times its off-peak population.

Up to approximately two years ago councillors from Kilkee were calling for more Garda coverage during the busy summer months.

This situation has now been vastly improved according to Cllr Haugh.

DEFENDING champions _ Tulla, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Clarecastle and Eire Og have nearly 50 senior championships titles between them, but lofty reputations counted for nothing as the Canon Hamilton Cup race was launched at the weekend with an eight-match programme.

These big four were the big casu- alties on weekend one, all of them left reeling after shock defeats that plunge them headlong into fights for senior championship survival in their respective groups.

Pride of place goes to Inagh/Kilna- mona though, who in their first senior championship game ever claimed the scalps of county champions Tulla on Sunday afternoon thanks to a thrill- ing 2-17 to 0-15 win in Cusack Park.

“This was a great day for us,” en- thused Inagh/Kilnamona mentor Noel Hehir afterwards. “We went into this championship not knowing what to expect, but determined to give it a real go. We did that today, especially in the second half and it’s brilliant to get off to a winning start, especially against the county ove Oey

And, if Inagh-Kilnamona’s heroics reflected the changing landscape of the senior championship, so did the victories of both Clooney-Quin and Clonlara. Both have come from the intermediate ranks in the last two years and threw their senior champ- onship markers down in their open- ing contests. Clooney-Quin inflicted a humiliating 3-17 to 2-7 defeat on 2007 Senior B champions Eire Og.

“We showed great character to come back after the two goals – they were an awful sucker-punch before half-time. The lads responded bril- liantly in the second half – a better team than us would have struggled after those goals,” said manager Pat O’Rourke.

Clonlara were equally impressive in dispatching renowned champion- ship battlers Ogonnelloe in Killaloe, even though they had to make do without their ace forwards, Darach Honan and John Conlan due to the Leaving Cert. Afterwards, manager Jim Gully did his best to douse the expectations building up around his team after their impressive entreé into senior hurling.

“TV’d be disappointed if we don’t make the quarter finals and it was important to start with a win, but we have to keep our feet on the ground. There could be a lot of twists and turns in this group yet,” said Gully.

There’s no need to douse expeca- tions in Newmarket-on-Fergus any- more – they were extinguished for the time being with their lamentable per- formance against Wolfe Tones, when they bowed out with a whimper in the second half of a forgettable con- test that launched the championship on Friday night.

Then there’s Kilmaley – the 2004 champions shocking 2005 winners Clarecastle, largely on the back of an inspirational performance from Co- lin Lynch, who was the outstanding player on view during the opening salvos of the Canon Hamilton race that’s now up and running until Oc- tober.

COMMENTS in relation to a Re- spond house in Shannon, made at a meeting last month, have angered local residents. The remarks have prompted the Respond group to call for Clare County Council to take over the maintenance of the estate in which the house is built as a matter Oma Rees Neate

A motion placed before a Shannon area meeting of Clare County Coun- cil last month called for the council to contact Respond, in relation to Number 10 Rineanna View, which

was badly damaged by a fire and needed to be adequately secured.

The motion, placed by the Mayor of Shannon, Councillor Sean McLough- lin, received minimal discussion at the meeting.

Now, Respond has issued a state- ment, saying the residents reject what it has referred to as “council criticism” and pointing out that the house was secured immediately after RAV ROFD OM OL-LOMes-C-UNONDOLSLO ms LE

‘Several residents living in Rinean- na View, Ennis have expressed dis- appointment to Respond staff within the past week at the comments made

by their public representatives at the recent meeting of the Shannon Elec- toral Area Council,’ said the state- ment.

Respond Regional Manager Paul Hargaden said, “Rineanna View is maintained to a very high standard. Respond has a planned maintenance programme and, as part of this pro- gramme, the estate was painted in May and all guttering was cleaned. Respond manages a very high qual- ity community building on Rineanna View which provides supports for the local community, including a Family Resource Centre, Youth Activities

and educational programmes.”

Mr Hargaden said he “would have expected that the local councillors would have acquitted themselves with all of the facts before making any statement on the matter”.

The estate was built 10 years ago. Respond says it 1s well time for the local authority to take over the main- tenance of the lighting, roads, sewer- age and grass.

The statement added that Respond had used its own resources for the past ten years to maintain the estate, including the green areas, lighting and public walkways.

Respond, it said, had called on the local authority on numerous occa- sions to take the estate in charge, under the 2000 Planning and Devel- opment Act.

Mr Hargaden said that in addition to housing, Respond provided ad- ditional support services to the resi- dents, including estate management, community development, family re- source and childcare.

Respond staff visit the estate on a weekly basis to ensure the estate is well maintained, to deal with resi- dent queries and to develop commu- nity activities.

IN the unlikely event of a tree falling in the forest at Ballycuggaran, there will now definitely be someone there to hear it.

Coullte are putting the final touches to a scheme which has opened up the magnificent views and provided rest- ing places for weary feet as well as healthy walks.

The woodlands have long been a favourite place for picnics and walks, but having spent in excess of €15,000 on ground works and adding ameni- ties, Coillte have made it possible to walk up to eight kilometres with lots of loop walks and shorter strolls.

The graded walk, which is located just outside Two Mile Gate, will pro- vide a focal point for tourists as well as a valuable amenity for the people of east Clare.

“We did the ground work and opened up the walks and views. We put in seats at strategic viewing points – people get weary when they walk for a bit and this way, they get a rest and a view,” said Christy O’ Dea, of Coillte in Scariff.

The work has also included putting in two small new car parks and pic- nic tables at strategic locations.

In keeping with Coillte policy, the existing conifer trees will be gradu- ally replaced with broadleaf species

which have already been planted in some parts, including oak, ash, alder, beech and hazel.

The new walkway was made pos- sible thanks to a new funding initia- tive announced by Failte Ireland and Coulte last year. In the programme, some €5.3 million in funding has been allocated to help create an up- gerade facilities across the country.

The initiative will focus on provid- ing outdoor recreation facilities for walkers and cyclists across the coun- try and aims at creating some 250km of walking, hiking and biking trails at 34 sites.

Sadly, despite all the good work, selfish litter droppers are costing

Coulte €25,000 a year.

“It’s not just the cost – it’s the em- barrassment of having to ask some- one to deal with litter created by a third party. The motto is “Leave No Trace’, said Christy.

And that includes doggy-do. “One person comes along with two big dogs and the next person comes along with two small children. I’ll say no more other than take home anything you bring with you.”

IMPACT trade union staff at En- nis General Hospital will take part in a lunchtime protest tomorrow (Wednesday) to highlight health service cuts.

Delays in getting oxygen to Clare patients in their homes and under- staffed social work teams are just two of the knock on effects of HSE staff shortages, according to the un- ion.

More than 2,500 health workers in the county will take part in the lunch- time protest, which is not expected to

affect patient care as staff will man the picket line on their lunch breaks.

Andy Pike, assistant general secre- tary for the mid-west region, said the staffing embargo had been nothing short of catastrophic for local serv- leon

Mr Pike claimed that from Decem- ber 2007 to March 2008 the HSE in the mid-west lost 137 whole time equivalents (full time staff) and, given the number of part time posts in the HSE, the true figure could be close to 200.

He said that the employment con- trols introduced in 2008 allowed a

vacancy to be filled only if a differ- ent post was suppressed, so the cost of filling one vacancy was the loss of another in a different part of the Service.

“Two environmental health of- ficer posts have not been replaced in County Clare.

‘This means that patients and the public are at increased risk due to the frantic fall in the number of inspec- tion carried out in hospitals and the community,’ he said.

‘Two physiotherapy posts in Clare are vacant resulting in the closure of community physio services in east

and south Clare which currently serve 42,000 people.

“Two posts are vacant in disability services in Clare resulting in delays in delivering oxygen to patients’ homes,” said the trade union repre- sentative.

“The adoption service in the mid- west is struggling to cope without key posts being filled.

“Service provision has all but stopped. Social work teams are now seriously understaffed across the mid-west, including two permanent posts in ClareCare that have been suppressed,’ he added.

‘Family support worker posts have been left vacant increasing demands on residential services for vulnerable children and clients. Two occupa- tional therapy posts have not been filled thus increasing waiting lists.”

He said budget constraints also make it difficult for staff to carry out their duties as all travel outside Clare being banned except with prior per- mission. Numerous posts in Limer- ick and north Tipperary also remain vacant.

IMPACT workers will be protect- ing across the country on Wednesday from 12.30pm to 2pm.

ESSAM Eid would have stuck out “like a sore toe” in an identification parade as none of the eight other par- ticipants were “remotely like him’, his counsel claimed at the trial.

Michael Collins BL, for Mr Eid, made the claim in his cross-examina- tion of Sergeant Noel McMahon, who conducted the parade at Ennis Garda Station on September 27, 2006. That was the day after a man called to Robert Howard’s home demanding €100,000 to cancel contracts on the lives of the three Howards.

Sergeant McMahon told the court last Tuesday that eight men were made available to him, along with Essam Eid. He said that both Robert and Niall Howard identified Essam Eid as the man who had called to

their home at Ballaghboy, Ennis, the previous night.

However, Michael Collins pointed out that just one of the eight men was in his 50s, one was in his 40s, four were in their 30s and two were in their 20s.

“The reality is there was only one man in his 50s. None of them had a moustache,” said Mr Collins.

He asked, “Did any of them look as if they were of foreign extraction?” Sgt McMahon replied, “One of them had sallow skin.”

“Mr Eid would have stuck out like a sore toe,” said Mr Collins.

Sgt McMahon replied, “I don’t be- lieve he stuck out. These were the people who were made available to me. There was no objection. I had to work with them. I conducted the pa- rade as it should be conducted.”

FOR their first attempt at the Tidy Towns awards, Ogonnelloe Tidy Towns Committee are delighted with the support which they have garnered from the community.

“We thought we might have been a bit overambitious in choosing the projects we tackled first, but people have been very supportive, coming out and giving a hand,’ said PRO for the tidy towns committee, Trevor ee. tF

“Ogonelloe is a beautiful village. We felt it would be right to enter the

tidy village section and it meant we focused in on a few things that need- ed doing,” he added.

Since its inception in February, the group and volunteers from the area have organised the clearing and transformation of what were two overgrown eyesores, planted 52 trees and are currently putting the finish- ing touches to planting flowerbeds and putting in slate surrounds.

Two overgrown areas in the village were cleared of gorse and building debris, which was left in one, has been dealt with.

“One area was quite large, about

200 metres long and we cleared that and planted 40 trees. Now we’re putting in hexagonal flower beds,” said Trevor.

The group have also covered an open drain and got financial support for the cost of the materials from generous local business people.

“We don’t want to put too much on people but we got such great support from people who want to come out and do a couple of hours work that it’s all come together so far,’ said Trevor.

The committee has also organised the cutting of verges the length of the

village which hadn’t seen a trim in years.

“It’s quite a large area with a smaller population than some of the other, more compact areas. Once these projects are finished we’ll sit down and see what needs to be done next.”

Trevor said the committee won’t be expecting to win prizes this year but are happy to have made a start.

‘For any village that enters, it takes afew years before they get anywhere and the judges comments will help us focus on what needs to be done next,’ said Trevor.

claimed that the school

has failed to tackle problems there for too long.

“The children are not getting the

standard of education they should be

getting and this is causing problems

down the line when they go to sec- ondary school. The school and the board of management haven’t tack- led it properly and the children are the ones losing out. Parents will start voting with their feet. The school will close unless this is tackled ur- gently,” he said.

Chairman of the school’s board of management Brendan Quinlivan, said that the school underwent a routine whole school evaluation in November of last year, which high- lighted issues that should be tackled.

Mr Quinlivan added that the board of management “is aware of the con- cerns raised by parents and we are acting on those concerns”.

“We are using the facilities and resources available to us through the St Senan’s Education Office and we are keeping parents informed of what is being done.”

SHARON Collins is not a greedy woman and the allegations against her do not make sense, according to one of the men she is accused of conspiring to murder – who planted a kiss on her lips in open court.

PJ Howard kissed Ms Collins af- ter he stepped down from the wit- ness box, having completed giving evidence to the trial just before noon last Thursday.

The 58-year-old businessman leaned over to the accused woman, touched her cheek and kissed her, be- fore swiftly leaving the courtroom. Minutes earlier, she had broken down in tears as he told the court she was “far from” greedy and had looked af- ter him when he had been ill.

Asked about the allegations against her, he said, “It doesn’t make sense to me. It is totally out of character. I find it very, very, very hard to be- lieve.

‘In the eight years since I’ve known Sharon, she has never asked me for anything. That’s one of the things I find astonishing. I often offered her things and she said ‘No’.

“If she was given three or four hun- dred euro for herself the first thing she would do was make sure her two lads had enough. She’d be far from a greedy person, far from it. I made a Statement to that effect,’ he said.

“When I wasn’t well she looked after me extremely well. She had a very good life for us. I was very happy with it. I presume she was too. We didn’t feel there were any serious

problems between us until this situa- tion arose. Prior to that, we were liv- ing quite normally,” he said.

During a 20-minute cross-exami- nation by Paul O’Higgins SC for Ms Collins, Mr Howard was asked about a “marriage” to Ms Collins. Mr O’Higgins referred to a pre-nuptial agreement and asked was part of that to ease Mr Howard’s two sons’ state of mind.

“They were considerably involved in the business at the time and would have expected to be left the business. The business is too small to be di- vided up,” said Mr Howard.

“It has been put across here that it was a very fast decision. This was not a very fast decision. It was de- cided over a number of months. We Spent time discussing it. We both took legal advice. I was told by my

solicitor that pre-nuptials were not accepted by the Irish courts. This was made perfectly clear to Sharon. She accepted this and we decided that we could not get married,’ said Mr Howard.

““T think it was well established that we were not married,’ he added.