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A PRIVATE operator has lodged plans for park and ride facilities in Doolin and Liscannor to serve the €31.5 million visitor centre at the Cliffs of Moher.

A similar proposal for Liscannor by the Mermaid Partnership was withdrawn after locals railed against the accompanying retail element.

Now Atlantis Development has lodged plans for a park and ride at Doolin and Liscannor.

The company is seeking to put in place 385 parking spaces along with spaces for 10 buses in Liscannor. In Doolin, the company plans to put in place 120 parking spaces along with spaces for three shuttle buses.

The planning documents lodged with the council list John Declan Flanagan as a director of Atlantis Development.

Mr Flanagan also spearheaded the ill-fated Mermaid Partnership bid.

Cllr Martin Conway (FG), of north Clare, welcomed Atlantis Develop- ment’s move.

“IT would welcome park and ride as a standalone development in order to deal with the traffic congestion that is evident around the cliffs.

‘The charge that is imposed by the developers may prove cost effective for the consumers as it costs €8 at

the cliffs at the moment.

‘Any competition is healthy and the park and ride could result in a spin- off for the local communities, where people may stay overnight in Liscan- nor and Doolin rather than using the cliffs as a stopping off point between Kerry and Galway.”

Cllr Conway said that he very much welcomed the applications, as long as they were not conditional on them being accompanied by shops.

Last month, the Mermaid Partner- ship withdrew €15 million plans 24 hours prior to an anticipated deci- sion.

Applications are usually withdrawn at the last minute in this way when developers are told informally that the application looks set to be re- GU oLem

The proposal was facing wide- spread opposition in Liscannor, which suffered a population loss in the most recent Census.

The developers had also made ef- forts to allay the concerns of locals by reducing the size of the plan.

Last year, the Mermaid Partner- ship lodged a proposal for the park and ride facility that also included a major retail component with a total of 6,322 sq metres.

The applicants scaled back the re- tail component by almost two-thirds but continued to face opposition.

has found that three mem-

bers of Clare County Council tabled

no notices of motion whatsoever at

monthly meetings of the local au- thority last year.

Cllr Patrick Keane (FF) and Cllr

Tony O’Brien (FF) tabled no motions during the 11 meetings of 2007. IIl- ness for much of last year prevented Cllr John “Mashen’ McInerney (FG) playing a significant role at meet- iba

Cur Tommy Brennan (Ind) tabled no motions on his own but he did ta- ble one joint motion during 2007.

The survey found that Cllr PJ Kelly (FF), as part of his crusade to reform planning in Clare, tabled the highest amount lodging 22 motions for the 11 meetings of last year. Others to score highly include Cllr Michael Kelly FF (18), Cllr Martin Lafferty Ind (17), Cllr Pat McMahon FF (17) and Cllr Steam Grane ecmeue?

The survey established that four councillors tabled less than five mo- tions in the year. They were Cllr Sonny Scanlan (FG) and Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) who lodged one mo- tion each, Cllr Bill Chambers (FF) who lodged two and Cllr Pat Daly (FF) who lodged three.

THE gloves are on for the annual Scariff Spring Clean, part of the na- tional event sponsored by An Taisce every April.

Last year, a number of community eroups in Scariff, including Scariff National School, stepped up to the mark and this year, the appeal has gone out early through the Scarif Newsletter to encourage all groups in the area to get organised and join ne

Those who volunteer for the big clean up get Spring Clean packs, including an information pack, some gloves and lots of large bin bags, which are colour co-ordinated for

plastic bottles, tins and drink cans, and general rubbish. This will make recycling the haul so much easier.

Anyone can sign up by registering online at www.nationalspringclean. Oo uee

Clare County Council is supporting the campaign by providing groups with free access to local centres to deposit waste and recyclables col- lected during clean-ups. To avail of a free pass to dispose of waste collect- ed as part of the Spring Clean Cam- paign groups can contact the Envi- ronment Section on 065 6846331 or Olea morse Teve toler

Phoebe O’Brien, one of the organis- ers of the clean-up last year said that small groups set out “each armed

with a couple of bags of each colour to see what we could tidy.

“The children were really helpful, and great at spotting things hidden in the bushes. It was lovely to see them becoming aware of their en- vironment and having such a sense of empowerment from their achieve- ment. As the groups arrived back for a celebratory tea, we were amazed at the full bags being loaded into the trailer, which we filled twice over. This was from just under three miles of roads, a mile of which had been tidied the year before.”

Notices will be posted around the town in the coming weeks, and the organisers are asking as many peo- ple as possible to come out and give

a hand.

Particularly needed are adults to collect rubbish along the main roads where it wouldn’t be possible for the children to clean.

‘In spite of our efforts, there seems to be a lot of litter about. Most of the litter along the road is drink bottles, fast food packaging and cigarette boxes. Apparently, people are more likely to throw rubbish where litter is already noticeable. So please be a part of the clean-up this spring. We are lucky to live in an area where the majority of people dispose of their rubbish properly and cleaning up what doesn’t get into the bins is not an insurmountable challenge,” said Phoebe.

MINISTER for State at the Depart- ment of Agriculture with special responsibility for Forestry, Mary Wallace, last week launched a DVD entitled “Bringing The Bogs Back To LIFE” at the ENFO Headquarters in Dublin. It has been produced by Coillte to promote its EU LIFE fund- ed bog restoration projects across the country and to demonstrate the work that went into them. It is available free of charge from Coillte.

“T am delighted to be here today to launch this informative DVD which tells the story of the great work done

by Coillte under the EU funded LIFE initiative in restoring both raised bogs and blanket bogs in Ireland,” she said.

‘Having had the chance to view the DVD it provided a very comprehen- sive record of the projects and I com- mend all who were involved in its production. I know that Coillte is also successfully implementing another important LIFE-Nature project — on the restoration of Priority Woodland Habitats, which I had the pleasure of launching recently and I wish you well with both the DVD and your ongoing work in this area.”

Also speaking the at the launch

was David Gunning, Chief Execu- tive of Coillte.

“Coillte manages its forests com- mercially but, in doing so, we pay a lot of attention to environmental and social considerations,’ he said.

“Our forests are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as being well managed in accordance with Strict environmental, social and eco- es eRew Kure

‘Nature Conservation is an integral part of forest and land management and 15 per cent of Coillte’s estate is managed with nature conservation as the primary management objective.

“The DVD produced as part of

these projects will stand as a record of the work done and the contribution Coillte has made in restoring some of these valuable habitats across the country. Copies are available free of charge by contacting Coillte or via our website — www.coillte.ie.”

The blanket bog project has just finished involved 20 sites Clare as well as Donegal, Sligo, Mayo, Gal- way, Kerry and Laois.

The promotional DVD has been produced to highlight the objectives, actions and expected results of Coill- te’s two bog restoration projects. You can read more about the Bog Resto- ration projects via www.coillte.ie.

GARDAI in Ennis are advising peo- ple to remain vigilant as enquiries continue into an ATM scam in En- nis.

An estimated €54,000 was stolen from bank accounts after a Bank of Ireland pass machine in Ennis town centre was used to copy the details of ATM cards.

The scam involved the installation in the bank machine of a tiny piece of electronic equipment called a skim- ming device which reads the specifi-

cations of installed ATM cards.

A small camera like those used in mobile phones was secured to the top of the machine to record individual PIN numbers as they were being en- ousee

The information from the skim- ming device was then used to make copies of the card. Gardai believe the bogus cards were used to with- draw sums of money from different accounts from locations around the mid-west.

Part of a skimming device was found on a pass machine in Ennis a

fortnight ago and several people had money taken out of their accounts.

A Garda spokesperson said enquir- ies were continuing and urged people to remain vigilant when using ATM machines.

He said, “Enquiries are ongoing at the moment. Quite a substantial amount of money was taken from a number of different bank accounts. The money would have been drawn out at different locations, in Kerry, Clare and Limerick. The information for the cards was taken from a pass machine in Ennis.”

He added, “The most important thing we would say to people is that they exercise caution when they are using ATM machines. In this case, the PIN number was recorded with a camera overhead. When people are using the machine they should block the keypad with their hands.”

He said that if people have concerns or notice anything suspicious at pass machines, they should report it 1m- mediately to gardai.

Three people are due to appear in court next week in connection with a similar ATM scam in Shannon.

EARLIER this month, surviving members of the victorious team that won the 1982 Intermediate Champi- onship attended a reunion in Mike McNamara’s bar in Scariff.

Twenty-six years ago, Scariff had plenty to be proud about. Their in- termediate team beat all other Clare teams and achieved the ultimate dream, they swallowed the opposi- tion whole, winning the 1982 Inter- mediate Championship.

After simmering for several months, the people of Scariff were finally presented with the banquet that was a “bua’ for their new heroes, who conquered Clare on the pitch.

The team members included the

following: captain Liam Nugent; Adrian Nugent, son of Tom Nt- gent; Brendan Walsh, son of selec- tor John Walsh; Peadar McMahon; John Minogue; James O’Grady; Gerry Nugent; Mike Minogue; Pat Minogue; Teddy Murphy; Neilus Minogue; Pat Clancy; Mike Mc- Namara; Padraigh Giblin; Eamon Giblin; Mike Ryan; Jim Corbett; Pat Carey; TJ O’Callaghan; Aiden Rochford; John O’Grady; Martin O’Grady; Sean McInerney; Eamon Fahy; John Liddy; Sean Murphy; Mike O’Donnell; and selectors John Walsh, Tom Minogue and Tommy Giblin.

Twenty-six years on, and not much has changed. The win hasn’t been forgotten, and the lads are still pas-

sionate about their sport.

Some have even remained in the sporting world. John Minogue is the Clare county under-2] manager, and Mike McNamara is the Clare coun- ty senior team manager. But sadly Scariff lost Mike O’Donnell, John Walsh, Tom Minogue and Tommy Giblin, who have passed away since WeomNante

At the long-awaited reunion, eve- ryone had the chance to renew old friendships and reminisce on life all those years ago. Each member was presented with a framed photograph of the winning team and a reproduc- tion of the match programme.

Special guests were former Clare captain Sean McMahon and Pat Fitzgerald, newly-appointed Clare

County Board secretary.

THE Minister for Agriculture, Mary Coughlan, was in Paris on Valen- tines days courting her French coun- terpart, Minister Michel Barnier, for support on WTO and the CAP Health Check.

Speaking after the meeting, which Coughlan described as being “very useful’, the Irish Minister said that there were many shared views on WTO and both sides had concerns about the way in which the negotia- tions were going.

“The latest negotiation paper from Geneva on agriculture contained a number of areas with which both sides are unhappy we feel that over- all there is a lack of balance,’ she SrnOR

“I have agreed to liaise further in the coming weeks and, in particular, in the run up to next week’s Council of Agriculture Ministers meeting in Brussels.”

The Ministers also discussed devel- opments in the CAP Health Check and had a very useful exchange of views on the positions being taken in Seale

“As with WTO, there was a huge degree of a commonality on the overall approach to the CAP and to its long-term future,” she continued. We discussed various current mar- ket issues and focused in particular on the pigmeat sector. On this, we agreed on the importance of EU sup- ports and on the need to continue and extend these.”

Meanwhile, President of 14,000

member-strong Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, Jackie Cahill, has warned that the Government is facing an extremely embarrassing reverse on the Lisbon Treaty Refer- endum unless a serious and coher- ent effort is mounted immediately to convince the electorate of the merits of a ‘yes’ vote.

Speaking from the Brussels confer- ence of the pan-European dairy farm- ers organisation, the European Milk Board, Mr Cahill said that while he is personally in favour of the Treaty and will be urging a *Yes’ vote, he is “spectacularly unconvinced” by the campaign waged so far by both the Government and the other pro-treaty oy Na Bone

“ICMSA is a farm organisation and SO 1s, quite literally, a grass-roots

movement. Our political antennae are quite sensitive and we’re picking up decidedly mixed messages on the prospects for the passage of the Lis- bon Treaty,” he said.

“IT am personally in favour of the Treaty and am quite optimistic that our National Council will come out in its favour. But I am spectacularly unconvinced by the quality of the ‘Yes’ campaign so far and I’m warn- ing both the Government and the other pro-treaty parties that if they don’t get their act together — and fast — that they are heading for an unmer- ciful shock.”

CLARE planning agents and archi- tects have been accused of profiteer- ing by drawing up plans for one off rural houses that have no chance of receiving planning permission.

The accusation came at last night meeting of Clare County Council Where Councillor Martin Lafferty (Ind) called on Clare people seek- ing planning to ensure that their sites fulfil basic planning requirements before they engage the services of an

architect.

“It has come to my notice that when a person decides to go building a house they go straight to an agent be- fore they do anything else,” said Cllr Poua

“In a lot of these cases some of the agents don’t tell them about the four basic issues in one off rural planning. Sight distance, percolation and de- sign and designation of the land.

“I find that a lot of people go to agents, get them to draw up plans and then they are told by the architects to

go to their local councillor to sort it out for them.

“If people who are out there look- ing to build a house, before they go for plans they should ask a few sim- ple questions.

‘They are going to the agents and architects and they are happy to take their money. Some agents are just drawing up their plans, collecting up their money and walking away.”

Cllr Curtin asked that a simple document be drawn up in which the basic conditions of planning in rural

areas be explained for any perspec- tive builders.

The motion was seconded for Cllr Pat Keane (FF) who said there was ‘a major problem” with the current system and joined in the calls for a single document to be produced which would aid people seeking to build in a rural area.

‘This document should outline all of the criteria that 1s required to pass these tests and it should be written in as simple a language as is possible,” he said.

A THIRST for entertainment and a place where they can meet their peers, the transition year students of St Anne’s Community College, Killaloe have been brewing an idea which could see the start of a youth oF Nom bee stomcedwate

The transition year students have been researching the café for the Young Social Innovators Project.

The project, was founded by Sr Sta- nislaus Kennedy and Rachel Collier. The philosophy is that young people pursue a social issue they are con- cerned about and come up with re- sponses and actions to it. Becoming socially aware young citizens and making a real difference to people’s lives is one of the main aims of the

Ke) em

The students have got moving to realise their vision for a place where young people in the area can meet and socialise in an alcohol and drug-free environment. For the past number of months the students have conducted a survey of their peers to establish the need for a Youth Café.

The overwhelming response was that there is a huge need for the fa- cility in the twin towns of Ballina- Killaloe.

WW aTem AU Cele olicmreD acm eri e-lO UL OUD OTSAM BD IT. @s with the Garda Siochana, Clare Youth Services, North Tipperary VEC., County Clare VEC, the Fam- ily Resource Centre Killaloe, Aware West of Ireland and the Health Serv- ice Executive.

They will now be looking to their

local politicians for support in secur- ing a venue and funding to see their project to completion.

‘The students have been very dedi- cated to this project. They’ve done the research and made all the contacts as well as visiting other youth cafes,” said teacher, Brendan O’Brien.

“There is still the question of a venue and what they are looking into now is starting small, maybe with something in the school.”

To create awareness around the project the students attended a Young Social Innovators speak-out forum in the Ardilaun Hotel in Galway City and gave a two-minute presentation to an audience of more than 400 oth- er students as well as politicians and invited guests.

The national policy on youth recre-

ation “Teenspace’ advocates such in1- tiatives. By April 3 next the students will know if their project has been selected to be displayed with hun- dreds of others in the RDS Dublin as part of the Young Social Innova- tors Showcase. The Showcase, which takes place in May, is a national event where hundreds of young peo- ple meet and discuss issues of social concern with each other and with the decision-makers and people whose lives they wish to improve.

THE Competition Authority has been called upon to investigate claims of a ‘closed shop’ that prohibits over 400 Clare taxi and hackney drivers from operating out of Shannon Airport.

Bye-laws dating back 14 years en- sure that there is no conventional taxi rank at Shannon Airport and, instead, passengers seeking a taxi must hire a hackney cab based at Shannon.

Despite the massive growth in pas- senger numbers at Shannon Airport

in recent years, where last year 3.6 million people travelled through it, only 34 hackney cabs operate out of the airport.

Yesterday, the Shannon Aijrport Authority (SAA) declined to say how many new licences have been issued in recent years, stating only that the numbers have increased ‘slightly’.

Since the deregulation of the taxi business in November 2000, the number of licences has increased four-fold to 467 in Clare.

However, Shannon Airport remains a ‘closed shop’ and Deputy Dooley

said yesterday, “The taxi business at Shannon shouldn’t remain closed to others. It is anti-competitive and should be opened up to everyone.”

In his letter to the chairman of the Competition Authority, William Prasifka, Deputy Dooley said, “I am very concerned that since de-regu- lation of the taxi service, the num- bers of all public service vehicles in Clare has increased from 177 in November 2000 to 467 in December of 2007.

‘Based on these figures, I see no ar- gument to have this practice in place

at Shannon Airport.”

Deputy Dooley has also written to the Chief Executive of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), Declan Collier, and the Director of the Shan- non Airport Authority (SAA), Mar- tin Moroney.

He wrote, “I am concerned that the services provided are not in keeping with competition law or indeed in keeping with the spirit of de-regula- tion in the taxi sector.”

Deputy Dooley has also written to the Commissioner for Taxi Regula- tion, Kathleen Doyle, on the issue.

In response, a spokesman for Shan- non Airport said, “Shannon Airport complies with all applicable legisla- tion governing taxis and other small public service vehicles.

‘The current arrangement at Shan- non as operated is applied under leg- islation 1.e. S.I. 425 of 1994 (Airport Bye Laws).

“Since the establishment of the Taxi Regulator, we have been in reg- ular communication with them and they have outlined their satisfaction that the current operation adequately meets the needs of our passengers.”