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THE boards of management of two small schools on the outskirts of En- nistymon expressed concern about the future viability and very exist- ence of their schools if recognition was granted to Mol an Oige.

A joint submission from the boards of management of Clouna National School, Furglan National School and Scoil Mhuire in Lahinch, claimed that the “educational needs of the area are already more than reason- ably met by the existing five co-edu- cational primary schools”.

“An additional primary school would merely duplicate the educa- tional services already being pro- vided and would seem ludicrous from a financial and administrative point of view. We seriously question the level of support that a sixth pri- mary school could enjoy in this rural area,’ the submission claims.

Lodged in December 2006, the

submissions claimed that the major- ity of those enrolled in Mol an Oige were not from within the community and this implied that there was broad satisfaction with the existing schools in the Lahinch-Ennistymon area. “We are concerned about the future viability and very existence of all the schools in our parish, particularly our two smaller outlying schools, should this new school receive departmental

recognition. It is amazing to see the Vocational Educational Committee (VEC) willing to act as patron for this new school. We question why the VEC is now taking an adminis- trative interest in the primary educa- tion sector and if their rules allow them to do so.

“An additional primary school would be a heavy draw on the avail- able school-going population. It seems irrational to consider funding another school in an area which is al- ready well served by five schools.”

In a separate submission Furglan primary school principal, Patricia Vaughan said she feels very strongly that the educational needs of the par- ish were already more than reason- ably met by the existing schools and an additional school would merely duplicate the services already being EOD sleleem

NEXT Sunday, April 27, hun- dreds will descend on Liscannor to take part in the Burren Chernobyl Project’s annual 10k walk.

Funds raised from this years walk, which starts from the Liscannor Ho- tel at lpm, will be directed towards the adult facility of Tarasik1.

The facility, which is home to more than 400 people, has been the focus of repair works over the last 5 years. These works have been led by Lis- cannor builder Kevin O’Sullivan.

“lve been going over there for 14 years now. We do a lot of construc- tion and repair work for them over there; we put in showers, toilets, ba- Sic sanitation, putting down floors –

anything that can make it more com- fortable for the patients over there,” said Kevin.

‘We have been to several different places down the years but we have been focusing on Tarasiki lately. We have been going there for the last 5 years. We have a good group, here is about 15 of us from all over the Coes as

“They are in very bad conditions over there. There are four big blocks over there and we are working on three of them. One of the blocks is almost finished and we have about 65 windows put into the other blocks.

“Whenever we can we try and get the patients working with us. It’s very important for them, it’s like oc- cupational therapy for them. They

love it when we go over. That’s our aim, to get them involved as much as we can at all. Some of them are very good workers.”

The work in Tarasiki is hard, but there is something about the expe- rience that keep volunteers coming back year after year.

“It’s very emotional for the people who go over for the first time. But I have built up a great bond over the year – I’d have no problem hug- ging them and having the craic with them,’ continued Kevin.

“There is a lot of sadness, but any- one who goes there will tell you that it is one of the best times of their life. It’s better than any holiday. You get so much out of it, people might say that you’re great for going out and

helping but you’re not. You get so much out of it.

“This year we are really trying to get a lot of plywood and lino. Mc- Mahons in Limerick have been very good to us over the last 4 or 5 years. Any sponsorship like that is a great great help.”

Sponsorship cards are available from the project office in Ennisty- mon at 7071130 but people can also come along on the day.

MEMBERS of Clare County Council yesterday pledged their full support for a project which aims to preserve the unique landscape of the Burren and provide a living for its farmers.

aVMseleDupeslOvelmeU Avon Corl Mbereas rk immepecd elm members of the council heard pres- entations from Dr Brendan Dunfort, Director of the Burren Life Project and Ruari O’Conchtir, who heads the Burren Producers Group.

Both speakers outlined the aims and objectives of the five-year Bur- ren Life Project, which has another 16 months to run.

The project has aimed to identify ways in which the unique nature of the area can be preserved while pro- viding a living for its farmers.

After the years of work and re-

search already done, Dr Dunfort told members that “this time next year, we will have a blueprint for the best management of the Burren into the future”. Mr O’Conchuir told the members that the Burren Producers Group has the potential to become an employer in the area, giving jobs to 12 people within the next three years and providing a quality product in Burren beef and lamb, putting added value back into the economy.

Cllr Martin Conway (FG) proposed that the director of Planning and Economic Development should meet with the two speakers “to see what Clare County Council can do to sup- port their excellent work”.

He agreed to make the request a formal motion for the next council meeting when asked to do so by the chair, Mayor Patricia McCarthy.

THE Department of Education was urged not to squander taxpayers’ money on duplicating the provision of primary education in Ennistymon by granting recognition to the Mol an Oige school.

The board of management of the amalgamated St Fachnan’s and St At- tracta’s primary school in Kilfenora stated that “under no circumstances” would they support Mol an Oige’s at- tempt to gain recognition.

The submission opposing the Stein- er school stated that the combined number of roll in September 2001 was 82 while in September 2006, this had fallen to 62.

“We do not welcome the negative impact the recruitment drive of Mol an Oige may have on further deplet- ing our pupil numbers. At recent par- ent teacher meetings, local support was not evident for this proposed new school, however, there was evidence of confusion among some, arising from the promotion and advertising of the proposed new school.

“We consider that the educational, social, cultural and religious needs of primary schools are being adequate-

ly met by the five existing schools in Ennistymon parish and the eight primary schools within a seven mile radius of Ennistymon.

“Up to the year 2000, there were two primary schools in our par- ish, due to a decline in numbers in Inchovea School, the BOM success-

fully amalgamated with Kilfenora National School.

“North Clare and Ennistymon are not areas of rapidly expanding popu-

lation; in fact our parish which 1s sit- uated only four miles from Ennisty- mon is experiencing a noticeable decline in our student population and it would be far more beneficial to in- vest the money in upgrading and en- hancing facilities in the established primary schools serving the area.”

In a separate submission, Maura Clancy deputy principal of Kilfenora stated, “It is unacceptable to waste taxpayers’ money of the provision of a new school. There are schools in north Clare that lack basic facilities and accommodation and it would be far better to upgrade those schools.

“We are all aware of the lack of services, such as speech and lan- guage therapy, occupational therapy in our existing schools. Financial in- vestment in these areas would be far more beneficial and I sincerely hope that the proposed new school will not receive recognition.

THE future of Kilnaboy’s X-PO projects will be the main topic up for discussion this weekend when international artist Jay Koh visits north Clare. Koh is an expert in the possible interactions between art and society and will be assessing the impact that the Kilnaboy project has already had and what impact it could have in the future.

This Saturday and Sunday Koh will visit and evaluate the X-PO project, culminating in a public discussion on the future of the project at 2pm on Sunday.

“This the first of three evalua-

tive session that Jay will do for the project. He will be giving feedback to myself and to the community. On Saturday he will be available to the local people, to hear what they think of the project and how it is going. I won’t be part of that process at all. People will be totally free to give positive and negative feedback,’ said Deirdre O’ Mahoney, artist and man- ager of the X-PO.

“On Sunday then we will be con- cerned with getting the community involved in X-PO and the future of the project. It takes an awful lot of work to keep this place open and people will have to come on board if it is going to be sustainable.

“There is fantastic community spir- it in Kilnaboy. But we need to reach the people who don’t think they can get involved for one reason or anoth- er. Maybe they are shy or don’t feel that they have anything to offer – but everyone has something to offer.

Following the public talk, a new exhibition from Eileen Healy will be unveiled in the X-PO.

“The exhibition takes the form of videos and still photography piece. The photographs will be something that I think a lot of people will have interest in. It is three aerial photo- graphs, taken over a 40 year period at Eileen’s farm in County Tyrone. The photos show the kinds of chang-

es that have taken place in farming life over the decades. The first pho- tograph shows old pens, hedges and small fields.

“The second photo shows galva- nise steel sheds, the small pens are gone and the hedging is gone. The fields have been tilled in a mechani- cal way. In the third one it has all changed again. There is a slatted house and all the fields have merged into just once huge field. So it is very interesting, in it’s own way it tells the story of Irish farming over the last 40 years.”

This exhibition run until May 15, and like all events in X-PO are free and open to the public.

CLARE County Council is to hold a special meeting in relation to a se- cret High Court settlement it reached with a couple over a planning appli- orale

ONMU KIM ONEAOlMMeOLeneleoD mealeroinentcamGuens PJ Kelly (FF) said it was necessary that a meeting be held in relation to the matter in the interests of “open- ness and transparency”.

It is understood that the matter re- lates to a secret High Court settle- ment that the council reached with Bernard Madigan and Mary Keane who instituted legal proceedings against the council after they were refused planning for 31 homes at a site outside Inagh in April, 2006.

Last year, the council finally grant- ed planning permission for the re- vised development and the site now has been put up for sale through John Vaughan Auctioneers with a guide price of €2 million.

The council approved the plan hav- ing regard to the zoning of the land, its intended use and the pattern of development in the area, conclud- ing that it would not seriously injure amenities and be in accordance with the proper planning and development of the area.

At the council’s March meeting, county solicitor, John Shaw declined

to reveal the settlement terms of the High Court case.

In response to a motion by Cllr PJ Kelly, he said the matter was one in which there was a confidential-

ity agreement which had not been waived by the other side.

“The case is settled and I am still not at liberty to disclose the terms of settlement in an open manner. I am happy to discuss same and disclose them in detail to individual council- lors privately or at a closed meeting of the council in committee,’ he said.

“While I want to be as open as pos- sible with members of the council, I have an obligation to protect the con- fidentiality of this agreement. In this regard and in an effort to be of assist- ance to the councillors, I can say that ultimately there was no financial loss to the council.”

However, at last night’s meeting, Cllr Kelly expressed his disatisfac- tion with the reply and said that he didn’t want to enter into a confiden- tiality agreement in relation to the information he may learn and may not like.

“T will reserve my position on con- fidentiality until the full details are put before me,” he said.

Seconding the motion, Cllr Martin Lafferty said he would be seeking a full report from the council’s Direc- tor of Planning, Bernadette Kinsella, in relation to the matter.

MOST OF the teachers in the exist- ing Steiner schools in Ennistymon and Tuamgraney do not have the re- quired qualifications and would not be eligible to seek employment in the new schools that have will State rec- ognition.

That was the admission made by the patron body, Lifeways Ireland Ltd of Mol an Oige Steiner School and Raheen Wood Steiner school at

a meeting with the Department of Education officials last June.

According to records released through the Freedom of Information Act, the department secured guaran- tees that the proposed schools would commence the teaching of formal reading in senior infants and that Lifeways Ireland accepted the need for the use of standardised assess- ment in the primary schools.

A department memo last January recommended that recognition be

refused for the schools as they didn’t provide a “sufficiently clear commit- ment to provide Primary Curriculum 1999 to pupils”.

It was only after an oral hearing in March of last year that the schools won over the New Schools Advisory Committee (NSAC).

However, records show that in February, the NSAC requested the department to withdraw the offer of an oral hearing due to the Clare VEC being ruled out as a patron body.

It was urged to complete the delib- erative process by the department and arising from the oral hearing, the NSAC reported they were satis- fied the schools were committed to delivering the curriculum required of national schools”.

The inspectorate responded that there wasn’t any “pedagogical rea- sons to reject the recommendations of the NSAC”.

The department granted one year’s recognition with permanent recog-

nition contingent on the outcomes of comprehensive inspection of the schools.

“The provisional recognition status of each school will be reviewed be- fore August 3, 2009 and the minister may extend the period of provisional recognition or withdraw recognition entirely or grant permanent recogni- tion to either or both schools.”

A separate department memo noted that the process yielded little by way of public response.

THE Junior Ladies football team from Scoil Mhuire Ennistymon has marked their place in history this year.

With an outstanding success rate, having ruthlessly conquered all around them, they made it to the all Ireland semi final for the first time in the schools history.

After securing an amazing Mun- ster final win in Kerry, they went on to play in the All-Ireland Semi Final Or ANE NE

“We started off in the beginning of the year, we played in the early rounds and we knew that if we lost a match we would be knocked out but we got through them. Then we went

on to play Kilmihil in the Clare final and we won,” said player Niamh O’ Dea.

“We played the Munsters in Kerry and then we went on to play the all Ireland semi-final, we lost that but it has been good fun. It was hard work, we trained after school on Fridays and some Sundays. It was tough but it was worth it.”

The team has a wide range of stu- dents from first year all the way up to transition year.

“It was brilliant because I’m in first year. Just coming to the school has been brilliant and I get to play with girls who are so much older than me. It is a great privilege to play especially in a Munster final.” says Aisling Torpy, one of the youngest

members of the team.

Since Scoil Mhuire’s success in the Munster finals, ladies football, in north Clare especially, has received a boost.

“It has all been brilliant fun. We put a lot of effort in to try and win, and we were happy with how far we got,” says player Siobhan Garrihy.

“North Clare has definitely im- proved in regards to ladies football because in Ennistymon there has never been a focus on ladies football. It has always been the men’s football and hurling. It proves that women are just as good as men, we put in just as much of an effort and we can get Uae hee

The team’s overwhelming success has had a glowing reflection on the

school.

“It is great for the school. The girls trained hard and it is a nice reward for them that they can see that by putting in the work they get some- thing back out of it,’ says coach Car- mel Eustace

“It is good for the girls and it is good for the school. It highlights a lot of the sport that we do in the school and maybe girls who are interested in ladies football might choose to go to Scoil Mhuire in the future.”

THE Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) is preparing to bring charges against an individual or individuals involved in an alleged parking charg- es scam at the Cliffs of Moher.

This was confirmed yesterday by Deputy Clare County Manager, Tom Coughlan as part of an overall

presentation on the local authori- ty’s budget at last night’s meeting of SE Selina Seltineee

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Coughlan stated that it was not pos- sible, for legal reasons, to confirm exact details of the alleged scam.

He did, however, confirm that the incidents took place before 2006 and had been investigated both by Shan-

non Heritage and the Gardai.

“The council was not happy that the income taken in from the car park at the Cliffs of Moher matched the us- age of that car park. This incident took place during the period when Shannon Heritage were in charge of managing the parking facilities and an investigation was carried out by Shannon Heritage,” said Mr Cough-

Ete

“Following this investigation, the gardai were contacted who under- took their own investigation. A file was then sent to the DPP who have confirmed that they will be bringing proceedings in the case.

“Clare County Council has since taken over full operations at the Cliffs of Moher and we will strive

to ensure that the facility is managed to the highest standards into the fu- ture.”

Parking facilities at the Cliffs of Moher have been the source of much controversy in recent years. A number of bus contractors threatened to boy- cott the centre as a result of increased charges last year but have since come to a deal with the council.

THE principal and staff of the Con- vent Primary school in Ennistymon have criticised the approach by Mol an Oige in trying to entice pupils to its school.

In submissions to the Department of Education, Sr Rosari Ni Bhriain and “concerned staff members” outlined their opposition to the ap- plication by Mol an Ojige to secure Kreeyea Tv LB (ONE

Mol an Oige needed 51 pupils to be enrolled by last September as part of the process to secure recognition.

However, Sr Ni Bhriain and the staff members claimed in December 2006 that statistics indicated only 1.5 per cent of the combined enrolment of two local schools have opted to attend Mol an Oige over a two year period. This translated to two out of 134 pupils.

The objection went on to state that Mol an Oige was imposing itself

upon the local community who held the current educational system “in high esteem and acknowledge by their action that there is sufficient CTR IA ae

‘The statistics shows there is a low level of local community support for Mol an Oige in Ennistymon.

“The majority of parents feel that the future of education in the town is best served by maintaining the al- ready existing schools. _

“Support for Mol an Oige is dwin- dling at an unprecedented rate due in particular to the unethical approach used by Mol an Ojige to entice local pupils to their school.

“Such an approach is both unpro- fessional and shows little respect or regard for the existing schools.

“The unwritten code of practice amongst all primary schools in the county is that such open days are held in May or June when the intake for the upcoming school year is en- rolled.”