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THE rising tide of the Celtic Tiger has failed to raise all boats and mem- bers of the Travelling community are worse off than they were 30 years ago, according to priest and head of Respond, Pat Cogan, formerly of the Killaloe diocese.

According to Fr Cogan, who was a chaplain to Travellers in Ennis in the 1970s, public hostility towards Trav- ellers has also increased over the last number of decades.

Speaking at the launch of Respond’s new Traveller accommodation and Support policy last week, Fr Cogan

raised concerns about a low take- up of second-level education among male Travellers in Ireland.

‘There has been a great improve- ment in the general wealth in Ireland over the last decade. But this has by- passed the ‘Travelling community to a large extent. One reason is that their family size tends to be growing consistently and this can make it dif- ficult,’ said Ned Brennan, Head of Operations at Respond.

‘The main reason is the educational issue; 1f the educational system does not work for Travelling people then how can they get the skills to sell to employers and take advantage of the

Celtic Tiger?”

Respond has identified suitable Traveller accommodation as one of its main priorities for the future and has appointed a Traveller accommo- dation officer whose sole responsi- bility will be to work with Traveller organisations.

Their new policy, which has been circulated to every local authority in the country including Clare County Council, is focused on a more uni- fied approach to dealing with Travel- ler issues.

“We want to bring about a much more unified approach to Traveller support. What we are offering to lo-

cal authorities is the use of our exper- tise of the last 25 years in how best to organise a coordinated Traveller sup- port,” continued Mr Brennan.

“We would be offering to work hand in hand with the councils and all the other involved agencies. We have cir- culated our policy document around to all local authorities, a number have got back to us and we would be very hopeful that all of them will over the next few weeks.”

Life expectancy for female Travel- lers is currently 12 years less than females from the settled community, while males die on average 10 years Cre Coe

THE artistic endeavors of more than 300 Clare children was celebrated this week at the Pol an Ionain cave in Doolin where the inaugural chil- dren’s Christmas art competition was judged.

After much deliberation, Oscar Healy from Cratloe came out on top in the competition which was crammed with quality work from all entrants.

“We did Santa Clause at the cave this year and as part of that we in- vited all the children who visited to take part in the art competition. We couldn’t get over the response, we

had 300 entrants from children all over Clare, it was really amazing,” said Helen Browne of Pol an Ionain.

“It was really interesting to see all the different things that the children could conjure up just with their 1m- aginations.”

The competition was judged by three arts school graduates who de- cided that Oscar’s drawing was the best of the hundred of entrants in a close competition.

“It was so difficult, they were all very good but there were six or seven pieces that were just excellent,’ con- tinued Helen.

‘He has created a scene which is based inside the cave. The stalac-

tite is in the background and in the foreground is Santa and two or three elves. The whole drawing is really fantastic, very well done.”

Pol an Ionain has been going from strength to strength since it opened less than one year ago.

“The cave has been going very well. We are operating a park and ride service from Bruach na Halla to the cave. This is to keep any disturbance of the natural environment of the area to an absolute minimum. It also means that only groups of 20 visit the cave at a time which makes it both a very intimate and eco-friendly expe- rience,’ continued Helen.

“We are open at weekends at the

moment and we will be opening full time after Paddy’s Day. It’s a great experience and allows people to view a sculpture of nature which has been in the making for millions of years.” The cave, which boasts the world’s largest free-hanging stalactite, was discovered in 1959 and was devel- oped using non-explosive drilling techniques to protect the ecology of the cave and its surrounding area.

A 17-YEAR-OLD youth has been convicted of assaulting a schoolboy during a school lunchbreak in Kil- Mut ee

Kilrush District Court heard that a 15-year-old boy — who is from west Clare — was walking along Moody’s Lane on January 9 last, when he met the accused and another individual,

who was not before the court.

The boy was repeatedly hit to the face with a clenched fist. The court was told that the accused urged the other individual to join in. He reluc- tantly did so. The young victim even- tually managed to run away.

He sustained a black eye, soft tis- sue damage to the nose, a lump to the side of the head and two lumps to the forehead.

The accused, who cannot be named because of his age, told the court that the young boy called him and his friend “scumbags and knackers,” and he then hit him.

The accused said the 15-year- old “doesn’t come into Kilrush any neuen

Supt Joe McKeown, prosecuting, asked him, “Why does he not come into Kilrush any more? … Because

of you.”

Supt McKeown added that the ac- cused has made life “a misery” for the boy and his family, but the ac- cused replied that this was not the OF Ton

“They have made my life a mis- ery, he said.

Judge Joseph Mangan convicted the youth of assault and fined him PAULO}

UNION and_ worker representa- tives have added their voices to the mounting demands that the Govern- ment put up money to save Shannon, in the face of the possible loss of a year-round direct link to the US. SIPTU, the largest airport union, wants the Govenment to put up cash to improve infrastructure, facilities

and to fund a major tourism market- nOTRG NW AY oe

Tony Carroll of SIPTU’s avia- tion branch said union members are “very dissapointed” that the trans- atlantic stopover is the price of the Open Skies deal.

“The proposal of a one-year lead in is too short entirely. A longer time- frame is needed to brace Shannon for the full impact of this,” he said.

Carroll added that there will need to be “substantial support” for the airport to market itself and win a slice of the lucrative US cake rather than letting visitors fly straight to Dublin.

One major concern is that even within the year long period which is intended as a lead-in to the end of the compulsory stop-over, flights might cease once the busy summer season

ends.

With airlines allowed to average out the number of Shannon flights, many associated with the airport fear that it is possible that the quota could be all allocated to summer services with no daily service in winter.

“The biggest threat is going to be that we could lose the year-round daily link with the USA. Not having direct access makes you uncompeta-

tive and unattractive as a destination for inward investment,’ said Carroll.

A spokesman for SIGNAL, the Shannon airport worker’s lobby eroup, said that it’s vital the Govern- ment move quickly.

“Now that Open Skies is definitely coming, it’s vital that the Govern- ment pull out all the stops in imple- menting the Tourism and Economic Development Plan.

GERRY Dunleavy was back in Doo- lin last week to help launch details for this year’s Michael Dunleavy Walk which will take place on April ey

The walk, which is now in its fifth year, 1S dedicated to the memory of Gerry’s young son Michael, who died aged just eight, because of an inoperable brain tumour.

The group, which has raised more than €90,000 for the Irish Cancer Society over the last four years, are hoping that this year’s event will be

the most successful to date.

“We are really hoping to push it this year. This is the fifth anniver- sary of the walk so we want to pull out all the stops. We want to make it the biggest walk ever,” said organiser Mary O’Connor. “It will be the same route as usual. We will start at the Russell Centre and people can have their choice of two routes, one of five miles or one of a shorter distance.

‘All the money raised goes towards the Irish Cancer Society. We try to channel the money towards child- hood cancer and research. We also save a good part of the money raised

to help local children who are suffer- ing from different illnesses.”

The Michael Dunleavy Foundation was established by Gerry and Toni Dunleavy in Boston in 2002. Doo- lin native Gerry and his Dublin-born Toni set up the charity following the death of their son Michael in Amer1- ca on December 28, 2002.

“We hope that our fundraiser will be an important element in the fight against cancer and brain tumours,” continued Mary. “Technology is moving at breakneck speed towards finding the cause of this disease but it requires a big investment that now

one of us could afford. But together we can help to hasten the day that a cure for cancer would be found.”

The money raised will be used pri- marily in the area of research into childhood cancer and in the support of affected families. A portion of this money also goes to help fund special- ists nurses who work on a one-to-one basis with child suffers of cancer.

Anyone interested in taking part in the walk can contact Mary on 087 9080412. A special bank account for all donations has been set up at the Bank of Ireland in Ennistymon, Ac- count number 32884701.

A YOUNG woman has told a court that she has become a “very different person” as a result of being stabbed, while she worked at an Ennis hotel.

Mia Buena (30), a Filipino national, was waitressing at the Auburn Lodge Hotel on January 2, when she was approached and stabbed in the back with a knife.

The accused, Tommy Dormer (33), of 11 Ashfield Park, Gort Road, En- nis, pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Court to assaulting Ms Buena, caus- Thokcap ates am ercvw eee

The victim told the court she has suffered gravely as a result of the stabbing, both physically and men- NOAA

“I thought it was my fault. I was blaming myself because I didn’t see it coming,” she said.

“I still haven’t been able to go back to the place where it happened,’ she Said.

She said her family in the Philip- pines depend on her and she is un- able to support them at the moment.

She said that under the conditions of her work permit, she should be working, but is unable to and now fears she will be deported.

She said she understands what the accused 1s going through.

Outlining the facts of the case to

the court, Detective Sergeant Joe O’Brien said Ms Buena has worked at the Auburn for five years and the accused regularly visits the hotel.

On the evening in question, he went into the bar where Ms Buena was serving customers.

“For no apparent reason whatso- ever, Tommy Dormer stabbed her in the back with a knife,’ he said. She sustained a stab wound to the shoul- Coe

He then went to a neighbouring house and requested that the emer- gency services be called.

The garda told the court the ac- cused said, “I’m on a mission of mer- cy.” While he waited for gardai to arrive, he said Hail Marys and Our Fathers. He said that Dormer said that “voices were telling him to do these things”.

He said the accused suffers from psychiatric problems and over the years there were several incidents of self-mutilation.

Judge Carroll Moran asked where the knife was recovered and the garda replied, “It was left in her back, my Lord”’.

Defence barrister Lorcan Connolly said his client suffers from chronic schizophrenia and that he put the blame for the incident firmly on his own psychiatric problems.

He said his client has never been in

trouble before and “all of a sudden he leaves his home and suddenly com- mits an act against a person who had been very good to him in the past”. He asked that the case be put back,

with the accused remaining in cus- tody, until a regime could be put in place, possibly in Cluain Mhuire, which the court would be satisfied with, on an interim basis.

Judge Carroll Moran adjourned the case until next month, for a Proba- tion Report to be completed.

INDUSTRY heads and business moguls are visiting the county without the knowledge of the Clare County Council executive.

According to yesterday’s meeting of the council’s strategic policy committee on plan- ning and economic development, officials are not being informed of visits to the county of possible investors.

Should they be made aware of such visits, they could make representations on behalf of the county, the members of the SPC argued.

The IDA also came under attack for its in- ability to meet the council executive on mat- ters of industry for the county.

A senior member of the council executive, acting Director of Services Liam Conneally, revealed that the council “found it difficult to get an audience and then be listened to.”

Within the last number of years the county manager’s function has been extended to al- low him become the prime driver of tourism and commercial interests in the county.

The current county manager, Alex Fleming has been credited by many with securing the Coca Cola plant in Mayo during his tenure NKR

Members of the SPC described it as a “dis- grace’ that the IDA and other bodies were “unable” to meet with him on at least two oc- casions.

Ennis County Councillor Peter Considine

said it was worrying, and he proposed writing to the Minister for Enterprise to ask him to “instruct he IDA to make himself or herself available to the executive of the council.”

Chairman of the SPC Cllr Richard Nagel told the meeting “There is a perception out there that, because of the Shannon Industrial Zone, that Clare is doing quiet well.”

He said any suggestions that attempts be made to get industry to the smaller towns was ignored but said it was important to at least get industry to the county town as a start.

Cllr Considine that the “glib answers” sug- gesting that Ennis and such areas are too near the BMW area can no longer be accepted.

“Tt is critical that the County Manager and executive have input,” he added.

Meanwhile the first meeting of the forum for all tourist groups to encourage tourism in the county will take place on December 9.

Members of the SPC warned that this would only work if all sides get involved.

Funding for the work of the forum was dis- cussed with hotelier John Madden suggesting that the council look at the rates as a means of supporting the work.

Mayor Pat Keane felt that the rates “always seem to be a target.”

He suggested that as a lot of tax rates had been given to holiday homes in the last number of years, and the increase in tourism would benefit the owners, that this area be tar- geted instead.

PLANS for a €50 million retail park on the out- skirts of Ennis are facing opposition from An Taisce and local residents, although Ennis Cham- ber of Commerce 1s 1n support.

Next Friday, Ennis Town Council is due to make a decision on contentious plans by Michael Lynch Ltd for a retail park adjacent to the Limerick-Gal- way road.

According to the Environmental Impact State- ment (EIS) lodged with the planning application at the end of last year, the development will provide 250 jobs when operational, while 150 people will be employed during construction.

The 15,000 square metre development is to comprise a retail superstore and seven retail ware- house units. A retail impact assessment concluded that “the development will not adversely affect the viability and vitality of Ennis town centre or the local economy”.

However, An Taisce has expressed “serious con- cerns with regard to environmental sustainability”, while RGDATA, which represents independent traders, has urged the council to refuse planning permission to avoid any potential damage.

Director, Tara Buckley, has told the council, ‘The development is divorced from the town cen- tre and it is inappropriate for town centre retail activities. It would result in the removal of vital and essential convenience floorspace from the town centre”.

And residents from Clare Road, Tobarteascain, Carraig Dubh, Connolly Villas, Abbey Court and Abbey Ville have grouped together to lodge an ob- jection to the proposal.

In their most recent submission, drafted by plan- ning consultant, Brendan McGrath, they claim that “no additional information has been submitted or design amendment proposed that adequately ad- dress the serious shortcominings of this develop- ment proposal”.

Residents also claim that the proposal does not comply with the Ennis and Environs Development

Plan 2003 and will cause a traffic hazard.

They further claim that the development would seriously affect the amenity of adjacent residential Auer

“In our view, the development proposal is so different from that proposed in the Ennis and En- virons Development that it represents a material contravention of the plan,” they state.

Those admitted to Bushy Park centre on the outskirts of Ennis are subjected to a rigorous course of treatment over a four- week period.

According to the centre’s Director, Margaret Nash, treatment centres such as Bushy Park have a 75% success rate. Open since 1991, the centre has treated 1,800 people to date for addiction prob- lems, with the vast majority of those ad- dicted to alcohol.

Ms Nash said that, in a typical day at Bushy Park, “The residents would rise at 7.30 and have breakfast. Medita- tion would go from 9am to 9.45am and group therapy would take place from 10 am to 11.30am. Between 11.30 am and 12.30pm, residents would meet with counsellors or do their own writing and

from 12.30 to 1.30, lunch takes place. Residents then have book reading at 2pm, such as the AA book, more coun- selling from 2.30 to 4 and group therapy from 4 to Spm’.

The centre is funded through Clare- care, but apart from support from the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Probation and Welfare Service, it is self- financing.

A four-week course of treatment at Bushy Park costs €4,200 and medical insurance through BUPA and the VHI covers the costs.

“We don’t turn anyone away because of lack of finance,” said Ms Nash.

Twenty people are employed at the cen- tre, including five full-time counsellors and two part-time ones. Ms Nash said that the ratio of resident to counsellor is three to one, which she said is quite low.

Ms Nash expressed frustration at the lack of opportunities to source Govern- ment funding: “The Government talks about problems associated with alcohol, but there are no sources of funding for Bushy Park to get at.”

Bushy Park is to launch a fund-raising drive for their €2m expansion.

‘For a lot of people who come here, it is a turning point in their lives and there would be a lot of goodwill towards us and I would be hoping that we would be able to tap into that.”

Meanwhile, all proceeds from a con- cert at University Concert Hall, Limerick on Friday, December 2 featuring Finbarr Furey, Mickey Dunne and Mick Hanley are to go to Bushy Park, and 20% of all proceeds from an exhibition featuring prominent Irish artists, opening at Tho- mas Street, Limerick on December 10.

BUSHY Park treatment centre in Ennis has confirmed that there has been a 40% increase 1n 18 to 25 year olds presenting for treatment in the past year.

“The challenge for us two years ago or eighteen months ago was to actually fill capacity at Bushy Park, but in the last year, we are at full capacity and have had an extensive waiting list,” said the cen- tre’s Director, Margaret Nash.

In response to the growing numbers presenting themselves for the intensive four-week long treatment programme, Ms Nash confirmed that a planning ap- plication is to be lodged early in the New Year by Bushy Park that will increase the centre’s capacity by 40%.

The €2 million plan is to also include sport and recreation facilities for the residents, along with additional meeting

rooms.

The planned expansion will increase the centre’s current residential capacity from 13 to 18 in 2007.

Ms Nash said that those aged 18 to 25 presenting for treatment came from a va- riety of social backgrounds.

“Some of them are going to college, have jobs, doing apprenticeships; they come from all social classes. It was in- evitably going to happen and is part of the economic boom, as drink is still rela- tively cheap and they are the age-group with the most disposable income.

“There 1s a fixation in Ireland, where parents are very happy saying ‘my child drinks, but he doesn’t do drugs’, but al- cohol is still the most destructive of oa bream

Ms Nash confirmed that the numbers presenting with alcohol addiction alone have dropped in recent years.

‘There are less and less people present- ing with straight alcohol addiction and that is a trend that is going to continue where you have more and more present- ing with cross-addictions.

‘For example, you would have a lot of women cross-addicted to alcohol and prescription drugs and the numbers pre- senting with straight alcohol addiction is at 60%.”

Ms Nash said that cocaine is the most popular illicit drug among people com- ing for treatment. Cannabis is also popu- lar, while both Ecstasy, which is being bought for €4, and heroin are on the in- crease.

More women are also presenting for treatment, according to Ms Nash.

“Traditionally, the gender breakdown was /0-30% in favour of men, now it is more 60-40% and Bushy Park has been heading that way in the last six months.