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‘There is no doubt that the car-park is necessary as the current situation can be dangerous and inconven- ient. The challenge will be to ensure it doesn’t dis-

turb the unique character of the site, where its beauty is its remoteness”.

Clare Tourist Council spokesman, Paddy Maher, said, “The site is so special that it has to be managed properly, but a carpark is absolutely needed because of the dangerous situation of people coming out of buses on the roadside and clambering over walls. I believe that they have also chosen the correct site as it is a greenfield site and doesn’t interfere with the karst landscape”.

Currently, a herd of eco-friendly Government cat- tle is grazing the site in order to improve conserva- tion, as recommended in a management plan.

Dr Lynch has already confirmed that the cattle grazing “has had a very significant impact on the ecology of the site”.

The excavation of the site in 1986 was prompted by one of the slabs of limestone pavement that made up the dolmen being cracked, necessitating its re- placement by a nearby slab of pavement.

Full-time rangers are now employed by the Gov- ernment at the site, after it purchased the dolmen, along with 16 acres of land, in 2002 from a local levutloe

Those wishing to make submissions on the council plan have until December 16.

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.

: “T know that there were all sorts of rumours circulating about my health, but I’m glad to be able to say that they have no foun- CR IB(eyNe

“It was not very pleasant, but being so long in po- litical life, you have to grow a thick skin and that is sadly the more unseemly side of politics. I just prefer to stay away from that kind of approach to politics.”

On reports that she was not working on the ground in the constituency, Minister de Valera said, “Maybe you put that down to political mischief making; after all, conventions are afoot and elections are down for 2007. You will always have rumours like that circu- lating.

“T don’t put too much emphasis on reports like that and I have been working as hard as I can.”

Minister de Valera said that her decision to retire from politics was “a leap of faith to try to have a sec- ond career”’.

The 50-year old stated that she had been thinking about retiring from politics “for quite some time’, but declined to state for how long.

Asked how her retirement would affect Fianna Fail’s election prospects in Clare in the next General Election, Minister de Valera said: ““No one is indis- pensable and Fianna Fail is lucky that they have some potential candidates who already have tremendous experience.

“It will be up to the Fianna Fail organisation when the convention comes on January 9 and depending on the choice, I will be only too happy to support those particularly candidates.”

Minister de Valera said that her record in Clare was for others to judge.

‘“T have worked very hard. If you go into public life, although there is a some sense of cynicism, working and knowing the system from the inside, certaintly to be re-elected you have to work very hard, you re- ally do.

“It is a tough existence, it means that you have less time for family, friends and hobbies. That is the choice you make and you make that willingly and I will have been in political life for 30 years by the time the next election comes around, so it is time to move on.”

Minister de Valera described her decision as a ‘life-changing one” and said that she now hopes to complete her PhD in psychology and also write a po- litical memoir.

In relation to her PhD, Minister de Valera said, “It is not possible to carry those particular interests along with a political life. I have had marvellous opportu- nities in my political life, serving as a front bench spokesperson, vice-president of Fianna Fail, a Minis- ter at the cabinet table and now a Junior Minister.

“It has been a great experience and I have every 1n- tention of working extremely hard for the remainder of my time as a TD.”

Asked if she was in any way disillusioned with poli- tics, Minister de Valera said, “Disillusioned? No, I have and will continue to have a tremendous interest in politics.”

MACRA na Feirme president, Colm Markey, has called on EU Trade Commissioner Peter Man- delson to resign over his plans to reduce the import tariffs on non- EU farm produce by 46 per cent.

Mr Markey went on to say that it was clear that Mr Mandelson was still taking orders from Tony Blair and is trying to destroy the Oroyssheleyemmn Yau (es lathe: lame me) elen’s Jece)eemysiseunee

“By offering to reduce average tariffs on agricultural imports by 46 per cent in a bid to secure a deal in the WTO talks, Mr Man- delson has exceeded his mandate from the European Commission and has made a disastrous blun- der in the ongoing negotiations,” said Mr Markey. “He is obvious- ly not the right person for this job and should resign immediately.”

The Macra president went on to attack what he described as Mr Mandelson’s ‘cavalier strat- egy and his attempts to maxim- ise market access for European companies involved in industry and services, while at the same time selling out the EU agricul- tural sector.

“It is unbelievable that Mr. Mandelson has offered so much at this stage, while the Ameri- cans are ploughing on regardless with their current policies and planning a new Farm Bill to run from 2007,’ he said.

“Mr. Mandelson’s open door policy will mean a race to the bottom on production standards as the market will ultimately be left to imports. It is absolutely vital that the EU retains its own clean, safe food supply produced under conditions acceptable to SLURS hy Ao 1a

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.