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A MAN who provided “short, sharp breaths” into an intoxlyser machine after he was arrested on suspicion of drink driving has been accused of “trying to fool” the machine.

Tony O’Leary (53), of Lower Quay, Liscannor, was convicted of fail- ing to provide a breath specimen to gardai, at Ennis Garda Station.

Garda Michael Sweeney told En- nis District Court that he was at the Garda station on November 9, 2007,

when another garda arrived with the accused who had been arrested on suspicion of drink driving.

Garda Sweeney said he started a 20 minute observation of Mr O’Leary.

He said he demanded a breath specimen. “He started providing a breath specimen. He gave a short, sharp breath, which was insufficient, twice,’ said the garda.

“IT informed him on numerous oc- casions he was to take a good deep breath, but he kept providing short, sharp breaths. He provided a breath

specimen roughly four times. He failed to provide a breath specimen. He was giving short, sharp breaths, which were insufficient for the intox- lyser,’ he added.

“Mr O’Leary didn’t indicate any reason to me why he wasn’t able to provide a breath specimen. I felt he was able to provide a breath speci- men. He just wasn’t providing it for us,’ said the garda.

Defending solicitor Siobhan Mc- Mahon said her client “wasn’t given the option of blood or urine, which

he would have been willing to pro- vide.

‘He is charged with failing to com- ply with the requirement to provide. It says nowhere about sufficiency. He proceeded to provide at least four times,” said Ms McMahon.

Inspector Tom Kennedy said it was the State’s case that the accused “was deliberately avoiding blowing prop- erly into the machine, as opposed to being unable”.

Mr O’Leary told the court he did “everything that was required of ine ome

“I blew into the apparatus on a number of occasions. I suffer from high blood pressure, I have a chest infection,’ he said, for which he was on a lot of medication.

He said, however, he did not tell this to the garda.

Inspector Kennedy put it to him that he was “trying to fool the machine”’. to which he replied, “I wouldn’t agree with that at all.”

The inspector replied, “You are coming in here today trying to get yourself off on a failure on your part to properly breath into the machine as required. You thought you would fool the machine by conveniently not giving it enough breath that it could analyse.”

Ms McMahon said her client lost a leg in a serious accident some time ago. He is on unemployment assist- ance and earns €25 a week busking at the Cliffs of Moher.

Judge Joseph Mangan heard he had a previous conviction for drink driv- ing in 2001.

He banned him from driving for six years and fined him €1,250.

AN event at Holy Family National School to celebrate diversity has re- ceived a ringing endorsement from the new president of the Irish Na- tional Teachers Organisation.

Declan Kelleher was speaking at an event to mark Intercultural Week at the Ennis school.

There are 37 different nationalities attending the Holy Family including children from Argentina, the Phil- ippines, Moldova, Brazil, Nigeria, Poland, Latvia and the Czech Re- public.

Each country was represented at events during the week, with children showcasing aspects of their culture such as traditional songs, costumes and dance routines.

Mr Kelleher said the Holy Family had played an important role in help-

ing newcomer children integrate into the local community.

He said, “As one of the foremost Clare schools in welcoming and em- bracing so many newcomer children to the county, I wish to publicly ac- knowledge the immense contribu- tion of the Holy Family senior and junior school.

“In years to come this school and many other primary schools throughout Clare will rejoice in their achievements as they see our new Irish citizens make extraordinary contributions to every facet of Irish life including sports, the arts, in- dustry, education and innovation at every level. Primary education can take a bow.”

Mr Kelleher said that despite little initial Government support, primary schools had responded with vision to the changes in Irish society.

He said, “If 15 years ago anybody were to be told that by the year 2008 the pupil population of an Irish pro- vincial town primary school would include children from 37 different nationalities they would undoubtedly have been scoffed at.

“Yet this is exactly what became the reality for Holy Family National School, Ennis and indeed for many more primary schools throughout the island.”

Mr Kelleher continued, ““The man- ner in which schools adapted to the change and welcomed newcomer children into their pupil communi- ties has been one of the greatest un- sung and uncelebrated successes of Irish primary education.

“The fact that the change was ac- complished in a largely unsupported manner makes the achievement all the more laudable. Government reac-

tion to the tidal wave of change which Swept over our primary schools was tardy and recognition of the huge lin- guistic and cultural challenges which our schools faced was by and large ignored.”

Mr Kelleher singled out the role played by Catholic managed schools in embracing change. “In particular the reaction of Catholic managed primary schools was both exempla- ry and exceptional to new pupils of every religion and none were made unwelcome.

‘This was exactly as it should have been and today I want to acknowl- edge the extraordinary contribution that primary schools have made to- wards the creation of a new, diverse, multicultural Ireland where all new- comers can aspire to having their culture and contribution recognised, affirmed and valued.”

TWO men who decided to buy a house between them finished up in court, with one accusing the other of eeu

But the case against Warren Tully (27) of 8 Mountshannon, Labash- eeda, was stopped when the alleged victim of the fraud, James O’Connor, from Ballybeg, Clarecastle took the stand.

Stephen Coughlan BL, prosecuting for the State had earlier told the jury that Mr O’Connor had been compen- sated for an industrial accident.

He and the accused wanted to buy a house together and O’Connor trans- ferred €70,000 and, later, €28,000 into an account which Tully had set

up for that purpose.

“Matters came unstuck and Mr O’Connor became dissatisfied and said he wanted his money back,” Mr Coughlan told the Ennis Circuit Solitan

He told the jury that €10,000 was returned and further sums of €25,000 and €10,000 were handed over after the gardai became involved.

Mr Tully denied charges of theft of €70,000 and deception in relation to the €28,000.

When Mr O’Connor took the stand to give evidence, he said that he wanted “to drop the charges. I’m just sick of it at this stage”.

With no evidence from the State to offer, Judge Rory O’Donnabhain struck the case out.

WITH an average of 20 deaths and more than 3,000 accidents reported on farms each year, farming 1s cur- rently one of Ireland most hazardous professions. Next Tuesday, April 29, EIRI Corca Baiscinn in Kilkee will host a tractor skills course day aimed at young people between the ages of 14 and 16.

According to the Health and Safety Authority, one in five deaths which occur on Irish farms involves chil- dren. In addition to this, almost half of these deaths involve tractors and other types of machinery.

In response to this alarming sta- tistic, Farm Family Support Service

and Farm Relief Services will run a safety course in Kilkee next week. The Safe Tractor Driving Skills course 1S aimed at young teenagers who are at particular risk from farm accidents.

The objective of the training day 1s to improve basic skills on the trac- tor and make parents and teenagers aware of the dangers involved in tractor and machinery usage, outline the legal requirements of tractor and machinery used by teenagers up to 16 years old and outline an approach to practical training which should be provided by a parent or guardian.

The course agenda includes safety checks before starting, setting up a good driving position, safe driving,

hitching the tractor to other imple- ments, operating trailed machinery from the tractor, checking the terrain and practical driving skill.

Each participant will drive the trac- tor with trailer around a specifically designed course and receive tips and corrections where necessary. The training day will also include basic first aid training, where each par- ticipant will learn the basic skills in first aid but with particular attention to common farm accidents such as cuts and bleeding, electrocution and eva

EIRI Corca Baiscinn provides a Farm Family Support Service to farmers in the west Clare area.

The Farm Family Support Service

at EIRI also provides free, confiden- tial advice and assistance on farm assist, social welfare entitlements, starting a new business, training for off-farm employment, farm en- terprises, farm finance management and information on schemes.

On completion of the course each participant will also receive a certifi- cate of achievement. The course will be run on Tuesday, April 29, from 9.30am to 4pm at Kilrush Mart.

The course costs €60 but families in receipt of farm assist will be enti- tled to a discount. Places are limited to 12 so early booking is essential. Please contact Hilary Gleeson at EIRI Corca Baiscinn on 065 9056611 Oy OL Lom WR hreF

A DUBLIN man who came to Ennis believed he had found the drugs “sale of the century” when he discovered he had bought 41 ecstasy tablets for €60.

Matthew Moore, (25) of 37 Blue- bell Road, Dublin 12, was “genuine- ly surprised” after he was searched and gardai found more than 40 tabs of the drug on him, a Garda court witness said.

Garda Stephen Jenkins told the

Ennis Circuit Court that Moore had travelled from Dublin to attend a DJ night in the nightclub in The Barge Rooms on April 1.

He came to the notice of gardai through an interaction with another man who had been the subject of an undercover Garda surveillance op- eration, Judge Sean O’Donnabhain heard.

When the accused was approached, Garda Jenkins said, he put his hand in his pocket and drew out a plastic bag containing 37 tablets. Four more

were found on him when he was searched, the garda said.

These were later tested and it was confirmed that they were the drug ecstasy.

The garda agreed with Patrick Whyms, BL, defending that Moore seemed “genuinely shocked” to learn how many tablets he possessed.

‘He said that he had bought what he thought was 20 tablets for his own use,’ Garda Jenkins said. The garda agreed that the price of the drug var- ied and would be on sale in Dublin

for about €5 a tab while bulk-buying of tablets often involved discount.

“He agreed during interview when it was put to him that this was the sale of the century,” Garda Jenkins Sr AKOE

Moore pleaded guilty to posses- sion of the drug. Mr Whyms told the court that his client had built up a courier business which was earning good money and which employed two people paying PRSI and PAYE.

‘‘He’s a young man who drifted into using soft drugs. He came to Ennis

with his girlfriend for the weekend. It was their first weekend away to- gether. He bought the tablets for his own use,’ Mr Whyms said.

“At the time he was using ecstasy quite a bit. This was a turning point for him. He was arrested, spent the night in the Garda station and never saw the girl again. Since this hap- pened he has addressed his problem and has never taken ecstasy again.”

After hearing Moore’s business had a turnover of €140,000 per annum, the judge fined him €1,000.

A NEW initiative, which challenges children to read as many books as they can, has been met with great en- thusiasm in Kilmihil.

For the first time this year, the lo- cal national school has taken part in the readathon, which is organised by Clare County Library and is support- ed by An Garda Siochana.

The project is renowned across the country and the children in Kilmihil were keen to get in on the act this

year.

And, if they do something in Kilm- ihil, they like to do it well, as during a five-month spell, 100 children read no less than 6,000 books.

Although this amount was well short of the numbers recorded by children in other schools in the coun- ty, everyone in Kilmihil was well proud of their achievement, given WOLD LOM CRM OOC OD MBOOT-N(OloIMC NIDA YA

School principal Carmel Cough- lan praised the efforts of everybody involved and said every child thor-

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‘Every book read was logged in log books. Our big aim was to ensure that each child read books relevant to his/her age,” said Ms Coughlan.

“The kids got a kick out of it and we are trying to get them to keep reading. It was well worth it and has encouraged the children to keep reading,’ she added.

She paid tribute to the library for facilitating the project and making the books available and to teacher Yvonne Conway, who co-ordinated

the initiative in the school. She was also delighted with the co-operation of local gardai, who spoke to chil- dren about the importance of read- ing, during a visit to the school while the project was ongoing.

A GROUP of around 35 residents from the Gaurus area of Ennis have raised concerns over plans for a €200 million village on the eastern outskirts of the town.

Last month, Ennis-based construc- tion firm, Crystal Partners lodged plans for the largest ever housing development in Clare seeking plan- ning for 471 residential units in the first phase of a masterplan that would ultimately deliver 700 new homes.

When fully occupied, the first phase of the housing development would almost double the current population of the Doora parish of around 1,500.

The site covers a 95-acre landbank and along with the 471 residential units, the planning application also provides for a creche, neighbour- hood centre with shopping facilities and 14 residential serviced sites. The masterplan also provides for a 16-teacher school and an associated playing field.

However, an objection lodged on behalf of residents of Gaurus/Bal- laghboy/Knockanean highlights se- rious concerns over several aspects of the proposed development which, they claim, is “flawed in its concep- tion and design given the serious dis- regard for proper, evolved, integrated site development and the safety of lo-

cal residents and road users.

“Although, we are not opposed to the development of this property, we ey iTS (6les mm MED. @OKes OCCA VBE ONL OLO)Me-DOLMmOeT:II the size and nature of the scheme be appropriate and that the infrastruc- ture to support current and future populations be put in place”.

On the need for an additional pri- mary school in the area, the residents maintain that the council must ensure a commitment to a further school pri- or to granting planning permission in order to cope with increased demand and ensure that adequate education facilities are available for the grow- ing community.

The residents point out that there

is currently only one primary school in the area, Knockanean National School, which is already overcrowd- ed due to the increased population.

“The density of housing proposed for this development is inappropri- ate to an edge of town location where sufficient building has taken place in the last few years to accommodate for sustainable growth.

A high density development in this area would lead to the destruction of the residential amenities currently enjoyed by home owners as well as future home owners in the area”.

A decision is expected on the appli- cation next month, though with the scale of the development.

FUTURE developments in Kil- rush on land which borders or cuts through a planned amenity between Vandeleur and Cappa will have to give space over to a public walkway.

The town council has been working towards creating a public walkway in the beautiful surrounds of the woods and bordering the river and has al- ready factored it into a development which is underway. And the walkway will be further developed by having it as part of future developments,

town council members were told.

The plan was discussed at a meet- ing of the Kilrush Town Council af- ter Cllr Liam O’Looney (FF) asked if there was any update on the mon- ies sought to do a feasibility study on toe LON chs

He told the meeting that the walk would be “a fabulous amenity, both for locals and for visitors”.

In areply to the councillor, Siobhan O’Keefe, Senior Staff Officer said that the town council has already submitted an application under the Failte Ireland-Historic Trails Fund-

ing Initiative, seeking funding to de- velop two sign-posted historic trails, the first around the core of Kilrush Town and the second an extended town trail, incorporating Cappa and the Vandeleur Gardens and Woods.

While no money has been sought to carry out a feasibility study, the council would remain alert to any opportunity to apply for funds.

Meanwhile, a preliminary assess- ment of the proposed walkway has identified the south side of the river as the most appropriate side for the development.

“The potential of the river and the wood in terms of amenity value for the town is acknowledged,’ the senior staff officer said. “It is now intended to submit a request to the council architect to prepare a design concept that will guide the future development of this proposed walk- way, she added. “Kilrush Town Council will also continue to factor in this proposed walkway into future planning applications similar to that currently coming to a conclusion at “The Manse’ development,’ she added.

SHANNON Airport will now be in a position to maximise its growth as an independent entity, airport boss, Pat Shanahan has predicted.

The chairman of the Shannon Air- port Authority was speaking after Minister Noel Dempsey’s statement that the airport could run be running its own affairs in less than a year.

The transport minister has said he expects the separation of Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports to be completed within the next nine to 12 eatoyelaatcy

This follows the decision of the board of Cork Airport Authority (CAA) to accept the recommenda- tions of mediator Peter Cassells in

relation to the level of debt it should bear at separation.

The autonomy of the three airports has been held up for five years by the row over who should pay the €220 million debt for Cork.

The Shannon Airport Authority welcomed the announcement that the airports were to split.

“We have general agreement al- ready with the Dublin Airport Au- thority on separation and have put forward a robust and independently validated business case in this re- gard,” Shanahan said.

He predicted that “Shannon Air- port’s maximum potential can only be achieved as an independent com- mercial state enterprise. Even with limited autonomy since Shannon

Airport Authority Board was ap- pointed in September 2004, major progress has been achieved, with traffic growing by 50 per cent and a major restructuring programme be- ing implemented that has achieved cost savings of over €10m per an- num.”

According to Minister Dempsey a process of engagement is underway involving all the relevant parties and dealing with implementation and the technical and legal issues involved.

As part of the process, Minister Dempsey said there would need to be “necessary consultation with stake- holders”.

SIPTU in Cork have opposed the plan which will see Cork saddled with a debt of €113 million but with

assets valued at €220 million. Both Cork and Shannon airports were promised debt-free separation by the Government in 2004. Mr Dempsey yesterday ruled out the possibility of providing financial assistance to the CAA in the future should it run into funding difficulties.

On Thursday evening, a statement from the CAA said it had “sought and received assurances from the minister for transport that an inde- pendent Cork airport can rely on support, financial or otherwise, to ensure the airport’s continued viabil- ity in the event of it being unable to meet its fixed funding obligations as a consequence of the occurrence of certain adverse business risks or ex- traordinary events”.

DESPITE doom and gloom predic- tions on the tourism font, a fourth generation Lahinch hotelier has rea- son to smile this week.

Michael Vaughan of the Vaughan Lodge, Lahinch walked away with the Small Hotel and Guesthouse of the Year honour at the eleventh an- nual Ireland Golf Tour Operators Awards Dinner.

For Michael, his wife Marie and 17 staff of the hotel, it was a proud pubhca ale

“We’re absolutely delighted. Hav- ing been open for just three years and heading into our fourth season, it’s a

real honour to get an award this early on. And coming from our peers, it’s areal fillip’, said Michael.

The couple returned to Michael’s home-ground of Lahinch to set up the hotel and fulfill a dream.

“It’s always been my ambition to come back to Lahinch’, said Michael. The proprietor of Vaughans is a fourth generation hotelier in the town, his father having run the Aber- deen Arms and his father and grand- father before him.

Having trained in London and France and worked for thirteen years with Jury’s then a stint as director of golf at Dromoland, Michael was de- lighted to be back on home turf.

The hotel is a four-star operation employing 17 people with seasonal opening between March and Novem- ber for links golfing holidays.

It has already been commended in the Bridgestone Guide, Georgina Cambell, Lucinda O’Sullivan, Alis- tar Sawdays and Best Loved Holi- days.

Michael says that the forecast is not good for the lucrative US golf tour- ism business.

“It’s widely anticipated that busi- ness will be down by about 15 per cent. So this award is a great morale boost coming at a time when we are facing into a challenging season’, he Sr HKOe

The black-tie gala event at the new Ritz-Carlton Hotel at Powerscourt, Co Wicklow was attended by more than 250 influential members of the Golf Industry, with visitors from England, USA and Scotland includ- ed.

Central to the function was the presentation to the golf clubs and accommodations which excelled in their field over the past year.

Marty Carr, Chairman of the IG- TOA stated that “the reason that Ire- land is such a premier golfing desti- nation is because the service visitors receive, from golf to accommodation to transport, is of the highest cali- lionel