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DEMONSTRATING that no matter is too small to be subject of a Dail question, Fine Gael’s Pat Breen has sought parliamentary time to ask the Minister for Health about a hearing ZNlen

In one of a number of Dail questions tabled since the return of the new Dail, Deputy Breen asked the Min- ister for Health and Children when an unnamed Clare person would be facilitated with a hearing aid and if she would make a statement on the matter.

However, in response, Munister Harney said that “the deputy’s ques-

tion relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive un- der the Health Act 2004”.

She added, “Accordingly, my de- partment has requested the Parlia- mentary Affairs Division of the ex- ecutive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply 1s- sued directly to the deputy.”

Other subjects that have been the focus of Deputy Breen’s represen- tations in the past week include the reason an appointment for surgery for a Clare person was cancelled; when a person would be facilitated with toilet facilities and when a per-

son would be facilitated with an ap- pointment for cataract surgery. Earlier this year Deputy Breen was the subject of controversy when he ta- bled a Dail question in relation to the early release of the convicted child rapist, Joe Nugent, while he also ta- bled a parliamentary question on the release of murderer, Chris Cooney. In response to Deputy Breen ta- bling the question on the hearing aid, outgoing deputy mayor of Clare, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) stated, “It costs the taxpayer €250 for PQs to be an- swered and when you consider that you can buy a hearing aid for €25, this appears not be the most efficient use of the privilege that goes with

Dail membership.

“There may be an element of lazy representation to this type of ques- tion that is unsatisfactory, but per- haps Deputy Breen had no choice to bring this matter to the attention of the Dail as efforts to have this ad- dressed through the parliamentary affairs section of the Health Service Executive (HSE) may have been un- successful.”

Deputy Breen failed to respond to questions emailed to him yesterday.

Last year it emerged that Deputy Breen had asked the most parlia- mentary questions of the four Clare TDs in the 29th Dail. He asked 1,989

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THE story of west Cork farmer, Jack Sheehan, is the subject of a new book to be published by the Cork University Press in the coming weeks. Jack’s World – Farming on the Sheep’s Head Peninsula, 1920- 2003 tells the story of Jack, a farmer erowing up and struggling to survive in the 1920’s and 1930’s, managing his farm through the 1950’s and ad- justing to new forces in the 1970s but marginalized by the times we now live in.

Sheehan was one of eleven children born into an impoverished farming family on the Sheep’s Head penin- sula in southwest Ireland. Growing up in hungry times, he stayed on the farm all his eighty-three years, taking it over when his father died and steadfastly caring for its fields through the dormant 1950s and the better times that came in the decades that followed.

He lived to see the eclipse of his farming world and to view with dis- may the way encroaching property speculators and consumerism were

changing the nature of his landscape. Jack Sheehan was born just as the Irish state was coming into existence and his life is as revealing of that country’s history as the more famil- lar accounts of national figures. Jack’s World’s is illustrated in col- our with specially commissioned photographs taken by three people, Danny Gralton, Ciaran Watson and Danny Levy Sheehan, who all knew Jack and know his farm. The book is also illustrated with maps, includ- ing one showing the farm’s fields and their Irish names that were preserved

by Jack, and photographs of early documents relating to his farm’s his- ro a’s

The book’s unique sources, in addi- tion to the memories of friends and family who knew Jack and shared aspects of his world, include diaries kept by Jack from the early 1930s onwards.

Author, Sean Sheehan, is a nephew of Jack and he has written a number of books, including a guide to anar- chism and a biography of Socrates. He is presently writing a book about aie

CLARE County Council has de- clared that it has a number of serious concerns in relation to €15 million plans for a park and ride facility to serve the Cliffs of Moher.

The plan by the Mermaid Partner- ship has attracted a wave of objec- tions across the north Clare coastal village of Liscannor.

The planning application is seeking to construct the park and ride facility

with a retail and residential element which will consist of three buildings, 359 car-parking spaces and 10 bus- parking facilities.

The Mermaid Partnership is also seeking to construct 47 apartments in three storey blocks around a shared public square. The proposal also includes retail space units of 5,000 Square metres on two floors and smaller retail spaces off the public space totalling 1,322 square metres.

However, in a letter to the appli-

cants the council has stated that it is not favourably disposed to granting planning permission for the applica- tion as it currently stands.

The council’s concern relates to the piecemeal nature of the development of lands, the excessive floor space proposed, over-development of the site, scale and design of the proposed buildings, overlooking and overbear- ing adjacent private residences and DREN U BLOMNT-BKCLR YAS SSE

The council states, “The land on

which the development is proposed forms part of wider lands that are zoned for the purpose of a park n ride facility to serve the Cliffs of Moher.

The council also states that it, “has serious concerns that the proposed development by reason of its scale and building height will result in overlooking, overbearing and po- tential overshadowing to adjacent routes.”

It also has serious concerns in rela- tion to the retail element of the pro-

posed development.

Similarly the council has expressed concerns over the excessive density and scale of the proposal in a small AUN E Texon

As a result the council has request- ed the developer to provide for a de- velopment of a much reduced scale and of a design and layout which has regard to the context of the local ver- nacular of the adjacent village.

A decision is due on the application later this year.

LOCALS in south-east Clare have voiced their opposition against re- newed plans by a local businessman to construct a helipad on a farm near Clonlara.

Last year, residents secured vic- tory in their opposition against well- known local businessman, Peter Stritch to construct a helicopter land- ing pad at Clonlara.

In a submission lodged with the council, Mr Stritch’s consultants state that “the landing pad will be solely for the landing of a “Bell 206 Jetanger’ helicopter which is the property of Alpine helicopters, one of Mr Stritch’s businesses.

“The landing area will not be used commercially and will solely be for Mr Stritch and his family business and leisure trips and can be regarded as associated or ancillary use of the house to the north of the application.

“The noise is comparable to that generated by heavy machinery and farm vehicles…

“As the nearest dwelling is 240 me- tres from the proposed landing area, the noise levels would be significant- ly less. The noise levels during the periods when helicopter activities take place on site will increase above the EPA daytime noise control level.

However, the activities shall be in-

termittent in nature, with a take-off and landing time of 10 minutes at the site and we would not deem the noise to be a nuisance.

However, local resident, Dr David Beckett stated, “I must object to this development on the grounds of noise, disturbance, smell, safety issues and loss of amenity.

‘Peter Stritch has been operating a commercial helicopter company un- der the name of Alpine helicopters from this farm, without permission, for over three years.

“Many different helicopters have used the site and I understand that it has served as a helicopter stop-over. They fly in all directions, all year round and seven days a week.

“A large concrete base already exists nearby on which I have seen three helicopters at any one time and beside it is a large shed, which has been used to store the helicopters.

“The request for a new helicopter would suggest an increase in heli- copter business activity.

‘There is a nearby airfield at Coon- agh and beyond that at Shannon air- port. the location of a helipad on a farm with houses nearby does not seem logical. it is alongside a gallop for horses so the safety of horses and of riders is at stake.

A decision is due on the application later this year.

THE long awaited ban on Brazil- ian beef imports looks to be inching ever closer follow news this week of a change in political attitude on the issue. Following meetings in Scotland and France last week, the IFA’s National Livestock Committee Chairman, John Bryan, said there was strong momentum building in Europe for a total ban on Brazilian beef imports into Europe.

Bryan claims to have received 100 per cent support for a Brazilian beef ban from the NFU England and Wales, NFU Scotland and the Ulster Farmers’ Union following a meeting in Edinburgh.

Meanwhile across the water in France, the FNSEA, have also placed their full support behind a Brazilian beef ban.

“The new Agriculture Minister in the Scottish Executive, Richard Lochhead has expressed his real concern regarding Brazilian beef imports which fail to meet EU stand- ards and has undertaken to write to the EU Commission outlining his concerns on the matter,” said Bryan.

“Serious pressure 1S now emerg- ing on the EU Commission to apply further restrictions on Brazil. The regionalisation policy adopted by the EU Commission in Brazil has no credibility in view of the complete lack of traceability and movement

controls.

“With the vast majority of animals not tagged, no traceability, no effec- tive border controls and ineffective FMD controls, the EU policy of re- eionalisation cannot work.”

Clare farmer and Chairperson of ICMSA’s Beef and Cattle Commit- tee, Martin McMahon, has also com- mented that the ban would seriously aid struggling farmers.

“The situation with Brazilian beef 1s very serious and it has to be stopped. It shouldn’t be allowed to bring in a product of inferior quality when we have very high standards in the Irish industry,” he said.

“The beef industry is under se- vere pressure but Minister Cough-

lan seems to be very committed to making sure that it isn’t sold out. The winter finishers will determine the price on store cattle and if people aren’t prepared to go back out and buy stores then farmers will have to sell at lower prices.

“It has a knock on effect on the size of stores. The price of feedstuff is also a concern. Barley can be up to €180 a tonne and the prices rose again recently so farmers are losing again at that end. There are limita- tions on cattle over 400 kilos so if you can’t sell those cattle at a pre- mium you just have to take a lower price. The industry is all up in the air at the moment.”

A FEAST of traditional music, song and dance will kick off this week when Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann beings a Series of seisiun all over the county.

Seisiun 1s a music trail through all four Provinces of Ireland where the visitor can join with local traditional musicians, singers, dancers and sto- rytellers for an evening of native en- tertainment. In the seven years since its highly successful re-introduc- tion in 2000, Seisiun has gone from

strength to strength and continues to entertain and delight audiences both visitors and locals alike.

In Clare there are four venues of- fering plenty of traditional enter- tainment most nights of the week throughout July and August.

In Ennis, on Tuesday and Satur- day nights, Cois na hAbhana will be the venue for music and dance. Teach Cheoil in Ennistymon will host events on Monday nights start- ing July 16, while Teach Cheoil in Corofin will run events on Thursday nights. On Wednesday nights Teach

Cheoil in Kilrush will be the venue for a lively seisiun.

For further information on seisiun in Ennis contact Frank Whelan on 086— §260300 or email ceoltrad@eircom. net. For information on events in En- nistymon telephone John Moloney on 065—7071467. In Kilrush telephone Siobhan Curran on 065—9052821 and for Comhaltas venues in Corofin contact Peggy Liddy on 065-6837762 or 065—6837676. Alternatively, you can go online for information on all the venues around Clare and nation- ally at http://comhaltas.ie/events.

TWELVE members of the Clare branch of the Irish Red Cross are making final preparations ahead of their participation in the biggest first aid event to be held anywhere in the world this year.

Members have been put on high alert ahead of the FACE Internation- al First Aid Competition, which will take place in Ireland for the very first time at the University of Limerick this Saturday, July 7.

More than one thousand people from 26 countries right across Eu- rope will travel to Ireland for the competition. As hosts, the Irish Red Cross members are prevented from taking part in the competition itself, but will have the greater task of man- aging the safety of the competitors as they take on the designed scenarios.

The competitors will face more than a dozen specially constructed disaster scenarios which will each use the latest of special effects tech- nology to make the situation as real- istic as possible.

According to John Costin of the Clare Red Cross, the members will never have faced a more demand- ing event in their time with the Red

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“IT got involved in the Irish Red Cross because after I joined FAS as an instructor, I was on the Limerick Road a lot and that Limerick Road was next only to the Belfast Road for accidents and I found I was coming across a lot of accident but I could do nothing,” he said.

“It’s a big challenge to us in the Irish Red Cross to organise this event because we are just volunteers organ- ising the event in our spare time and keeping all our other local services going as well,” he continued.

“But most importantly it’s a great chance for our young members and for young people who want to know more about the Red Cross to get involved because it’s going to be a huge event, as big as the Special Ol- ympics.”’

John joined the Red Cross in 1980 and has used his skills in a number of voluntary organisations over the dec- ades including the Civil Defense. On Saturday he will take charge of the of the count centre where the scores of all the competitors will be tallied.

Admission for the public is free and their will be a regular free shut- tle buses from Limerick City Centre to UL all day.

IRISH farmers are once again breathing a collective sigh of relief this week as the collapse of the latest round of World Trade Organisations have seen them dodge a potential disaster, at least for the time being.

In an increasingly familiar pattern, the latest round of the WTO talks collapsed in Potsdam in Germany on Tuesday last leaving the future of agriculture in Ireland and across the EU zone in a continued state of limbo.

Commenting after the collapse IFA President, Padraig Walshe, launched

an astonishing attack on EU Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson, describing him as “completely dis- credited, his negotiating tactics in shreds.”

‘There is now a very serious ques- tion mark over Peter Mandelson’s ability as the EU trade negotiator, and the EU Commission should se- riously consider removing him from the WTO trade negotiations/”

Before the collapse of the talks the IFA had claimed that strategy being employed by Mandelson in relation to the WTO would cut EU farm in- come by €20 billion, and the G20 proposal would mean an income cut

of s37 billion.

“It is evident from analysis of the October 2005 EU offer on agricul- ture, that the beef sector is the most vulnerable to tariff cuts ranging from 60 per cent in the case of unproc- essed full carcass beef to 50 per cent in the case of beef cuts,” he said.

“The beef sector accounts for one- third (34 per cent) of Ireland’s agri- cultural output, and involves about 90,000 farmers. It is clearly a vital national interest for Ireland, worth $1.5 billion.”

Indeed, in a letter delivered to Commissioner Mandelson before the collapse to talks, the IFA President

said it is clear from our analysis that the tariff cut offers you have made in the case of “high value beef prod- ucts” will undermine the EU price by almost 50 per cent.

‘Farmers in the EU are obliged to meet high standards with regard to food safety and tractability, animal welfare and protection of the envi- ronment. IFA has first-hand evidence that standards of production in some major food exporting countries, for example Brazil, fall far short of the standards demanded from EU farm- ers, and indeed far short of the stand- ards necessary to guarantee safe food to consumers in the EU.”

A LEADING economist has told an Ennis seminar on the property mar- ket that the current slowdown in the Irish housing market is very desir- able.

Speaking at the What Next seminar hosted by Propertyplus in Ennis at the weekend, chief economist with Friends First, Jim Power said, ““The slowdown is very desirable because the house price inflation of recent years could not and should not be

sustained for any longer, as it would then start to become seriously dan- gerous.”

Figures released on Friday show that property prices have dropped by 2.1 per cent this year.

Mr Power said, “My own belief over the next five years is that we will see annual house price inflation at around three per cent per annum. That represents a soft landing in the Irish housing market.

“I believe that it is the most likely and the most desirable scenario, be-

cause another couple of years of dou- ble digit growth of house price infla- tion would have definitely created a bubble that, in my view, would then be burst.”

Mr Power anticipates that there will be 80,000 house completions in Ire- land this year, down from 93,000 last year.

He said that this year “over the next five years, you are looking at growth at 3-3.5 per cent per annum.

“We are entering a more mod- ern economic growth environment

— that’s normal, that is the real world. Over the last 10 years, we have been involved in a huge level of catch-up, now caught up and we are now start- ing to settle down.

“Over the next five years, we are moving back to about 60,000 house completions. That represents a de- cline of over 30,000 completions. That is the reality and I feel that it is a very desirable reality because the number of housing completions had to come back.

“Otherwise, if you have another

three years of 90,000 plus housing completions, you are left with a ser1- ous bubble situation.”

Ennis auctioneer, Philip O’Reilly who organised the event at the Tem- ple Gate Hotel told the audience that the issue of having to pay stamp duty “is quite a scandal”.

He said, “For a couple purchasing a €600,000 home, they must pay a further €35,000. That is basically a net year’s salary. People have been passive about this in the past but not anymore.”

that the former Church of Ireland building will eventually be promoted as one of the area’s many tourist attractions.

“Because it looks such a fantastic building and due to its association SLAC MM A SCoM A BOLO CoLUDMmBECDOODURVam- DELO MMU STe associated history it will probably become a tourist attraction. We hope to do something about the history

and put it in the building so visitors can see it when they walk around. The tea rooms are there for people to relax afterwards,’ he said.

The outside of the building has retained its authentic look while an estimated €1 million has brought it back to its former glory.

A stage has also been built, with a seating capacity of 130.

The building had been unoccupied for decades and gone into ruin, be- fore a Kilrush Development group – KCDL took it over from the Church of Ireland.

The group had visions for a com- munity but ran out of money after the roof and stonework was completed.

The group approached Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, and with the

blessing of the Church of Ireland the promoter of Irish music and dance took it over and developed it as one of its teach cheoil.

There were just fragments of the original three stained glass windows in place one year ago, but they have now been restored to their original glory with one having pride of place okoaVb NCO M Wa Cow SLAC: IXen

Mr Whelan described the acoustics of the building as “spot on”.

“It is ideal for concerts and seisiun. Musicians will love to use it,’ he Sr HLG

Teach Cheoil Chill Rois will serve as an outreach centre from Cois na hAbhna, the Comhaltas Regional Resource Centre in Ennis.

Classes will begin there in Septem-

ber with “Seisiun” tomorrow evening (Wednesday).

“The primary focus of the teach cheoil will be to promote Comhaltas and related activities. We also hope to encourage the communities to use the facility and resources,’ said Mr We ated een ee

Comhaltas plans to have the build- ing open for inquiries on a daily ba- sis, and eventually have daily activi- ties at the centre.

The grounds of the teach cheoil have been separated from the grave- yard by a railing and a separate en- trance put in place.