The Clare People Archive

CLARE Labour TD, Michael McNamara, has defended the actions of Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn (Lab), who last week reversed his decision to cut to the number of special needs resource teachers in primary school saying “his hands were tied” in deciding to introduce the cuts.

Despite more than 100 people turning out in Ennis last week to protest against cuts to education for children with special needs in Clare, the East Clare deputy said that Minister Quinn’s u-turn was “a good decision” and welcomed a promised review of special needs resources.

Five hundred new resource teaching posts will be created in September to cope with the increasing number of children with special needs entering the primary schools system.

There is, however, no allocation for extra special needs assistants (SNA) – with reports that some SNA’s in larger Clare schools are now assigned four students in dif- ferent classes at the same time.

“This is a good decision for special education.

“I am delighted that Ruairí Quinn has secured Cabinet agreement to release 500 additional teaching posts to schools in September,” said Deputy McNamara.

“Like the Minister, I regret if the parents of special needs children had gone through anguish as a result of last week’s announcement.

“To be fair to the Minister, his hands are tied by budgetary allocations.

“However, we will have to find a better way to manage these extremely sensitive situations.

“Coping with the alarming rise in the demand for special resource, teaching will cost money.

“I welcome the review which will be set up as to why the rise in demand for special needs resources is much greater than rise in school population.”

It has also emerged that the cost of providing the extra 500 special needs resource teachers may result in an increase in the overall student teacher ratio at certain primary schools.

LAHINCH – a nice town except for all the rubbish. That is the message from a group of local people who are attempting to change attitudes toward litter in Clare’s premier resort town – and make it a nicer place to visit and live.

According to the group, the village was left in a “disgusting” state after last month’s unexpected sunny weather and they are calling on visitors to be more litter conscious and Clare County Council to do more to keep the village clean.

The group formed after the a local clean-up organised large levels of dumping during the June bank holiday weekend and now intend to form a formal group aimed at working to make the village cleaner.

“It was very really disgusting – you name it, it was dumped on the beach after the [bank holiday] weekend. It was great – about 15 of us went out on Monday evening and picked up more then 30 bags of rubbish – it was disgusting,” said Louise McCormack of the group.

“We need more bins on the prom that is for sure. I know there would be some dumping anyway, but if we can set a higher standard and work to keep the place cleaner then visitors will think twice about dumping themselves.

“There are two men [from Clare County Council] who are very helpful and do some clean up work – but it’s just too much work for them. One tourist said to me last week that we had a lovely village – it’s just a shame that it is so dirty.

“The council makes a lot of money from the car park in Lahinch and that money is supposed to be invested in the village – but that isn’t happening. It would not take a lot of money to fix this problem.”

A spokesperson from the Ennistymon Area Office of Clare County Council said, despite the economic downturn, the local authority have maintained rubbish collections at Lahinch.

“After the bank holiday weekend a group contacted Clare County Council to tell us they were organising a clean up and requested to assist in removing and disposing of the waste they collected. We agreed to the request,” said a spokesperson from Clare County Council.

“At no time did the representative of the group raise any questions about litter management with Clare County Council. With regard to Lahinch, Clare County Council provide a seven day service all year round.

“Due to the downturn in the economy, funding for local authorities has been cut dramatically over the last number of years. The embargo on public sector employment has led to a huge reduction in staff resources available to carry out the functions of the local authority.

“However we have maintained the same level of service on the streets and the promenade of Lahinch despite the lack of resources. All bins have been deployed for the summer season.”

BUSINESSES are facing a potential 20 per cent increase in commercial rates under new structures of local government, the outgoing Mayor of Ennis has warned.

Fianna Fáí l councillor Peter Considine was speaking at the annual general meeting of Ennis Town Council where he called for Fine Gael councillors to lobby for the retention of local authorities.

Eight councillors will be elected to represent the Ennis area in the 2014 local elections.

Cllr Considine said the town will “suffer” by the loss of one elected representative. Currently there are nine elected members on Ennis Town Council.

Cllr Considine said the elimination of local authorities could also have implications for businesses. He claimed that under the new structures, commercial rates could rise by up to 26 per cent. He called on Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan, to re-think his policy on local government reform.

“Nothing would’ve happened, I’m sure, in this town without the urging, thriving and thinking of Ennis Town Council,” he added.

County manager Tom Coughlan acknowledged that difficult and challenging times lie ahead for local authorities.

He said the timescale for change is tight and that all staff are going to have their shoulders to the wheel.

Town manager Gerard Dollard said, “It’s going to be year of great change and some difficulty.”

Cllr Considine was presiding over his final council meeting as Mayor of Ennis. Recalling the past 12 months, he picked out Ennis’ successful Purple Flag bid, work on the new Quin Road pedestrian bridge and the civic reception afforded to former county manager Joe Boland as particular highlights.

He also hailed the positive impact new coach-parking facilities at Fri- ar’s Walk are having on tourism in Ennis.

It is thought that Cllr Considine will not run for election next year. Colleagues paid tribute to his work as Mayor. Mr Coughlan described Cllr Considine was an “excellent ambassador” for Ennis. “You could see Peter’s pride in the town,” he added.

Cllr Paul O’Shea (Ind) also paid tribute to Cllr Considine, joking that he would “miss their little sparring matches”.

LONG serving Fine Gael councillor Mary Coote Ryan will serve as the last Mayor of Ennis Town Council after she was selected for the post unopposed last week.

Cllr Coote Ryan, who was first elected to the council in 1990, was elected after party colleague Mary Howard withdrew her name from the race at the council’s annual general meeting on Tuesday night.

Cllr Coote Ryan was proposed as Mayor by the town’s new Deputy Mayor, Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind). Her nomination was seconded by Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind). She replaces outgoing Mayor, Cllr Peter Considine (FF). It will be the third time in her political life that Cllr Coote Ryan will serve as the town’s Mayor.

She told the meeting that it was a wonderful honour to be chosen as Mayor on a historic night for the local authority. Pledging to do her best for Ennis, Cllr Coote Ryan said the night was both a “happy and sad” occasion for her, a reference to her late brother Paddy whom she replaced on the council 23 years ago. “I’m an old townie and I absolutely adore my town. With all your help and support, I hope I will do well for the town,” added Cllr Coote Ryan.

Cllr Mary Howard withdrew from the race saying she the last thing she wanted was “more division in the council”. Cllr Howard was nominated for Mayor by fellow Fine Gael councillor, Johnny Flynn and seconded by Cllr Paul O’Shea (Ind).

Cllr Howard paid tribute to Cllr Coote Ryan. She said, “There is no greater honour that to serve your town as Mayor. It is a milestone.” There was an element controversy in the election of Deputy Mayor.

Cllr Frankie Neylon and Cllr Howard were both nominated for the post. Cllr Neylon was elected on a 53 vote after securing the backing of Cllr Coote Ryan.

Cllr Coote Ryan said she voted for Cllr Neylon instead of her Fine Gael colleague because he had nominated her for Mayor. Cllr Neylon was elected with the votes of councillors, Brennan, Guilfoyle, Considine and Coote Ryan. Cllr Howard won the votes of councillors Flynn and O’Shea. Fianna Fáil councillor Brian Meaney was not present at the meeting.

The election sparked a brief row between councillors Neylon and Flynn. The new Deputy Mayor claimed Cllr Flynn had accused him of “rigging” the vote for Mayor.

“I would’ve supported Cllr Howard only for the remarks of Cllr Flynn,” he added.

This claim was strongly denied by Cllr Flynn who later congratulated Cllr Neylon on his success, saying he had served the town with “great efficiency”.

NEW Mayor of Ennis councillor Mary Coote Ryan has defended her decision to vote against a Fine Gael party colleague at last week’s annual general meeting of Ennis Town Council.

Cllr Coote Ryan voted for independent councillor Frankie Neylon for the position of Deputy Mayor ahead of Cllr Mary Howard (FG).

Cllr Howard had earlier withdrawn her nomination for Mayor, clearing the way for Cllr Coote Ryan to take up the post. Cllr Coote Ryan was nominated for Mayor by Cllr Neylon and the long-serving councillor said it would’ve been “bad form” not to back his nomination for Deputy Mayor.

“I’m very fond of Mary. I think she is a lovely person. It was very big of her to withdraw but Mary’s time will come. I won’t be going anymore. I do hope that Mary does very, very well in the next election and anything I can do to help with that, I will do it”.

Cllr Coote Ryan added that her decision not to vote for Clr Howard “won’t do anything to our friendship”. Cllr Coote Ryan has sat on Ennis Town Council since 1990 when she was co-opted onto the seat following the death of her brother Paddy. Speaking on Tuesday night, she admitted she is “very proud and honoured” to have been chosen as Mayor. She continued, “It is a very important year, the last year of the town council as we know it. We can’t sit back on our laurels. As far as I’m concerned this is a year we should be planning ahead. I know that economically things aren’t great but they won’t always be like that and I think we should be planning ahead for the future and get our little speak in before the council dissolves. Hopefully whatever decisions we make now will be carried on by the council”. Recalling her early days as a councillor, Cllr Coote Ryan said, “At that time I was really plucked from the kitchen sink. I hadn’t a clue. I knew Paddy went to meetings and that was the extent of what I knew about the council. But the minute I entered that door, I took to it like a duck to water. But they were all so good to me. At that time, and I hate to bring politics into things because I think it’s unfair, there were four maybe five Fianna Fáíl councillors and they looked after me so well that I never would have made it but for them. They were all terribly good to me. Tomás Ryan was wonderful and his knowledge of local government was a real help.”

Cllr Coote Ryan said she would like to see further enhancement of facilities at the Lees Road sports and Amenity Park during her time as Mayor.

She explained, “I think there is a need for a café. You have some big sports days up there and I think it would be lovely if parents and children could go an get a drink. I think there is a need for something like that. Maybe in time too we could have some indoor facilities. We could be planning that now.”

A SIGNIFICANT number of staff of the former Clare VEC will remain in place Ennis following an amalgamation with VECs in Limerick city and county, according to chief executive officer George O’Callaghan.

Eighty three years of educational history came to an end last week when Clare VEC was re-branded as part of a new Education and Training Board (ETB) for Clare and Limerick.

The new organisation will continue to run schools and provide adult education while taking on new training functions that were previously the responsibility of FÁS. CEO George O’Callaghan said any change to the organisation would be gradual.

The VEC runs seven post primary schools in Clare catering for 2,200 students. Around 600 people are employed by the ETB in Clare.

While many staff are facing the prospect of being transferred to Limerick, Mr O’Callaghan expects that a number will remain in Ennis.

He explained, “Capital and procurement functions will remain in Ennis, a significant number of staff will remain in Ennis.

“Our work is education. That is our mission. And we would feel we have made significant contributions over the years. That will continue to be made because the schools will continue and the further education provision will continue as well.” Mr O’Callaghan continued, “The most significant new function that will be transferred to the new Education and Training Board will be the FÁS training function. The FÁS training centre in Shannon and Raheen will transfer to the Education and Training Board in early 2014. That will fulfill the objective in the new name of the entity. The broader training functions of FÁS will transfer across in 2014.” Mr O’Callaghan has been officially designated as CEP of the new Cork ETB but has been seconded by the Minister for Education to work on a project examining the provision of post primary education in Limerick City. Former CEO of Limerick VEC Sean Burke has been named as CEO Designate of the new Education and Training Board for Clare and Limerick. Mr O’Callaghan said he was honoured to work for eight years as CEO of Clare VEC. He said, “They were a great staff to work with, very hard working across the board. We’d a great team and a good atmosphere in which we conducted in our work. That will continue in the new ETB as well.”

ENNIS Town Manager Ger Dollard has said he would be “concerned” if people with disabilities are having trouble accessing public toilets in the town.

It follows comments made by councillor Paul O’Shea (Ind), who called on the council to make access keys for the town’s two superloos available to people with disabilities.

At yesterday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council, Cllr O’Shea called for a radical overhaul of toilet facilities in Ennis. It costs the council almost € 67,000 per year to operate the automated public conveniences, known as superloos.

Cllr O’Shea described the cost as “extortionate” and called for an independent economic feasibility study on the cost of providing public toilets.

He said the council should provide different facilities that include baby changing facilities and facilities for members of the community with higher specific support needs.

“Public toilets have come on leaps and bounds since 1997,” he added.

Mr Dollard defended the council’s provision of public toilets in Ennis.

He stated, “The executive has previously done an assessment on traditional provision i.e. toilet block with the employment of toilet attendants against the more modern approach of superloos. The executive is in no doubt that when account is taken of the capital cost of provision, costs of operation and maintenance, payroll costs and other overhead and incidental cost that the automated public convenience model offers a cost effective solution and most importantly a standard of toilet facilities that is expected and required in modern cities and towns.”

He added, “The facilities currently in place by Ennis Town Council are modern fully accessible public toilet facilities. The council is not aware of issues regarding accessibility but is happy to examine any such issues in conjunction with the providers and operators of the automated public convenience.”

Mr Dollard said he would be “concerned” if members of the public with disabilities have trouble accessing toilets.

Fine Gael councillors Johnny Flynn and Mary Howard said the council should look at providing a third public toilet at the Parnell Street taxi rank.

THE redevelopment of the Gort Glas High Support Hostel in Ennis is the highest priority for the delivery of dementia care in Clare, according to The Health Service Executive (HSE).

The HSE identified the redevelopment, which has not yet been earmarked for funding, as key to allowing “greater synergy and coordination” in the delivery of dementia care in the county.

This follows the controvertial allocation of € 190,000 to the Clarecastle and District Daycare Centre in March of this year, a development which the HSE classified as low priority. Clarecastle TD, Joe Carey (FG), was accused of using his influence to gain this funding for his local centre unfairly, an allegation which he denied.

The HSE pointed out at the time that the services being funded in Clarecastle were already being provided “two miles down the road” in Ennis. The Clare People contacted them HSE in March, asking that they outline their funding priorities for the county. In a reply released last week, the Gort Glas development was identified as the HSE’s number one priority.

“As part of the Mid West Mental Health Service Plan 2013, local priorities include the closure of Gort Glas High Support Hostel in Ennis and the redevelopment of the facility as Headquarters for Clare Mental Health Services for Older Persons and as a Day Care Centre for Alzheimer’s patients,” said a HSE spokesperson.

“Local management is working in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland to develop Gort Glas on the campus of St Josephs Hospital in Ennis as a Dementia Specific Day Centre and out-patient facility for Psychiatry of Old Age.

“The project involved the extension and refurbish of the existing Gort Glas facility in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland. It is anticipated that the ASI will vacate existing rented accommodation in Ennis and relocate to Gort Glas. The relocation project will allow greater synergy and co-ordination of dementia care services in Clare.”

Other priority projects identified by the HSE include the opening of a dementia specific in-patient unit in St Joseph’s Hospital to cater for patients with “complex dementia” as part of the strategy to develop “much needed specialist services” for older persons and enhance integration with elderly care services.

THREE men involved in a violent row at Ennis Courthouse in May have received suspended prison sentences.

Simon McDonagh Jnr (18), with an address at 7 Aonach an Chláir, Clarecastle, Edward McDonagh (33), with an address at 18 Davitt Terrace, Cloughleigh, Ennis and Shane O’Donoghue (18), with an address unofficial halting site, Cragroe, Tulla, all appeared before a special sitting of Ennis District Court yesterday.

All three men pleaded guilty to provoking a breach of the peace at Ennis Courthouse on May 1.

Detective John Casey told the court that he and other gardai were forced to break up a fight between the McDonaghs and Mr O’Donoghue.

Det Casey said father of six Edward McDonagh and Shane O’Donoghue exchanged several punches and verbal assaults in a fight that erupted in the hallway outside the courtroom.

Simon McDonagh Jnr also hit Mr O’Donoghue “three or four punches”, the court heard. CCTV footage of the fight was shown in court.

Det Casey said a large number of members of the public were present in the Courthouse as three courts were sitting on the day.

A number of people fled the building in fear of what was happening, the court heard.

None of the men has any previous convictions

Det Casey explained that the fight was the product of a dispute between the McDonagh and O’Donoghue famillies who are connected through marriage.

The court heard the families have settled their difference and are speaking to each other again.

Solicitor for Simon McDonagh Jnr, Daragh Hassett, said his client is talented young soccer player who played for Avenue United in provincial and All-Ireland finals.

Solicitor Patrick Moylan, who represented Edward McDonagh, said his client is a qualified landscaper who had never been in trouble with gardaí before.

Mr Moylan added, “He apologises to the court, the gardaí and the public.”

Solicitor for Mr O’Donoghue, Jim Orange, said his client’s behaviour was “completely out of order on the day.”

Passing sentence, Judge Patrick Durcan said;

“No member of the public should ever feel that by coming into this court they are coming into a war zone.”

He said that in creating a “climate of terror and mayhem” the three defendants behaved in a “contemptible” manner.

He continued, “I regard these offences as the most serious breaches of public order I have had to deal with since my appointment to this district.”

However Judge Durcan noted that the men had no previous convictions and are of “excellent character” in the eyes of the court.

He then imposed two month suspended prison sentences on each defendant.

AN All-Ireland champion weightlifter found in illegal possession of a shotgun and cocaine in Mullagh almost three years ago has avoided an immediate jail term.

Sean McNamara (21), with an address at Doonogan, Mullagh, appeared for sentence before the Circuit Criminal Court in Ennis last Tuesday.

Mr McNamara is a Munster and All-Ireland weightlifting titleholder. He also holds two under 23 national records and has been short listed for the Irish weightlifting squad for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

On October 16 2010, members of the Clare Garda Divisional Drugs Unit raided a farmhouse near Doonogan, Mullagh. There they found a sawn off double barrel shotgun wrapped in a towel; 29.82 grammes of cocaine; weighing scales and glucose for mixing cocaine.

There were no cartridges in the gun, the court heard.

The court heard Mr McNamara ad- mitted the offence and was very cooperative and open to gardaí.

In April, Mr McNamara pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a shotgun and having cocaine for sale or supply.

Mr McNamara had been part of a gang involved in drug dealing in North and West Clare.

Delivering sentence, Judge Gerald Keyes said evidence had been given that Mr McNamara was “pressured” and “influenced” by the then 17-yearold head of the gang to store the shotgun.

Mr McNamara was in fear of this person who also sent a series of text messages from his phone.

Judge Keyes said the gun was sourced as a “scare tactic so the 17 year old could act the big man in a showdown because of dented pride.”

The court heard Mr McNamara has broken all links with the gang and has not come to garda attention in the years since.

Detective Garda Stephen Hession told the court that Mr McNamara was apprehended at the right time before things spiraled out of control.

In April, Defence Counsel, Michael Collins BL urged the Court not to impose a custodial sentence as it might harm his client’s Olympics hopes.

A mandatory minimum five-year sentence applied to the firearm charge but Judge Keyes said there were exceptional circumstances that allowed him not to impose the term.

The court heard Mr McNamara indicated at an early stage that he would be pleading guilty.

Judge Keyes said garda evidence also indicated that the chances of Mr McNamara committing similar offences in the future are low.

Judge Keyes imposed a three-year sentence on each charge, to run concurrently. He suspended the sentence for a period of five years.

He warned Mr McNamara that if he committed any more offence, he would activate the prison sentence.

Judge Keyes added, “These were very serious offences.

“Your future is in your hands and you have an opportunity to rectify this.”