The Clare People Archive

THE case of three men alleged to have damaged a car parked outside Drumcliff graveyard has been adjourned to October for hearing.

The cases of the three men, Michael Doherty (51), with an address at 2 St Michael’s Park, Ballymaley, Ennis; James Galbraith (45), with an address at 1 St Michael’s Park, Gort Road, Ennis, and Patrick Doherty (34), with an address at Bay 2 St Michael’s Park, Ballymaley, were before Judge Durcan at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

All three are charged with the criminal damage of a car which was parked at Drumcliff on March 24th last.

It is alleged that the three men attacked the Ford Focus with weapons, breaking windows and damaging the bodywork.

The court previously heard that the female owner of the fled from the scene after the alleged incident occurred.

Solicitor for Patrick and Michael Doherty, Daragh Hassett, told the court that his client’s attendance from court had been excused on the day in question due to a family wedding.

Mr Hassett requested a date to have the case heard.

He said he expected the case to last around 90 minutes.

October 10 was subsequently fixed as hearing date for the case.

THE sunshine has seen a major boost to retail operations all along the west coast of Clare in the last few days with all stores reporting a welcome surge in business.

Last weekend saw roads to and from a host of Clare beaches thronged and with forecasts suggesting at least ten more days of warm and sunny con- ditions, the mini-boom looks set to continue.

John McCarthy from the Lahinch Surf School is delighted with the upswing he has seen in the last two weeks.

“These weeks are usually our quitest weeks of the summer, but this year we have had a great turnout at our surf school. It’s geat to see all the local businesses doing so well, the waves are great out here, it’s been like California,” he told The Clare People .

Accommodation has been at a premium in West Clare and the famed Willie Clancy Week will also boost local trade and employment.

According to managing director of the Armada, John Burke, their combined hotels now employ around 225 people, which up up 35 from last year.

Speaking about their boost in business, John said, “It’s a combination of a number of factors, but the weather is certainly supporting it. We are working hard to maxamise opportunities, with additional seating outside, barbecues, a local activity club, strawberry and ice cream stands, and cold plates; customers are reacting well to these so far,” he said.

The weather has been a great boost for local companies specialising in water sports such as surfing, kayaking, cliffs cruises and stand up paddling, while bicycle hire has also seen a huge increase in demand.

Forecasters are predicting the good weather for at least ten days, with temperatures in Clare expected to hit the 28c mark mid-week.

THREE Clare Garda stations could be going under the hammer, although the Office of Public Works would not confirm for certain last evening that all stations closed in the Clare district in the last two years would be put up for sale.

It is understood however that the recently renovated former Garda station in Broadford, the station in Carrigaholt and the one in Labasheeda are being put on the market.

The OPW said it would confirm later exactly which of the Clare properties would be for sale. It is currently trying to appoint estate agents to sell the former Garda stations.

“For disposal purposes the properties are divided into Lots. Interested agents may put forward proposals for any or all of the Lots which will be disposed of on a sole agency basis,” a spokesperson said.

Final date for receipt of applica- tions is by close of business on Friday, July 19.

“Agents will be expected to advise on the market value of the properties, arrange and fund the production of BER certificates. It is envisaged that unsold properties will be withdrawn from agents after six months,” according to the OPW.

Minister of State for Public Service Reform and the Office of Public Works Brian Hayes said his department has identified no alternative State use for the properties that are to go on the market, though he added he’s received requests from various community groups expressing an interest in some of the former stations.

A REPORT on proposed changes to the market area of Ennis has recommended major improvements to access and the appearance of the town’s main market trading area.

A preliminary report by architect Richard Rice says trading activity should be retained in Market Street and Market Place but urges infrastructural improvements to both areas.

The report, commissioned by Ennis Town Council, looked at the entire Ennis Market area with particular reference to the provision of covered markets.

On the future of Market Street and Market Place, the report stated, “These market areas would represent the traditional market traders with larger stalls and farmers selling their vegetables directly to the public. In our consideration of these two locations, we would see market activity being retained at these locations but it would be important to improve the public realm in order to improve the overall visual appearance and function of the market in these areas.”

The report recommends widening public footpaths and reducing road width to make the area safer for pedestrian use.

It also proposes removing the existing market roundabout to “convert the footprint of this area to pedestrian space, incorporating the sculptures into that space”.

The assessment undertaken looked at a variety of locations in Ennis town. These looked at the existing markets locations at Market Place, Market Street, Garraunakilla.

The report also looked at other locations in the town centre including Wood Quay, Parnell Street car-park, Abbey Street car park, spaces adjacent to Temple Gate Hotel and Clare County Museum, Old Barrack Street and Lysaght’s Lane.

However in preliminary assessment, the report concludes that the “market needed to be retained at its historical base Market Place and Market Street with consideration of Garraunakilla (location of existing Farmers Artisan Market) and Lysaght’s Lane (existing surface car park located “behind O’Connell Street / Parnell Street”.

The report considered Garraunakilla to be “challenged as a market location”.

The report states that the footprint for expansion would involve taking in a public roadway; the location is removed from the retail core of the town. “The location is challenged by traffic being immediately adjacent to the market location which would be seen as a concern for parents and their children,” it adds.

The report strongly recommends the northern elevation of Garraunakilla to develop appropriate retail activity. It also recommends the inclusion of a covered area and a kiosk if Garraunakilla is retained as a Farmer’s Market.

PLANS to rejuvenate Ennis’s historic town centre could be kick-started by the development of a covered market in the Lysaght’s Lane area of the town, according to a new report.

The lane, which leads into the lower market street car park, is identified as the preferred location for a new market in a report by the architectural firm behind Limerick City’s Milk Market Project.

Richard Rice of Healy Partners and Associates made the recommendation in a report commissioned by Ennis Town Council.

Rice was asked to examine the entire Ennis Market area, with particular reference to providing a covered market in the town.

Mr Rice’s preliminary report stated, “We recommend that the Lysaght’s Lane option be considered for development as the location for the Farmers Artisan Market. It is at the retail core of the town; is within a defined urban space that offers very positive development potential; establishes a pedestrian zone at the town centre; offers opportunities to local business to develop their premises towards the new market location.”

The council has given its backing to the project, which it says has the potential to “become the flagship legacy project” for the council’s final year.

On the removal of parking spaces from the Lysaght’s Lane area, the report stated, it “would have the positive effect of removing the need for car access from the roundabout at Market Place and create a pedestrian core in the town centre.

It added, “This would be seen as being a key goal in the creation of a safer market environment when considering the presence of children.”

The council recently held a public workshop with market stakeholders including local businesses, stall holders, Farmers Market cooperative and customers.

Richard Rice made a formal pres- entation for growing the Market from lower market street car park (Lysaght’s Lane), through the Mall to the Market Day sculpture and roundabout. The proposal would include some pedestrian areas for market customers with access to deliveries.

Town clerk Leonard Cleary explained that a proposal was also received for the council to examine opportunities for improved access to the area from adjacent streets.

“This idea sought to concentrate footfall to the benefit of traders in the market and traders on the adjacent streets as well as ease of customer flow. A specific suggestion in relation to access from O’Connell Street was proposed in this regard.”

Mr Cleary added, “It is recommended that the council progress the market report suggestions further through appropriate Part VIII planning and tender procedures. This project has the potential to become the flagship legacy project for the final year of this Ennis Town Council term.”

CLOSURE Orders were served on two East Clare businesses during June by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) due to food safety concerns.

The Killaloe take away River Spice on Main Street, Killaloe, was closed on June 19 for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998.

The second order was served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on Clonlara Wholesale Distributors, a cash and carry business.

The areas closed included the green shed, temporary white canvas structure and open yard areas ancillary to the main premises, which are being used for food storage.

The Closure Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive.

A total of eight enforcement or- ders were issued by the HSE on food premises nationwide last month.

The eight Enforcement Orders served in June bring to 69 the total number of Enforcement Orders served in the first six months of 2013 – a 77 per cent increase on the same period last year.

Prof Alan Reilly, Chief Executive, FSAI, stated that the increase in the number of food safety breaches identified is worrying if this upward trend continues. “Each Enforcement Order sends a clear message to food businesses that unsafe food safety practices or non-compliance with food legislation is not tolerated by the inspection officers. There is absolutely no excuse for negligent practices. Food businesses must recognise that the legal onus is on them to make sure that the food they serve is safe to eat. This requires ongoing compliance with food safety practices and hygiene standards to ensure that their businesses comply with the law,” he said.

A BORD Fáilte in-depth survey has shown that three quarters of visitors to West Clare last year got their information from a tourist office.

In the last number of weeks the holiday board has come under criticism for removing the last tourist office from the West Care peninsula and replacing it with information points in Kilrush and Kilkee.

Now its own survey is saying that the tourist office provided more information to tourists last year than even the internet, where just 20 per cent of people got their information.

Accommodation providers provided a further 23 per cent.

According to Fáilte 360: Holidaymaker Survey 2012, the most visited attraction by holidayers to the west of the county was the Cliffs of Moher with 54 per cent of tourists saying they visited the interpretative centre.

The in-depth survey also showed that while the majority of overseas visitors, 32 per cent, first came across West Clare through word of mouth, 77 per cent then sourced their information from the internet.

A further 34 per cent gathered information from guidebooks, while 12 per cent relied on travel agents or tour operators.

Bord Fáilte has described the report published yesterday as the most comprehensive examination of what holidaymakers really think of Ireland and its regional destinations.

“Gathering the views of nearly 10,000 overseas and domestic holidaymakers who visited 11 holiday areas across the country last year, the report is an in-depth insight into what visitors experienced and thought about tourism’s key regions,” a spokesperson said.

The survey also showed that hotels were the most popular choice of accommodation at 36 per cent, while 22 per cent stayed in B&Bs.

The majority of visitors, 31 per cent, chose to eat in pubs while 25 per cent dined in a hotel with 15 per cent at a restaurant.

Hiking and hill walking was top of the list of activities they engaged in.

As many as 76 per cent of visitors surveyed said they would recommend West Clare for a holiday with the beautiful scenery and countryside topping the list of reasons, together with its nice and friendly people.

TWO young life guards have been praised for their efforts to resuscitate a swimmer in Kilkee during the beach’s busiest Sunday of the year.

A retired teacher from Limerick died at the University Hospital Limerick despite the best effort of the local life guards, the Kilkee Coast Guard, the ambulance service, Shannondoc and Gardaí on Sunday evening. At 6pm the 76 year-old was discovered floating in the sea and was quickly taken ashore by the two female life guards who worked tirelessly to resuscitate him at the scene while contacting the other emergency services.

The deceased man, who remained unidentified until his wife reported him as a missing person later in the evening, was then airlifted to Limerick hospital.

PARENTS of Clare children with special needs have drawn a line in the sand – this far and no farther. More than 100 people turned out in Ennis on Wednesday to protest against cuts in educational supports for children with special need.

Protests of this kind could become a regular sight in Ennis with Clare parent vowing to fight tooth and nail against future cuts of any kind.

According to parent Catherine Burke, the SNA (Special Needs Assistant)/student ratio for children in Clare has gone from one to three in 2010 to one to seven this year.

“We will see more protests – definitely.

“It has been agreed by the Clare Parents Support Group that, from here on in, we will be giving voices to our children – who don’t have voices themselves,” said Catherine.

“If they cut us anymore more we will be out on the streets – we will have our voices heard.

“Our kids need these support. If they don’t get a chance of an education then they won’t be able to reach their potential. Their voices will be heard on this issue – we will make sure of that.”

According to the Clare Parents Support Group, the numbers at last week’s protest in Ennis would have been even larger but for some confusion following last Tuesday’s statement from Minister for Education, Ruairí Quinn (Lab).

“We had more than 100 people there, so I think we did very well for something that was organised over two days on social media. I think we got our message across very well.

“We probably would have gotten more people out for the march but there was some confusion with some people who thought that situation was sorted out after Ruairí Quinn’s statement from the previous day.

“The resource hours have been reallocated to our children but we still have a cap on SNA in our school. So this does amount to a big cut.

“In bigger schools we now have SNAs being shred between four kids with special needs who might be in different class room – it’s not a workable situation.

“This is not a large amount of money.

“Early intervention is key and if these supports are cut, then it be creating more problems down the line. When children are young, it is much easier to help them.

“If they don’t get this support early then it is just making the job harder when they turn eight or nine.”

A NORTH Clare group has called into question the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) used as part of the license application for a massive fish farm off the Clare coast.

The Galway Bay Protection Group, which was establish by a number concerned local last month, has expressed concerns over the EIS, which was compiled jointly using by the Irish Marine Institute and Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) – the government agency who are themselves proposing the fish farm.

Galway Bay Protection Group member and local doctor, Fergus Glynn, said that a number of questions remain unanswered concerning the EIS.

“The master of the Marine Institute and the master of BIM is Simon Coveney [Minister for Agriculture] and Simon Coveney has publicly and privately backed this fish farm from the word go. We don’t feel that the people who have been tasked with completing this EIS have been allowed to do their job fully and independently,” said Dr Glynn.

“We have spoken to a number of experts about this and the conclusion that we have come to is that, not only are their questions about the real independence of this study, but also there is questions over the scientific rigor and the level of research done.”

A BIM spokesperson has rejected claims that the EIS not been completed to a high standard.

“The EIS was compiled by leading scientists; principally from the Marine Institute, some from BIM and other specialists from the private sector. As the applicant BIM had to take responsibility for the overall production of the EIS, as that is how the law concerning applications for aquaculture licencing is formulated in Ireland,” he said.

“The applicant must submit the EIS and the licencing authority then scrutinise it. BIM will not be issuing or managing the licensing. That function rests with the Aquaculture and Foreshore Management Division of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, that body is completely separate from BIM.”

A fundraising event for the group will take place this Sunday, July 7, at Greene’s Yard in Ballyvaughan from 4pm to 9pm.