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MINISTER for Agriculture, Fisher- ies and Food, Mary Coughlan, has announced the publication of the de- partment’s Annual Report for 2006, saying that the year was “marked by the adoption by Government of a policy framework for the develop- ment of the agri-food sector over the next decade”’.

Some of the most important aspects of farming covered by the report in- cluded rural development, sectoral initiatives, REPS and bioenergy.

In rural development, the minister stated that the agricultural provi- sions of the new partnership, To- wards 2016, which are designed to

address the issues of competitiveness and sustainability, were agreed with the Farming Social Partners.

The partnership includes a com- mitment that exchequer funding of €4.7 billion will be made available for the farm schemes under the Ru- ral Development Programme in the period 2007- 2013.

The Rural Development Plan, par- tially co-funded by the EU, provides for total expenditure of €7.5 billion and will implement a number of measures in the agriculture section of Towards 2016.

The Action Plan for the Future of the Agri-Food Sector was published in March and sets out a new vision for the future of the sector in the light

of the major changes now impacting on it. In order to survive and grow, Ireland’s agri-food industry must be highly competitive on both EU and world markets.

The minister said that a significant number of sectoral initiatives had been announced in 2006, includ- ing major capital investment for the dairy processing sector.

“The Government committed €100 million to the fund, to generate greater efficiencies in the process- ing industry and enable the sector to gain an increasing share of world markets.”

A €50 million investment scheme for the beef and sheepmeat sectors and a €250 million Animal Welfare,

Recording and Breeding Scheme for suckler herds, were both announced.

The report emphasied that an “agreement was secured from the European Commission to make ad- vance payments under the Single Payment Scheme, to compensate farmers for the adverse weather con- ditions in late spring and early sum- mer’. Between the months of Octo- ber and December over one billion euro was paid to 118,000 farmers.

The minister pointed out that the development of Bioenergy was a par- ticular priority in 2006

“Provision of €14 million was made to cover a number of initia- tives aimed at encouraging farmers to grow energy crops.”

will take place at the Lees Road, Drumcliff, Ennis.

Lees Road will have many side shows with set dancing, The Puppets, The Heads, face painting, and Skate Boarding so come along a make it a family day in the Lees Road.

This will see many charities ben- efit from this event. The Clare Haven and Clare Youth Services are the two main charities and with over 600 competitors taking part last year, this year this race will hopefully reach the 1,000 mark.

With the race starting in Lees Road via the main gate turning right and towards the Lahinch Road, onto the Maid of Erin roundabout which will be the three kilometre mark, pass the

Colaiste Mhuire, turning left at the Club Bridge, Kelly’s Corner, pass- ing the Hospital Gate (4k mark) on out the Gort Road via Sheils Garage, Cois na hAbhanna. This is the half way mark and there will be a water station at the Auburn Lodge Hotel.

Ohetwebertcas (Jame Ceum or DUNs-VOt-mr-NNCMO\Vos the narrow the bridge to Drumcliff, leaving Drumcliff graveyard on your left the course heads back onto Lees Road and back in the main gate.

The finish is at car park after the clubhouse in Lees Road.

Their will be a host of top class ath- letes taking part and the pre-race fa- vourite will be last years title holder Gerry Ryan, Galway City Harriers, and this time he will have the former World Marathon Record Holder Ste- ve Jones from Wales for company.

Jones broke the world record in 1983 for the marathon in Chigago with a time of 2.08.18 hours. He also

won the London Marathon and won a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Gra tlene

Brian Murphy, Marian, who has prepared very well over the last few weeks has this course completed on numerous occasions will be the man to watch along with the European Master Champion Eugene Moyni- han, Marian.

Also in contention will be Patrick Enright from Cratloe and Sports- world AC in Dublin the masters will be well contested with Pat Hogan, Ennis Track Club, Michael Harvey, James Kenny, Kilmurry I[brickane/ North Clare, Frank Garrihy, Ennis Track Club, and Dermot Moran, St Mary’s, will all contest their major OF NK xO) woe

The ladies race will be run over the Same distance and this will be a well contested affair between the Cork City Marathon Champion ‘Tracy

Guilfoyle, Kilnaboy, and last years champion Veronica Colleran, Ennis Track Club, and another big road runner Loretta Duggan, St Mary’s, winner of the Clare Mountain Hill Climb.

Also in contention will be Ciara Hassett from Quin now running with Rathfarnham AC Dublin, Marion O’Loughlin, Deirdre Daly, Ida Han- rahan, Hilda O’Connor Marie Carey all Ennis Track Club, Marie Fen- nessy, Michelle O’Halloran, Maura Falsey all Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, Marian Burke St Marys, Hil- lary Cunningham St Marys.

Their will be prizes for the first ten men and ladies; the first three mas- ters men O35, O40, O45, OS0 and O60; the first three junior men and ladies; the first three masters ladies O35, O40, O45, O50 and O60; plus Wheelchair. All Participants who finish the 10k will be presented with

a medal.

A TOUCH of midsummer madness is coming to Clonlara on Saturday next, June 23.

That’s the day of the first Clonlara Midsummer Festival and there’s go- ing to be heaps of family fun on of- oe

All the action takes place in or around the Angler’s Rest, Doonass from 3pm, starting with a fancy dress parade.

There will be fun and games and

music throughout the day, including seven-a-side football matches be- tween local pubs and ladies football.

The charity event of the day will be a Duck Race and it’s hoped to sell 800 ducks in aid of Milford Hospice. Ducks are already being sold but there will be some available on the day.

Music will be from the set your toes tapping Brendan Hearty Cajun Band who will swing into action around 9pm.

The day is being organised by the

Clonlara ICA but ICA member, Fio- na McKeon stresses that it’s not just about or for the ICA.

“We wanted to organise something that would be fun for the whole com- munity and we want people to come out and join in. We’ve tried to order some nice weather so hopefully, we ll be able to have a barbeque on the day as well as sack and egg and spoon races and fun competitions TTC) aYan de wenan ero

Buskers have also been invited to come along and entertain people at

the event and there promises to be a great atmosphere.

The organisers are hoping this will be the first of many Clonlara Mid- summer Festivals.

“We’re looking forward to a great day out for all the family and we want everyone to come along and have a good time. There’ll be food, fun and music and the charity duck race should raise some money for the hospice. We’re hoping it will be a great community get-together,” said Fiona.

THERE have been mixed reactions to meetings of the EU Farm Coun- cil, which took place in Luxembourg last week with the ICSA President expressing frustration with a failure to deliver in relation to farm inspec- tions.

Malcolm Thompson said that the current system “totally fails to ad- dress the concerns of Irish farmers”.

“It is very frustrating that we still haven’t a straight answer from Eu- rope on where we stand with toler- ances. ICSA will not accept that there is no room for leeway with in- spections,” he said.

“If a farmer is 95 per cent compli- ant, there is no reason to penalise him as severely as the current system

demands. Mariann Fischer Boel has promised much but delivered little,” he added.

“Unless we can get official EU sanction for reasonable leeway for farmers who are inspected, then the whole issue of inspections will con- tinue to be controversial right into next year’s CAP health check.”

He added that “Europe does not seem to want to accept that the sys- tem of inspections 1s far more favour- able to large scale tillage farmers in the Paris basin than it is to livestock farmers in Ireland”.

IFA President Padraig Walshe said he felt that further progress was made in achieving a tolerable and more reasonable farm inspection re- gime.

He added that the Department of

Agriculture could now discard the 66-page checklist and come up with a reasonable inspection programme, taking account of the variation and practical issues arising in everyday elusnbneree

“There was a discernible move in the commission towards a more practical inspection system, respect- ing the rights of farmers while main- taining good farming practice,’ Mr Walshe said, emphasising that there is a flexibility towards providing for advance notice for routine inspec- tions.

Meanwhile, Minister Coughlan said that the new fruit and vegetable regime agreed upon will bring con- siderable benefits to Irish producers, consumers and the horticulture in- dustry in general.

She said that three aspects of the new regime will have direct benefits including: Support for Producer Or- ganisations (POs), adoption of new promotion measures and inclusion of fruit and vegetables and potatoes in Single Farm Payment.

‘The new scheme provides growers with the necessary support to meet higher quality and environmental standards in the market place where the multiples now handle some 80 per cent of the retail sales of fresh produce. The scheme will empower producers to work together to form a larger supply base and work as a more equal partner with these multi- ple retailers’.

Full details of the agreements are available on www.consilium.europa. eu.

ON the weekend of June 30, Ennis will put on a major celebration of life, sport and people with events organised by Ennis Street Festival, Clare Community Games and the Tony Griffin Cycle.

On Saturday morning the Clare hurler and many cyclists will begin the final leg of his epic 7,000 mile

cycle from Canada in aid of cancer research and care from Dublin.

Saturday begins in Ennis with the finals of the Clare Community Games. The event will be preceded with a parade from Station Road in Ennis to the courthouse of the vari- ous areas taking part. It is fitting that Tony was once a competitor in the Community Games Final.

The Ennis Street Festival, which is

an annual event, will take place on Sunday, July 1, from 12pm until late.

A great day of music, dance, work- shops, story telling, magicians, pup- pets, art exhibitions, street entertain- ment, pub gigs and a gig rig in the upper market area between 2pm and 8pm will all take place.

Food will be for sale throughout the day at the market section in Market Place. Sunday will also mark the of-

ficial re-opening of Dan Murphy’s House with Irish music and danc- ing in memory of Johnny Patterson (1840-1889).

Music will continue throughout the evening in Ennis and with a welcome home event for Tony in the West County Hotel taking place later in the evening.

Tony and his group are due to ar- rive back into Ennis at about 4pm

and again everybody is invited to take part in a massive and colourful Siege on Ennis.

Further information on the weekend can be found at www.ennisstreetfes- tival.com and www.tonygriffinfoun- dation.com.

Further information on the Clare Community Games you can contact members of the committee on 087 TOPE

THE sustained protest by councillors against Clare County Council’s strict planning rules is having minimal 1m- pact on the council’s refusal rate for one-off homes.

New council figures show that in- dividuals were more likely to be suc- cessful in securing planning permis- sion in 2003 than last year despite continuing councillor complaints over the enforcement of planning MUN he

Planning continues to dominate the local authority’s monthly meetings, however, the council’s Director for Planning, Bernadette Kinsella, has revealed that the refusal rate for one off homes last year was 25 per cent compared to a 19 per cent refusal rate in 2003.

In response to a motion tabled by Cllr PJ Kelly CFF), Ms Kinsella re- vealed that in 200,6 204 out of 828 applications for one-off homes were Kod AUESLorOR

Along with the 25 per cent refused, a further 198 or 23 per cent were withdrawn giving an overall failure rate of 48 per cent.

In relation to statistics for one-off homes for 2003, Ms Kinsella said that of 917 applications for one-off homes, 176 or 19 per cent were re- fused. The statistics show that a

further 191 or 20 per cent were re- fused giving an overall total of 39 per cent.

Meanwhile the EU Commission could remove the non-local ban from the Clare County Development Plan.

The commission is expected to an- nounce within the month that many of the restrictions in Irish county CLAVe) Le) eyeatorelam ole Delcme-Dacms DUleseecU MUbOLe(on European law.

It finds that the provisions con- cerned are discriminatory, dispro- portionate and constitute restrictions on the free movement of capital and the freedom of establishment guar- anteed by the European treaties.

Leader of the Fianna Fail group at the council, Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) said: “I have highlighted the illegality of these rules a number of times at the council.”

Jim Connolly of the Irish Rural Dwellers Association said that the EU Commission’s move to scrap the “non-local” rule would “undoubted- ly result in a wave of compensation claims from those who have been denied their natural right to build a house”.

He said: “This will put into the halfpenny place any form of com- pensation claims against illegal gov- ernment Acts up until now because of the extent of the value of the assets that the people have been denied.

DUMPERS who foist their rubbish on others and dump their bin bags in beauty spots will be getting a taste of their own medicine if a local coun- cillor gets his way.

After another weekend in which bags and bundles of litter were dumped by the roadside in Meelick, an angry Councillor Cathal Crowe has threatened to trace the culprits and dump the rubbish back on their doorsteps.

‘“Meelick was once again scourged with litter dumping last weekend. Bags of litter and several bundles of loose litter were dropped at roadsides

in the Knockroe and Cappantymore areas of Meelick,’ the councillor nee

“The dumping of litter in this lo- cality has become a very serious and disgusting problem. At least once a week I am in contact with Clare County Council’s environmental pa- trol wardens regarding dump sites in the south east Clare area,’ he said.

Cllr Crowe said that he wants peo- ple to fight back by taking numbers of the cars dumpers and reporting aetoeee

“I would urge people to be vigilant of any vehicles pulling trailers or pick-up trucks driving suspiciously in the locality,’ he said.

And the councillor said he would personally go one step further. “I re- call hearing a story some years ago about a farmer who found an address whilst rummaging through bags of domestic waste dumped on his land. He brought the bags to this address and dropped them right at the front door. I am extremely fed up with the extent of dumping 1n our locality and I may well consider taking a similar approach in the future.”

Cllr Crowe said that while the council’s staff are doing “Trojan work” to keep on top of the litter problem, the reality is that many of the people who dump are undeterred y litter fines.

“It might be time for some of them to get a taste of their own medicine,” he said.

The councillor had recently to call in the local authority’s environment department because of the number of cars being abandoned and burned out at the side of the road in Meelick and Parteen.

After contacting the local authority with a complaint that the cars were being left in situ for too long, he was told that the regulations require that a vehicle be left for a number of days to give the owner a chance to recover 1

Only after that can the cars be tak- en away, the councillor was told.

‘HE has to spend the rest of his life knowing that he killed his little sis- ter.” The words of a grieving mother who has lost her youngest daughter at the hands of her only son.

Claire O’Dwyer held her nerve as she took the stand in court yesterday to speak about the effect the death of her young and carefree daughter had on her and her family.

She had earlier wiped away the tears as the court heard details of how young Marguerite had been brutally killed in the sitting room of

their family home.

In November 2004 Claire and her husband Paddy had left the country to go on a short holiday to Spain, content in the knowledge that ‘Pa’ and ‘Mags’ were caring for each oth- er at home, like “two peas in a pod.”

Their joy at having a relaxed break away together came to an abrupt end laced with agony — their only son had killed their youngest daughter.

Patrick O’ Dwyer killed his sister as she lay on the couch of their family home, smiling up at him. Marguerite thought he was messing but he was gripped. Gripped, he claimed, by the

presence of a mental disorder. Throughout the six-day trial in April, O’Dwyer showed no emo- tion and his impassive demeanour continued yesterday as sentence was passed. Earlier, as he waited for the judge to appear in court he smiled and laughed with his family and le- gal team. He later hugged his parents and sister Louise prior to being led away to continue serving his jail sen- tence. He had buried his face in his hands as details of the horrendous killing were recounted to the court. As the six-year term was imposed yesterday, O’Dwyer looked ahead.

Moments later when the court rose he held his mother’s hand.

Claire and Paddy O’Dwyer return to a very different home from that which they left two-and-a-half years ago to go on holiday. They went away believing that their three children would greet them with open arms on their return. Sadly, their home is now a quieter place. A daughter deceased, a son in Wheatfield prison where he will mark his 22nd birthday in a fort- night’s time.

Life will never be the same in the O’Dwyer home at Shrohill, Ennisty- mon.

Down through the years Mary Im- maculate Secondary School in Lis- doonvarna has proved to be a hotbed of talent when it comes to volleyball and they’re branching out right now and getting their transition year stu-

dents involved in coaching the ac- tion.

A number of trophies have come to the school since the start of the 1980s and this year the transition year stu- dents were began coaching primary school students in their own area.

The programme was run by the

Volleyball Association of Ireland in conjunction with the Irish Sports Council and Women in Sport and was open to transition year girls only. Last November eleven girls from the Lisdoonvarna school participated in a training day followed by further training in January.

In February they began coaching in two primary schools, Lisdoonvarna and Kilshanny and when the training was complete they took on two fur- ther schools, Fanore and Kilfenora. In total about 90 primary school pu- pils received coaching.

The culmination of this initiative 1s

a volleyball blitz organised by these coaches for all students who had tak- en part in the coaching. This blitz is completely organised by the transi- tion year coaches and went ahead on Friday at the Ennistymon Commu- nity Centre where a huge amount of talent was on show from all schools.

ONE of Shannon’s longest serving companies and biggest employers, Molex Ireland Ltd, returned to profit last year with gains of €2.8 million after tax.

The company announced last week that it would consolidate its opera- tions at Shannon by closing down its Cork-based plant with the loss of over 100 jobs. In response to reports that up to 50 jobs could be lost from its Shannon plant, Molex Ireland has stated that it has begun a month long

consultation phase with all of its em- ployees. A company statement said: “Until the review period is complete, no further information or comment on the extent of possible changes is available or possible at this time.” The profit was recorded in the company’s latest returns to the Companies Office and contrast with losses of €3.5 million in 2005. The accounts also showed that the com- pany’s turnover rose to €122 million last year from €113 million in 2005. According to a statement attached to the accounts, “the directors expect

the general level of activity to con- tinue for the foreseeable future”’.

The loss in 2005 was partly attrib- utable to restructuring costs of €1 million. During that year the num- bers involved in production at Molex dropped from 497 to 433.

Restructuring continued at the com- pany last year at a cost of €443,000.

The company’s operating profit of €2.8 million after tax was helped by a dividend of €5.5 million giving a retained profit of €5.7 million at the end of March last year.

‘The turnover grew by over 8 per

cent in the year with most of the erowth originating in EU markets. Growth was achieved in a market- place that continued to be competi- tive.

Cost of sales grew by over 7 per cent reflecting the increased costs of production and purchasing manu- factured product during the year,’ it continued.

The statement added that directors did not propose the payment of a div- idend for the year.

“The principal business risks and uncertainties faced by the company

in the future are currency risks in dealing with entities with non-Euro denominated currencies as well as the possible effect on sales volumes and margins of end user market de- velopments in relation to new prod- ucts giving rise to product obsoles- cence and loss of competitiveness,’ the statement concluded.

The company’s gross profit in- creased from €12 million in 2004 to €14 million last year.

Molex Ireland Ltd was established in 1971 at Shannon as the first Euro- pean facility for Molex.