Category: Uncategorized

THE driving force in_ Bridget Sweeney’s life is her “Burrenview’ bed and breakfast business in Bally- vaughan and she proved it when pick- ing up her latest award last month.

On her way to an end-of-year awards function for the Tourism Learning Network, her car broke down. Yet just a few weeks before she had won a new car in a national newspaper competition. But Bridget opted to convert the car prize into cash, which she invested in the com- fort of her guests rather than her own driving convenience.

Not even the breakdown halted Bridget. Still stained with oil and

erime when she finally arrived in Limerick’s Castletroy Park Hotel, she was stunned to learn that she was one of three award winners chosen from the 25-strong membership of the Clare Tourism Learning Network.

Winning ways are nothing new to Bridget, from Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan, who was the leader of an award-winning customer care team in the telecoms industry before she used the proceeds of an early retire- ment package to finance her dream of running a B&B in the Burren.

She took on the job of project manager for the conversion and refurbishment of ‘Burrenview’ which opened in 2006 and was an award winner within its first year.

The five-bedroom B&B with dis- ability access in all en-suite rooms won a ‘Welcome Award’ from Failte Ireland as well as getting a ‘highly recommended’ endorsement from Family Homes of Ireland.

Before she opened her doors to paying guests, Bridget conducted a series of test-runs to weed out any problems or shortcomings for her as a newcomer to the tourist trade. She invited well-travelled friends and family to visit and provide feedback.

“They told me what they thought of how I greeted them on arrival, how I informed them about what was on offer in the area, the comfort of the bedrooms and the quality of the breakfast,” she said.

Bridget’s winning ways have also helped to fit out Burrenview. She has a flair for dreaming up winning slo- gans. Her prize from one competition provided the furniture for the patio looking out over the Burren, while light fittings and an aquarium were also won in slogan competitions.

Bridget received her ‘Tourism Learning Network award for her achievement in developing a boutique bed and breakfast venture at New- town, Ballyvaughan. Other winners presented with their awards by Clare Mayor, Councillor Patricia McCa- rthy, were Davnet Cronin O’Brien of Clonlara Equestrian Centre and John Davoren of Caherconnell Fort in the Burren.4

GREEN Party councillor, Brian Meaney has accused his party col- league, Energy Minister, Eamon Ryan of showing little sensitivity towards the Shannon Heathrow controversy.

Cllr Meaney made the charge yes- terday after Minister Ryan admitted that he went and relaxed on a beach during a family holiday last August after hearing about the Aer Lingus decision to axe the Shannon-Heath- row service.

In a radio interview last week, Minister Ryan said, “I turned on the

radio every morning and heard that Shannon was top of the news. I’d just turn off the radio and go back to the beach and relax for the day so I had a lovely holiday. It was a great break.”

The minister’s remarks have pro- voked an angry reaction from Clare’s mayor, Cllr Patricia McCarthy and yesterday Cllr Meaney said, “Minis- ter Ryan’s remarks showed little sen- sitivity to the issue and to those who gave up their annual holidays to try to save the slots.”

Cllr Meaney said that Minister Ryan’s decision to relax on a beach

after hearing of the Shannon-Heath- row controversy reflected the attitude of the political establishment to the crisis last year.

Cllr Meaney said, “Minister Ry- an’s remarks were off the cuff and he could have chosen his words more or Nacsa veh Yam

Cllr Meaney said that the failure of the political establishment to act on the Shannon issue reinforces his belief that there is a certain indiffer- ence to the mid-west from Dublin.

In the aftermath of the Aer Lingus decision during the summer, Cllr Meaney said that he is considering

his future within the Greens and he confirmed yesterday that he hasn’t made his mind up on his future.

He said, “The Shannon-Heathrow controversy precipitated my thinking about my future within the Greens and other issues that will affect my decision include how the Greens view the upcoming referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.”

Cllr Meaney said that there was very little that the Government could have done on the Shannon-Heathrow issue in the face of the Aer Lingus management transferring the slots by stealth.

AS OUR year on Pemba Island, Tanzania, draws to a close we look back and marvel at the vast range of places, people, activities and emotions that have filled our lives in 2007. For us, it has been a privilege and the opportunity of a lifetime to live among the people here. They have taught us much.

This year, we learned that poverty sets a lot of limits for people but it doesn’t crush their spirit. Despite the daily struggle to put food on the table, our neighbours greet each other with a big smile every morning and children play happily all day long with a burst ball or the sand on the roadside.

This year, we learned that people of

the Muslim faith are not all terrorists despite their bad press in the West. The most popular greeting on the is- land is ‘Salama’ which means peace.

We have never seen violence on the street or even on the sports field and bad language doesn’t feature here. We have discovered that they are a polite, disciplined, prayerful people and they have much to teach us.

We learned that sport is universal and unites people throughout the world. The Premiership has reached Pemba, with shopfronts sporting such names as Highbury Fashions and Everton Café.

When the young men train for the local soccer club the older men sit for hours watching them and, as they walk home from training in their bare feet, they are escorted by troops

of youngsters who feel privileged to accompany their heroes.

This year, we learned that we are all brothers and sisters on this planet and more alike than different. Whether black or white, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, Muslim or Christian, we all share a common life experience.

Emotionally, we are exactly alike. The same things make us laugh and cry. We love and hate and get angry about the same things. We all worry when our children are sick but there is delight when Man Utd win.

But we have also learned that things are not as simple as they seem and everyone has their own story. Behind the large, open-eyed smile of a hand- some brown child there lie layers of little victories over hunger, poverty,

hardship and failure. We have also learned that a toasted cheese sand- wich can taste good anywhere, it is possible to be understood in Swa- hili with a very small vocabulary and water is a greater necessity than electricity. We have learned that the Irish people are incredibly generous, we still wonder at the magic of email and texts, that a juicy pineapple can put many problems in perspective and friends are a precious gift.

STAFF at Aer Lingus in Shannon have expressed concerns that they are no longer retraining for short- haul flights.

The 169 cabin crew at the airline must take part in a refresher course every year to retain the licence nec- essary to work on short-haul flights.

In recent months, however, staff returning from maternity leave were told that they would not be retrained in short-haul flights this year, just transatlantic.

Sources close to the airline said that since then no other cabin crew have been called for short-haul flight training. A concerned Shan- non worker said that staff have since learnt that a mandate has been issued stating such training will no longer continue in Shannon.

“If a case of lightning striking the plane happens in Shannon again, as it did at the weekend, and the plane is grounded, another crew will have to be brought from Dublin to accom- pany the passengers to Dublin as the new flight will be considered short-

haul.”

The worker said that the training 1s just one extra module with the trans- atlantic retraining and a few extra questions on the annual teat.

If this continues, there will be no staff trained in short-haul flights in Shannon this time next year. Mean- while, talks are continuing at the La- bour Relations Commission, based in Shannon for the first time ever.

While Aer Lingus is looking for 51 redundancies following the removal of the Heathrow slots from Shannon, it is believed that just 20 employees

have applied for the severance deal.

The original cut-off point for ap- plications for the severance deal was this Thursday but that has been ex- tended for three weeks, so staff can consider any recommendations made by the LRC.

Meanwhile, the last Aer Lingus flight to London-Heathrow will leave Shannon on Sunday.

Speaking on Radio One’s

A COMMUNITY group based in Shannon which celebrates its 10th birthday this year is planning to expand its role, so that it can lend a hand to the elderly.

The Shannon Social Economy Maintenance Services Limited cur- rently provides support to a wide va- riety of groups, including the primary schools in the town and surrounding areas, the Shannon tidy towns com- mittee and local GAA clubs.

Among its work includes the provi- sion of a cleaning service, painting, decorating and recycling and general Crue ED nereaenu latory

Last week, it was one of 11 projects

in the county to receive funding un- der the national Community Serv- ices Programme.

The money allocated to the Shan- non group, which is based at St To- la’s National School, will maintain employment for one manager and five full time workers.

Currently 10 people are employed full-time along with a number of part-time staff. Manager Christy Shannon is hoping its remit can be extended.

“We are hoping to employ more people and provide a service for the elderly, where we can clean windows and do painting and decorating,’ he Sr AKGe

“We are doing our best to provide

as much employment as possible. Shannon has good employment, but people can find it difficult to get into the psyche of employment,” said Mr SJeEDevOee ;

“Initially we started off with FAS and we now deal with different de- partments. In the early days, we em- ployed people aged 35 and over, who were long-term unemployed. Now the employees don’t have to be on the live register.

“We reskill people and help them to get back to work or to move to bet- ter employment,” said Mr Shannon.

Several staff have worked on the initiative since its inception 10 years ago and during this time have built up a good rapport with the schools

in the area. The organisers collect a minimal fee from each school and organisation it works with.

In addition, the Government fund- ing is crucially important, in order that the group continues to operate for the benefit of the local commu- nity.

“We work hand in hand with the principals and Boards of Manage- ment and staff in the schools and it all works out well,” he said.

Welcoming the announcement of the funding last week, Clare Muin- ister for State Tony Killeen said, ‘These necessary funds importantly recognise the voluntary effort of lo- cal community groups throughout Ireland.”

FEARS that a dispute might ground Aer Lingus flights have been allevi- ated after SIPTU agreed to go along with procedures suggested by the Na- tional Implementation Body (NIB). SIPTU shop stewards agreed to

keep working with Aer Lingus to shave another €10 million off the airline’s budget. Agreement has al- ready been reached on how the air- line can save an initial €10 million, mainly through the introduction of flexible start times and new rosters. The union had threatened stoppages

which would have grounded planes at Shannon and other airports. In a statement SIPTU said it has “agreed to remain within the process estab- lished by the National Implementa- tion Body to find alternative ways of achieving the €20 million savings being sought by Aer Lingus manage-

ment”.

Shop stewards considered the pro- posals made by the NIB on Decem- ber 21 and are “happy it is achieving our objective of identifying alterna- tive savings to the proposed cuts in pay being sought by the company, ’ according to Aer Lingus Branch Or- ganiser, Teresa Brannick.

SIPTU has referred the pay freeze imposed by the company on employ- ees on October | to the Labour Re- lations Commission and the Labour Court. A spokeswoman for the union said this does not interfere with the NIB process.

An Aer Lingus spokeswoman not- ed the outcome of the shop stewards’ meeting and welcomed “their leader- ship in this important process.”

She added that the company is “ful- ly committed to continuing to engage positively with the union”.

The row behind the threatened rollover stoppages centres on union claims that proposed airline meas- ures will cost staff €4,000 a year.

The NIB has recommended that negotiations should be completed by the end of this month. The savings so far have been agreed with ground staff. Further savings will be sought from other workers, including cabin crew, pilots and craft workers.

Rolling stoppages had been threat- ened for dates in mid-November. The NIB, the state’s industrial relations trouble-shooting body, stepped in at the eleventh hour to bring the two sides together.

A PROPOSAL for the adoption of legislation, which will block appli- cations for casinos in Shannon, will be voted on, at a meeting of the local town council tonight.

Under the Gaming and Lotteries Act (1956), applications can be made for casinos. This legislation is cur- rently effective in Shannon, which means that subject to conditions, ca- sinos can, effectively, be set up in the eda 0

However councillors in Shannon

are attempting to rescind this, mean- ing that such applications can no longer be made.

Last year, businessman John O’Donovan lodged plans with Clare County Council for a casino, which he claims will create 12 jobs in Shannon. His application was turned down and is currently under appeal.

Last October, Shannon town coun- cillors voted to start the process to rescind the legislation.

The motion, up for discussion at this month’s meeting of the town council tonight (Tuesday), 1s widely expected

to be passed when voted upon by the nine town councillors.

If it is adopted, it means casinos or gambling clubs cannot be established in Shannon.

Objectors had until December 13 last to lodge objections to the pro- posed change.

Eleven objections have been lodged to Shannon Town Council and these will be considered by councillors as they vote on the issue tonight.

Mr O’Donovan, who hails from Quin, believes that there is a need for a casino in Shannon.

He said he carried out “brief sur- veys” on the hotels in Shannon and found that the occupancy ranges from 500 to 1200 per week.

“A number of guests would spent two to three days there. Unless you enjoy a drink, there is nothing really to do. That is how Shannon came to the forefront of this,’ he said.

He said he was initially “down- hearted” by some of the negative comments associated with his apph- cation, and said he was looking at his proposals as “something positive for Shannon.”

, the HSE was unable to say which specialist pa- tients in Ennis were waiting to see.

Meanwhile, the National Treatment Purchase Fund, which has helped to reduce the surgical waiting lists, only applies to people who have been seen by aconsultant and are scheduled for treatment or an operation.

The real wait for patients now 1s to see the consultant.

While those close to the hospital services in the region say that an audit of the waiting list is long over- due as many patients may have died or received treatment elsewhere, the wait is still highly criticised.

Fine Gael spokesperson on health Dr James Reilly, said he would be in- terested in knowing how many peo- ple have literally died waiting.

While Ennis hospital has recorded its longest waiting period as four

and a half years, the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Dooradoyle has a waiting list of three years with 13,074 people waiting.

Neighbouring hospital at Portiun- cula has a waiting list of more than four years, while patients have been waiting to be seen at Galway’s two main hospitals since 2000. A total of 18,206 people have been waiting.

These startling figures were re- leased in the same week that top acci- dent and emrgency doctors criticised HSE CEO Prof Brendan Drumm of having “limited experience” in emer- gency medicine and medical care.

The A and E specialists predicted that at least 360 people will lose their lives as a result of A and E over- crowding this year.

The president of the Irish Associa- tion of Emergency Medicine Dr Fer- gal Hickey called on the HSE to fol- low the UK example and introduce a mandatory waiting time for A and E beyond which patients would not have to wait.

A major report into the A and E cri- sis had previously recommended that a limit be imposed on patient wait- ing times in A and E departments nationally.

An analysis of the HSE national figures by emergency consultant Mr Patrick Plunkett found patient delays in A and E had become worse in re- cent months however.

THE Shannon Lions Club say its Christmas food appeal has been a huge success, with help given to doz- ens of families on the breadline.

The club decided, for the first time, to give financial assistance to four community groups who work closely with those in need.

The four groups then used that money to help people in need. The eroups – Meals on Wheels, Shannon Senior citizens, St Vincent De Paul and Shannon Mental Health Associ- ation – were presented with cheques by the Lions Club, in the run-up to Christmas.

Previously the Lions Club had

Operated a voucher system in that families in need were presented with vouchers, from which they could buy food and other necessities.

The club collects money and gets support from the community and its aim 1s to ensure that it includes every sector when the funds are distrib- WIKexe

The money was raised from church- gate collections, a flag day anda golf classic, which were held during the year. The Lions Club will also or- ganise a Valentine’s Ball, which will take place in Bunratty on February 9 next. The proceeds of this night will go to Milford Hospice in Limerick, which provides care to many people from Shannon and surrounding ar-

eas.

According to the PRO of the Lions Club, Tony McMahon, the generos- ity of locals in Shannon was essen- tial, in order that the poor and needy were looked after.

“It costs in the region of €7,000 to €8,000 to cover our running costs,” said Mr McMahon.

He said the organisers of the Christ- mas food appeal were pleased with how it worked out this year, with sev- eral people helping out.

While the Christmas campaign 1s out of the way for another year, the Lions Club will continue to provide much needed assistance to the peo- ple of Shannon.

“We go all year around. While the

Christmas food appeal would be the main occasion for us, the club is there all year around to help people. The food element is just at Christ- mas. We address other needs that arise, throughout the year,’ said Mr McMahon.

The club, through its president Ger- ry Flynn, has expressed gratitude to all its sponsors and supporters whose generosity enabled the club to carry out its programme of work during the past 12 months.

The club is encouraging people to support its Valentine’s Ball in Feb- ruary. Those who want to purchase tickets should contact Tony McMa- hon on 086-2359277, or any Lions Club member.

THE pre-Christmas partial ban on Brazilian beef imports into the EU has been welcomed cautiously by the farming organisations.

Speaking from Brussels, the IFA President Padraig Walshe stated that only an outright ban will fully safe- guard the European Union from the risk of Foot and Mouth Disease from Brazilian beef imports.

However, Mr Walshe had to con- cede that the restrictions decided upon for Brazil, particularly the re- quirement that all holdings for export to the EU must be approved and list- ed publicly, is a significant step for- ward. “The decision of the European Commission indicates that the new

restrictions on approved holdings should limit the number of Brazilian farms meeting the new criteria for export to Europe. These new restric- tions should limit exports to a small number of farms, if properly imple- mented,” he said.

“The IFA campaign over the last two years highlighting the failure of Brazil to meet EU standards has been fully vindicated. The commis- sion again have admitted that they have identified serious instances of non compliance with regard to hold- ing registration, animal identification and movement controls and a failure to respect their previous commit- ments to take the appropriate correc- tive measures.”

The Commission decision goes on

to state that, “it is only possible to al- low imports to continue on a secure basis by strengthening the control and surveillance for holdings from which animals eligible for export to the community are sourced and by establishing a provisional list of such approved holdings”.

“FMD is endemic in Brazil and only a total ban will safeguard the European Union. Previous attempts to regulate Brazilian beef imports to Europe have fallen down due to a lack of traceability and movement controls, ineffective vaccination against FMD and the inability of the Brazilian authorities to implement proper controls,” said IFA National Livestock Chairman, John Bryan.

The ban was also welcomed by

Irish MEP Marian Harkins. **The fact that it took the Irish Farmers Asso- ciation and the Irish Farmers Journal to expose the deficiencies inherent in the Brazilian cattle production and processing industry casts doubt on the efficacy of the EU’s veterinary and food safety system,” she said .

“The investigation of Brazilian controls in the beef sector by Irish in- terests was first rubbished by repre- sentatives of the EU Food & Veteri- nary Office and was not supported by our minister for agriculture. But the pressure maintained by the IFA, sup- ported by the Agriculture Commit- tee of the European Parliament and members such as myself has forced this reassessment of non-compliance by Brazil with EU requirements.”