The Clare People Archive

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.”

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

A JUDGE yesterday granted bail to a man who, it is claimed, threatened to burn his wife’s house Keyan

But Judge Joseph Mangan said he was giving the O’Callaghan’s Mills man bail on condition that he live in Limerick.

Denis Peppard of Keldara, O’Callaghan’s Mills, was before the court accused of criminal damage, and breaching a barring order.

Gardai gave evidence in Killaloe District court of having arrested Peppard after getting a call from his wife in the early hours of Monday morning.

Gardai had asked the court to remand him in custody until the case can be heard.

Garda Colin McGrath said that he responded to acall from Peppard’s wife and found her at her home “in a very distressed state. She alleged he told her that he would burn the house down.”

Garda McGrath said that he took the threat se- riously.

Sergeant Gerard Mulqueen said that at the house, he saw that a window had been broken by having stones thrown through it.

While he was there, Sgt Mulqueen said more large stones were thrown in.

The sergeant told Judge Mangan that the ac- cused man “lives in a caravan on his own land

about 100 feet away from his wife’s house.”

Peppard’s solicitor told the court that her client is contesting the charges and that he would abide by any bail conditions imposed.

After hearing that Peppard works in Castletroy, Judge Mangan said he would agree to bail, pro- vided Peppard lives in Limerick and that he would go there directly. The judge asked if the gardai would drive the defendant into the city in a squad car.

He also ordered that Peppard have no direct or indirect contact with his wife and that he sign on daily at Henry Street garda station.

He was remanded to appear again in Tulla Dis- trict Court on December 1.

A 24-YEAR-old Cooraclare man has been charged with the murder of Ann Walsh, whose body was discovered in the grounds of a church in Kilrush in August. Raymond Donovan, of New Houses, Cooraclare, was charged with murder last Friday.

Gda Michael Ryan told Ennis District Court that he formally arrested and charged Dono- van with the murder of Ms Walsh, contrary to common law, at Toler Street, Kilrush, on Au- gust 24.

In reply to the charge, the accused said, “I didn’t mean to do it”. He agreed that he under- stood the charge and caution.

Donovan had previously been charged with intentionally or recklessly causing harm to the

23-year-old woman, on the same date. Judge Leo Malone withdrew that charge on the re- quest of Inspector Kevin Moynihan.

Donovan, who was making his seventh court appearance in connection with the death of Ms Walsh, a native of Pella Road in Kilrush, was remanded in custody.

He will reappear again in court tomorrow (Wednesday).

But his trial will not go ahead until late next year at the earliest. There is currently a ten- month waiting list for murder trials at the Cen- tral Criminal Court in Dublin, although this is significantly shorter than had been the case in the past.

A spokesman for the Courts Service told

ONE of Ennis’ oldest institutions will close its doors for the last time tomorrow.

The ESB Store in Carmody Street closes on Wednesday after over 40 years in business. Since the mid six- ties the store operated as a retail out- let for electrical goods and provided a bill paying service for customers.

Speaking on Monday in an empty store, staff were sad to be saying farewell to the shop.

“I feel sad really as it is the end of an era. It was a good place to work. There was camaraderie among the staff,’ said Marian Barry, who has worked there for over 30 years.

Last March ESB announced that it had sold the retail division of the company to the Bank of Scotland

(Ireland) (BSOI) for €120 million, resulting in the closure of all its out- lets nationwide.

A shrinking market share and in- creased competition from national and international retailers were the reasons given by management.

BSOT have also acquired the ESB’S retail loan book, which means that customers who had deferred pay- ments on electrical appliances can

make their repayments to BSOI while customers can now pay their electrical bills at An Post branches. Under the deal, ESB staff were given the option of working with BSOI.

The store currently employs five people and while some staff mem- bers have decided to avail of the opportunity others will continue to carry on working with the ESB at their offices in Station Road.

WHEN Gerry Sweeney left the pier in New Quay early JETS MA WV(crebslonree-himmaeleu sper reamm el tle did he know that he was about to face into the ordeal of his life.

Gerry had spent the early hours of Wednesday morning laying keep tanks and, as the weather began to worsen, he moved his boat to the Flaggy Shore. As he laid his final tank he lost his footing and plunged into the freezing water. Fail- ing to get back on deck, he had no choice but to hold on as the tide swept the boat out to sea.

“T had no choice but to hold on to the boat, take shelter from the weather and hope that it would drift out towards Deer Island,” he said.

As the boat drifted farther out to sea it became clear to Gerry that the boat would not reach Deer Island. He had no choice, he had to swim.

‘The hardest part was hold- ing on for the last 20 minutes. Leaving the boat I was fairly weak, I just decided to give it one last push.”

After making it to Deer Is- land, Gerry knew he had to find some shelter before the

storm worsened. Too weak to stand, he crawled to the top of Neo EDITOR

“When I got on to the island it was blowing force seven. I knew there was a mound of rocks on the top of the island. I had to get some shelter,’ he said.

Returning home after 10 pm, Gerry’s wife Martina knew that something was wrong.

COMA ACCU MANE KBE 0 MEO) the hob and that was unusual. I drove down to the pier and raised the alarm,” she said.

“It was a ferocious night,” said Gerry. “I knew that there were people out looking for me. They were risking every- thing by going out there.”

In force nine winds the Aran Galway Life Boat joined the search but it was the Shannon coast guard helicopter which finally spotted the stranded and weak fisherman.

“The first two times they flew over me,’ he said. “I put my life jacket back on so that they might see that.”

Visibility was so poor that the rescue teams could not even see the island and used the light of his life jacket to navigate. Just after 2 am, Ger-

ry was winched into the heli- copter and flown to safety. As he winged his way to Shan- non, the rescue teams joined

his family to celebrate.

“T would like to thank the Valentia coast guard, life boats from Galway and Aran,

the Doolin Coast Guard, the Shannon Helicopter crew and eround staff and all the locals who lent their support,” he

said. “They all came regard- less of the weather.”