Category: Uncategorized

CLARECASTLE National School recently advertised a call for submis- sions from artists for the creation of a new public art project for the school.

The art project is to be funded un- der the Department of Education’s percent for Art Scheme and was advertised nationally and interna- tionally through press and specialist visual artists’ publications. Enquir- ies about the project was widespread with many artists from outside Ire- land expressing keen interest. A site visit for those interested in submit-

ting a proposal was arranged by the school’s Public Art Subcommittee, chaired by Tim Ryan and on May 12 the published deadline, fourteen sub- missions were received from artists from all over Ireland and Canada.

In order to engage as many mem- bers of the broad school community in the selection process, the school committee invited members of the public to view and to give feedback on the submissions which were on display,in the school hall, during First Holy Communion day on Sat- urday last. The result was a very energetic and unusual open day at

Clarecastle National School. Adults and children enthusiastically viewed and discussed each individual pro- posal and registered their preference by selecting the work they felt might be most suited to the context of the school and its surrounding area in Clarecastle. Initial feedback from the public remarked on the high standard of the proposed work and also on the degree of individuality and vision therein.

Ultimately, the final selection of the chosen proposal rests with the school’s Public Art Subcommittee but committee members will care-

fully examine feedback from adults and children who registered their preference through the process of public engagement.

Another opportunity for those in- terested in viewing the proposals is to be had this Thursday, May 22nd, when the school, once again, opens its doors to the community of Clare- castle and invites the public to visit and to give feedback on the submit- ted proposals.

Further information from Mon1- ca Spencer, Project Manager, 087 9930553, spencermonica@eircom. om

AN Ennis man sought more than €500,000 for his objection against a €40 million residential development to be withdrawn.

Last week, An Bord Pleandala re- fused planning permission to Joe Mc- Namara to develop 147 homes on the Golf Links Road. The appeals board upheld the appeal by John Madden of Glencairn House, Hermitage, against Clare County Council’s decision to grant planning permission for the proposal.

However, in documentation now released by An Bord Pleanala, it has emerged that Mr Madden sought €550,000 for himself to construct a flood defence system on his lands near the development site and a sepa-

rate payment of €50,000 for Caher- calla Community Hospice to with- draw his appeal.

A series of eight meetings were held between the two sides – all at the instigation of the developers – but no money was handed over and, as a result, the appeal was not withdrawn. Mr Madden stated last week that he felt vindicated it had been upheld.

In a letter to the board on behalf of the developers, Joe McNamara and Paul O’Brien, solicitors McMahon O’Brien and Downes stated that the demand for €550,000 for the with- drawal of the appeal was the second time that such a demand was made by Mr Madden.

They claimed he sought €170,000 for the withdrawal of an objection against a previous housing applica-

tion on the same site by the same developers.

The legal firm said this was to be used to construct a barrier against flooding if planning was obtained, but if planning was not obtained, the money was to be retained personally by Mr Madden.

In relation to the €50,000 sought for Cahercalla Hospice, the legal firm states, “The seeking to justify a pay- ment request for a hospice because of the appellant’s admiration of the Trojan work they do there is another example of the appellant’s misguided purpose of the planning process. It is not there to facilitate the extraction of funds from developers to make payments to charities.”

The documentation also shows that Ennis builder, Liam O’Doherty

agreed to purchase the lands from McNamara and O’Brien in 2006 sub- ject to planning.

A letter from John Casey & Co so- licitors shows that Mr O’Doherty met with Mr Madden where he confirmed the requirement of a €585,000 pay- ment to him and a €50,000 to Caher- calla hospice.

The submissions by the developers was aimed at having Mr Madden’s appeal dismissed on the grounds that the appeal was being brought solely for the purpose of securing the pay- ment of money and gifts – a claim firmly rejected by Mr Madden.

However, the appeals board judged the appeal on its merits and found in favour of Mr Madden, though none of the reasons to refuse planning re- lated to flooding.

CLARE County Council and Ennis Town Council are prohibiting major new housing schemes in the town be- cause the public sewage works are in too poor a state to cope with further ESET Ken

The councils have refused planning for three big residential develop- ments in the last week including one at Gaurus which was to be the coun- ty’s largest ever housing scheme. De- velopments at Knockaderry on the Tulla Road and at Ballycorey on the Galway Road were also blocked.

Deficiencies in the sewage works and, in particular, at the main treat- ment plant at Clonroadmore, was the main reason given for the refusals.

“The capacity of this plant is now stretched to the extent that it would be inappropriate to approve any fur- ther significant developments which

would be dependent on it,” said Tom Tiernan, Ennis Town Engineer.

A €75 m replacement plant at Clareabbey, is not expected to be op- erational until 2012, raising the pros- pect that major developments will be constrained until then.

JUST days after the proposed N18 Gort-Crusheen bypass looked dead in the water, the Department of Trans- port has somehow come up with the cash to keep the project afloat.

Speaking last Friday in Galway, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Eamon O’Cuiv said that he had received a firm com- mitment that construction works on the entire N18 upgrade, including the Gort bypass, would commence early next year.

Construction on the long muted by- pass was scheduled to begin in the first half of this year, and some 170 Clare and Galway farmers have en- tered into a negotiations for the com- pulsory purchase of land needed.

]Sr-Nu DCs SOU EcMmOeCOOLNeMmE OO CoMmBN EIB Ceyer-D Roads Authority (NRA) confirmed that they would not be in a position to begin work on the Gort bypass this year as planned because of a lack

of funds.

This sparked fears in the local farm- ing community the NRA and both Clare and Galway County Councils would attempt to undercut the price already offered to farmers.

Under the compulsory purchase order process, the NRA has frozen the value of the compensation for the land. The IFA’s Roads Project Team Leader, Jer Bergin, last week hosted a meeting of landowners effected by the bypass.

“This new road will affect the live- lihoods of over 170 landowners and will involve the construction of over 24 kilometers of new road,” he said.

However, the National Roads Au- thority confirmed that €20 million has been provided for works on the N-18 in 2008. They also confirmed that the bulk of this money will go towards land purchase. The remain- der will be spent on site surveys, an archaeological study of the route and advance work projects.

, the non-consult- ant doctor who was working in the surgery department at Ennis General received the fifth highest payment in overtime last year in the mid-west

region.

The doctor was one of three Clare- based junior doctors in the top twen- ty overtime earners in the mid-west last year.

All in the top 20 were junior doc- tors and the top earner was a registrar at the Ear, Nose and Throat Depart- ment at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick who received more than €100,000 in overtime.

The other Clare doctors to feature includes a second registrar at En-

nis General Hospital who received €72,982 and a third doctor working at St Joseph’s Hospital who received €64,081. Four junior doctors re- ceived more than €90,000 in over- time in the region.

The EU Working Time Direc- tive – which seeks to limit the hours worked by junior doctors – is due to come into force next year and it was the basis of the HSE producing the Hanly report in 2003.

Eleven of top twenty overtime earn-

ers are based in Limerick. Last year, the overtime bill for the mid-west region across all sectors in the HSE amounted to €17.35 million while in Clare, the overtime bill last year amounted to €2.938 million.

The overtime bill has been creep- ing up steadily since 2004 when €16 million was paid in the mid-west and €2.696 million was paid in County SEK

The FOI figures also show that the overall wage bill for the HSE in the

mid-west last year was €380 mil- lion- representing an increase of 26 per cent on the wage bill of €300 million in 2004.

The Clare figures show that the HSE wage bill for the county in- creased from €59 million in 2004 to €73 million in 2007 – an increase of 23.7 per cent.

The annual HSE wage bill under- lines the massive contribution the HSE makes to the local and regional economy each year.

CLARE milk producers are about the feel the pinch with the news this week that the Kerry Group is to slash the price they pay to farmers by 22.7 cents per gallon.

The news comes just days after Ire- land’s biggest milk producer, Glan- bia cut their milk price by 3.96 cents per litre.

Chairperson of ICMSA’s Dairy Committee, John O’Leary, described the Kerry Group decision as a terrible blow to Clare farmers and all Kerry suppliers. According to O’Leary, this cut will represents a loss of €11,365

for a full year’s milk production on a 50,000 gallon farm.

“The reality is that Kerry suppli- ers face substantially increased costs and many have made – or are making – massive investments in relation to Nitrates. It is a terrible blow to them to see their Co-op cutting the price by 22.7 cents per gallon in one go,” he said.

‘This kind of drastic cut is in sharp contrast to last year when the Co-op only increased the price by small amounts while the markets were booming. They have been much quicker to cut the price than they were to raise it last year and they

have cut the price just before peak milk production.

“It should be pointed out that Ker- ry’s profits last year were €298 mil- lion and the group indicated this week that earnings will grow again in 2008, an announcement that comes at the same time as they have slashed farmers’ earnings.

“The growth in Kerry’s earnings would appear to be at the expense of milk suppliers. Present figures indi- cate that a 50,000-gallon Kerry sup- plier will be over €13,500 worse off than a Wexford supplier based on a full year’s milk production.

Meanwhile, the IFA’s’ Richard

Kennedy criticised Glanbia for cut- ting their April milk price by 3.96c/ ie

‘“Glanbia is the biggest milk proces- sor in the country with probably the best product mix of all milk proces- sors,” he said.

“It should therefore have been in a particularly good position to hold the April milk price. It is a huge letdown to Glanbia suppliers and the suppli- ers to all other co-ops that this year again Glanbia choose to led milk prices down. We would urge Glan- bia and other co-ops to hold a strong milk price in 2008 to secure farmer confidence and milk supply.”

THE final of the St Josephs School Spanish Point A2 575 was the fea- ture event of the eleven on Saturday nigh’ts Galway Card. Favourite for the €1,200 to the winner contest was the Noel Mullins of Gort trained Miss Fabulous (T6) and the daughter of World Class and Legal Moment was very smartly away out wide and she led by two lengths from Phillip- specialone (T3) on the long run to the bend.

Turning down the back Miss Fabu- lous extended her advantage to four lengths over her rivals and although Ballingown Boy (T2) made _ late headway Miss Fabulous was always in total command as she took the prize for owners Paul Curley and Michael Regan by a length in a time

of 31.79

The second contest was an A5 af- fair in which the Pat Hogan of Ennis owned Aulton George landed some nice wagers as he made virtually all to defeat Paradise Alana (T5) by three lengths in 29.54.

The Seamus Fahy trained son of Droopys Scholes and Dalcash Veva just shaded O’Garney Flo (T3) on the run to the opening bend and as they raced past halfway the gap was half a length.

Rounding the third bend Aulton George railed well and cut of the challenge of O’Garney Flo before pulling clear up the straight for his maiden success.

The third contest was an A3 graded 525 and here the Mrs Marie Browne of Cree owned Burnpark Dame showed both early pace and stam-

ina as she romped home over eight lengths to spare over Stanton (T6) in 29.01.

The daughter of Honcho Clas- sic and Burnpark Circle led by two lengths from Stanton on the run to the opening bend and with trouble among the backmarkers the front two drew clear.

Racing out of the back though Burnpark Dame began to draw clear of Stanton as she opened her account at the fifth attempt.

In the Al graded sixth contest over 525 yards the blue jacketed Tyrur Kerril was smartly away along the inside and although he moved slight- ly wide at the opening corner he still led Flandy (T4) by two length rac- ing towards halfway with Corpo- rate Legend(T6) in third place three lengths further adrift.

As the leader approached the third bend the distress signals were out and the Conor Flanagan of Ennisty- mon owned Flandy (Fortune

Mike-Mythical Cracker) swept past on the rail before he raced clear to win by over five lengths in 29.08

The concluding race of the night went to the Colm and Oran Fitzger- ald of Kilrush owned Fitzler Joker a son of Barnane Bit and Black Show who was smartly away from his trap six berth as he led Corrib Star (T5) bytwo lengths rounding the opening two bends. Racing down the back the sextet were in Indian file as Fitzler Joker set sail for the judge chased all the way by Corib Star but at the line the advantage was still over two lengths in favour of Fitzler Joker in SYA Le

Friday night’s card was an all grad-

ed 11 race programme with the con- cluding three 575 yard contests being the three heats of the Tully National School A4 Stake..In the opening heat the Johnny Burke of Tubber trained Drumline Tom topped the market but he was moderately enough away as Rob The Five (T2) and Bold Ted- dy (T6) led the field to the opening corner.

Racing down the back Rob The Five led by two lengths from the wide running Bold Teddy with Ca- poola Savings (T4) improving from rear.

Racing around the home turn the Ollie Burke trained Rob The Five (Droopys Vieri-Iwotensfive) railed well and although Capoola Savings was closing with every stride the line came in time for Rob The Five by three quarters of a length in 32.27.

SOME of Kilrush’s most prominent businessmen have questioned the procedure used by the two local au- thorities when they purchased a €1.4 million derelict site for their new civic offices.

Following the meeting of Kilrush Town Council, local developer Mark Reidy said it appeared that the elect-

ed members’ opinions did not seem to matter as “the decision was made at a higher level, without taking into account the rate-payers who are the backbone of this town”.

He said, “There is no reason why they couldn’t have purchased this on an option agreement, undertaken a feasibility study, applied for plan- ning permission and then have a de- layed closing.”

Businessman Joe Whelan, who at- tended the local authority meeting, said, “If I was to operate my business like that cuckoo operation carried out there this evening, I wouldn’t be here five minutes.”

Fellow businessman Paul Coady said the meeting clouded the issues around how the building would be paid for, rather than clearing up any questions they may have had.

“In fairness, we want development for the town and we accept there may be a need for civic offices,” he said.

Mr Coady who is chairman of the Kilrush Chamber of Commerce, said he was not speaking on behalf of the chamber, which would be issuing a full statement once it had obtained the information necessary to make an informed decision.

A special meeting of the chamber executive took place on Thursday morning last. “It 1s a project we cer- tainly have no grave objection to but we need the information on how it is going to be funded,’ said Mr Coady in his only reference to that meeting.

Meanwhile, Mr Reidy has ques- tioned the feasibility of the project. He said that he had offered the coun- cil 7,000 square foot of office space at the Quay Mill development, fully fin- ished, for €1.6 million and his offered was declined. He said that he also of- fered to rent the office space to Clare County Council and Kilrush Town Council for €14 per square foot.

The renovation of Inis Cathaigh is estimated to cost up to €5 million.

Mr Reidy denied he had a vested interest in objecting to the lack of a feasibility plan in place to buy and develop Inis Cathaigh. He said he has since sold the development, and has only a minor interest in the busi- ness now.

can reveal that three drivers in the county have amassed 12 penalty points and, as a result, have been banned from driv- ing for six months.

Twenty drivers have received 10 points each, two have received nine points, 61 motorists have amassed eight points, while seven drivers have got seven points each.

279 drivers have received six points, while 32 motorists have earned five points. One driver has four penalty points, while 48 Clare motorists have

received three points.

The single biggest amount of driv- ers – 7,142 – have two points, while 146 drivers have one point each, bringing the total number of drivers to 9,001.

Drivers who receive 12 points with- in three years are then banned from driving for six months.

Penalty points apply to 36 offences, including careless driving, crossing a continuous white line, not wearing a seatbelt and speeding.

Offending drivers are issued with fixed charge notices and if they pay the fine, the points are added to their licenses. However, they can contest their cases in court and, if success- ful, the points will not be added to NCJ P mB BLO eoe

The single biggest offence commit- ted by Clare drivers over the past two years was speeding. 8,360 drivers were caught for this. 1,075 drivers were caught for not wearing their seat belts, while 715 were detected driv- ing while using their mobile phones. 324 drivers in Clare received points for crossing continuous or broken white lines.

The next most significant offence was drivers failing to obey traffic lights (174), followed by failure to comply with traffic signs (121).

Several Clare drivers were also caught for overtaking, driving with- out reasonable consideration, fail- ing to stop before spot lines and not ensuring children were wearing seat ere) LiSe

The head of the Clare Garda Divi- sion Traffic Corps, Inspector John Galvin said it was disheartening that sO many drivers were ignoring the road traffic legislation.

“It is disappointing to see that peo- ple are continuing to breach the laws, despite the enforcement and public campaigns. It is putting people’s lives at risk,” he said.

“We are continuing to enforce the regulations. All gardai are doing it throughout the division,” added In- spector Galvin.

‘Expect to see us on the roads,” he WEN e Eee b

As part of a nationwide crackdown on motoring offences, the traffic corps in the Clare division increased significantly in size last year.

KILLALOBE’S playground plans got a boost this week with news that the project have been allocated €60,000 towards the cost of providing the fa- TIA

Local councillor, Tony O’ Brien (FF) proposed at a meeting of the Killaloe area committee last week that the money be given to the project.

The council members had been

asked how they wanted to divide up a total allocation for the coming year of €83,000 under the county coun- cil’s playground funding scheme.

The members were told that next year would be the last year for this particular scheme and any other groups ready to go should get there applications in before the end of this year to be in with a chance of fund- ing.

Cllr O’Brien told the meeting that

he wanted to secure the funding for the group, who have been making massive efforts in their bid to provide a play facility for the town.

“They are a very progressive group and they are ably supported by a number of organisations in the area. The project will cost a total of about €150,000 and there is a significant drive to fundraise by the local com- munity,” he said.

Cllr Pascal Fitzgerald (Lab) sec-

onded Cllr O’Brien’s motion. “They are doing a marvellous job,’ he said.

Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) asked whether the remaining €23,000 in funding was in danger of going else- where if the local authority bounda- ries were redrawn after the Boundary Commission publishes its report this month. The meeting was told that it is understood that no changes would come into effect until the next local Ae BO) ITS