The Clare People Archive

ENNIS General Hospital has under gone significant changes in the services it offers patients in the last three years. While the County Clare hospital has lost its 24-hour accident and emergency service along with its acute services, the number of day surgeries and non-acute procedures it is undertaking has grown significantly.

In 2008 there were no cardiac day procedures carried out at the hospital. In 2011 however there were 72 such procedures undertaken by specialised staff.

Similarly in 2008 there were no gastroenterology, geriatrics, maxillo-facial surgery or plastic surgery day procedures carried out at the hospital.

Three years later, 228 plastic surgeries, 143 gastroenterology procedures, 119 maxillo-facial surgeries, and three geriatric procedures were completed in one year on the hospital campus.

The most significant increase was in vascular surgery, where the number of procedures in a year increased by 400 per cent from 28 in 2008 to 140 in 2011.

There was also a significant increase in work carried out in the urology department from 69 procedures in 2008 to 342 procedures in 2011 – a jump of 395.65 per cent.

Gynaecology procedures increased by 43.75 per cent in that time period, while dentistry increased by 27.79 per cent.

With the change in the hospital’s status within the Mid Western Hospitals Group medical procedures and surgical procedures had dropped by 35.64 per cent and 12.59 per cent respectively.

CEO of the Mid Western Hospitals Group, Ann Doherty has previously explained, “We are engaged in build- ing a single hospital system. If that sounds radical let me assure you that the Trust will not be an exercise in centralisation of services at the expense of the smaller hospitals. It is significant that changes in medicine and technology are leading to the establishment of region-wide specialist departments in fields such as radiology and cardiology. This had led to dramatic improvements such as in Ennis where tele-radiology was introduced in April 2011 as the main method of reporting X-rays and the development of outreach cardiology services such as the heart watch programme.”

A new 50-bed unit at Ennis General Hospital is scheduled to open at the end of the month, which will provide new facilities to go with the procedure including two new wards with 50 new beds and en-suites, and facilities for CT scanning, operating theatres, endoscope facilities and day surgery.

MOVES are being made at Ennis Town Council level to mark the historic 1828 election of Daniel O’Connell in Clare by staging an annual event in honour of the ‘Liberator’ in the county capital.

The cause of O’Connell in Clare, which has been championed by a number of local historians in the county, will be taken to the floor of Ennis Town Council this week, with a motion being tabled by Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) expected to receive the unanimous backing of the ninemember local authority.

O’Connell was elected as a Member of Parliament for Ennis on July 5, 1828. Having been proposed as a candidate by The O’Gorman Mahon and seconded by Tom Steele, he beat Vesey Fitzgerald in the election.

It was this victory that sparked the granting of Catholic Emancipation the following year, while Cllr Flynn’s motion to honour one of the most famous campaigns in Clare electoral history is being timed to coincide with the 185th anniversary of the election in 2013.

“We want O’Connell recognised in Clare by having a special day annually in his honour,” said local historian Declan Barron. “By having a Daniel O’Connell Day in Ennis and having that day set as July 5 every year, a whole new industry and interest can be cultivated.

“Daniel O’Connell’s election wasn’t only a turning point in Irish history, but it was a turning point in world history. That’s because it was the world’s first democratic revolution. Are we just the fighting Irish, who remember patriots because they were involved in wars or were killed?

“It is the first time that democracy was used to rebel against the status quo and the ruling powers. It was on July 5 that he was elected and it should probably be called Democracy Day, after Independence Day the day before. 2013 would be an ideal year to start this, on the 185th anniversary but also because it could become part of the ‘Gathering’ project,” added Mr Barron.

GAY and bisexual young people living in Clare are more likely to contemplate and attempt suicide than their heterosexual piers.

That is the opinion of openly gay Ennis priest Fr Bernard Lynch and consultant psychiatrist Dr Moosajee Bhamjee, who believe that the lack of positive, openly-gay role models in the county can leave young Clare people feeling isolated and possibly suicidal.

Following the closure of the volunteer group Gay Clare nearly two years ago, there is no longer any Clare-based organisation to cater for the needs of rural gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered people.

According to Dr Bhamjee, many young gay people can find themselves completely isolated and in a very desperate position.

“People in rural Ireland can find it much more difficult to deal with their gayness – that is the case in many parts of Ireland and in rural areas abroad as well,” said Dr Bhamjee. “The problem is that they don’t have anywhere to express their sexuality and this can be very, very isolating for a person. In some ways, younger people are more open and more understanding, but there is still a huge stigma.” For a full inter view with

Fr Ber na rd Lynch, tur n to page 19.

LIVES could be lost on Lahinch beach as a result of new parking bylaws which will force all the town’s surf school to trade in one area of the promenade. That is the opinion of surf school operator Ben Bennett, who believes that the schools provide the first line of defense for people who get into difficulty while in the water at Lahinch.

Mr Bennett, who operates Ben’s Surf Clinic in Lahinch, was responding to the introduction of the new bylaws which he says will not fix any of the difficulties experienced by beach users at Lahinch.

The bylaws force the surf school to operate and to enter the beach at the northern end of the Lahinch Promenade. They were put in place after a number of complaints were made by members of the public about overcrowding at the beach.

“There seems to be a confusion between surfers and surf schools,” said Ben.

“None of the surf schools allow the surfers into the swimming zone but it is the inexperienced surfers that do drift in there. The surf schools are getting blamed for what the surfers are doing.

“Surfing is keeping Lahinch alive all winter long. It is not just a summer thing – the car park will be filled with surfers in the middle of the winter and all of them will be paying parking fees to Clare County Council – we are getting a really bad rap here.”

According to Ben, the surf school also provide a year round safety net for people using the beach at Lahinch.

“I personally rescue about seven to eight people a year at Lahinch because I am on the beach all the time. I would imagine that every other surf instructor would do something similar,” continued Ben.

“The council are putting us at the furthest point possible from the beach. We can’t see the beach. I am located at the first ramp down and from there I can see the beach and advise the people who are there about the tides and the currents.

“There will definitely be more accidents and more incidents due to the fact that surf schools are being placed at the back of the prom. I think the safety issues are very serious and I believe that some day, someone is going to be stretchered off very badly injured just as a result of moving the surf schools back. Someone is unfortunately going to drown.”

THREE thousand Clare people were unaware that they were close to becoming citizens of Limerick last week as amendments were made to the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2012 at Dáil committee level.

Limerick Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins attempted to add an amendment to the bill that would in essence bring in the proposals of the controversial Limerick Local Government Com- mittee (LLGC) report more commonly known as the Brosnan report.

He put forward amendment nine, which stated, “The administrative area of the new Limerick Local Government Authority shall be extended to include the residential areas of Shannon Banks, Westbury, Carrig Meade and Athlundard in Co Clare and shall also include that part of the campus of the University of Limerick also in Co Clare.”

The new Limerick Local Government Authority that would take over from Limerick County Council and Limerick City Council was one of the Brosnan proposals accepted by Government last year.

The proposal to extend the boundary of this new authority into Clare was rejected however after much protest from the Banner County by the Government last year and by the committee on Thursday.

Labour Junior Minister Jan O’Sullivan, who was chairing the committee meeting, told Mr Collins that the Government would not be accepting the amendment after those in attendance voted to reject it.

Among them was Clare Labour TD Michael McNamara who described it as an attempted land grab.

“In Government, Fianna Fáil transferred Aer Rianta International in Shannon to the Dublin Airport Authority and privatised Aer Lingus so that it can leave Shannon on a whim. In opposition, Fianna Fáil now wants to move part of the campus of the University of Limerick and the residential areas of Shannon Banks, Westbury, Carrig Meade and Athlundard out of Co Clare,” said Deputy McNamara.

Flan CUNNINGHAM
, Sallus, Quilty East. Suddenly. Funeral mass today (Tuesday) at 11 o’clock at The Star of the Sea Church, Quilty, with burial afterwards in Mullagh Cemetery. Family flowers only please, donations, if desired toThe Irish Heart Foundation. May he rest in peace.

Kieran FAHY,
26 Lower Main St.Tulla and late of Lahardan. Peacefully at home. Funeral mass today (Tuesday) at 11 o’clock at Ss Peter and Paul’s Church,Tulla, with burial after in local cemetery. May he rest in peace.

John GALVIN
of 32 Liosard,Tulla Road, late of 2 Chapel Street, Longford town. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery, Ennis. Donations, if desired, to Milford Hospice. May he rest in peace.

THE new 50-bed unit at Ennis General Hospital is to open at the end of next month.

The exact date to the opening has not been announced at the HSE awaits the arrival of specialist equipment for the unit.

Clare county councillor Tom McNamara (FF) said there was a lot of disappointment that it still wasn’t opened as the builders had handed over the unit last October.

“I cannot see how the delivery is taking so long. We were way under budget (at Ennis General Hospital) last year. Why couldn’t that saving have been used?” he asked.

“We need to put a definite date on it.”

CEO Mid Western Hospital Group, Ann Doherty, said the delay was not a budgetary issue.

“I don’t want to give a date and not meet it,” she said.

“We are well on the way to the opening of our new inpatient accommodation in Ennis. Currently the equipment is on order and delivery schedules are being agreed.”

“As of yet, delivery dates are not confirmed for all items of equipment and therefore an opening date cannot be confirmed. It is anticipated that the unit will be open in the next four to five weeks,” she said.

Ms Doherty said that once she had received definite information about the equipment and its installation she would confirm a date for the opening of the € 15 million extension.

The extension will include two new wards with 50 new beds and ensuites, and facilities for CT scanning, operating theatres, endoscope facilities and day surgery.

LARGE surf schools have been accused of operating a monopoly on Clare’s beaches – with smaller operators not being allowed access to prime trading beach such as Lahinch.

Thousands of surf lessons take place at Lahinch, Spanish Point, Kil- kee and Fanore beaches each week – with dozens of surf school springing up around the county in recent years.

Yesterday’s North Clare Area Meeting of Clare County Council heard accusations that large surf schools were operating a monopoly and essentially forcing smaller operators out of business.

The meeting became heated when Lahinch-based Cllr Bill Slattery (FG) read out information on behalf a Lahinch-based surf school, which also trades on a number of other beaches in the county. Cllr Michael Hillery (FF), who is based in Spanish Point, then made representations on behalf of a Spanish Point-based “friend” who currently trades in Spanish Point, but cannot gain access to Lahinch. Fianna Fáil Cllr Richard Nagle, reprimanded councillor for making representative on behalf of individual surf school – while others schools were not present.

The trading bylaws which govern the licensing of surf schools in Clare are due to be updated next month. However, Irish Water Safety are due to complete a risk assessment on all beaches in Clare where surfing takes place.

It was decided at yesterday’s meeting to grant month-long licenses to the surf schools, to allow time for changes to be made to the trading bylaws, once the results of the risk assessment have been released.

“There are a number of individual who are licensed to provide les sons in Lahinch and throughout the country. The difficulty is that once you have a licence, you can employ as many people as you like. So one person with a licence could have 160 people on the beach with 24 instructors – is it a licence to trade or is it a monopoly,” said Cllr Joe Arkins (FG).

Separate bylaws limit the number of surf schools who can trade on Lahinch beach to six. However, no such bylaws exists on other Clare beaches, meaning that Lahinchbased schools can operate school on every Clare beach – while other schools cannot gain access to the town’s most popular surfing beach.

“The surf schools are becoming a victim of their own success. The number of surfers are increasing on a yearly basis and Lahinch can only cope with so many surfers at any one time,” said Cllr Nagle. Tue29May12

THE highest level of absenteeism within the HSE West is in the midwest area and more specifically among the nursing profession in Ennis, Limerick and Tipperary hospitals.

According to figures released by the HSE absentee levels within the mid west area is at 5.93 per cent, compared to 4.89 per cent in the west and 5.46 per cent in the former northwest health board area.

The sector most affected by long and short-term absenteeism is nursing in the mid-west with 6.46 per cent of staff not showing up for work on a regular basis.

Previously members of the HSE West Forum such as Clare’s Cllr Tom McNamara (FF) had warned that stress levels among nursing staff was extremely high as staffing levels were cut.

However at a recent meeting of the forum some councillors brought up the possibility that bank holiday absenteeism might be an even bigger issue, with figures requested for Friday and Monday spcific absentee rates.

At last week’s meeting of the forum, Galway’s Cllr Padraig Conneely was critical of high absentee levels across the HSE West, the councillor claiming there were issues about some staff taking long weekend by ringing in sick.

Cllr Damien Riedy asked that the members of the forum be furnished with a break down of how many staff are missing work on the Friday of bank holiday weekends and on ordinary Mondays and Fridays.

Absenteeism is an issue that the HSE continues to take very seriously according to officials.

Regional Director of Operations HSE West John Henessy told the meeting that there had been instances of disciplinary action taken due to missed work days; “I know of two staff members in the HSE who have lost their jobs due to absenteeism.”

Francis Rogers, Assistant National Director of Human Resources, said, “Attendance management is continuing to receive priority attention by the Area Task Force working closely with local service management.”

Meanwhile absenteeism in the medical and dental area in the midwest is also at an all time high at 2.77 per cent, with other patient and client care at 6.25 per cent.

CLARE designer, Jackie Maurer, stole the show at this weekend’s Future Makers Awards, bringing two awards back to the Banner County – including the main overall prize.

The Ballyvaughan-based designer won the inaugural Scarva Pottery Materials Award and also won the overall Future Makers Student Award.

The combined prize fund for winning both awards was € 3,000.

“These awards are fantastic. They will give me a platform and allow me to further my work. I’m absolutely thrilled,” she said.

“Nine years ago I got my work into a major exhibition in the RDS. I’ve been making pieces since I was 16 years of age.

“I started out as a functional maker, I trained with Stephen Pearce. In 2008, I went back to college and completely changed the style of my work.”

A graduate of the Limerick School of Art and Design, Jackie is renowned for her unique wearable ceramic neck pieces.

This weekend’s award recognises excellence, creativity and technical ability, and offers professional support for students to build their profile at a very early stage in their career.

With a total prize fund of € 30,000, the Future Makers awards and supports the next generation of Irish designers, helping them develop an exciting future in the craft and design industry.

Future Makers promotes and dis tinguishes craftsmanship and excellence in design for creative students and graduates at a critical stage in their career.

A total of 28 designers made it as far as the grand final, which was hosted by Sonya Lennon, host of the RTÉ One Off the Rails programme.

THERE was unexpected good news for businesses in North Clare and South Galway yesterday with the news that the European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide a loan for the completion of the motorway connecting Gort and Galway.

The project, which has been stalled for more than two years, had looked unlikely to go ahead in the near future after a number of attempts to find a consortium willing to undertake a Public Private Partnership (PPP) on the site.

The Department of Transport confirmed yesterday that European Investment Bank had given approval, in principal, for a loan to be issued for the completion of the roads project.

According to the Department of Transport, the EIB will provide a loan of up to € 170 million for the Gort to Tuam route. This road is estimated to cost as much as € 530 million to complete in full.

It is as yet unclear whether this investment would allow the Government to further the roads using its own funds, in combination with the EIS money, or if the preferred method will be to continue on with the much used Public Private Partnership model.

A PPP would mean that a number of tolls would be put in place on the road to allow the private investors to recoup a profit from their investment.

Construction work on the road was due to begin more than two years ago but the British and Dutch partnership of BAM and Balfour Beatty pulled out of the project because of difficulties in finding investors because of concerns about Ireland’s sovereign debt.