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A MAJOR step has been taken by Ennis National School in securing the go-ahead for a new school after a 10 year struggle.

This follows the Ennis primary school securing planning permission to construct a new 32-class school building at Ashline on the Kilrush Rd — one kilometre from the current site.

School Board of Management member, Larry Brennan said that he hopes that the students will be enter- ing the new school building for the

2011-12 school year in September 2011. The granting of the permis- sion coincides with the retirement of school principal, Gary Stack who has fought for the new school over the past 10 years. A special mass and dinner was held over the weekend in Ennis to mark Mr Stack’s retirement after 28 years in the post.

Paying tribute yesterday to Mr Stack, chairman of the school board of management, David Casey said: “Under Gary, the school has had a unique ethos where pupils, staff, principal and parents have been one big happy family and for the person

who takes over, it will be a major challenge to keep that friendly open atmosphere.”

Mr Casey said that despite all the difficulties in seeking a new school, Gary never lost that the focus of his responsibilities was to the children of the school.

Mr Casey said that he was very happy that planning permission has been secured for the new school.

Larry Brennan said that the ten- ders on the design team for the new school are expected shortly.

Mr Brennan said that the design team will be in the unique position

of having a planning permission for a school.

He said that the Department of Education timetable provides for the construction of a school within four years of the appointment of a design team.

However, Mr Brennan said that he expects the timescale to be much shorter due to the work done already with the co-operation of Ennis par- ish and the Killaloe Diocesan Trust in securing planning permission.

Mr Brennan said that he expects the new school to be open by 2011.

The school has 17 prefabs strewn

throughout the grounds and the plan- ning application was lodged to fast- track plans.

In rezoning the site, the town coun- cil delivered a windfall to the Dio- cese of Killaloe two years ago by rezoning 85 acres of land where the diocese 1s proposing to construct 590 houses over time.

In June of last year, parents with- drew their students for one day last June to protest at the continuing fail- ure of the Department of Education to fund a new school building and 1,000 people took to the streets of Ennis in a march.

JUST 12 people turned up at a dem- onstration by Amnesty International in Shannon on Saturday to highlight Ireland’s role in rendition, but the or- ganisers say they are not downheart- ed by the low numbers.

Anti-war campaigners say they will continue to highlight the use of Shannon Airport by CIA planes and say there is a “virtual open door” to the planes there.

The demonstration took place a day after Amnesty published its re- port which claimed that Shannon Airport has been made available for OI FAS oe) Eilexmoe: hols oe man item UNO None Ie legally around the world.

Organiser John Lannon, of Amnes- ty in Limerick, said the low numbers will not work against them organis- ing future demonstrations.

“We weren’t expecting a huge crowd, given that there were so many events around the area. While it is disappointing that we don’t have more people, we still made the point,” he said.

He expressed concern that the group was stopped at the gantry and was not permitted to walk to the air- port. “The reason for the protest in Shannon was that planes carrying prisoners pass through Shannon but we were not allowed to go there,” said Mr Lannon.

Organisers say that they will con- tinue to hold vigils at the airport every month, to highlight their con-

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“We are going to continue with our vigils on the second Sunday of every month until the recommendations contained in the Amnesty report have been addressed,” he said.

The protests have been ongoing in Shannon since 2003. Mr Lan- non said he feels that much is being achieved. “I think we are. All of the organisations that are involved are putting pressure on the Government. Several people came up to us to offer support on Saturday. To us it 1s very important to ensure people are made

aware about what is going through Shannon,” said Mr Lannon.

‘Despite the welcome statements by Taoiseach Brian Cowen on Ireland’s willingness to accept a small number of detainees from Guantanamo here in Ireland, the Irish Government has made no move towards accountabil- ity for our complicity in disappear- ances and torture,’ he added.

PUPILS past and present turned out to Doonbeg National School last Fri- day for the official opening of the new school. Clare TD Tony Killeen officially did the honours of opening the €1.1 million school while Bishop Willie Walshe was also on hand to bless the new building.

The new school features large new classrooms, a general purpose room, a staff room, and secretary’s of- fice and a state of the art computer room.

“The computer room was funded in the main by the Doonbeg Golf Club society who provided us with 12 com- puters, laptops for each teacher, an interactive whiteboard and they even put in the furniture for the room as well. Local woman Connie Killeen was very instrumental in getting that off the ground,” said Principal, Mary Egan. “The also provided funding for a computer teacher to come to the school and each class get an hour a week of computer classes. It’s a great advantage for the children to get. Our sixth class pupils going into second- ary school would be more advanced than most of the children already in secondary school.”

The new school, which was com- pleted more than two years ago, was made possible as a result of a €600,000 Government grant as well as the proceeds from the sale of the old school building.

That building served the communi- ty well for more than 100 years, but had become too small and there was no room to extend or for a play area. The school has a long standing trad1-

tion of speaking Irish stretching back to its founding

‘The school is very much the heart of the community and it was good to see so many local people at the open- ing. I am a great believer in keeping

those links between the school and the community in place,” said Mary.

“We have always been very in- volved in things like the Tidy Towns and children take part in arts compe- titions run by the drama festival or

Willie Keane Festival. It’s important to be part of the community.”

TURF cutting rights going back generations are threatening to derail plans for a €50 million windfarm near Lissycasey.

Last month, ESB subsidiary, Hiber- nian Windpower lodged plans for an eleven turbine 410 ft high windfarm at Boolneagleragh three kilometres from Lissycasey. The windfarm was to be developed on a 180 hectare site and Hibernian said it would produce 27.5MW otf electricity.

However, it is not the windfarm’s environmental impacts that ag- grieved locals, but the effect it would have on their “turbary rights’ to cut turf for domestic use which has been carried on for centuries in rural ar- Crh

26 separate submissions have been

made by turbary right holders, in- cluding the newly established Boo- lynagleragh Tubridy Rights Action Committee.

In his submission, Patrick J Warren states that his family has exercised their turbary rights since the 1940s.

‘Every year, between the months of May and August, the turf is harvest- ed from the bog to provide fuel for the household and the extended fam- ily households of my seven children in Cork, Dublin and around Clare. Exercising our turbary rights is part of my family’s heritage. Having worked with my own father on our bogs, I have passed the tradition on to my own seven children and indeed my grandchildren, who enjoy taking part in his familial activity.

NS) eLeLUU CCM deb mures slmolomcinu lO) OSem AUER YA it will be sorely missed and regret-

ted by my family and generations of Warrens to come. I am highly dismayed and disgusted to have not been consulted by Hibernian Wind- Power Ltd in relation to the proposed development of the wind-farm in our bog.

In a separate submission, William Pyne of Kilmaley stated that both himself and his family had been cut- ting turf in this bog for the past 50 years.

“It 1s of the utmost importance to me that my turf cutting rights are not infringed and that access to my bog is not in any way violated. I am also concerned that if planning is grant- ed, it will have financial implications for me as I use the turf from this bog to heat my house.

“IT would like to express my dis- belief that neither Hibernian Wind

Farm nor Clare County Council have been in contact with the people of whom these proposed developments have an impact on.

James O’Connor, Lisheen, Ballyna- cally said the turbary right had been in his family for generations and they continue to cut and dry turf ona yearly basis. There was no consulta- tion between turbary rights holders and Hibernian Wind Power and he was concerned that the development would have an adverse impact on his turbary rights.

Michael Maher of Inch, Kilmaley said he was very worried that the windfarm and turbines could stop him using the rights which both he and his family were using for 20 Wer Duce

The is due to make a decision on the application next month.

AT LAST Wednesday’s launch of the HSE’s newest Primary Care Team in Scariff, chief executive Pro- fessor Brendan Drumm said that by the end of 2011 everyone in the coun- try should be able to access up to 95 per cent of the care they need within their local community.

The teams provide an easy access point to local health and personal social care services such as GPs, physiotherapy, public health nursing, diagnostic services, occupational therapy, speech and language thera- py, community welfare and support for chronic illnesses such as diabetes Niemen aeueet:b

The east Clare PCT comprises of five GPs and 13 existing HSE staff who provide services to a approxi- mately 9,750 people, a large propor- tion of which is elderly, over a wide geographical but sparsely popu- lated area taking in Scariff, Tulla, O’Callaghan’s Mills, Broadford, Bodyke, Tuamgraney, Ogonnel- loe, Mountshannon, Whitegate and Feakle.

Scariff GP, Dr Conor McGee said the basic premise behind the Prima- ry Care Teams is that more services will be available locally as patients would have had to travel to Ennis or Limerick for these services.

“If you also consider the travel time, hospital staff hours, laboratory time and more particularly how the pa- tients and their families/carers may have to organise their lives around appointments, having these services available locally is very significant. It certainly has improved access to

services and the quality of people’s lives; clients are seen in a more timely fashion by health care profes- sionals whom they are familiar with, thereby often resulting in a more sat- isfactory outcome for both client and health care worker,” he said.

The members of the east Clare Primary Care Team are based in a number of locations including Scar- riff, Tulla, Broadford and Raheen. Additional staff have been appoint- ed to support the team including a physiotherapist, a registered nurse, and an occupational therapist, while

the newly appointed speech and lan- guage therapist and podiatrist will support more than one team.

The team meets on a monthly basis when clients with complex and mul- tiple health care needs are discussed and action plans agreed upon. Team members share their collective expe- rience and knowledge in a manner that allows the best possible action plan for a specific client to be formu- lated.

Waiting times have fallen signifi- cantly for physiotherapy and occupa- tional therapy and services are now

available locally. Referral pathways for access to respite services have been developed with the Community Nursing Unit, while a leg ulcer clinic has commenced and will be further developed.

Other team initiatives have been identified as priorities including breastfeeding support, minor sur- gery and a diabetic initiative.

THE Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan has been accused of being “out of touch with reality” for his re- fusal to back down on the €10 air- port travel tax.

Clare TD Joe Carey (FG) yesterday called on the finance minister to “get real’ and withdraw the tax, which he claims is having a devastating effect on the tourist industry in Clare and the mid-west.

“The Minister for Finance needs to get real here and look at what is happening in the region. Ryanair cut their aircraft from four to three last

week, with a resulting loss in jobs, directly as a result of this tax that adds 100 per cent to the cost of their average winter fare out of Shannon,’ said Carey.

“Initially Ryanair had six aircraft based at Shannon. I have spoken with Michael O’Leary on a one-to-one ba- sis and he has said that Ryanair will restore these lost aircraft and routes based in Shannon if the tax is with- ole-bene

‘The experience in Europe, in Bel- gium for example, is that the govern- ment there introduced this tax and quickly withdrew it because of the negative impact it was having on

their tourist industry. Likewise, there was a similar experience in Holland. Ireland is a small open economy and an island nation that depends on air navigation to support our tourist market and business interests.”

Deputy Carey put an official Dail question to Minister Lenihan last week, requesting that the tax be re- moved.

In response, the finance minister claimed to have taken account of concerns raised by the regional air- ports by introducing a lower rate of €2 which applies to destinations less than 300kms from Dublin Airport.

“Estimates are that the travel tax

will raise somewhere in the region of €60-100 million per annum for the Government,” continued Deputy Cre

‘“That’s the same kind of money they threw away on E-voting ma- chines. The estimated loss in tourist revenue, though, to the region from the withdrawal of services due to the travel tax 1s estimated at twice that, at €200 million.

“The fact 1s, this tax was introduced with little afterthought as to how it would operate, what the long-term impacts would be, and what effect it would have on regional airports. It has proved disastrous.”

Shannon can ‘survive and thrive’

A SHOUTING match across the council chamber, name-calling and councillors refusing to take their chair was all part of the first meeting of Clare’s new county council.

It was a baptism of fire for Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG) on Friday as he was named mayor of Clare, when newly re-elected councillor James Breen (Ind) got to his feet and opposed the selection process that saw the Shan- non man take the chair.

Watched by a large crowd in the public gallery, six novice councillors and two who like himself regained their lost seat, the former Fianna Fail councillor raised his first objection during the nomination process.

Cllr Mucahy was proposed for the top job in the council chamber by Cllr John Crowe (FG) and seconded by Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) as Nea ueere MO LeU MUN Tcar-U 0m or-DUR MRED I ecp

As Cllr McCarthy finished her speech of support for Cllr Mulcahy, Cllr Breen stood up and said, “I can- not support what I believe is a power sharing agreement.”

The outgoing mayor and chair of the first half of the meeting, Madeleine Taylor Quinn (FG) asked the coun- cillor to limit his comments to nomi- nating a candidate for mayor.

The Kilnamona councillor re- mained standing, stating he was ob- jecting to the selection process.

“Are you proposing? Then if you are not, resume your seat,” said Ms

Taylor Quinn.

With no other proposals forthcom- ing, she then deemed Cllr Mulcahy elected. Cllr Breen continued to stand, and continued to object.

“Put it on the record there is one person descending,’ Ms _ Taylor Quinn told the county secretary as she prepared to hand over the chain of office. Cllr Breen remained stand- ing as the chain was presented, much

to the distress of the new mayor’s family and friends.

During his acceptance speech, the new mayor thanked the councillors for “your almost unanimous sup- port here’. At the end of the mayor’s speech, Cllr Breen got to his feet again and, after some protest, said he wanted to wish the mayor well and again make his point.

Cllr McCarthy told the council it

was disingenuous of the councillor to say he was objecting because he was an independent councillor and accused him of turning his mobile phone off when the final deal was being agreed.

“You are a maverick. That is what you are and what you will always be,” she said and accused him of “go- ing on with baloney”.

Again Cllr Breen was on his feet demanding in a loud voice to reply to Cllr McCarthy. “This is not going to be the James Breen Road Show,” warned the mayor. He continued to ask to speak on a point of order.

Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) then took to his feet and shouted across the chamber at Cllr Breen.

“Reference the point of order’ and “respect the mayor,” he repeated.

Cllr Breen said that he wanted to decide with his election team whether he would be part of the deal to which Cllr Meaney said, “You did not know what it was.”

“You are not in Dail Eireann now,’ said Cllr Kelly.

Cllr Breen eventually took to his SorsLMre DELO MSIODN (COD

“Tam very sorry that your election has been turned into a circus by one member of the council,” said Cllr Joe Arkins (FG) to the mayor.

KILKISHEN GAA Club will provide a guard of honour today for the funer- al of local man Kevin McMahon.

The 23-year-old died last Saturday after spending almost a week on a life Support machine in a Spanish hospi- tal. The holiday tragedy took place early last week when Mr McMahon hit his head while diving into a swim- ming pool.

He was pronounced dead on Satur- day night after members of his family had travelled to be by his side.

Mr McMahon, who has an address at Plunkett Drive in Kilkishen, repre- sented the county at U-14 and U-16 level, and worked for local council- lor Joe Cooney (FG) for a number of erie

THEY formed the most famous mid- field partnership that ever togged out in a saffron and blue football jersey — the day 17 years ago that Clare took a catapult to Kerry in The Gaelic Grounds.

The Tom Morrissey/Aidan Molo- ney partnership was too much for Noel O’Mahony and Anthony Glee- son that Munster Final day — 17 years on they joined forces at champion- ship level once more when plotting Cooraclare’s first championship vic-

tory in five years.

It was the story of the opening weekend of the 2009 championship as Cooraclare ambushed five-times county finalists this decade, Eire Og, in Kilmihil on Friday night to bring an end to the biggest losing streak in Cooraclare’s proud championship VI Ke as

“Since 2004 we hadn’t won a cham- pionship match,’ said Morrissey after Cooraclare’s 1-15 to 1-9 vic- tory. “Some of them had never won a championship match but they went out there today and for the first time

in a long time a Cooraclare team showed a bit of heart, a bit of passion and a bit of fire. We’re just delight- ed, delighted for Cooraclare that we LOLeN eM CneT-VObYancxolMmsetclMneueP

“We brought in Aidan ‘Horse’ Moloney and you couldn’t have better than him. He knows all the drills and he put a bit of belief into our lads. We have been down, we have been down a lot in the last four or five years.

“We are a good traditional cham- pionship team. We hope to get out of the group and have made a good start to get out of the group. We have

to go out again the next day and re- peat that — that’s what we’ll be look- ing for. Nearly all of them lads have been playing since 2004 and have not come out of the group. To win is a massive lift for all those boys in there. They’re finally men the way the stood up there today,’ added WY uu

It the only blow for the underdog over the weekend — elsewhere county champions Kilmurry Ibrickane, and Doonbeg, who are greatest pretenders to their throne, were most impressive in easily dispatching the challenges

mounted by Ballyvaughan and Shan- non Gaels respectively.

Controversy came in the shape of an end-of-match dust up between Kilrush Shamrocks and Liscannor players after their drawn game in Quilty.

The fracas saw the Shams’ Alan Daly and Liscannor’s Ronan Slattery receive straights red cards from ref- eree Kevin Walsh.