Category: Uncategorized

MINISTER of State Tony Killeen has given fresh hope to the possibil- ity of a train station being provided at Crusheen along the route of the Western Rail Corridor.

Stating that the development “should not be discounted”, the Clare TD said Iarnrodd Eireann had not ruled out the proposal and “would consider any evidence to suggest that such a development would be war- ranted”.

In a letter to Minister Killeen, Iarn- rod Eireann chief executive Dick Fearn said that the reopening of the Crusheen station was not included in the reopening of the Ennis to Athen- ry line because of the very limited

development forecast for Crusheen in Clare County Council’s North Clare Local Area Plan 2005.”

Minister Killeen said he reminded the CEO that detailed additional in- formation has been collated by the local community, with assistance from Clare County Council, regard- ing the potential future use of the proposed rail stop. This information along with undertakings relating to the provision of adequate car parking CUTE U em OEIC BROMINE cot have been submitted to Iarnrdéd Eire- EMOvOe

“In light of this new information, I have requested the company to re- view the potential for the establish- ment of a rail stop at Crusheen”, he SrALGe

The minister said he had also re- ceived confirmation from larnrod Eireann that it would be keen to work with developers who would fund a Station scheme, as is the case at a number of locations elsewhere on the national rail network. ;

“Recent reports that Iarnrod Eire- ann has categorically ruled out the future opening of arail stop at Crush- een could not have been further from the truth.

“The company has expressed its willingness to consider any evidence supporting the establishment of a rail stop at Crusheen, as part of sched- uled passenger services between En- OVA BaLG aN H Slo) OD ae

He added that there remained a strong case for the provision of a rail

stop in Crusheen.

‘Two stops are being provided for between Gort and Athenry and none on the very long stretch of railway between Ennis to Gort.

‘“Crusheen is an ideal location for people coming from Ruan, Corofin, Tubber, Boston and elsewhere in North Clare as well as Tulla and oth- er areas of East Clare’, Mr Killeen concluded.

Track renewal works on the first phase of the Western Rail Corridor project started late last year and are expected to take 18 to 24 months to complete.

Once completed, an expected seven trains per day will travel from Ennis to Athenry with stops at Gort, Ardra- han and Craughwell.

A BRIGHT future is forecast for AskMoby.com after the Ennis based company made a major impact at the world’s largest communications show in Barcelona.

The Ennis firm has developed de- tailed accurate digital weather fore- casting and is now targeting the glo- bal mobile phone market after taking part in Barcelona.

Located in the Ballymaley Indus- trial Park, AskMoby.com has devel- oped a global reputation providing detailed weather forecast and analy- sis for a variety of industries.

AskMoby.com is a free weather forecast service from Nowcasting International based in Ballymaley.

It is designed for mobile phones providing a forecast for the area in which the receiver is located and re- lated to the specific activity picked by users, who should log onto www. askmoby.com on their mobile phones and click the appropriate choices. Hourly forecasts are provided and there are choices of detailed maps, Synoptic charts and satellite pic- RUN KeNe

Minister for Trade Enterprise and Employment Micheal Martin, TD was on hand in Barcelona to support the efforts of AskMoby.com to tar- get new markets. More than 60,000 delegates from the top international mobile phone networks attended the World Mobile Congress.

Paying tribute to the companies

team of 12 people at the Ballymaley Industrial Park Minister Martin said they had developed a cutting edge product which has huge potential worldwide.”

“The mobile phone sector is one of the fasting growing in Ireland with exports doubling since 2005 to €280 million. Companies such as AskMoby are at the forefront of our efforts to remain at the forefront of this rapidly growing industry. The Clare based company already has a worldwide reputation for providing high tech weather forecasts for oil and gas sector as well as shipping. It is now delivering forecasts to mobile phones. The forecasts can be as spe- cific and detailed as the user wants.”

Minster Martin said the reputation

of companies like AskMoby.com was an important factor in Ireland’s ability to compete in the global tel- ecommunications market place. ‘“AskMoby is one of 21 Irish firms who made important contacts with the world’s leading mobile phone networks in Barcelona. They trav- elled to congress with the support of Enterprise Ireland.”

“Such companies are important if we are to ensure that we continue delivering quality jobs for people in communities across Clare and around the country’, concluded Min- ister Martin.

WATER levels covering the flooded Ennis to Limerick rail line rose this weekend, despite almost two weeks without rain.

It now looks like the estimated 600 Clare commuters who use the serv- ice each day will face a further two

weeks’ wait before normal service will be restored.

Commuters have been forced to use bus transfers for more than a week, following severe flooding of sections of the track as a result of heavy rain earlier this month.

Some of the flooding is more than 17 inches in depth with little or no

drop reported to date.

“We are still monitoring the situ- ation closely and it appears that the flooding is starting to level out at least. We recorded a quarter-inch rise in water levels on the track over the weekend,” said business develop- ment manager with larnrod Eireann in Limerick, Jim Gallivan.

“This is a very minor change and indications are that the amount of flooding is starting to level off. The water at the moment is 17 inches above the track level and we will have to wait for that to subside before service can be restored.

“The next few days should tell a lot. We have had two weeks of fairly good weather but the major rivers are still very full with water around the oe) Aaa

Meanwhile,

TEACHERS and students at Clare Music Makers will be looking to build on 14 years of achievement and acclaim at the Feis Ceoil in March.

IN 1993, founding directors And- rea Creech and Tony Ovenell accept- ed the first classes of young classical music students into the new Ennis music school, Clare Music Makers (CMM).

In the 15 years since that date there have been many changes in the teaching staff and hundreds of new students. Many of these stu- dents have moved on to national and international post secondary music schools and into music teaching and performance careers.

Consistent however has been the erowing national reputation of Ennis and CMM as centre of excellence in teaching music.

Each year CMM students, at all performing levels, have been award- ed a high number of honours at major Irish festivals, including Féile Lu- inmi (Limerick), Feis Maitt) (Cork) and Feis Ceoil (Dublin).

There was further national rec- ognition of CMM’s high standards at recent festivals in Limerick and Cork for students of Danette Eddy (violin), Tanja Fritschi (flute), Fred Hannford (brass), Marta Lalek (vio- lin), Michael Joyce (piano), Teddy McCoy (flute) and Catriona Moloney (violin).

Flute players entering Feile Luinmi

included Sinead McAteer, under 16 silver medal, Madeleine Arkins, un- der 14 gold medal, Alice Twomey, under 14 bronze medal, Eimear Ca- sey, under 12 silver medal and Orla Bredin, highly commended in the under 12 category.

Violinists entering Feéeile Luimni included Crea Sullivan, under 9 gold medal. Crea shared the bronze med- al with Hannah Bredin in the under 11 category and Heidi O’Dwyer was highly commended in this same cat- egory.

Abbie O’Sullivan won the silver medal and Emerald Kennedy was commended in the under 13.

Michelle Heffernan won the silver medal in the under 15. Michelle also received the silver medal and Bron-

wyn Power won the gold medal in the prestigious Bernard Cup. Cellist Hannah Ryan was awarded the silver medal in the under 15 category.

Trumpet player Roisin Phelan re- ceived the gold medal in the under 14 category and pianist Donal McHugh received the gold medal in the under 17 category.

In addition Donal was awarded third place in the under 17 category Feis Maitu in Cork.

At the same competition, CMM v1- olin students Crea Sullivan won the silver medal in the under 9 catego- ry. Abbie Sullivan won silver in the under 13 and Darelle Colleran was awarded a certificate in the under 13. Michelle Heffernan won a silver medal in the under 15 category.

aETSMR OU Tes Ona neren A price check carried out by north Clare county councillor, Martin Con- way (FG), revealed that a single one- way ticket from Maynooth to Dublin costs just €3, compared to a fare of €8.60 from Ennis to Limerick. This is despite both journeys covering roughly the same distance and run- ning high levels of occupancy. In addition to this, a day return ticket from Maynooth to Dublin

coast €5.40 compared to €15.70 for the same type of ticket on the Ennis to Limerick line.

“This is a clear example of double standards for people living in Clare and is not encouraging people to take the environmental option. If it was a private company operating the rail service, it would be a different story but this service is funded by all the tax-payers in the country, not just the people in Dublin,” said Cllr Soe

“What we have here is a situation where the taxpayer in the east of the country 1s effectively getting a dis- count compared to the taxpayer in Clare. This is a public State-spon-

sored body. There should be no argu- ment about this. It’s a criminal situ- ation, totally unbelievable when you consider the amount of people who use this service.”

Responding to the survey, business development manager with larnrod Eireann in Limerick, Jim Gallivan, claimed that rates on the Ennis-Lim- erick line compared favourable to bus charges on the route.

“We feel that this survey is not comparing like with like. They are different categories of stations. The Maynooth to Dublin service is an in- ter-urban service while the Ennis to Limerick service 1s an inter-city serv- ice,’ he said. “The rates we have on

the Ennis to Limerick service com- pare well to the bus service between Ennis and Limerick and the route has proved very popular to date.”

Cllr Conway has called for a pay- per-kilometre system to be intro- duced. ““Irain fares throughout the country should be charged on a per- kilometre basis, not discriminating against people in different parts on the country,’ he said yesterday.

“If we are talking about real equity in this situation, this is the only way that we can continue. I am now call- ing on Minister Tony Kileen and his colleague Timmy Dooley to raise this matter with Noel Dempsey as a matter of urgency.”

CLARE Living Links will hold a healing programme for people whose lives have been affected by suicide. The introductory night is on Wednesday, February 27 at the meeting room, 52 Kincora Park, Lif- ford, Ennis.

The programmme will continue each Wednesday night for eight con- secutive weeks. It aims to help adults who have experienced a death by sui- cide to find healing and support in a safe and caring environment and to provide and opportunity of meeting others who have experienced loss by suicide. The meetings aim to provide

healing through talking and listen- ing in small groups.

For the past six years the Living Links organisation has offered a suicide outreach support service to families and individuals in Clare who have been bereaved by suicide. There are currently ten fully trained volunteers staffing the service in EK

Clare Living Links operates under the auspices of the Health Service Executive and all volunteers are ful- ly trained.

In addition to healing programmes volunteers respond to approaches made by a bereaved family or in- dividual and can arrange to meet

them inside or outside their homes or wherever the bereaved person feels most comfortable.

All meetings are conducted with complete confidentiality. A spokes- person for Clare Living Links ex- plained the meetings are handled entirely at the discretion of the indi- vidual concerned.

“Healing programme volounteers respond to approaches made by a bereaved family or individual and can arrange to meet them inside or outside their homes, or wherever the bereaved person feels more comfort- able.

‘All meetings and sessions are con- ducted with complete confidential-

ae

The spokesperson added

“The aim is to help people talk about their loss and the whole proc- ess of bereavement. There is no set formula for bereaved persons feel- ings or reactions. Different people will react in different ways and in a different order. Through talking and sharing in a safe environment the pain is eased and healing is allowed to begin”.

For further information regard- ing individual or family support or the healing programme contact the Support co-ordinator between Spm to 7pm Monday to Friday at 086 Onto eee

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.

THE behaviour of a 16-year-old boy has deteriorated since leaving a de- tention centre due to lack of parental control at his Ennis home.

The boy, who has 33 previous convictions, was sentenced to two years at Oberstown Boys Centre in November 2006. He is currently on extended leave from the centre.

He admitted breaking into the bed and breakfast at Baron McQ’s, Low- er Parnell Street, Ennis, and kicking two wing mirrors on cars, close to his home, last Wednesday, February oF

Inspector Tom Kennedy said gardai found the boy on the premises on Parnell Street and CCTV footage

showed him breaking the window and going into the building.

He later went home with his mother and a short time later went down the street in his locality and kicked mir- rors on two cars.

The boy’s solicitor, Tara Godfrey, said since he was released home from Oberstown he had “very quick- ly deteriorated”.

‘His mother is not here today and that speaks volumes,” she said.

She pointed out that drink and drugs played a role in last week’s in- cidents.

‘He didn’t have control. When he’s not in Oberstown, or St Patrick’s In- stitution he doesn’t have the where- withal to look after himself,’ she PAG

“The concern from my point of view is that he could become insti- tutionalised and that he would be in- capable of coping outside an institu- tion,” she said.

“He’s a good boy under the right conditions,” added Ms Godfrey.

A member of staff at Oberstown told the court that the boy had “turned a corner’ while at the centre, but had “deteriorated” since returning home to Ennis. She said Oberstown could not take him back.

“We are under pressure from the courts to free up the bed. There’s de- mand for his bed. We want to release his bed within days,” she said.

“I think we have exhausted what we can do with him. We have effec- tively handed him back to his family.

There is only so much minding of him we can do when he is back in his own environment,’ she added.

An employee with Clare Youth Services – who has worked with the boy since his release from Obers- town – said the problem was down to lack of supervision at home.

“That is with due respect to the young man and the family,” he said.

Judge Joseph Mangan asked the boy, “Why are you so angry?”’. He replied “I am not angry at all.”

The judge said he had observed the boy’s demeanour in court and said, “You are obviously very bothered.”

The judge sentenced him to eight months in St Patrick’s Institution and fixed a bond in the event of an ap- peal.

THE work of staff and students at the Adult and Community Education Centre in Ennis has been described as essential to the success of the sec- ico) e

Speaking at the opening of the cen- tre’s new extension, Minister of State Sean Haughey praised the progress made by adult education providers in OE

Mr Haughey was in Clare to open centres in Shannon and Ennis, as part of the National Adult Learners Festival.

Referring to some last minute prep- arations for his visit to Ennis, Mr Haughey quipped “I was told to be late because there was sign to go up. If I have achieved nothing else by my visit to Ennis, then I have achieved Werelaae

The extension and _ re-develop- ment of the Adult and Community Education Centre in Clonroad, Ennis means more services can be provided as part of the Clare back to education initiative.

The centre provides learning op- portunities in reading and writing, language support, youthreach pro- gression, the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) and family learning. Services include a creche, night classes, e-learning and adult learners guidance.

In Clare, there are currently 2,000 learners availing of adult basic edu- cation and a further 700 engaging in community education.

Mr Haughey said the centre provid- ed valuable learning opportunities. “This is particularly evident here in Ennis, where your Adult Basic Edu- cation Service provides great assist-

ance to adults returning to education, particularly those who did not get the chance to complete their secondary education. Work undertaken on the ground is absolutely essential to the success of the sector, and I am very much aware of this”.

“This expanded adult education centre will provide additional and valuable opportunities for learners in the Ennis area to create a better life themselves and their families”.

He added, “The Ennis Adult Edu- cation centre does a great job in providing that crucial support and I know that with your capabilities extended, many more opportunities will be available to you in this re- een Ke ae

Dr Sean Conlan, Education Of- ficer for Clare VEC, said significant strides had been made in the area of adult education.

‘Adult education used to be called the cinderella of education, because we were never invited to the ball. Now things are different, and in GET ucee tree or Dus CGUIT Dem Ne uome sr KMmolon significant investment in services”

Mr Haughey met with students, programme leaders, tutors and co- ordinators and received a painting from VTOS student Malcom Gay. Youthreach trainee Shirley Price and her daughter Brooke, who attends Cuan Aire Creche, presented Mr Je Ft tea teas

Music was provided by VTOS tutor Andrew Newland and the Founda- tion Ministry Choir.

CLARE has come near the bottom of a survey showing the number of IDA jobs created in a county by county basis last year.

Enterprise, trade and employment minister Micheal Martin confirmed that Clare came nineteenth on the hha

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment figures show that 22 jobs were created in IDA- backed companies last year.

The figures show that counties mainly located in the midlands trail Clare in the number of IDA jobs cre- ated. More IDA jobs were created in Clare than Carlow, Laois, Longford, Monaghan, Roscommon and north Tipperary.

Only nine IDA jobs were created in north Tippeary. However, Clare lags behind its two neighbours, Limerick and Galway.

The figures show that 264 IDA jobs were created in Limerick and 383 in Cr ELA

Last night, Fine Gael TD, Joe Carey said that the figures relating to Clare were matter for concern.

He said: “The IDA need to work to ensure Clare workers are not be- ing left behind in job creation terms. These figures, when examined, show cause for concern. For example,

counties with a similar sized popu- lation to ours are faring significantly better in terms of job creation.

“Waterford, Louth and Mayo, all have populations close in number to County Clare. Between them they created 674 jobs. In Clare, the IDA managed just 22. Cavan, which has half the population of County Clare, still managed to create three times more jobs.

He added: “Those statistics are not impressive, and as we move into a more uncertain economic climate, we need to focus our minds on ad- dressing the apparent job imbalance in the mid-west.”

The IDA has a strategy of regional development and 64 per cent of in- vestments in 2007 were located out- side of Dublin last year.

Also, the IDA played a strong role, in conjunction with Shannon Devel- opment, in securing 250 new jobs for the Shannon Free Zone with last week’s announcement that a medical services company, Zimmer, 1s to 1n- vest €50 million in Shannon.

However, the IDA has failed to date to secure an anchor tenant for the In- formation Age Park in Ennis.

The authority has the responsibility in securing foreign direct investment in Clare outside the Shannon Free Zone. But so far the park is home to indigenous start up companies.