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A CLARE construction firm has tak- en the first step to power a new €20 million commercial development on the outskirts of Ennis through wind- NEAT

Earlier this year, one of the largest construction firms in Clare, Keco Construction Ltd secured planning permission for a commercial devel- opment at Ballymaley, Ennis oppo- site the existing Ballymaley Business Park.

Now, the company has lodged plans with Clare County Council for a test wind-turbine at Ballymaley to test the viability of powering the new com- mercial development, which includes car showrooms, through wind.

The company, employing between 75 and 100 people and with a turno- ver of €30 million, is headed up by local builders, Eugene Keane and Michael Cotter.

A spokesman for the company stat- ed that data collected from the test mast would establish “what size and number of turbines will be required in order to produce enough electric- ity to service the development”.

A company spokesman said: “The wind mast will stay in place for one year and the average wind speed can be established from a data logger connected to the mast.”

He added: “The turbines will not be multi-megawatt machines like those located on large scale wind farms. They will be micro type, mounted on the larger building and will be FWegexol AYA) UL MO) ana (oAy’2

“The turbines will likely be ‘verti- cal shaft’. Most turbines we are fa- miliar with are horizontal shaft and look like a propeller.

“The vertical shaft turbines are quiet and will feed power into a number of battery banks in order to store the electricity for when its actu- ally required.”

Along with the proposed wind-tur- bines, Keco state that the Ballymaley development will also include use of solar power for all water heating, use of treated rainwater for all purposes other than human intake and use of energy efficient heating and air-con- ditioning systems.

KECO has been operating since 1998 and some of its recent Ennis commercial projects include Carraig Donn, Hughes & Hughes Bookstore and Westpoint Retail Park while its housing developments include Cluain Ros Leamhain (Roslevan) and Gar- ran na Coille in Shanaway Road.

It employs 75-100 people and has a turnover of over €30 million. It is currently working on commercial projects in Galway City, Oranmore, Loughrea and Carlow.

COIS na Abhna, Ennis, will be the venue next week for the launch of ‘Flame on the banks’, the second solo album from acclaimed musician Maeve Donnelly.

The album, a collection of Irish and international fiddle music, 1s a col- laboration between the Quin based musician and Canadian guitarist Tony McManus.

Paidi O’Leonaird, presenter of TG4’s popular trad music series Ar- dan, will launch the album and will be joined on the night by some of the best-known names in traditional muSIC.

In spring of 2006 Maeve and Tony

toured Quebec and Ontario, and in spring of 2007 they toured the East Coast of the US. The CD “Flame on the Banks” was recorded last August in Ireland.

Originally from the village of Kylemore Abbey near Loughrea in East Galway, an area steeped in tra- ditional music, Maeve has been play- ing the fiddle since the age of five.

In 1976 she was the youngest of 25 musicians invited from Ireland to perform at the Bicentennial Festival of American Folklife in Washington DC.

During this tour, Maeve and her friends, Maighread Ni Dhomhnail, Sean Corcoran and Eddie Clarke re- corded the album, “Sailing into Wal-

poles Marsh”.

Maeve is also featured on a compi- lation album of compositions of the late fiddler Ed Reavy.

As a founder member of the group Moving Cloud, she recorded and toured in North America playing at such prestigious venues as the Mil- waukee Irish Fest, the Lincoln Per- forming Arts Centre and the Wash- ington Irish Festival.

Her solo debut fiddle album simply titled “Maeve Donnelly” was wel- comed with rave reviews.

After a long period playing in a eroup, Maeve is excited to be work- ing on a solo project.

She said, “Trad music I suppose, 1s a very niche market. We’re expecting

it to be a good night.

“There will be plenty of musicians there. I am looking forward to a nice night of atmosphere and music. It’s an open night, no invitations; eve- ryone is welcome to come along. I toured a lot with Moving Cloud, so I’m kind of anxious to get this solo project going.”

The launch of Maeve’s self titled solo debut album, Maeve Donnelly drew huge crowds to the Old Ground. She is hoping for a similar response eheee bee

“It was great, I think there was about 1,000 people packed into the big room upstairs. We should have another good night in Cois na Abh- na’.

ADDICTION is being glamourised, the head of the mid-west’s new coun- selling institute has warned.

The Minister for State at the De- partment of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Pat Carey offi- cially launched the National Coun- selling Institute of Ireland, which is now based in the mid-west.

The launch ceremony at the insti- tute’s new premises at the National Technological Park in Limerick also marked the announcement of the start of four new professional degree courses which will get underway in the autumn.

These include a BA in Counselling Studies and Psychometric Testing, BA in Youth and Counselling stud- ies, BA in Counselling Skills and Addiction Studies, and a BA in Adult Guidance Studies.

“There is a red alert warning sign across all classes in our community regarding addictions which needs to be addressed,” said the President of the NCIT, Maria Carmody

‘In today’s celebrity society, addic- tions are being glamorised in the me- dia through pop stars, fashion idols, film and television stars, creating the very dangerous impression particu- larly among young people that this is fashionable, trendy or acceptable.”

has learned that Clare County Council has with- held payments from the consultants overseeing the planning of the multi- million-euro Lahinch Promenade Development because of continued delays in the project. It now also looks certain that con- struction work on the development will be ongoing throughout the busy

Summer season, despite guarantees given that this would not be the OF Ton

‘Unfortunately, it seems to me that we are still some distance away from the development actually starting,” said Cllr Richard Nagle (FF).

“I requested at the last local area meeting that the meetings with the stockholders would take place as soon as possible. We are now in the month of April and we are told that

this has not been done.

“We were told that this was to hap- pen in September 2007, then we were told January 2008, and now we are still looking at an uncertain time. I welcome the construction work on the lifeguard centre but this is just getting started and will take at least 14 weeks. This is going to be a se- vere hindrance throughout the tour- ism season. We have already heard that the playground is being held up

because of this.

“I know myself that payment has been delayed to the consultants be- cause of the delays and they have not been helpful. We are sick and tired of being fobbed off. We have been wait- ing for five years and this is not good enough.”

Questions were also raised about the willingness of Clare County Council to push the project forward.

“Realistically, nothing has _ hap- pened in the last five years on this and all the responsibility does not lie with the consultants. If a project is not driven, it doesn’t get anywhere, and this project hasn’t been driven. It is looking like we are going to end up doing work during the peak tour- ist season, which is wholly unaccept- able,’ said Cllr Joe Arkins (FG).

The role of the council in driving the project forward was defended by Senior Executive Engineer, Hubert eek

“There might be an impression there that this is not being driven by the council and that is not really fair. An awtul lot of work is being done on this and I wanted to make it clear what is going on,” he said.

The consultants have said that the photomontage of the project will be completed in the coming days and a meeting will then be held with Sea- world and the Golf Club.

NUMBERS at Gaelscoil Mhichil Chiosog on the Gort Road are set to double over the next number of years as the school is set to embark on ma- jor expansion plan thanks to funding from the Department of Education.

The school which will celebrate 25 years in existence next year is set to receive €240,000 from the Depart- ment, enabling it to construct new classes and move from a one-stream to a two-stream school.

“The grant will help us build two new classrooms and start the process of moving from a one-stream to two-

stream school,” says principal, Donal O hAiniféin. “At the moment we have one class for junior infants, one class for senior infants and up along. Over the next eight years because of the demand, we will have two classes for each year. We will start by tak- ing an extra junior infants class next year, so after a period of eight years we ll move from having 200 students in the school to having around 400. “You need to ensure when you go from one-stream to two-stream you have enough pupils. We need to be taking in 54 or 55 junior infants next year. That is a challenge for us. We turned away about 25 students last

year. That’s a failure on behalf of Gaelscoil na hInse. Now we hope to change that,” he added.

And, as part of encouraging more people to consider a gaelscoil as an education option for their children, Mr O hAiniféin has highlighted the need for an awareness programme for parents.

“We need to get it across to people what a Gaelscoil is — it’s an all-Irish primary school that’s open to every- body. People don’t realise that going to Gaelscoil is a choice they have.

‘People have a lot of baggage con- cerning Irish, which has been be- stowed upon them by our education

system. Some of them have very bad memories of the Irish language and they blame the Irish language. Ninety five per cent of the parents don’t speak Irish. The vast majority of parents want something different for their children.

‘In the mind the Gaelscoil 1s in Cois na hAbhna, where it started in 1993 and stayed until 1998. There seems to be a deficit of communication re- garding what is a gaelscoil. The main deficit 1s regarding the new Irish. The Poles, the Lithuanians, people form Africa, they don’t realise that the Gaelscoil is an option for them,” he ANOeloxen

has learned that the taxi used in the shooting was found abandoned in Shannon that evening.

At least 15 shots were fired at six houses on St Ita’s Street in the St Mary’s Park estate in Limerick, at around teatime last Tuesday.

The gunman opened fire with a high powered machine gun.

The car, which had earlier been sto- len in Dublin, was found in the Cro- nan estate in Shannon, a short time after the incident in Limerick.

‘The car was subsequently techni-

cally examined and nothing of a sub- Stantial nature was found on it,” said a garda source. Gardai are trying to establish why the car was abandoned homey er beueleyee

The multiple attacks prompted widespread concern that the incident would lead to further tensions be- tween rival gangs in Limerick city.

In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, the garda commissioner an- nounced that members of the Emer- gency Response Unit would be de- ployed to the city.

“IT am asking a unit of the Emer- gency Response Unit to come here to Limerick in the next few days to take up duty here to augment the armed patrols that are already in place,” said Commissioner Fachtna Murphy.

He said the ERU would be deployed in known trouble spots in the city.

THIS Wednesday, Clare County Council will face its first ever pros- ecution by the Environment Protec- tion Agency (EPA) for alleged non- compliance with the terms of its waste licence at the Central Waste Management Facility in Ballyduff Beg in Inagh.

While the Kilrush court appear- ance 1s the first ever attempted prose- cution, the issue of Ballyduff Beg has proved one of the most controversial in Clare over the last decade.

The facility was first mooted in

February of 1998 when potential sites Kilmaley, Lissycasey and In- agh were identified by Clare County Council. In the summer of 1999, tests were carried out, with Ballyduff Beg being determined as the most suit- able location.

In January of 2000, Clare County Council began to compile an Envi- ronmental Impact Statement at the Inagh site and in August of the same year applied to the EPA for a waste management licence.

By the closing date of October 2000, locals lodged a total of 247 submissions with the EPA. Despite

this local opposition, the EPA issued a formal proposal to grant the licence in December of 2000 and, despite further local opposition, granted a licence on June 13, 2001.

In April of 2002, the Community Liaison Committee was established as one of the conditions of the EPA licence. Locals and members of the committee meet each month to dis- cuss issues arising from the opera- tion of the facility.

The Central Waste Management facility officially opened for business in September of 2002. There was no official ribbon-cutting ceremony.

In December of 2005, a feature un- (su k-l cone) y

SHANNON workers leaving the Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) have won their battle to secure travel concessions into the future.

The dispute between the SAA and SIPTU threatened to disrupt the ac- ceptance of the €36 million survival plan for Shannon last year.

However, the issue was parked after both sides agreed to refer the matter to the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) and the restructuring plan proceeded.

Last year, SIPTU members voted in

favour of the survival plan, but found out only after discussing their sever- ance package that they would forfeit their travel concessions, which al- lowed them a small number of free flights each year and reduced fares on Aer Lingus.

The matter could not be resolved at the LRC and was referred to the Labour Court.

According to the Labour Court rec- ommendation, SIPTU argued, “The long standing custom and practice of travel concessions for voluntary retirements was formalised into an agreement in 2000 through discus-

sion and agreement with the trade unions at the time.

“There was also voluntary retire- ments in 2002 and 2003 where mem- bers retained their travel concessions. On another occasion a number of in- dividuals left the company but were advised directly by management before they accepted that in these particular circumstances the travel concession would not apply.

The union also argued, “The man- agement negotiating team never once mentioned the issue of travel con- cessions. It was never referred to in the LRC proposals document which

was the subject of explanatory meet- ings prior to balloting. The issue over travel concessions only became known to staff after one to one in- terviews for the Voluntary Severance Scheme.”

In response, the SAA argued, “This was a once – off voluntary severance package which was negotiated in de- Oe

The onus was on the Union to seek to include such matters as travel con- cessions.

“Severance arrangements involve the end of the employment relation- ship including benefits in most cas-

oe

The Labour Court recommendation published last year but only brought to light now, states, “the court is of the view that as there was no com- mon ground on the issue during the period of the negotiations; in the circumstances outlined, the Staff Travel Concessions should continue to apply.

“Furthermore, the court recom- mends that in the event of discussions on future severance terms taking place, the issue of Staff Travel Con- cessions should clearly be addressed in the course of those negotiations.

EUROPE must allow for Irish fish producers a freer hand for the pro- duction of farmed fish and shell fish or the industry faces a troubled future. Addressing the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee in Brussels on Thursday, the IFA’s Aquaculture Executive Secretary, Richie Flynn, said that the EU strat- egy to support a sustainable fish and shellfish farming sector was vital to redress the balance of seafood im- ports into the community.

Mr Flynn was speaking at a special hearing of the Parliament on the Sit- uation and Perspectives of the Aqua- culture Sector.

“We are all aware of the growing importance of food production and food security. We see growing num- bers of health professionals urging consumers to eat more seafood as a matter of priority to promote the development of mind and body and prevent modern diseases,’ he said.

“We see a rise in interest in food that is sustainable, organic, eco- friendly and convenient. All of these factors have contributed to an ever- erowing demand from European consumers for more and more qual- ity seafood.

“We know how to grow fish and Shellfish in Europe. We have dec- ades of European experience, avail- able waters, the right climate and the

world’s most advanced technology.

“EU Aquaculture produces 1.5 mil- lion tonnes of seafood and supports 80,000 jobs. Yet the community to- day still imports almost 50 per cent of its seafood needs. Aquaculture worldwide – in Asia, South America and elsewhere – is the fastest grow- ing food sector in the world.

“But here in Europe we are in dan- ger of starving in a land of plenty. Our Aquaculture sector is stagnant. Production in some sections of the industry is actually falling. Small and medium enterprises are facing CHUM Ee UN Laon

Mr Flynn said that MEPs visiting fish farms in the west of Ireland over Easter had seen first hand the value

and potential of farming salmon, mussels, oysters, trout and cod and the future opportunities to farm dif- ferent kinds of fish in the deep, clean waters of the Atlantic ocean on the EU’s western extremities.

“The Parliament has a hugely im- portant role in ensuring that the de- velopment of aquaculture in Europe is led by common-sense legislation, practical research and development and a recognition that our valuable sea and freshwater resources must be used efficiently for food production,” he continued.

“The EU Strategy being developed by the commission must release the potential of the aquaculture sector, not restrict it.”

DOUBTS have been raised over the way in which Clare County Council allocated funding following the deci- sion to grant the Lisdoonvarna Play- ground Project more money than it had actually asked for.

Following a heated discussion at the local area council meeting held in Ennistymon yesterday, the decision was made to award the playground €35,000 from the Community Play- eround Grant Fund, even though it had only asked for €30,000.

The fund, which this year totals €83,000, is competed for by differ- ent groups all around north Clare.

“IT would favour the Lisdoonvarna development, but I think we would be setting a dangerous precedent in giving people more than they asked for,” said Cllr Flan Garvey (FG), be- fore leaving the meeting.

The overpay situation arose follow- ing concerns raised by a number of councillors over a validity of a pro- posed playground to be located in the Michael Cusack Centre in Carron.

“IT don’t think that the Carron scheme

fits in with the playground scheme at all. There has to be unlimited public access to the playgrounds,” said Cllr Joe Arkins (FG).

“Tam also disappointed that there aren’t more applications in from oth- STUCCO) napa SL UODAL eK

Council engineer Hubert Newell confirmed that the Carron playground did not meet the normal criteria in terms of access for the children.

‘The people in Lisdoonvarna have spent nearly a million and a half on this project and are putting together a real integrated scheme for the whole

community.

“They got the short straw last year so I think it is only right that they should get the funding they are look- ing for this time around,’ said Cllr Martin Lafferty UND).

Of the €83,000 on offer, €12,000 was allocated for the construction of fencing for the Corofin playground.

Of the remaining budget, €35,000 was allocated to the Lisdoonvarna facility and €35,000 was allocated to the Carron playground, provided it was made easily accessible for local Oi elon