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A LAHINCH businessman has told An Bord Pleanala that he must be allowed to pursue his living without interruption from revellers from an adjoining pub on the Main Street of the resort.

Last month, the council gave Flanagan’s pub the go-ahead for an extension to their operation, ruling that it was in accordance with the proper planning and development of the area. However, Pat Kenny of the

adjoining jewellery shop Gems of Eves/Allure has appealed the deci- sion to An Bord Pleanala.

In his appeal, Mr Kenny said: “The construction of this area will not stop the existing problem of cus- tomers smoking and drinking on the main street as people in the front bar will use the street as it is more con- (os Ob CoOL

“We will now have intoxicated cus- tomers at the front, side and possibly on top of our premises. This is a busy resort town with a constant party

mood during the summer months.

‘“Flanagan’s bar has live music every single night of the summer. We have endured this noise for years and are now completely surrounded by it. My shop is selling jewellery and high quality goods.”

“It is not helped by the rukus next door spilling out into the street and now from my backyard. I need to be allowed to pursue my living without this type of interruption

‘My business stays open late in the summer months and currently has to

contend with only the noise from the main street as there are currently no openings from Flanagan’s bar facing my building.

“If this new plan is allowed, there will be upstairs windows from the existing domestic area, the new large glazing and the doors in the court- yard as well as the clients in the courtyard to contend with. The noise level will be unbearable.

“The construction of this extension will devalue my property. The sub- stantial increase in the size of the bar

and the opening of so many windows and doors facing my property will all mean greater light and disturbance.”

In a submission to the council, Flanagan’s bar stated, “With these measures, it would be anticipated that the courtyard would not contribute to producing a significantly greater disturbance than what is currently on site from the opening of windows to provide natural ventilation to the bar areas.”

A decision is expected before the end of the year.

AFTER years of campaigning by the Lisdoonvarna Failte committee, final approval for almost €1.5 million in government funding for the Lisdoon- varna Community Centre was an- nounced last week.

The funding, which was granted by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, will go towards the restora- tion of the community centre includ- ing the refurbishment of the town’s historic Park Pavilion Theatre.

The theatre, which was built in 1913, played host to countless shows over the decades and helped spawn a theatrical tradition in the area, which survives to today through the Burren

Players.

At the turn of the 19th century Lisdoonvarna was a flourishing spa town and tourist destination. The Pavilion Theatre played a major role in the development of the country’s only active spa town.

“T am delighted that the facility is shortly to be renovated and refur- bished. It is essential that this land- mark in the early development of tourism in rural Ireland is preserved for future generations,’ said Tony Killeen TD, and Minister for Labour PaVar.ubny

‘The announcement by the Depart- ment of Arts, Sport and Tourism rep- resents the final approval of funds, which have been sought by members

of the local community since 2001.

Apart from the local sports com- plex, there is no formal community centre in Lisdoonvarna. ‘Therefore, the provision of funding underlines the significance of developing a thea- tre and community centre.”

The Park Pavilion Theatre will form part of the overall plans to develop comprehensive public facilities in the town. Tony Killeen added, “I have spoken with the Chairperson of Lis- doonvarna Failte, Joe Garrihy, who has informed me that the develop- ment will complement existing plans to establish a children’s playground, community sports field and athletics sports track and a community creche catering for up to 50 children. It is

anticipated that these much-needed facilities will be completed by early summer 2008.”

The North Clare Sports and Amen- ity Park project has already been ap- proved €2.5m by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, the Depart- ment of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Depart- ment of Health and Children, and Clare County Council.

Developments have been progress- ing since the sod was turned on the North Clare Amenity Park in May. When finished the project will in- clude a community sports field and track, town hall pavilion, community creche and community playground.

COUNTY Clare has one of the highest rates of area that is considered ‘grossly polluted’ in a survey of counties across eeRCO LEN IBaNs

A Department of the Environment report on how local authorities per- formed in 2006 has found that along with South Dublin County Council and Roscommon County Council, Clare County Council had the highest at four per cent of area that was con- sidered to be ‘grossly polluted’.

The survey found that 15 per cent of Clare is litter free, 45 per cent of the county is ‘slightly polluted’ and 41 per

cent is ‘moderately polluted’.

The survey also found that 21 percent of the county 1s ‘slightly polluted’. The survey also revealed that in spite of the continuing promotion of recycling, 73 per cent of household waste is still landfilled with 27 per cent recycled.

However, the figure is a dramatic improvement on the recycling-landfill ratio earlier in the decade.

In relation to litter enforcement, the study found that there were 2,064 complaints made resulting in 261 en- forcement procedures, though only two prosecutions were secured in the area of litter

In the planning area, it found that

one out of every planning applica- tion for one-off homes is refused. The refusal rate is higher for housing de- velopments where 38 per cent of plan- ning applications for housing schemes are refused.

In relation to appeals made to An Bord Pleanala, it shows that 36 per cent of decisions were overturned in relation to one-off homes, though in relation to housing schemes, this fig- ure was reduced to 30 per cent.

In the area of planning enforce- ment, it revealed that 274 complaints were made with 10 complaints being resolved through negotiation.

The report reveals that 197 Warn-

ing Letters were issued by the council under the planning acts with a further 129 Enforcement Letters issued. The report reveals that 11 prosecutions were taken into suspected ‘rogue de- velopers’.

In relation to housing, the figures show that 61 per cent of the county’s traveller community were housed un- der the traveller accommodation pro- eramme.

In common with other local authori- ties, Clare has a poor record in relation to the provision of playgrounds where the number of playgrounds provided per 1,000 per population was .06 per Cone

THE mayors of Clare and Shannon have expressed concern that the air of uncertainty caused by the poten- tial loss of Aer Lingus’s Shannon- Heathrow service has been further compounded by the recent announce- ment of over 260 job losses at three mid-west manufacturing firms.

Last Wednesday, Shannon-based tool manufacturing company Mo- hawk Europa announced its closure with the loss of 90 jobs; on Thursday, Analog Devices confirmed plans to shed 150 posts at its Limerick plant.

On Friday, Rothenberger Ireland con- firmed the loss of up to 20 jobs with the relocation of the manufacturing element of its operation to Germany and Spain.

Mayor of Clare, Councillor Patricia McCarthy said the losses have set a dangerous precedent for other manu- facturing operations in the region.

“Shannon has for many decades been the major hub for manufactur- ing in Clare. Should the haemorrhag- ing of manufacturing jobs continue at its current pace, I fear that the foun- dation for development in the county and wider region will be fatally un-

dermined,” she explained.

According to Mayor of Shannon, Cllr Sean McLoughlin, “While the link between this week’s recent jobs losses in the mid-west and the cur- rent dispute over direct flights to London are unknown, it is impera- tive that the Government is reminded of the potential for further significant job losses in the future.”

Mayor McLoughlin expressed concern that job losses were not be- ing counteracted with the creation of new jobs. “I want to know what the Government is going to do about protecting existing jobs and generat-

ing new employment in the manufac- turing sector.”

Several companies had already warned of the possible consequences of the Aer Lingus announcement. Within hours of confirmation of the airline’s intention, local companies claimed jobs would be lost in the re- gion if the service was discontinued.

General Manager of industrial dia- mond maker Element Six, Mr Ken Sullivan said his company would have a “very uncertain future in Shannon if an alternative route or carrier 1s not identified before the Aer Lingus service is withdrawn.”

SHANNON tool manufacturer Mo- hawk Europa paid out over €2 mil- lion to its shareholders according to the most recent accounts returned to the Companies Office.

The €2 million paid out predated a management buy-out of the company on April 29, 2005 and the company accounts state that the “retained earn- ings at this time were 1n excess of the amount of dividend paid out”’.

The accounts cover the period April 2005 to April 2006 and high- light the deteriorating finances of the company.

They show that the company suf-

fered an operating loss of €1.3 mil- lion to the end of April 2006 and this followed an operating loss of €8§00,000 in 2005.

The accounts show that the com- pany’s ‘administration expenses’ increased by over €500,000 during 2006 from €1.5 million to €2.09 mil- lion.

However, during the same period, the company’s “gross profit’ remained static at €1.7 million.

The paying out of the €2.1 million dividend ensured that the company’s loss at the end of April 2006 was €3.45 million.

This ensured that the company’s ac- cumulated profits at the end of April

2005 of €2.5 million became a loss of €938,000 at the end of April 2006.

The accounts state, “The company is engaged in the manufacture of spe- cial cutting tools in high speed steel, solid carbide and carbide tipped.

“The company was the subject of a management buy-out during the pe- riod.”

As a result, restructuring charges of €833,325 were incurred and a divi1- dend of €2,121,000 was paid prior to the management buy out on April 29, 2005.

Consequently, a substantial loss has been reported.

The accounts state that “the man- agement buy-out team, consisting of

Seamus O’Callaghan, Kieran Joyce, Adrian Freeman, Dan Leonard and Derek Whyte, are regarded as being the ultimate controlling party”.

Underlining the impact the closure of the company will have on the lo- cal economy, the accounts show that €3.1 million was spent on wages in PAU Tey

This was €500,000 down on the €3.6 million paid out in 2005 and the sav- ings were made through the facility cutting its workforce from 116 to 103. The company’s balance sheet also showed a deterioration, with share- holders funds halving from €7 mil- lion at the end of April 2005 to €3.5 million to the end of April 2006.

FINE Gael Leader Enda Kenny is due to arrive in Clare to discuss the Shannon crisis before the end of the Neto) e

Senior members of the party said that the leader, who is just back from holidays, was last night finalising his agenda for the coming week.

It was expected, however, that he would be in Clare by the week’s end.

Deputy Kenny is expected to meet with members of the Shannon

Airport Authority to find out what plans, if any, are in place to attract an airline with Heathrow slots to the airport.

When asked if the party locally would be asking Deputy Kenny to put pressure on the Government to vote with Ryanair at an Extraordi- nary General Meeting (EGM), Fine Gael Deputy Pat Breen said that any decision would be taken at national aoe

‘A lot can happen between now and an EGM,” he said.

Deputy Kenny is coming to the

region in the wake of a meeting of more than 60 Fine Gael politicians in Shannon last week.

The high-profile meeting upped the ante by calling on rebel Government TDs to back a Fine Gael call for a recall of the Dail to discuss the Aer Lingus decision to take the Heath- row slots from Shannon and bring them to Belfast.

The Fine Gael TDs, senators and local councillors called for a reversal of the decision.

After a two-hour meeting behind closed doors in the Park Inn hotel at

Shannon Airport, Fine Gael Chair- man, Tom Hayes issued an agreed statement calling on the Government to use its 25 per cent shareholding to rescind the Aer Lingus decision to transfer the slots.

Fine Gael TD, Pat Breen said the Government “has a 25 per cent shareholding in Aer Lingus and has an obligation to the region, whether it likes it or not.”

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on the demand from Ryanair, as major shareholders in Aer Lingus, for an EAE

OBJECTIONS to a proposed hous- ing development in Shannon are to be aired at a meeting in the town next week.

The Concerned Residents of Cluain Airne is objecting to the construction of 60 houses – 45 three-bed dwell- ings and 15 two-bed houses – in their locality.

They are totally opposed to any development taking place and are pledging to continue to fight it. They believe that there is inadequate in- frastructure in the area, to cope with the new homes being built.

Currently there are 178 houses in

Cluain Airne. The residents group say that the majority of residents there have been in their homes for more than 20 years and are opposed to new dwellings in the area.

They say the development of addi- tional homes will result in the green area being taken away from them.

They also believe that if Clare County Council goes ahead with the development, it should have to alter its plans on the road leading into the development.

Secretary of the residents group Nicole Murphy said, “The council is proposing the road from the rounda- bout at the comprehensive school be UEexO

“We are proposing another route, the road down by the back of Inis Sioda. We are told it will cost €1.25 million to complete this road. The foundation of the road is there. We can’t understand why it would cost €1.25 million,” said Ms Murphy.

She said that while locals are pleased with amendments made to the original plan – which preserved some of the green area – there is still considerable opposition to the plans.

“The whole project is a concern. We don’t want the houses to be there. There is plenty of space in Shannon,’ she said.

“The whole feeling around Cluain Airne 1s we don’t want the houses,”

she added.

In July, locals met to discuss their opposition to the housing project. A petition, containing the signatures of Several house owners in the area, has also been put together.

Ms Murphy is hopeful that several residents will attend next Monday night’s meeting (September 3) with Clare County Council, at The Oak- wood Arms in Shannon.

“We really have to see what the council proposed. We have to wait and see. Hopefully they will answer all our questions,’ she added.

“There is a long road ahead, but we are determined we don’t want the houses,’ she said.

CAMPAIGNERS angered by Aer Lingus’s decision to remove its Hea- throw slots from Shannon are expect- ed to be left disappointed, following Wednesday’s long awaited Cabinet na lexelUOTSR

All indicators suggest that when the ministers meet to discuss the plight facing the west as a result of Aer Lin- gus’s decision, all talks of how the

Government should vote at an Ex- traordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the company will be avoided. Instead the ministers are expected to be presented with a preliminary report from the “high level inter- departmental group” asked by the Taoiseach to examine the options for alternative air links to Shannon. Even Minister for Defence, Willie O’Dea — who originally said he be- lieved the Aer Lingus decision was

wrong and believed it could be re- versed — was pointing towards “an in-depth discussion” on alternative solutions to the “Shannon Crisis”.

The minister who had rejected the views of Transport Minister, Noel Dempsey and the Chief Executive of Aer Lingus, Dermot Mannion that the impact of ending the service was being exaggerated, will now face his colleagues for the first time since the Aer Lingus announcement.

He is pointing to the EGM, called by the largest shareholder Ryanair, as a last resort.

In the case of an EGM, the Govern- ment face three decisions.

Voting with Aer Lingus and sup- porting its decision to leave the west without any link to Heathrow will alienate not only a large section of the population but its own members in the west who are already speaking of a party split.

The second option would see the Government doing a U-turn and ral- lying behind Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary and insisting the flights stay in Shannon.

This has the added political concern of how such a decision would impact on relations with the north.

The third option would see the Gov- ernment abstain from a vote, leading to questions as to why it retained shares if it is not going to have a say in the future of the one-time national airline.

This would also place Ryanair in a strong position to win the vote.

It is therefore likely that a cabinet, which has been slow to show support for those affected by the so-called “Shannon Crisis’, will exhaust all other options.

Political pundits are predicting a half-hearted statement on Wednes- day expressing commitment to re- gional development, connectivity and the future of the airport.

ALLEGATIONS that an attempt was made to abduct a nine-year-old girl from a shop in Killaloe at lunch- time on Friday are now the subject of a detailed garda investigation.

The young girl has claimed that a man attempted to take her by the hand and bring her out of a local su- permarket, at the Green, at around lpm on Friday afternoon.

The girl, from Killaloe town, was

with her cousin and a sibling — aged five and 10 — at the time of the al- leged incident.

She claims that she was approached by aman — believed to be around 40 years of age — near the deli counter of the shop, who attempted to hold her hand. She told gardai she resisted the approach and managed to raise the alarm. The young girl and her mother made a complaint at the local garda station, a short time after.

A number of people who were in

the shop at the time agreed that a man fitting the description was on the premises, but nobody saw any- thing untoward happening.

Gardai have issued a description of the man. They say he is around 40 years of age, six foot tall and was bald with a grey beard. He was wear- ing pale blue shirt and jeans, a grey hoodie and white runners.

‘The man described by the girl was unusual looking. She says he wanted to bring her with him, but she re-

sisted.

“This is an isolated report and would have happened in a matter of 10 seconds. We have not had any other calls in relation to this,” said a garda spokesman.

Local County Councillor Tony O’Brien (FF) is urging parents to be vigilant. “I would be concerned that something like that would happen in a town such as Killaloe. Of course parents of young children would be anxious,’ he said.

PLANS for a gambling club in Shan- non have been re-lodged to Clare County Council.

Businessman John O’Donovan lodged plans earlier this year for a ‘members club’, which he says would create 12 jobs.

Submissions were made by Shan- non-based Councillor Patricia Mc- Carthy and former Clare hurler Brian Lohan and planning was refused by the local authority.

However Mr O’Donovan – who hails from Quin – has once again lodged a planning application, using the term ‘casino’ and remains optimistic that his project will get the go-ahead.

He plans to lease a premises over the EBS in Shannon town centre for the venture.

He says he has carried out research, and as a result, believes that a casino would be a huge success in Shannon.

“T was involved in the construction of 62 holiday units, the East Clare Golf and Holiday Village in Bodyke. When they opened, a year-and-a-half ago, they had a phenomenal amount of guests, but in the evening time, they had nothing to do,” said Mr O’ Donovan.

He said he also carried out “brief surveys” on the hotels in Shannon and found that the occupancy ranges from 500 to 1200 per week, during the tourist season.

“A number of guests would spend 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 has changed the word- ing from ‘members club’ to ‘casino’, mainly to address an objection made by Councillor McCarthy.

“IT am forever optimistic. We are hoping this is the first hurdle in some- thing an awful lot better. Ireland needs to give tourists what they want.

‘“T have had very good advice. I have travelled Europe and talked to differ- ent casino owners,” he said.

He said the initial plans were refused, as the chosen location wasn’t suitable, but he believes he can gain planning

permission this time around.

“In a sense of fair play, I decided to relodge so everybody has an opportu- nity to voice their opinions, be it good or bad.

‘“T have been very surprised by some of the public representatives’ negative attitudes,” added Mr O’ Donovan.

“T have been a bit downhearted by some of the negative comments. I am looking at this as something positive for Shannon,” he said.

‘There are two casinos in Ennis and numerous in Limerick and Galway. Why not Shannon?” he said.

People who wish to make com- ments on the project should reer ne Mr O’ Donovan oy shannoncasinos @ yahoo.ie.