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GREATER representation will be given to skateboarding and rugby on the re-structured Ennis sports facili- ties committee.

The committee, established in 2003 to facilitate communication and dis- cussion on the development of sport- ing facilities in Ennis, is to be ex- tended from nine to 11 members.

This comes after concerns were raised about the effectiveness of the committee.

Currently the committee is com- prised of three elected representa- tives from Ennis Town Council, three elected members of Clare County Council and a representative from the GAA, athletics and soccer.

However with the development of a new skate park and the increased use of Lees Road by underage and

senior sections of Ennis rugby club, the Council is seeking greater input from both groups.

A report prepared by Ennis Town Council proposed that ‘the number of sporting bodies representatives be increased and that each body be asked to confirm their existing rep- resentative or to nominate a repre- sentative to the Committee’.

A vacancy, created when a repre- sentative from Clare County Council was elected to the Dail in 2005, will also be filled.

A proposal to create an extra po- sition for schoolboy’s/girls soccer on the committee was rejected at the January meeting of Ennis Town Council.

Speaking at that meeting Fianna Fail councillor Joe Reidy said greater commitment was needed from sport- ing bodies.

He said, “It’s not up to us its up to individual sporting bodies. The peo- ple that are chosen have to speak up for themselves. The sports we are looking to hear from are skateboard- ing and rugby”.

Mayor of Ennis Tommy Brennan said previous committee meetings had been poorly attended.

Committee chairman and _ inde- pendent councillor Frankie Neylon said, “I would suggest five represent- atives from five different sports. We already have one from soccer, GAA and athletics. We have a particular problem with communication on the committee. We need to hear from the people, like those in rugby and soc- cer, who are frequent users of Lees Road. Its better to have people like that, rather than six councillors sit- ting around a table”.

Fianna Fail councillor Tom Glynn

expressed concern that an en-larged committee could prove less effec- tive.

He said, “I would have some con- cerns. Do we need to extend com- mittee? What you find sometimes with large committees is that it can take longer to get things done. Would it make the whole process more un- wieldy?”’

According to the report “The com- mittee has an important promotional role to play in highlighting the nature of the facilities available amongst sporting clubs and associations. The committee can further promote ad- ditional facilities as these become available for use’.

CLARE firms interested in exploring innova- tion aS a means of becoming more competi- tive are urged to take a closer look at the new Design Shannon Skillnet programme, which tees off this spring. The two year programme, which will run concurrently in Ennis and Lim- erick, is funded by member companies and the Training Networks Programme, an initiative of Skillnets Ltd, which is funded from the Na- tional Training Fund through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

“Design Shannon Skillnet represents a great opportunity for established manufacturing and service businesses — small and large — to ben- efit from the insight of leading national and in- ternational experts in the areas of design and innovation, and from the experiences of the other member firms in the network. The addi-

tion of more customised, one-on-one training to the new programme will further enhance the tangible benefits for each, individual company participating,’ said Laura Maye, Network Man- ager, Design Shannon Skillnet.

As a participant of the Design Shannon Skill- net programme, which recently finished, Frank Whelan, Sales Manager of Ennistymon-based Data Display, summarised how Data Display had benefited from the programme: “At a com- pany level, it has helped us to see and seize new ways of doing business. On a personal level, it has given me the skills to enhance my selling techniques, and to reap the ensuing benefits. Overall, worthwhile and value for money.”

For further information/registration, con- tact Design Shannon Skillnet at 065 6895282 (www.designshannon.ie).

A DUBLIN man who imported a haul of cannabis resin from Brus- sels, via Shannon airport, to pay off a drug debt has been jailed for four years.

Paul Hand (22), from Malahide in Dublin, admitted possession of drugs with a market value of €13,000 or more.

He was caught with cannabis resin, valued at €21,000, at Shannon air- port, on August 28, 2006.

Ennis Circuit Court heard yester- day that Hand had flown to Brussels on August 25 that year. On his return three days later, he was apprehended by Customs and when his suitcase was searched, the drugs were found.

The court heard that his own drug habit cost him up to €500 per week and he had imported the drugs to pay off a debt.

Hand’s barrister David Sutton, SC, said the accused had co-operated fully with gardai and had expressed remorse. He had since given up drugs, he said.

He pleaded guilty to the charge, which he said was at the lower end of the scale in terms of value.

He said it did seem to be a very “foolish enterprise” carried out for another individual and his client had

been naive.

Judge Carroll Moran said the im- portation of drugs was a serious mat- ter.

“Even though the value is small and the illicit drug is cannabis resin, which is not as poisonous as other substances, it’s still a Misuse of Drugs Offence,’ said the judge.

“You have to be living on another planet not to know that the legisla- ture expects and demands heavy sen- tences (for drugs offences),” he said.

The judge told Hand that investigat- ing Garda Michelle Holian had been fair to him and said “I hope you are appreciative of that.”

Noting that the accused was a pleasant individual, the judge said, “It is very difficult to send such a man to prison,’ and imposed a four- year term.

THE JESUIT COMMUNITY has been saddened by the passing of a much loved Ennis colleague.

Phillip O’Keefe spent most of his life as an SJ in Africa and came home just weeks before his recent olor hdee

He worked with his community in Mazabuca in South Africa, returning to Ennis to see his family every three to four years.

He was a student in Clongowes Wood before entering the Society in

1963 at the age of 17.

He studied Philosophy and Theol- ogy in Milltown Park, and was or- dained in 1975. Though Fr Phillip entered the Irish Jesuits, he subse- quently transferred to the Zambian province.

He worked at Maamba Catholic Church, Maamba and also St. Mary’s Parish, Monze.

His most recent appointment was as Superior and parish priest of Na- kambala Catholic Church, Parish of St Paul, Mazabuka, Zambia.

He was a keen golfer and wrote

little religious instructional books for the African children he worked wel80

At his funeral, Mass in Milltown Park, ex Jesuit Provincial, Fr Colm Brophy, paid tribute to Fr Phillip and his faith. He said that Fr Phillip, normally a shy man who didn’t like the limelight, “is awe-struck today, lying here listening to us, with what- ever ears death has, to find himself the root and centre of an enormous number of conversations of people who knew him. People in Zambia who admired and respected him,

people in Zambia who loved him.

Friends who are no longer in Zam- bia, many who are here. His cher- ished Jesuit family and his treasured own flesh and blood”.

He added that Fr Phillip was “very honest with himself” and had a “wry sense of humour which didn’t desert him, even at the end.

Fr Philip passed away peacefull in St. Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin aged 62.

He is survived by his brothers, Dan Rory, William and David and his twin sister, Molly.

THERE are now almost double the number of holiday homes in Kilkee to homes used in the resort on a per- manent basis.

In statistics cited by Clare County Council in refusing to allow a por- tion of 64 new homes be used as holiday homes, the local authority points out that there are now just un- der 1,000 holiday homes in the west Clare seaside resort.

According to figures secured from the Central Statistics Office (CSO),

there are now 996 holiday homes in Kilkee representing 83 per cent more homes that the 544 permanent holiday homes in Kilkee.

The council points out that 67 per cent of homes in Kilkee are unoc- cupied. Last year, Keelgrove Con- struction secured planning permis- sion for 64 homes in the resort.

However, the council inserted a condition that the homes be used only for permanent occupation in response to the high percentage of holiday homes already in Kilkee.

In response, Keelgrove lodged a

fresh application seeking to modify the planning permission so that a percentage of the homes can be used as holiday homes.

Consultants for Keelgrove Con- struction Ltd argued that the clause insisting that the homes be for per- manent occupancy is not supported in the West Clare Local Area Plan.

The consultants argue that if the council applies the permanent oc- cupancy clause to all future housing in Kilkee, “then the plan is failing to provide for a key sector of the housing and tourism market and

this could adversely impact on the economy of the town”.

The developers argue that “in the interest of fairness and equality, only a percentage of the residen- tial units within the development should be restricted to permanent occupancy — similar to the concept of providing social and affordable jaLO)UESS EO Toa

However, in the planner’s report, the council cited an An Bord Pleana- la inspector’s report on a previous application for holiday homes.

The report stated that “having

visited Kilkee on June 2, albeit mid-week, it was starkly evident the extent of holiday home develop- ment present in the town and on its fringes and its underutilisation”.

The council planner recommended “that this development proposal be refused as it would further contrib- ute to the loss of community, lack of housing choice for permanent residents in Kilkee and lead to an unsustainable demand for all year round services and would therefore materially contravene an objective in a local area plan for the area.”

DESPITE the fact that children in Clare as young as 12 are turning to alcohol and teenagers of 14 are using cannabis, the mid-west still has not employed a dedicated psychiatrist for adolescents. As a result, young people are falling between the child and adult psychiatric services. Neither is ideal for teenagers and young adults, according to Dr Moosa- jee Bhamjee, who said Clare people are now waiting up to one year for assessment by a psychiatrist. Research from a team of psycholo- gists and sociologists from Trin- ity College and University College

Dublin suggests that mental health problems among young people are increasing. According to Tony Bates of Headstrong, the National Centre for Mental Health, less than 10 per cent of young people with a mental illness engage in support services.

Dr Bhamjee agreed, saying, “A lot of them don’t see drink or drugs as a problem and that is a big issue.

“Drinking is now starting at the end of primary school, and cannabis smoking at the age of 14. These teen- agers are addicts by Leaving Cert and drop-outs at Junior Cert.”

The Clare psychiatrist maintains that peer pressure and body image are adding to the teen strain.

In what has become a vicious cir- cle, younger and younger children are turning to alcohol, drugs and other social problems in an attempt to justify their place in society.

Children at primary school level are presenting with anorexia and Obesity but most of these problems start at 14 and 15 years of age.

“We are beginning to see younger people with early onset of schizo- phrenia, manic depression and ma- nia, panic attracts and anxiety at- tacks due to social pressures.”

There is currently no psychiatrist for adolescents in the mid-west, for which the HSE and government must be chastised, said Dr Bhamjee.

The appointment of one, and a Support team, is estimated to cost €1 million. There are no admission places in Munster for adolescent pa- tients. Each year, an average of 16 adolescent admissions are made to Ward 5B in Limerick and at least one third are from Clare. Young “volun- tary” patients can also be accommo- dated at Ennis General Hospital.

Developing counselling services in colleges and a clinical psycholo- gist in primary schools when chil- dren are more receptive could help, said Dr Bhamjee. In an emergency, a child can be seen by the child psy- chiatrist department within days.

THE poor public transport system serving Newmarket-on-Fergus is a huge barrier for community groups in the area as it hinders people from accessing education and work.

Local community group Obair said the village has “lost some of an al- ready sparse bus service due to the bypass and this causes great difficul- ty for members of the target group in accessing education and work op- portunities in larger towns and cities such as Shannon and Limerick”.

The comment came last week as Obair received Government funding to maintain employment for three workers in the local community.

Obair was one of 11 groups across

the county to receive funding under the national Community Services Programme (CSP).

The three positions will support elderly services, people with dis- abilities, childcare services and local community facilities.

The funding has been a huge boost to Obair, which was set up in 1993, to address high levels of unemploy- ment at the time. Since 1996, Obair has been one of 34 groups around the county which administers the Local Development Social Inclusion Pro- eramme (LDSIP). The project for which the funding was announced will be located in the Newmarket- on-Fergus Family Centre.

According to Jackie Bonfield of Obair, “As always there are certain

barriers that continue to effect the implementation of programmes such as these, namely public transport and local childcare services. There is a continued need for more affordable childcare, both for the benefit of the parent and also the child.”

She added, “The diversity of facili- ties and services that will be avail- able from the family centre to the community will require management and support services. The CSP will facilitate this need through the pro- vision of management, administra- tion, group support work, caretaker/ maintenance and security/cleaning services. All services are crucial to the efficient management of the fam- ily centre and the services provided for the disadvantaged members of

the community.”

The project will provide supports to assist elderly groups in their work for “Meals on Wheels’. It will also help in the fight for equality for peo- ple with disabilities.

‘The group is conscious of the need to be inclusive of people with disa- bilities and is supporting the work of a disabled access review committee that was set up in 2006.

“This committee is reviewing a re- search project which was conducted a few years ago on disability acces- sibility and addressing issues still outstanding and any new issues that have arisen during this time,” said Ms Bonfield. The work of the after- school programme will also be sup- ported, under the initiative.

THE Western Development Com- mission’s, (WDC) investment arm, the WDC Investment Fund, invested €6.2 million in 17 projects during 2007.

Since it was set up, the investment fund has made investments totalling €27/m.

Gillian Buckley, WDC CEO, said, “The size of the WDC Investment Fund’s continuing investments 1s ev1- dence of the excellent stock of com- mercially viable projects in the west- ern region. The 2006 census shows the region has been able to attract an adaptable and educated workforce as evidenced by a population increase in line with the national average,” she said.

“There is a high demand for a fund of our kind that is the only source of venture funds specifically available

for enterprises in the western region. Through the fund we are success- fully filling the ‘funding gap’, allow- ing projects to get off the ground, erow more quickly and bring them to a stage where it is in a position to attract funding from the private sec- tor.”

WDC investment fund recipients during the past year include FMC Tech Ltd, based in Shannon, which has developed the Crystal System, which provides electrical utilities with the ability to locate, measure and predict faults on overhead me- dium-voltage power lines.

A YOUNG man who joined in a high-speed car race on the outskirts of Ennis, amid poor driving condi- tions, was pursued by a garda who was travelling in an unmarked pa- trol car.

Cathal Vaughan (19), originally from Kilkee and with an address in Middlesex, UK, was convicted of dangerous driving and with crossing a continuous white line, at Kilmo- rane, Ennis, on December 29 last.

Sergeant Mattie Molyneaux told

Ennis District Court that he was on duty in an unmarked patrol car at Darragh.

He noticed a car passing by “at very high speed.” As he went to pur- sue it, another car passed by, also at speed.

Sergeant Molyneaux said he 1m- mediately got the impression that the two cars were racing.

He pursued them at a speed of up to 180 kilometres per hour, but “made very little impression on them”.

He said at Kilmorane, the two cars passed a line of vehicles. Another

car, a golf – driven by the accused – pulled out from that line and fol- lowed the two cars.

Other cars were overtaken on con- tinuous white lines, he said.

Sgt Molyneaux said the two cars which had been racing veered onto the bypass, via the roundabout near O’Sullivan and Hansbury garage.

The other car, being driving by the defendant, continued on towards Cahercalla, where he was arrested.

The garda said that traffic was heavy at the time and road surface was wet. “Conditions were not great

for driving,’ he added.

Sgt Molyneaux accepted that the accused was not involved in the in1- tial race, but that he joined in.

Defending solicitor Joe Moloney said his client “cannot explain” why he followed the two cars. He said there was “no oncoming tralf- fic when he (Vaughan) overtook the vehicles.”

The garda said the accused “did co-operate. I cannot fault him for his behaviour after I stopped him, but it was the problems that led up to it.

“I didn’t get to stop the other two defendants.

“IT wasn’t in a position to radio for help,’ said Sgt Molyneaux.

The solicitor said his client has been working in the UK for a number of months and needs his driver’s licence for work.

‘There was no accident, there was no collision. He put his hands up im- mediately,’ said Mr Moloney.

Judge Joseph Mangan fined Vaughan €4,000 but did not ban him from driving, citing work exi1- gencies as the reason.

HELP is out there is the central message in a new song co-written by Ennis man Gerry Malone.

‘Clouds and Whispers’ was writ- ten by Gerry and Mattie Slattery and released as a charity single shortly before Christmas to benefit the Clare Living Links charity.

The two men are also members of the One and All group, established last year with the aim of promoting fellowship and helping those in soci- ety who find themselves in difficult situations.

All proceeds raised from the sale of Clouds and Whispers will also go

towards Clare Living Links. For five years the Living Links organisation has offered a suicide outreach sup- port service to families and individu- als in Clare who have been bereaved by suicide.

There are currently 10 fully trained volunteers staffing the service in the county.

In addition to healing programmes, volunteers respond to approaches made by a bereaved family or in- dividuals and can arrange to meet them inside or outside their homes or wherever the bereaved person feels most comfortable. All meetings are conducted in strict confidence. Gerry said he was moved to write the song

to address the tragic frequency of suicide in Ireland.

“There is an awful lot of despair and loneliness in society and suicide, sadly, seems to have become all too common in Ireland. It is an emotional song and acknowledges the fact that there are people in need of emotional support.”

Whispers and Clouds was produced by local man Mattie Purcell at his studio in Ennis. “I had the idea for a few years but I was never involved in a project like this before. I thought it would be good to give something back and I thought a CD would be a good idea,” added Gerry.

One and All is a community sup-

port group established by Mattie Slattery in Drogheda in 2006.

“It’s only in the initial stages at the moment in Ennis. There are other branches in Drogheda and Athlone. It mainly involves visiting people who are sick, the elderly and getting in touch with people in difficulty or who can’t help themselves,” said Gerry.

Clouds and Whispers is available in stores in Ennis. For further in- formation on One and All, contact oneanall@oceanfree.net.