The Clare People Archive

EXPERTS promoting the development of a €115 million incinerator for Clare and the region are to be brought before Clare County Council’s environmental committee to justify the project.

Members of the council’s Special Policy Committee (SPC) for the Environment have heard that there are “great holes” in the rationale behind building an incinerator.

The SPC was instrumental in shaping council policy in relation to the draft regional waste management plan for Clare-Limerick-Kerry to 2011.

As a result of SPC discussions, the council stated that there is an inherent contradiction in the draft regional waste management plan proposing an incinerator while also promoting the reducing, reusing and recycling of waste.

The draft plan anticipates that the incinerator will treat over 40 per cent of Clare’s waste by 2013, with 45 per cent recycled and 14 per cent landfilled.

However, at the first SPC meeting of 2006, member Steve Symes said: “there are great holes in this plan.

“The incineration process will leave a residual toxic fly-ash. Where is that going to be disposed of?

“Also, the bottom ash makes up 30 per cent of what goes in. What will become of that, because there is no market for this ash?”

Cllr Brian Meaney commented: “the draft waste management plan should be based upon prevention and that does not feature as a priority.”

After the incinerator plan came under sustained questioning, SPC chairperson, Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) proposed that the consultants behind the plan be invited to explain the rationale for an incinerator.

The new draft plan doesn’t identify a site for an incinerator, though a feasibility study for the provision of thermal treatment has stated that “putting in place such a facility for the Limerick/Clare/Kerry region can be best achieved through some form of publicprivate partnership (PPP) arrangement.”

The criteria for siting the incinerator include the need to minimise environmental impacts; have due regard to the proximity principle; minimise costs; and maximise acceptability of the project by the local community.

The study states: “if progress is not made in implementing thermal waste treatment in the region by 2009, the local authorities will take steps to ensure that such a facility is delivered according to the PPP model or another similar approach.”

The waste management plan anticipates that the incinerator will treat 150,000 to 200,000 tonnes of waste each year.

TWO Polish men who could not get a bus jumped into a car which had been left running, while its driver bought cigarettes, at a garage in Shannon.

Before Shannon district court were Daniel Domanski (20), of Denmark Street, Limerick and Robert Kolaniski (26), of Catherine Street, Limerick, arising out of an incident on October 14, 2005.

Kolaniski pleaded guilty to stealing a car and Domanski admitted allowing himself to be carried in a stolen vehicle.

Garda Aidan Sweeney told the court he received a report at 11.20pm of two foreign men attempting to break into a car at the Shell garage. Both were later apprehended at the town centre.

The garda told the court a man stopped at the garage to purchase cigarettes at the hatch and while he did so, left the car running.

The two defendants ran over and jumped into the car. The injured party ran over and took the keys from them. There was no damage caused to the car.

Defending solicitor Rachel Dobson said her clients hadn’t gone far in the car, just across the road.

“Both had been out drinking. They tried to get a bus but they couldn’t get one. They saw a car running and jumped in,” said Ms Dobson.

She said both men hail from Poland and have worked at a Shannon company for the past yearand-a-half.

Judge Joseph Mangan remanded the two on continuing bail, to appear again in court in March. He ordered that their addresses be checked out in Poland and details of any previous convictions to be furnished to the court on the adjourned date.

CLARE County Council is set to approve the allocation of €55,000 in grant aid to a company that is on the Companies Office strike-off list, and could be struck-off before the end of next month.

Kilkee Waterworld is facing sanction from the Companies Office after failing to lodge accounts for any period since 2002.

The most recently lodged accounts show that it had accumulated losses of €619,000 and it has been forced in recent years to shorten its opening period from April to September to stem continuing losses.

Chairman of the company’s Board of Directors and Council Mayor, Cllr Patrick Keane (FF) told The Clare People that he was surprised to hear that the up to date accounts haven’t been filed by Kilkee Waterworld

“This is the first that I have heard of it. I am surprised, because we signed off on the accounts for 2004 two months ago,” he said.

Cllr Keane conceded that it was a struggle for the facility to make money.

“It is a struggle for any of these centres to make a profit. There are very high costs involved and we experienced a 12per cent drop in visitor numbers last year. The facility is a resource for the community and we are trying to use it as a community facility. It is a chance that you have to take.”

Over the past five years, visitor numbers have dropped by 26per cent from 30,000 to 22,000 at the facility.

In the most recently returned accounts for Kilkee Waterworld, the future of the company was spelt out in stark terms.

“The accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis which assumes the company will continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future.

“The validity of this assumption depends on the reduction in the partnership trading losses, the continuation of fund-raising efforts or the availability of banking facilities. The partnership is currently renegotiating facilities with its bankers.”

Last year, the company received €32,000 from the Council, adding to the €25,000 it received 2004. However, it emerged this week that Kilkee Waterworld hadn’t filed its up-to-date accounts because it hasn’t had the funds.

A company spokesman said: “The accounts for 2003 haven’t been filed so far because we haven’t had the money to file the returns. It costs €2,500 to do so, but they will be filed before the end of February.”

A PRIVATE detective, employed by controversial Clare businessman, Paddy Whelan in the past, was present at Clare County Council’s chamber for the crucial vote in relation to Cahercon pier last week, The Clare People has learned.

Co Meath-based private detective, Billy Flynn (55) was seated in the public gallery where he observed the discussion and subsequent vote against listing Cahercon pier in the Clare County Development Plan as a recorded protected structure.

The private sleuth has also been employed in the past by Mr Whelan to gather information about some of Mr Whelan’s competitors, and Mr Flynn is hailed as the man who exposed the McBrearty frame-up by Donegal Gardai.

His work for the McBrearty family was praised in the most recent Morris Tribunal report into allegations of Garda corruption in Co Donegal.

It is not known if Mr Flynn is still retained by Mr Whelan, though his presence at last Monday’s crunch council meeting is a strong indication that he continues to work for the Clare businessman.

Mr Flynn was seated to the right in the front row of the public gallery at the meeting next to the podium used by the council for presentations.Asked to comment on Mr Flynn’s presence at last Monday’s meeting, Mr Whelan said: “I have no comment on that issue.”

When contacted yesterday, Mr Flynn told The Clare People : “I was there to observe proceedings for an unidentified client to ensure that matters were dealt with properly on the day.”

Councillor Brian Meaney (Green) commented: “It is a bewildering turn of events. I wasn’t aware of Mr Flynn’s presence and I would like to know in what capacity he was there. Was it an information gathering exercise? Who was he gathering the information for? I believe that Mr Flynn should clarify why he was at the meeting.”

Councillor Christy Curtin (Ind) said: “I was not aware of this man’s presence, nor have I ever heard of him. As far as I am concerned, there should be no restriction on any member of the public attending meetings. Everyone is entitled to be there. Clare County Council is an open and transparent body.

Terence Corry, spokesman for Kildysart Explosives Factory Opposition Group (KEFOG) said he had no comment on Mr Flynn’s presence at the meeting. He said: “I have never heard of this man.”

As part of his work into Garda corruption in Co Donegal, Mr Flynn employed seven investigators, took 375 statements and submitted 117 reports on the case to the then Garda Commissioner, Pat Byrne, dating back to June 1997.

PADDY Whelan has confirmed that a planning application is to be shortly re-lodged for an explosives factory at Cahercon, Kildysart.

Speaking exclusively to The Clare People , Mr Whelan also stated that plans would be lodged for other industries along the Clare side of the Shannon Estuary.

“We will be proceeding in the near future for industries and the explosives factory,” he said.

Last week’s decision by Clare County Council not to list Cahercon Pier as a protected structure has left the way open for the Whelan Group to lodge its ambitious plans.

On the council decision, Mr Whelan said: “It should never have been listed and the only thing I would say is that if Clare County Council wishes to list piers on this side of the River Shannon, when on the Limerick side, there is no pier listed, where are we going at this side of the river? We have failed miserably to create industry at this side of the river and it would appear that anything any company tries to do on this side of the river, these objectors are there.

They have the right to object, but they seem to get preferential treatment from Clare County Council that we cannot understand.”

Mr Whelan said already there has been substantial jobs lost to the area due to the actions of the County Council and objectors in the area. He said: “The council should know better.”

On the industries that have been lost to the area, he added: “The council is well aware of one that has been lost that would have provided substantial jobs because of council’s attitude towards enforcement notices.”

In 2000, the council granted planning permission for the plans lodged by Shannon Explosives in the face of much local opposition.

However, it was turned down by An Bord Pleanala in 2002, although the Board did not object in principle to the scheme. Already, the company has spent €4 million on the project.

The decision to re-lodge plans for the site is sure to re-ignite the long-running planning battle concerning the explosives facility.

Asked would the plans be lodged for the explosives factory in the next number of weeks, Mr Whelan said: “I won’t say in the next few weeks, I will say in the near future.”

THE Whelan Group this week suffered a major setback when it failed to secure full planning for a multi-million euro extension to its flagship operation on the outskirts of Ennis.

The plan had encountered strong local opposition and last Friday, Clare County Council granted planning permission to retain its quarry operation, but refused permission for much of the planned extension.

The retention area covers 23 acres of land, while the planned extension involves 16 acres. Residents had claimed that the plan would lead to nuisance of dust, noise, air and water pollution within the Fountain area.

Plans were first lodged for the proposal in May 2004 and Managing Director of the Whelan Group, Paddy Whelan criticised the length of time it took for the council to evaluate the application.

“It is nearly two years since we made the application,” he told The Clare People . “It sounds ridiculous, but that it is the way it has happened. It doesn’t say much for the promotion of industry in the county.”

Mr Whelan said that he had not yet gone through the planning conditions attached to the permission. They limit the scope of the planning permission granted by the council, which ruled that the plan would not seriously injure the amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity and would not be prejudicial to public health.

The local authority has granted planning for sections one to five of the application, but refused planning to sections six and seven, apart from one area being sought for planning retention.

The Whelan Group had sought permission to extend the life of the quarry by 26 years and will have an operating capacity of producing 370,000m of limestone product per annum.

However, the grant of permission is for a 10-year period only, unless a further grant is obtained.

The council has also ruled that no works are to commence until planning permission is granted for improvements to the existing access on the main Ennis-Lahinch Road.

The local authority has also imposed a condition that the company supply an annual aerial photo to enable the council assess the development of the quarry.

And it has been requested that the Whelan Group provide €239,000 to the council in planning contributions.

MAYOR of Ennis, Frankie Neylon, has expressed his disappointment that Ennis Town Council was not adequately informed during the consultation process for the Ennis and Environs Development Plan.

Cllr Neylon said that the council had had very little input into the plan and that it hadn’t been brought up at discussion level at council level.

The Mayor made his comments at last Tuesday’s monthly meeting of Ennis Town Council where the members voted to accept 26 changes to the Ennis and Environs Development Plan which would see large tracts of land in the town rezoned.

The council also decided to delete from the plan a proposal regarding infrastructural safeguards in the Eastern Residential Area of Ennis.

“We were always told that this was our plan but this wasn’t brought up at council level.

“We had a very small input into it.

“I think we were very badly informed on the matter and I am dissapointed that things like that happen” said Cllr Neylon.

The decision to adopt the variations to the plan was carried after 62 vote in favour of the motion proposed by Cllr Peter Considine (FF) which stated that the variations be withdrawn pending the outcome of a study pertaining to the infrastructural requirements for routes in the area.

“For once in my life I would go toward the planners because I would put people before cars. We should defer section three.

“We are morally obliged to get the full information before we make a decision,” said Cllr Considine.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) proposed the non adoption of the variation on the grounds that the plan didn’t encourage the development of renewable energy; the use of public transport; it didn’t make adequate provision for road safety and the groundwater vulnerability in the Ballymaquiggan and Reskaun clusters.

Cllr Flynn was supported in his proposal by Cllr Donal O’Beara (GP) who claimed that there hadn’t been a sufficient and comprehensive review of the plan.

Deputy Mayor Joe Reidy (FF) excused himself from the voting on the grounds that his father owned a section of land in Clarecastle that was due to be rezoned under the variation.

DOZENS of Clare people have been duped in a scheme which involves them losing huge amounts of money on the false promise of massive returns.

One Clare mother of two revealed how she invested her childrens’ college fund in the “gifting” pyramid scheme and now holds out no hope of getting it back.

“I can’t believe now that I fell for it,” said the East Clare woman, who asked that her identity not be disclosed.

She told The Clare People that she invested €5,000 which she and her husband “scrimped to save for our children’s college years and now there’s no hope of getting anything out of it.”

The scheme operates through people putting up money which is then paid to earlier investors.

The new investor is also told to recruit two more people to invest. The investors are told they will get their cash back eight fold or more within two months.

But while the few at the top of the pyramid payments scheme stand to make thousands, those who are duped into investing as the scam nears collapse lose everything

The East Clare woman revealed that she was hooked into the get-rich-quick scam by a close friend.

“I don’t believe that she ever intended to do me out of money because she has had nothing back either,” she said.

“She put me in touch with the man who recruited her and he made it sound so foolproof – he said he had made almost €100,000 and that he was reinvesting to make more.

“She and I were convinced that we would get €40,000 back in about eight weeks,” the woman added.

But while the Clare woman’s friend successfully recruited two more investors, she could not convince anyone to put more money up to meet her recruitment clause.

“Our kids are just started in secondary school but we had been putting savings away and we planned to put a decent lump sum in investments once we’d saved enough,” she said.

“I haven’t told my husband that I took the money out for this. I feel so guilty – that was my children’s money.”

The schemes are not covered by laws brought in 1980 which outlaw pyramid selling but Minister of State for Labour Affairs, Tony Kileen said that he will be raising the matter at a meeting with Minister Michael Martin next week.

“This pyramid scheme hits at people who are vulnerable and they can lose serious amounts of money,” he commented.

“It certainly seems that legislation is needed to tackle it.”

And Paul Woulfe of the Citizen’s Advice Bureau in Ennis said that people “should take proper financial advice before they invest big sums of money.

“It is easy to be caught out if you’re not used to dealing with finances.”

FÁILTE Ireland has this week committed its largest ever budget for the development of tourism in the Shannon region.

The 2006 organisations budget of €9 million, which was announced at their annual conference in Limerick on Friday, will be spent on marketing, business supports, training, and supporting the activities of Shannon Development.

Speaking at the conference the chief executive of Fáilte Ireland, Shaun Quinn, noted the benefits to the region of the increased Ryanair activity in Shannon Airport: “It was encouraging to note that the increase in direct air access from continental Europe has benefited the region in terms of overnight visitors.

“Activities and attractions are central to increasing the visitors spend and it this is especially important for rural areas.”

The conference was co-hosted by Tourism Ireland, the agency charged with marketing Ireland in foreign countries.

Tourism Ireland chief executive, Paul O’Toole, unveiled its new €50 million, three-year advertising campaign which they hope will reach an audience of some 200 million people per annum.

The advertisement will feature images of Dromoland Castle and the Cliffs of Moher, as well as a number of other tourist locations from around Ireland.

“Tourism Ireland will adopt a multifaceted strategy for the accelerated promotion of the regions of Ireland overseas,” said Mr O’Toole.

“We will invest an estimated €5m to support this strategy and engage in additional, co-operative marketing with all regions.”

Also speaking at the conference, John King, Heritage and Tourism Director of Shannon Development said that his priority will be to work closely with Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and the region’s tourism interests to capitalise on the potential of a greatly expanded range of direct flights into Shannon Airport and the West of Ireland.

Meanwhile, an initiative launched last week should bring training and development for tourism businesses in Clare to a new level, according to those behind the project. Learning networks, poised to meet the needs of small and mediumsized tourism enterprises in the county, will be set up over the next three years.

Essentially it will see those involved in tourism joining learning clusters, consisting of other tourism interests, with whom they will liaise.

Limerick-based May Day Management Consultants has been awarded the contract for delivering the initiative in the Shannon region. Its managing consultant, Padraig Cleary said 25 businesses in Clare have been invited to get involved.

BUNRATTY Castle and Folk Park has been voted the ninth least enjoyable place to visit in Ireland in a major online survey released last week.

The south Clare tourist attraction finished alongside the likes of Limerick and Belfast city in a survey of 1126 people conducted by the DoChara website.

The survey, carried out between August and November of last year, was compiled completely online through the DoChara website. This is an independently run site which offers advice and reviews about tourist destinations in Ireland.

Dublin City topped the list of least favourite place to visit and was followed by Galway City and Killarney. The top ten included Cork City, Temple Bar, the Ring of Kerry and the Guinness Tour in Dublin.

On a positive note, the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher was listed as the second favourite place to visit in the same survey. The Ring of Kerry topped this section of the pole with Dingle and Newgrange also featuring prominently.

According to Katherine Nolan of DoChara, the survey has created an amount of confusion because more people responded to the “most enjoyable” survey than the “least enjoyable” survey.

“It took far fewer votes to get onto the least enjoyed lists than the favourites one,” Ms Nolan told The Clare People .

“I have looked at those who mentioned Bunratty and there was more than a 3:1 ratio of people who mentioned it positively to those who mentioned it negatively. But that was not enough to get it onto the top 10 favourites list.”

Indeed, almost 50 per cent of those who responded to the survey left the negative comments section blank. Ms Nolan estimates that Bunratty would have finished at around 15th place in the most enjoyable section, had the list been extended past the top 10.

The Director of Heritage and Tourism at Shannon Development, John King, has described the survey as “contradictory”.

“The survey seems to be contradictory in parts with a number of places featuring in the both the most popular and least popular sections,” said Mr King. “We will continue to concentrate on the superb range of attractions and natural beauty that is available in Clare.”

The DoChara website is targeted specifically at the foreign tourist market and the majority of those who responded to survey were American.

Indeed, of the 1126 valid responses 54 per cent listed their nationality as American or Canadian, 19 per cent as British, and 3 per cent as European. 14 per did not specify.