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THE courting of the farming vote continued this week with two Clare General Election candidates making statement on the Farm Waste Man- agement Scheme.

Deputy Pat Breen (FG) and Sena- tor Timmy Dooley (FF) both issued statements on Thursday, calling for the Minister for Agriculture, Mary Coughlan, to extend the application deadline for the Farm Waste Man- agement Scheme.

Early-bird Dooley was first off the mark with a statement calling for farmers to be given more time to get their planning applications together.

“In the past few days, I met the Minister for Agriculture, Mary

Coughlan, to outline to her the prob- lems that farmers in Clare are ex- periencing in making the March 31 deadline,” he said.

“By that date, farmers must have the full details of their planning applica- tions supplied to the Department of Agriculture under the popular Farm Waste Management Scheme.

‘The scheme has been such a suc- cess, with the 60 per cent or more grants available, that agricultural ad- visors, Who help farmers with their plans, are struggling to get through the workload,” the Fianna Fail can- didate continued.

“As a result, farmers are at risk of losing out by not having their plan- ning applications in by the current deadline.”

He goes on to say that he has asked the Minister to extend the deadline by a full three months.

“This would, I believe, be a fair compromise and bring the submis- sion deadline into line with the Department’s final date for the al- teration of plans already submitted or approved,” he continued. “Some 2,600 farmers in Clare have applied under the scheme for new on-farm facilities.”

A mere 15 minutes later, Fine Gael’s Pat Breen was off the mark, saying there was simply not enough consultants available to assist with the huge volume of applications.

“IT am calling on Minister Cough- lan to take into account the very real problems that farmers are experi-

encing in respect of applying for the Farm Waste Management Scheme,” he said.

“They are caught between a rock and a hard place as the deadline is looming but a shortage of consult- ants means that a significant number of applicants will not be able to meet the deadline.”

Alas, Deputy Breen called for a slightly more modest extention of just two months.

“I am not asking the Minister to provide special treatment for any- one,’ he continued. “Rather, I am asking her to consider the real situ- ation on the ground and taking into account the shortage of consultants, and extend the application deadline until the end of May.”

CAMPAIGNERS are confident En- nis will achieve Fair Trade status providing there is greater support from the local business community.

A number of businesses and schools in the town have already committed to stocking Fair Trade products.

In order for any town to be granted Fair Trade status a flagship business must pledge its support to the ven- ture. Ennis Fair Trade Committee member Mairead Sheedy explained Ennis has already met with much of the criteria required to achieve Fair Trade status.

‘We presented the statutory report

on Ennis to the national organisation and we were congratulated for that. Some businesses have supported us and are carrying the products but we still need a flagship business. Ideally that would be a hotel, but we are hop- ing to get a local factory. They have already said they would stock Fair Trade coffee so we just have to final- ise a few things.”

A two-week global campaign aimed at creating awareness about Fair Trade products drew to a close last week.

Ennis also took part during that pe- riod with a number of events held in schools and other locations around i eTom KO), 2 08

Last Thursday students at Colaiste Muire organised an information day at which they sold products which carried the Fair Trade logo.

The school also held a hot choco- late morning with money raised to be donated to a former student who plans to travel to Sri Lanka with the Fair Trade organisation.

Ms Sheedy said, “We were look- ing at ways to raise awareness and through schools have shown a great interest. Some of them went out on the street and did a survey with lo- cal people about their attitudes to Fair Trade. We held a tea and cof- fee morning in the Friary and that was very successful. We had a lot of

people coming in who showed a lot of interest. We also held one in the Adult Education Centre”

The Fair Trade Mark is an inde- pendent consumer label, which ap- pears on products as an independent guarantee that disadvantaged pro- ducers in the developing world are getting a better deal.

GENERAL election candidates have been warned that the issue of class sizes would meet them at every door- step in Clare.

Sheila Noonan, Deputy General Secretary of the INTO, told the Clare meeting on the issue that parents, teachers and all concerned with pri- mary class size must question every canvasser who called to the door.

Ann McMahon, Principal of New- market National School but speaking as a parent, said that if animals were in classrooms in groups of 35 or 36, the ISPCA would be called in to take action against overcrowding.

Chairperson of Ennis National School Parents Association, Aine Ni Riain stated that there were serious health issues surrounding the whole issue of overcrowded classrooms, and while it was a very exciting time educationally for children, large class sizes were blighting it.

Daithi O Byrne, a parent from Clonmoney National School, said politicians must realize the solidar- ity that existed between parents and teachers on the class-size issue.

Fr Gerry Kenny, Killaloe Diocesan Secretary and representative of the Catholic Primary Managers Associa- tion, lent his support to the campaign to cut class sizes.

He also outlined the support of Bishop Willie Walsh, patron of 150 primary schools in the Killaloe Dio- cese, for the campaign and stated that the Department of Education needed to plan for lower class sizes in all new school buildings.

Minister for Labour Affairs Tony Killeen (FF) told the meeting that he would take a clear message to the Taoiseach from Shannon that not enough had been done on the issue of class size.

Senators Brendan Daly (FF) and Timmy Dooley (FF) also undertook to represent and support the views of the meeting on the issue, as did La- bour candidate Pascal Fitzgerald.

Fine Gael election candidates Cllr Joe Carey, Cllr Tony Mulcahy and Cllr Madeleine Taylor-Quinn said that their party would publish a policy document dealing with class size in primary schools, while party TD Pat Breen pointed out that there would be 58,000 more primary pu- piuls within the system by 2012.

Deputy James Breen (Ind) said in- dependent TDs had outlined their unified support for a year by year re- duction in class size to bring classes down to 20 as promised by the cur- rent Government.

The Green Party and their candi- date in Clare, Cllr Brian Meaney, supported this policy.

TWO childcare groups in Clare are celebrating this week, after being successful in their applications for funding.

The Department of Health and Children announced that the Inis- cealtra Preschool in Mountshannon and Bridget’s Garden Group in Tua- mgraney are to be given €1,000,000 and €600,000 respectively.

The Mountshannon facility cur- rently provides care facilities for up to 45 children from a pre-fab on the national school grounds.

The creche is run under the aus- pices of the Mountshannon Com- munity Council and chairman, Paul Bugler, said the cash will be a mas-

sive boost.

“This will allow us to move ahead with plans to expand the facility and to hopefully have purpose built ac- commodation. There is a real need in this area for childcare, both in terms of affordability and availability,” said Paul.

“For some parents who work in Limerick or Shannon it can mean hav- ing to shift children out at 6.30am. A lot of grandparents are stepping in to fill the breach and some of them are feeling the pressure. We need locally available pre-school and afterschool or Kone

The money will allow the facility, which has been in the very capable hands of Veronica Bleach for almost four years, to expand the hours dur-

ing which care can be provided, as well as provide better facilities.

Currently, the childcare facil- ity caters for up to 45 children for a number of hours each day but the new building will allow the service expand to include after school care up to national school age.

Meanwhile, the Bridget’s Garden community childcare facility is also planning to spend it’s €600,000 al- location on accommodation.

The group has been in existence for seven years, catered for more than 80 children in that time and has had to move four times in that period.

They cater for babies from six months old to children of four.

The facility is currently operating in Bodyke but it is hoped that now a

permanent home can be secured for Bridgets Garden.

Co-Founder of the facility, Lina Pelaez said that everyone involved was “delighted” to hear the grant was approved.

“It is very emotional to have the work that is being done recognised. We had such great help with the ap- plication from the Ennis Childcare Committee and the work done by parents has been amazing. There was such a lot of work involved in making the application and parents are not professional form-fillers but they really worked at it.”

ENNIS’S creaking infrastructure has resulted in the local council refusing planning permission for a €20 mil- lion residential development on land zoned for development.

Last month, Ennis Town Council refused planning permission to Joe McNamara to construct 52 homes and 28 apartments at the Golf Links Road, Ennis, citing the inadequate local sewage infrastructure to cater for the development.

Now, Mr McNamara has appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanala. In the appeal, Mr McNamara said, “The council has specifically zoned these lands for residential uses and do have any in principle objection to the proposed land use, density, mix of uses or site layout.

“We believe, therefore, that it is the antithesis of proper planning and development where the developers are endeavouring to secure the im- plementation of the council’s own development plan objectives, but si- multaneously are being stymied on infrastructural issues.

“In this instance, it is particularly unreasonable as there is an entirely

reasonable resolution to their con- cerns. Furthermore, the council’s reference to the prematurity of the proposed foul water strategy is dis- ingenuous, given that the proposal complements the objectives of the Ennis Main Drainage preliminary report.

In the appeal, Mr McNamara’s con- sultant states, “It is our submission that we have provided a comprehen- sive solution to foul water manage- ment in accordance with recognised standards and in accordance with the Ennis Main Drainage Preliminary report, we believe that therefore that the council’s refusal in unjustified.”

The County and Town Develop- ment Plan state that it is the council’s policy to encourage housing develop- ment in designated towns and villag- es where infrastructural and social services exist or are planned.

“The plans aim to consolidate the form of the settlement and stem the excessive spread of ribbon develop- ment.

‘The subject site represents a natu- ral location for the expansion of the town in a sustainable manner.”

A decision is due on the appeal later this year.

CARDS close to his chest, Tony Considine emerges from the home dressing room four minutes after he entered. His players were moving back out to warm down and Consi- dine threw his mind back over the previous 70 minutes.

The home opener wasn’t supposed to go like this. After a handy run out in Down two weeks back, Considine knew this weekend would be a step up in class but despite Wexford’s more competitive start to the year, he must have thought Clare would be sitting on top of the league on Sun- day night.

“We really didn’t play well,” he says ‘and the first half was crucuial. But as I said during the week they had two quality games against Kilkenny [Walsh Cup final] and Waterford [league opener] and no disrespect to Down, we only had the Down game. We didn’t have any hurling done and we didn’t meet a team playing like that. But I still thought we played pretty well. We’ve a lot of injuries at

the moment and we’ve a lot of young lads out there. It’s all about trying new players in the league. I’d like to have won but at the end of the day, when you don’t win you don’t win.”

After the poor first half, when Clare failed to put their noses in front with the wind, they didn’t re-start with any more spirit.

“We missed a lot of chances and maybe took a few wrong options in the forwards in the second half. But having said that, we could have sneaked it.

But the injuries are definitely a prob- lem and Barry Nugent and Declan O’Rourke picked up some niggling injuries now and I suppose when the wind is against you, it’s against you. Look, we’ve a big panel of 32 play- ers. While I’m disappointed at being beaten I wouldn’t be over-excited Vero) 0 an le

He wonders what the general per- ception of the game was and is told that Wexford manager John Meyler reckoned it was “like paint drying.”

“T agreed with him there on the sideline,’ said Considine. “It was

like a rugby match at times but it’s early in the year.

We haven’t much hurling done and at this time of the year it’s all about getting fellows fit. We hope to 1m- prove after that.”

The opportunity to take at least a point from the game was there, but Clare weren’t hungry for war.

‘Wexford were well up for it,” add- ed Considine. “When you lose your first league game it puts you well up for it the second day out. Of course you’d be disappointed [at losing] but what can you do. You’ve to take the good with the bad as well. We were there with a fair chance of winning the game and Wexford had a few bad wides. At the end of the day wed have accepted a draw but it wasn’t to oronel

BREAK out the maracas and shake those hips, its salsa time in Ennis.

One of the country’s most thrilling live salsa bands are coming to Ennis this Friday (March 9). Galway’s own Cuba Libre take to the stage in their new monthly residency at the heart of Ennis town centre in The Old Ground Hotel.

This eight piece band, which boasts two percussionists, piano and a pow- erhouse brass section 1s fronted by re- nowned vocalist Andres Martorell.

A native of Uruguay, he has worked with some of the most influential names in modern Salsa circles such as Eddy Pe Alver.

Musical director Stefano Mus- covi has collaborated with Europe’s top Latin acts such Oche Rios who played at the 7Oth birthday of jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie. It promises to be a terrific night featuring the music of Latin legends such as Ru- bens Blades, Oscar D’leon.

The concert is being organised in order to raise funds for the Ennis Street festival which takes place July 1. Festival organiser Ana Bella AlI- varez says people can expect a great vprcaalme elm

‘They have been playing in Galway

for years and they are really popular. It’s mostly Cuban music with lots of dancing, lots of people shaking their hips!”

This will be the second year of the Ennis Street Festival which brought colour and a carnival atmosphere to the market area last summer. Or- ganisers say this years event will be bigger with more acts while there are also plans to launch a festival web- Site

“T received a lot of encouragement from local people who had asked me to organise the festival last year. This year it will be bigger, there’ll be en- tertainment around the town, music and dance workshops and a stage with live music. I’m really looking forward to it, its really exciting”

She continues, “We would like to take this opportunity to call on local artists to collaborate with their own work or with ideas for the festival. For those interested, please call 065 6893966/086 3096096 or email us at ennisstreetfestival@eircom.net.”

Anyone wishing to make a dona- tion can do so at account number AIB 935387/063 91089.

Bishop Willie Walsh wants to cre- ate a “new model of Church” to deal with the scarcity of priests.

Dr Walsh said half of the 109 priests working in the diocese’s 58 parishes serving 115,000 Catholics are over the age of 65 with one-third over 75.

In a Lenten Pastoral letter, Dr Walsh said, “The scarcity of priests is taking hold and we have no choice but to respond to it in practical ways. I realise that change is never easy. Change born out of necessity can be even more difficult.”

Dr Walsh wants Massgoers to “‘vol- unteer for the essential work of manag- ing finances, school boards of manage- ment, choirs, maintenance of parish buildings and works of charity.

“A move in this direction is a move towards a new model of Church. It is not about lay people helping the priest; it 1s rather about lay people fulfilling their baptismal promises. We need to continue to move and to move more rapidly to the model of Church in which the priest concen- trates on the work that requires the presence of a priest.”

The figures published by Dr Walsh

show that there are less than 20 priests under the age of 44 in the dio- cese and only one man studying for the priesthood.

“We cannot gloss over problems such as the ageing profile of our priests, but we should be able to tack- le problems and see them as opportu- nities for change,” said Dr Walsh.

“T am deeply aware of criticism of bishops and priests when we speak of the need of lay involvement. People have a sense that we were not that ea- ger to give way in the past.

“I know in my heart that when we had a plentiful supply of priests we

neither allowed nor encouraged peo- ple to take on their rightful role in the life of the Church.

‘“Today’s shortage of priests has created a ‘needs must’ situation and people are not slow in pointing this out to us.”

Dr Walsh also anticipates that few- er masses will be held as a result of the age profile of the priests and their declining numbers.

“The best way to approach this matter is for small groups of neigh- bouring parishes to devise a Mass schedule which will meet the pasto- ral needs of the people in the area.

KILRUSH Marina is quickly becom- ing the focal point for yacht racers and enthusiasts around the country, even before the announcement of the €50 million investment into the sur- rounding lands.

At the request of Trinity College Dublin the Western Yacht Club, Kil- rush hosted the 2007 Irish Universi- WUE TIED a OHO GROIN eO Mh Te tional team Racing Championships, just a short few weeks ago.

The IUSA Nationals consist of 25 sailing teams from participating Irish Universities and third level Colleges competing in three days of dinghy

racing. This race then goes towards deciding which team will go to the World Team Racing Championships to be held in La Rochelle, France this year.

A Celtic flavour was brought to the IUSA Nationals in 2007 by the at- tendance of a number of teams from Scottish Universities.

A total of 150 sailors participated in Kilrush and competed in 176 races over the three days all of which were comfortably completed in courses laid out within the confines of Kil- rush Creek Marina.

It is estimated that the IUSA Na- tionals 2007 was worth €60,000 to the West Clare economy, a welcome

injection of funds to the town consid- ering it is off-season for tourists.

The event provided a colourful spectacle over the three days of rac- ing as each race consisted of two teams of three firefly dinghies with each team’s dinghies having differ- ent coloured sails.

Large numbers of people viewed the event from the Marina Gates causeway and from lands around the marina itself.

A major logistical effort consisting of the running of 60 races a day at three minutes intervals each, and the daily on-water transportation of up to 600 sailors from the marina pontoons to the race area, was successfully co-

ordinated by the Western Yacht Club with the help of its many members.

The Naval Service Reserve located in Kilrush, through its assistance, provided a unique Naval and profes- sional aspect to the event.

The event was a major success and approaches have already been made with regard to the hosting of the Na- tionals or a similar event in 2008.

Trinity College won the overall oLeynel oer eI ele) NF

, Dr Walsh said, “I don’t have doubts that I will be retir- ing in three years time.”

Dr Walsh is now 72 and has been Bishop since 1995.

He explained yesterday that it was mandatory for bishops to offer their resignation at 75.

‘In some cases, they ask people to stay on, but they generally tend to be

accepted. That said, Archbishop Con- nell was asked to stay on two years in Dublin and Cardinal Daly was asked to stay on for an extra three years in Armagh,” he said.

“Generally speaking, most of the time, the process of appointing a new bishop begins around the time you reach 75.

“The result is that very often, it 1s six months or at the outset 12 months later that the new appointment is made. Generally speaking, the resig- nation is accepted at 75.

“IT was just 60 when I was appointed and that is 15 years and I think really that in 15 years you have given most

of what you can give in that period and I think it is good that there will be fresh ideas and fresh energy.

“It is important one doesn’t remain on too long and one doesn’t have the same energy at 75 as one had at 40. Thankfully, my health is very good and I can still do a very full day’s work.”

Earlier in the interview, Dr Walsh said, “Part of my calling over the past 15 years as bishop has been to deal with the very tragic issue of sexual abuse which happened over a long period in the past.

“I see part of my calling to try to bring healing to victims of abuse

and I regard that to some degree as a privilege to try to bring healing to these people who have been hurt.”

He added, “As the age profile of priests has advanced, I regard it as my task as bishop to give some leadership towards a new model of Church, where lay people take on a greater response for the day-to-day life of the Church.

“I believe that in those days we had too many priests in the diocese and I think it wasn’t a good thing for the life of the Church.

“It in many ways discouraged peo- ple from playing their full role in the Church.”