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this system is of concern to parents. ‘Nobody wants to be paying for teachers. We lost two teachers last July because the roll dropped in September 2004,” said Mr Mac Cor- maic. “Now the roll has come up again, but we

will have to wait until September 2006 to get out teachers back. Despite appeals to the De- partment of Education and lobbying our elected representatives for even a part-time extra teach- er our requests have fallen on deaf ears. All we are looking for is a part-time teachers, for fifth and sixth class students. This doesn’t make sense. The reason we are fundraising is that the children get an equal chance,” he added.

He said the Department told the Board of Management that if there were 187 students (just five more than is the case at present), the school would have been allocated two addition- al teachers. Mr Mac Cormaic said the problem could be overcome if the fifth and sixth classes were split up, but this would not be fair to the students and teachers concerned.

A number of fundraising initiatives have tak- en place in recent weeks, including a golf out- ing, while a sponsored walk and table quiz are also planned.

VANDALS and thugs who are causing late- night distress to residents in Kilrush council estates face eviction and exclusion if their anti-social behaviour continues.

Kilrush Town Council responded to ongoing problems in the town’s estates yesterday by launching the Tenancy Management Policy, including Combating Anti-Social behaviour. Ongoing problems in areas such as John Paul Estate, where people are leaving their homes in fear of vandalism and shootings, are to be addressed through the new policy.

A spokesperson said, ““While Kilrush Town Council recognises that the great majority of tenants and residents of council housing are aware of their obligations, a small number are involved in behaviour that causes their neigh- bours difficulty. Sanctions such as eviction or exclusion orders are available and the council is committed to using them.

County manager, Alec Fleming advised that the new policy sets out positive response pro- cedures for the management of tenancy and estate issues in the council’s housing stock. It encourages the establishment of residents’ as- sociations and aims to support them, and take measures against anti-social behaviour. The council has also vowed to record every com- plaint and respond within five working days. Town clerk, Fiona Mooney, stressed the confi- dentiality of the complaints procedure.

‘Kilrush Town Council is aware of the need for confidentiality, so this policy includes a confidential complaints system,” she said. “Senior staff will investigate all complaints and appropriate action will be taken where

breaches of tenancy are evident.”

The town council has also developed a two page brochure, “Together we can make it work’, incorporating a confidential com- plaints form. The Gardai and council will work together in the implementation of the complaints procedure. A series of open in-

formation sessions will be hosted by Kilrush Town Council and the Garda Superintendent to disseminate the procedures.

Meanwhile, John Paul Estate will feature in a

INCREASING class sizes are impacting on the level of attention teachers can give to pupils.

Principal of Ballyea National School, Eddie Liddy believes overcrowding in the classroom is one of the main problems facing schools in Clare. He said the current situation, where classroom sizes are increasing, imposes extra burdens on teachers and limits the amount of attention they can give to students. In Ballyea the problem has been particularly prevalent in split classes, where children from two different classes share the same room.

‘Absolutely it is a big problem. We have split classes with 32 children in them, where one teacher in one classroom is looking after all of

the junior infants and half of the senior infants. In the other classroom a teacher has all of first class and half the senior infants. It can be very difficult to manage.”

The issue of class size in primary schools was discussed at a public meeting of representatives of parents, teachers and management in Ennis last night. There are currently 159 children at- tending Ballyea National School and this year the school received an extra teacher in accord- ance with directives issued by the Department of Education. “We still have huge class sizes but it definitely has made a difference.”

Ballyea National School had been highlighted as being typical of the overcrowding problem but the school is hopeful of getting a new build- ing in the future.

A CLAIM that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment owes more than €30,000 to the White hotel group is not true, Inspector Michael Gallagher told the court.

He said information given during the hearing last month by White hotel group accountant, Robert Hurley, was incorrect.

“That department owes no money and owed no money on the date of the hearing,” said the in- spector, who added that a member of staff from the department was in court to give evidence to this effect.

Defending solicitor Eugene O’Kelly said this was a “scurrilous” and “outrageous” allegation of perjury.

Mr Hurley had told the court last month that during the past two to three years, 194 applica-

tions were made to the Department for work joes WNDU

None of the 194 were taken on and the money had not been refunded.

Each application now costs €400.

Meanwhile, the outcome of the two-day court hearing was hugely disappointing and may be appealed, according to the managing director of the two hotels at the centre of the case.

Jim White, a former Fine Gael Donegal South- West TD, told The Clare People, “I am very dis- appointed with this court ruling.

“Tt is a very difficult place to run, Lisdoonvar- na, opening in March and closing in September.

“T think it has been unfairly treated. I still have to decide on an appeal.”

He pointed out that out of the 190 or 200 work- ers employed by the hotel group, just a few were found to be illegal.

A MASSIVE €33 million shortfall in the Shannon Development pension fund will have to be met by the taxpayer.

Accounts recently filed with the Com- panies Office also show that the company would have made a much greater loss last year than the €1.6 million recorded, but for a €12.518 million profit made in selling off property. This included €4.2 million on the sale of Shannon town to Clare County Council.

The pensions deficit increased by €6.9 million during 2004. However, the accounts state that the exchequer will meet any short- fall, as a result of a High Court settlement between the Trustees of the pension fund, and the company and Department of Fi- nance last year.

The company’s pension fund stood at €46.5 million at the end of last year. But the anticipated cost of the fund — which gives each employee a guaranteed amount at the end of their working lives – is €80 million, resulting in the shortfall.

The company has declined in the past to give a breakdown of the numbers working in each department.

However, accounts show that the high- est number (75) work in industrial devel- opment, and these are the jobs threatened through the new mandate for the company announced by the Minister for Trade, Em- ployment and Enterprise, Michael Martin ETS aves

This is currently the subject of negotia- tions between SIPTU and the Dept of En- terprise, Trade and Employment, where SY UE ORS ee lacoseel olan stam comm ClUs nome soMBADIRUD KS of Shannon Development in promoting the Shannon Free Zone.

Staff costs, including salaries and pension provision, cost €14.535 million in 2004.

In a bid to reduce staff numbers, Shannon Development has had in place a voluntary retirement scheme costing €2.24 million over the past two years.

In relation to the transfer of Shannon town to Clare County Council, the company spent €690,000 on redundancy and €922,000 on other costs. And it cost €104,000 to remu- nerate its Board of Directors last year.

Underlining the importance of the com- pany’s property portfolio, the accounts show that €17.913 million was generated in rental income last year.

The company’s balance sheet shows that its fixed assets were valued at €150 million at the end of last year.

TALK of a possible coalition between Fine Gael and the Green Party could af- fect the larger party’s rural vote in the next election, according to rural housing lobbyist, Jim Connolly.

Speaking to The Clare People, the sec- retary of the Irish Rural Dwellers’ Asso- ciation warned that “courting the Greens is a high risk strategy when looking for votes in rural Ireland”’.

Mr Connolly accused the Green Party of being totally against one-off hous- ing, adding that Green county council- lor Brian Meaney expressed such views when he addressed the IRDA conference in Kilkee last September.

Cllr Meaney countered that Mr Con- nolly was listening to the “honeyed words of Fianna Fail, and they are the ones directing policy. Where are the Green Party members that are influenc-

ing this (one-off housing) policy?” he asked.

“Mr Connolly is blinkered in his thinking and his logic. He needs to re- visit some of the comments made to him in the past by members of larger parties. I went back (to Kilkee) and gave policy and no one else did,’ he said.

Cllr Meaney sent a transcript of his speech to The Clare People. In it he said, “T wish to state clearly that the Green Party is fully committed to the develop- ment and prosperity of rural areas.

‘Development and prosperity has to be achieved in a balanced and a sustainable fashion, and no reasoned argument can be made to allow uncontrolled develop- ment, be that badly-designed and sited commercial development, or uncon- trolled ribbon development along every road in the country.”

Cllr Meaney continued, “We believe the best way to maintain and increase

population numbers in rural areas, based on the evidence of the recent census, 1s to support villages and clusters, as vil- lages and clusters have held their popu- lation better than scattered communities in the open countryside.

‘Areas of population loss, as indicated by CLAR maps, match areas with poor or non-existent village and cluster struc- ture. This lack of structure is the main reason these areas suffered more popu- lation loss than others.

“Therefore, we believe that the best way to address population loss in weak areas is to create new villages or village clusters and to actively prevent further dispersal of settlement,’ he said.

Meanwhile Mr Connolly called on Fine Gael to publish its policy on one- off housing. He said while Deputy Paul Connaughton (FG) was very supportive of rural housing, he was speaking per- sonally.

A WARNING by well-known soci- ologist, Fr Harry Bohan, that plans for student accommodation in Shan- non “are sowing the seeds for serious problems” has failed to prevent the development getting the go-ahead.

An Bord Pleanala ignored the rec- ommendation of its own planner by granting permission to Brook Drive Properties for 35 apartments and a gym and cafeteria to accommodate 140 students at Drumgeely in Shan- non. And Fr Bohan has appealed the eleTert (Oye

In relation to the current proposal, a senior planning inspector with the Board, Brendan Wyse, stated, “It ap-

pears that there is already a signifi- cant shortfall in car parking provi- sion in the Drumgeely area.

“In this context, I do not consider that the proposed 31 spaces, though a considerable advance on the previ- ous proposal, would be an adequate compensation for the loss of an area with a current capacity for at least 60 cars. In conclusion therefore, I do not consider that the revised pro- posal overcomes the second reason for refusal.”

However, this was overturned by the Board which stated: “In decid- ing not to accept the Inspector’s rec- ommendation, the Board considered that there was sufficient car parking on site to facilitate the displaced car

parking serving the existing flats complex together with the proposed development.”

The application is the latest of several attempts to develop the site, which have encountered strong local Opposition.

Earlier this year, Clare County Council granted planning for the development only for a number of local residents, including Fr Bohan, to appeal the decision to An Bord lene

As part of his appeal, Fr Bohan, who lives at Drumgeely, wrote, “I am appealing this decision on so- cial and sociological grounds, but I am very aware of the other serious grounds for appealing it such as con-

travention of the development plan; parking space; road traffic and seri- ous question mark over ownership to the proposal.”

Also appealing in a personal ca- pacity, Fr Bohan — a member of the Clare senior hurling management team — said: “My objection to the proposed development is based on the fact that high density develop- ments of this kind, linked as it would be to 137 existing apartments and 13 houses, 1s sowing the seeds for ser1- ous social problems.

“The proposed development at Drumgeely has serious consequenc- es for people living in that area and indeed for the future development at Shannon.”

WEST Clare-based senator, Brendan Daly, claimed this week that no stone will be left unturned in Fianna Fail’s efforts to reclaim three seats in Clare in the next general election.

Twenty-four hours after his party colleague, Junior Minister, Sile de Valera announced her retirement from politics, Senator Daly was in defiant form last Friday, declaring, “There is going to be no stone un- turned to get back the three seats, no conceding anything to anyone at this stage.”

Less than a month ago, the former minister caused a surprise in some circles when he said he would be putting his name forward for cand1i- dature for the next general election at the Fianna Fail selection convention on January 9, 2006.

Now, assuming that he gets the green light from the Fianna Fail con- vention, Senator Daly looks to be a strong position to reclaim the Dail seat he lost in 2002 if Fianna Fail manages to hold onto its core vote in Clare in the next election.

Speaking at afunction at St Joseph’s Secondary School in Spanish Point last Friday — which was also attended by Minister de Valera – Senator Daly

continued, “Personally, it is impor- tant to win three seats. We are going all out for three seats, we have the policies to back it up, the candidates

In ebullient form, the Senator con- tinued, “We don’t know what the con- vention will throw up. At the end of the day when the convention is over

already declared are well-placed, we are going to put up a fight, we are not going to give up easily, we are gonna out ee

and if I am on that ticket, I would be confident of being elected. There is a very big area of west Clare used to having two TDs representing it.

“We have a challenge there to get back the seat we lost the last time, we’ve won and lost it several times. We had two and three-quarter quo- tas last time out and we will be chal- lenging very strong on the basis of the economic performance under the Government, and that we have three candidates who understand the prob- lems of the county. “The quality of life in this county is better than most. If you look at Clare’s economic per- formance, itis better than most coun- ties. Seventy per cent of our kids are going into college, which is much higher than any other county in I[re- land. We want to keep it that way.”

Last time out, Senator Daly lost his Dail seat to James Breen TD who resigned from Fianna Fail in the months prior to the election in order to run as an independent.

Senator Daly was first elected TD in 1973 and held onto his seat until 1992 and regained it in 1997. During his time in the Dail, Senator Daly has served in three Ministries- as Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, the Marine and for Social Welfare.

A MEETING of Burren farmers wishing to know more about the BurrenLife Project will take place in Cassidy’s Pub in Carron this Monday night at 8.30pm. The meeting is designed to allow Bur- ren farmers to learn more about the project and there will be a detailed presentation as-well-as a questions and answers session on the night. There will also be a second presentation and

discussion about the regulations concerning the maintenance and upkeep of the extensive stone walls in the Burren area.

Burren Life was launched by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Govern- ment Dick Roche last July. The project aims to take a new partnership approach between con- servationists and the farmers of the Burren and insure that the landscape of the area remains in- tact but that farming 1s also sustainable.

The project is being headed up by Dr Brendan Dunford who was last week appointed to the Irish Heritage Council. Dr Dunford has lived in the Burren for almost 10 years now and wrote his university doctorate on the impact that different farming techniques were having on the area.

He jointly set up the Burrenbeo conservationist organisation and education website a number of years ago before deciding to head up the Burren- Life project earlier this year.

SILE de Valera has represented the Clare con- stituency since 1987. Born in Dublin in 1954, Minister de Valera was educated at Loretto Convent, Dublin and UCD, where she quali- fied as a career guidance teacher.

She was first elected to the Dail for the Dub- lin mid-county constituency, in the Fianna Fail landslide general election of 1977. She was the youngest TD elected that year.

In June 1979, she was elected to the Euro- pean Parliament for a five-year term. Later that year, de Valera was one of the Fianna Fail TDs who criticised the policies of Taoiseach,

Jack Lynch in relation to Northern Ireland and was a prominent supporter of Charles Haughey, who succeeded him as Taoiseach in December 19779.

She held her Dail seat until the 1981 Gen- eral Election, when the constituency bounda- ries were redrawn. She sought re-election in the new constituency of Dublin South. This caused tension within the Fianna Fail party locally, as one of the other candidates, Séa- mus Brennan, was a prominent opponent of Haughey. De Valera polled relatively well at that election, but narrowly lost to Niall An- drews. de Valera contested the constituency again at the February 1982 general election,

but she again failed to get elected, seeing her vote drop.

For the following general election in No- vember 1982, she transferred to Clare, where sitting TD, Bill Loughnane (a fellow sup- porter of Haughey), was standing down. Clare was the constituency that her grandfather, Eamon de Valera, had represented from 1917 until 1959. Again, she narrowly failed to get elected, but she remained living in the con- stituency, and in 1987 she was re-elected. She has been re-elected at every election since.

De Valera resigned the party whip from F1- anna Fail in 1993, due to the removal of the stopover at Shannon Airport. In 1994, the

new leader, Bertie Ahern, appointed her to the front bench. In 1997, she became Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands. In 2002, she lost her place at the Cabinet table but became a junior minister. She is currently Minister of State at the Department of Edu- cation & Science, with Special Responsibility for Adult Education, Youth Affairs and Edu- cational Disadvantage.

Last Thursday, Minister de Valera an- nounced her intention to stand down at the end of the current Dail term. She is a niece of Vivion de Valera and 1s a first cousin of the current Minister for Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Eamon O Cuiv.