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FOLLOWING the worrying news of positive tests for birds in Turkey and Romania with Avian Influenza the Minister for Agriculture and Food Mary Coughlan TD has announced a number of controlling initiatives in what she described as ‘a measured response.’

Firstly Minister Coughlan has welcomed the EU ban on all imports of live birds and untreated feathers from the countries and noted that imports of live poultry, eggs and fresh poultry meat from Turkey were already banned.

She has instructed her officials to request the assist- ance of Customs and Excise officers to provide further

support for her Department’s efforts at border inspection posts and she has arranged for the deployment of addi- tional Departmental resources at Dublin airport.

The Department has also issued detailed information to poultry flockowners on measures to reduce the risk of the introduction of Avian influenza into Ireland has published updated advice for travellers to and from af- fected countries.

Officials from the Department also met with colleagues from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland to co-ordinate their strategies.

Avian Influenza has seen millions of chickens being culled in Asia with almost 60 people dying as a result of the flu.

THERE are spaces available at Hlaunamanagh cemetery for families in need of graves, according to Clare County Council. Last week, a family had to move their father’s funeral to another cemetery after being told their local graveyard is full.

Larry Crampton, who passed away last week, was buried at Lemenagh cemetery, Newmarket- on-Fergus, after his family was told there was no double grave available at [launamanagh in Shan- non. There was a single space available, but his family requested a double space.

The decision to move the burial saddened the Crampton family. There are plans to extend Illau- namanagh but this will not be completed until next March. Shannon Town Manager Ger Dollard has apologised to the family concerned and pointed

out that the problem “should not recur.”

‘There are spaces marked. We are gone out to tender for the extension but, in the interim, we can mark out spaces and any sized plot is available,” said Mr Dollard.

He said the caretaker of the cemetery has been made aware of where the spaces are available and, if last weekend’s issue had arisen during a work- ing week, there may well have been a more suit- able conclusion.

“If it had happened on a Monday or a Tuesday, for instance, it would probably have been resolved. We have no difficulty in making an apology. It is a pity it happened and it won’t happen again,” said Mr Dollard.

Councillor Sean Hillary, who was one of those behind the establishment of the cemetery four

years ago, says this is not good enough, as the Geren elKeyemeTeeVUAAWLolnom ENO OVo Tle) Nee

“If it was known that there was a shortage of graves, the Council should have moved rapidly with emergency graves. I am not satisfied with it. This man [Larry Crampton] lived in Shannon for most of his life and a lot of people in Shannon are not happy that he could not be buried 1n the town,” PCM OuUbmsRIUE Dare

He said when it was known that people were keen to buy graves at IIlaunamanagh, Clare Coun- ty Council should have taken immediate action in extending the cemetery.

“The Council is dragging its feet. If the graves are only for emergency purposes, then contractors should be sent in immediately. That is not good enough and questions must be asked,’ he added.

A 25-YEAR-OLD man who stole 12 bars of chocolate from a shop in Shannon has_ been handed a one month suspended jail sentence. Thomas McDonagh, with an address at Bal- lymurtagh halting site, Shannon, stole the choc- olate — valued at €10 — from a shop at Cro- nan Park in the town, on February 26 last. Inspector sKoyne] Kennedy told Shannon district court the choco- late was recovered. Defending solici- tor Tara Godfrey said her client — the father of two young children — carried out an “act of monumental stupidity.” She said it was a lapse

of judgement, one which item usstauoa Koren

The court heard a bench warrant had been issued for the arrest of Mr McDonagh at a previous sitting of the court, on May 12 last. Gda Pat Broderick gave evidence of arresting the accused prior to last week’s court sitting, on foot of that warrant.

Judge Joseph Mangan imposed a seven-day jail term for failing to ap- pear in court in May. He jailed him for a month for stealing the choco- late and suspended it on Foy aTONTW (Oye MmNOer:1 mn OCommnSL R-Y out of the shop in ques- tion for six months and enter a bond to keep the peace for two years.

THE poor condition of the flyover footbridge at Drum- geely is forcing people to cross the dual carriageway, ac- cording to the Mayor of Shannon.

Cllr Tony Mulcahy says the surface of one of the plat- forms 1s ‘pooling’ with water and, as a result, people can- not pass it.

“It is like a sponge and the water is making the bridge unpassable. We are looking for this to be repaired for the past year-and-a-half,” he said.

He believes that the situation will deteriorate further over the winter months and says someone must take re- sponsibility to repair it.

‘Everyone is blaming everyone else. We need to get it fixed, as a matter of urgency,’ he pointed out.

WercNMmO elem E-NRortE boil notice to Ennis householders would be lifted in the next couple of days.

Mr Tiernan said that tests received by the council on Monday were clear.

He said that the on-going caution to pre-school children and those vulnerable to infection was there because the town’s lack a fully-fledged treatment plant.

Last Friday, the Health Service Execu- tive (HSE) deemed Ennis’s water unfit for human consumption for the third time in four months. Some 30,000 residents in the greater Ennis area are affected.

Tests on Friday showed a bacterial contamination of the supply. It was as

a result of a system malfunction at the town’s treatment plant, which led to con- taminated water being pumped to homes in Ennis and surrounding villages.

Mr Tiernan said yesterday: “The tem- porary glitch in the system was an unfor- tunate and freak occurrence and could’ve happened anywhere, but Murphy’s Law PTS OOM RUUD NBEO Roan 1 mae

Mr Tiernan said that the system mal- functioned for a “number of hours over- night” and once detected was corrected.

However, Ennis Town Mayor, Cllr Frankie Neylon yesterday called on the Minister for the Environment, Dick Ro- che and County Manager, Alec Fleming to intervene, by providing tankers or bot- tled water to the community.

“Through EU Drinking Water Regula- tions 2000, the Minister for the Environ- ment is required to supply clean drink- ing water and as a result should provide

tankers and bottled water.

“Families can’t afford to be spending €40 per week on bottled water over the next two years until the new plant is in place.”

Chief executive of Ennis Chamber of Commerce, Rita McInerney said: “This is an extraordinary situation and cen- tral Government should step in to fund an interim solution as the Town Council doesn’t have the funds.”

Councillor Brian Meaney (GP), who brought 40 litres of the Ennis water sup- ply to the gates of Leinster House on Wednesday for TDs to sample, said:

“We have forgotten what it is like to have a safe water supply in Ennis where anywhere else in Ireland it would be tak- en for granted. The people of Ennis can’t wait two more years .. . this situation has come about as a result of not planning for the future.”

ONGOING delays with postal services in Clare have been blown out of all pro- portion according to An Post.

The organisation blamed sections of the Communications Workers Union (CWU) for exacerbating the worries of the public by spreading miss-informa- tion about the quality of service being provided by An Post.

According to Anna McHugh, spokes- person for An Post, the CWU is trying to deflect attention away from the ballot on possible industrial action currently being Ce Sor6 b

“It most certainly is blown out of pro- portion and their is massive propaganda and mis-information being spread about mail centres, volumes and quality of service” she said on Monday.

She also stated that An Post wouldn’t be able to guarantee next day delivery until

new work practices had been adopted.

“Quality of service is not where we want it to be and that’s why we need these work practice changes. The target set out by COMREG 1s 94% and we have someway to go before achieving that fig- ure, but we are addressing the whole is- sue of timing to do with Clare and have given it a priority”.

The CWU has decided to ballot its members on possible industrial action after a failure by An Post to pay wage in- creases under the current national wage deal Sustaining Progress.

Staff at the Post Office in Ennis have been forced to work longer hours since the introduction of a new mail delivery system, which sees all mail distributed through regional mail centres. The de- livery delays, which are now into their second month, have been the source of much frustration to local residents and the business community.

Just last week Pat Breen T.D. high- lighted the problem when he claimed that only one in four letters posted within Clare were been delivered the next day. According to Rita McInerney from the Ennis Chamber of Commerce business- es in Ennis are bearing the brunt of An Post’s new policy.

She has criticised the reliability of the new delivery system which she said 1m- poses an extra cost on businesses.

“It is an extra expense. A lot of busi- nesses in Ennis have had to register their post because An Post can’t guarantee the service’.

She added that businesses were often forced to follow up postal deliveries with phone calls or faxes to ensure they had been delivered.

‘That is time delaying and in this day and age we should have an up to date postal system.”

DOONBEG golf course will host an open day at the Old Ground Hotel on November 5, as part of their recruitment drive.

80 new jobs are set to be created next year at the Greg Norman de- signed course. Work on the next stage of the $150 million development is about to commence.

The new _ facilities which includes a spa, res- taurants, bars and mem- ber facilities are due to open in Spring 2006.

There are a wide range of facilities on offer at the internationally renowned course, including restau- rant manager, spa man- ager, fitness room per- sonnel and bartenders.

Other areas where em- ployees are being sought include the kitchen, ac- counts administration and front office. The west Clare golf course cur- rently employs 50 people and this number is ex- pected to rise to 130 once the new facilities open.

While most positions are full-time there will also be some seasonal work during the high season April through October. “We believe that the opportunities available at Doonbeg offer success- ful candidates meaning- ful and really worthwhile employment in a profes- sional environment.

“Training will be an important component of all jobs. In anticipation of interest from all over the country we have been sourcing possible accom- modation in the area so we are confident that will not be a problem,” said Barry O’Connor assist- ant general manager at WeKomeyLbloy

Doonbeg will also hold an open day on October 22 in the community hall Doonbeg. Any interested applicants are invited to bring an updated copy of their C.V. to the Old Ground Hotel between 9.00 am and 5.00pm, and to the community hall, Doonbeg between 9.00am and 2.00pm.

PLANS for a commercial development that 1s expected to further rejuvenate the Drumbiggle area of Ennis have been thrown into doubt.

This follows residents from the Buttermarket area of Ennis appealing to An Bord Pleanala.

The group are contesting a decision by En- nis Town Council to grant planning permission to Pat Hansbury, Alan Collins and Donie and John Dillane for a four storey building.

The planned building will 18 apartments and four retail units, along with an underground car- park to accommodate 46 car-parking spaces.

Currently, the site 1s wasteland opposite En- nis town Council’s Drumbiggle headquarters.

The site was the former site of the rundown Drumbiggle flats before they were demolished by the Council. The Council subsequently sold the property and plans were lodged for the de- velopment earlier this year. The Council ruled that the development would not seriously injure the amenities of adjacent dwellings, that it is acceptable in terms of traffic safety and in the interests of proper planning and development.

The Council granted planning permission in spite of opposition from the Buttermarket resi- dents. The development has now been put on hold with the appeal lodged.

The residents state that “the development is excessive in scale and density for the site and cannot be contained adequately within its own boundaries in an acceptable manner without undue negative impact on the amenity and val- ue of surrounding properties.”

The group also contends that “the visual de- sign, massing and scale of the development is totally inappropriate to the area.

“If granted it will represent a missed opportu- nity to provide a building, or real architectural merit in this Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) near to a protected structure.

“The effective covering of almost all of the site has resulted in a development that adversely impacts on adjacent development.

“It sets a poor precedent for further develop- ment in the area. It has a visual and structural presence well in excess of what is appropriate to the area. And it would be more suitable to city centre high density forms of development than the centre of a medium order traditional atte as wrsem Key, ‘s0 ee

The residents state that they “are very con- cerned about the likely impact of the develop- ment on their properties.

“Some of the residents live in the small sin- gle-storey houses immediately to the north of the development site. Our clients have been sur- prised by the way their legitimate concerns for privacy and amenity in these rear garden areas have been dismissed by the Council in its as- sessment of this issue

“It is not acceptable that for reasons for prop- er planning and sustainable development that the amenity and privacy of houses in the vicin- ity should be compromised in this way by pro- viding a ‘wall of development 6.8 metres high along the rear of their garden areas.

“The board should note that this street is used extensively by school children walking to the nearby national school. Traffic generated by the development in these circumstances would be a serious traffic hazard.

A decision is due on the appeal in January of next year.

CHRISTMAS may still be a little bit too far away for most to think about, but there are some in Ballyvaughan who have already started planning just how to make this festive season a little bit different for the people of North Clare and beyond.

This year Ireland’s first European style out- door Christmas market will take place in Bal- lyvaughan with a whole host of activities, shop- ping and cheer which is sure to warm the hearts of locals and_ visitors alike.

The idea of an outdoor Christmas market has been popular in Germany and Austria for several fonabnw lee

These markets, the most famous of which takes place in Nurem- berg and Vienna, allow shoppers to buy presents outdoors in a leisurely atmosphere where the stopping is mixed with an occasional glass of mulled wine and some local delicacies.

The markets were orig- inally began by traders who would lay out their goods for a few days in a town’s market area.

As it developed the market became more sophisticated with fairs being held over a longer period before Christmas, and always around the town’s main church.

Indeed, these markets became so popular that a priest in Nuremberg complained in 1616 that he couldn’t hold the after- noon service on Christ- mas Eve because nobody attended mass because of the market.

Last year the Bally- vaughan Christmas mar- ket started out as a spon- taneous idea born only two months before the start of the market.

This year however, the organisers have gone one step further with the purchase of traditional wooden huts which will

be erected in St John’s Hall.

The stall will sell a wide range of products and serve food and drink from these huts.

The stalls will decorat- ed with fir garlands and chains of lights while inside the hall there will be a large array of crafts, gifts and food.

This year there will be 28 traders, the major- ity of which will be lo- cal craftsmen, as-well-as horse trap rides around he village and _ carol singing. Aside from the market visitors to Bal-

lyvaughan will be able to take in performances from Galway’s award- winning Cois Cladaigh Chamber Choir and John SUE Teen

As-well-as these con- certs there will also be a series of workshops on topics such as Christmas entertainment, Christmas decorations using natural materials and floral dec- orations. The Christmas market will run from 10 am to 6 pm on December 3,4, 8, 10, 17 and 18.

For more information: www.bally vaughanire- land.com

CLARE County Council was last night ac- cused of failing the Clare public in not tack- ling illegal dumping in County Clare. The charge was made by Clarecastle council- lor Joe Carey (FG), as it emerged that the number of detected dumps cleaned up by Clare County Council was already 60 per cent more this year than for the entire of Aue

Figures supplied by the council’s Head of the Environment, Ger Dollard, showed that 51 tonnes of waste from illegal dumps had been cleared to date this year, compared to 32 tonnes for the whole of 2004. Mr Dol- lard said that, so far this year, approximately 40 illegal dumps had been removed by the elton ep

Cllr Joe Carey said, “Illegal dumping is a

huge problem in Clare and is not being prop- erly tackled by the council. There is a need to dramatically increase the budget for waste enforcement.”

Over the past three years, the council has spent €1.13 million on waste enforce- ment, with the grant from the Department of the Environment being €403,000 this year alone. Cllr Carey told the meeting that there was a clear obligation on the council to remove illegal dumps, demanding that a report be brought before the council on the improvements made.

Cllr Madeleine Taylor-Quinn (FG) said that the large increase was a sign of in- creased vigilance by the council, but also a disastrous sign that illegal dumping was on the increase. Cllr Martin Conway (FG) urged the council to employ additional Envi- ronmental Patrol Wardens.

In response, the Director of Services Ger Dollard said, “The amount of resources de- voted to investigation and follow-up of illegal dumping is significant. One aspect of illegal dumping 1s fly tipping, which is visible from public areas and generates the majority of public complaints. However, a large resource is also devoted to sites not visible from public spaces by means of aerial surveys, checking of movements of waste collectors and so on. I am satisfied that the current complement of three wardens is adequate to meet current needs and requirements. The council would see benefit in the deployment of the EPWs directly to area offices and will consider such an approach, along with other issues which are currently being addressed.”

However, Cllr Conway said that Mr Dol- lard’s claim that three EPWs was enough to cover the county was “fanciful”.

A FATHER-OF-FOUR with 90 previous con- victions, who faced the reactivation of a sus- pended five-year sentence, was jailed for four years yesterday at Ennis Circuit Court.

Michael James McDonagh (32) of 23, Bal- lycaseymore, Shannon, appeared before Judge Carroll Moran to appeal a District Court rul- ing, which resulted in him being sentenced to 12 months in jail for making unlawful threats against three individuals, including his wife, in Shannon last January.

McDonagh also appealed the severity of two other sentences, totalling four months, for

public order offences, to which he had pleaded guilty.

Earlier this year, McDonagh was convicted of threatening to kill his wife Kathleen McDon- agh and their neighbour Breda Smith.

The court heard that, on January 3 last, the accused was heard saying to his wife Kathleen outside their home, “I will do you, and Breda as well.”

Mr McDonagh’s legal team argued however that the phrase “I will do you” could not be taken as a genuine threat to kill or cause seri- O)erSmar-usee

Judge Moran ruled that there was not enough evidence to sustain the convictions for making

unlawful threats and allowed the appeal.

The court was told since the five-year sentence was suspended in May 2003, Mr McDonagh has been convicted of eight separate offences in Ennis, Shannon, Arklow, Roscrea and Athlone including road traffic and public order offences and breach of an exclusion order.

“The five years sentence was suspended on the basis that the accused behave himself. There are six separate incidents under appeal here today.

“Looking around, I would not be surprised if the entire constabulary from Shannon Garda Station is in this courtroom,’ Judge Moran said before making his ruling.

The judge allowed the appeals in relation to four charges.

But he affirmed the District Court rulings in several others for which Mr McDonagh was sentenced to a total of 12 months in prison.

He ordered the reactivation of a five-year sen- tence, which he reduced to four, previously 1m- posed on McDonagh following his conviction for the larceny of €20,000.

He backdated that sentence to February last and ordered the 12-month sentence to run con- currently with it.

McDonagh had to be restrained by gardai af- ter he resisted attempts to be handcuffed and was led away to begin his sentence.

this week, Ward expressed his satisfaction at the balance that currently ex- ists in the squad.

‘We probably played better earlier on than we have done lately but we will be hoping for an improvement on Sunday. There is a good few young players coming through at the moment and we are delighted with that, along with hav- ing the older experienced lads like the Sheedys and those lads.”

Clarecastle will hold some advantage over the Shannon side going into Sunday’s clash given that they have had an extra week to prepare. Clarecastle overcame a battling per-

formance from Newmarket a week ago while Wolfe Tones turned in an assured perform- ance to brush aside the challenge of Barefield. Ward agrees that Wolfe Tones enter the game

as slight favourites, a tag which he believes is justified, but one which his side won’t be over- awed by.

“When you are hurling you can never have

enough time off. There is never an ideal time for a match. We are delighted to have the extra week. It has been a long year and we have been out since the beginning of March, so we are glad to be coming up to the county final so we are delighted it is now rather than later on.

“They (Wolfe Tones) are the favourites. I saw the game at the weekend and they are very good and the favourites – that’s the way it should be. We are going there to compete so after the match we will know who is the best team”

According to Ward preparations have gone smoothly with the only real injury concern be- ing Danny Scanlon who is expected to recover fully from a concussion sustained in the semi- nue

‘Preparations have been going fairly well. We came back in the middle of the week so the training has been going fine we have been fairly happy with it. We have trained on sched- ule and will train tonight and again on Wednes- day night and that will be the end of it. Danny Scanlon was out after the Newmarket match – he is expected to come back tonight and other than that we have what I would call normal wear and tear.”