The Clare People Archive

CLARE County Council has no plans to send its staff to doorsteps around the county demanding the household charge. According to a spokesperson for the local authority, there are no plans at present to send council staff to collect the controversial tax, as there has been no communication from the Department of Environment and Local Government. It is also unknown how many Clare people have paid or registered to pay the € 100. “There is no figure for the amount paid by the council, other than to say the vast majority of household charge payments made are done online or via the postal system,” the spokesperson said. However, the local authority is giving every chance to the majority of the county’s householders who have yet to pay to meet the March 31 deadline by opening the council offices – Aras Contae and Chláir on Saturday. All owners of residential property in Ireland are liable for the household charge on each residential property they own from January. This includes those properties that are liable for the € 200 charge on Non-Principal Private Residences (NPPR). Owners of Irish residential properties who live outside Ireland are also required to register for and pay the household charge. Householders have until Saturday to pay the € 100 charge, after which financial penalties apply on an increasing basis. The late payment fee to apply in the case of a household charge paid within six months of the due date is 10 per cent or € 10. Later than six months and not later than 12 months after the due date, it rises to 20 per cent of the amount due. With just five days to go, an estimated 1.2 million householders nationally have yet to pay.

THERE have been calls for homes in Ennis to be provided with their GPS co-ordinates to avoid delays and confusion with the emergency services.

In a motion submitted to yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis West Electoral Area, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) stated, “In the absence of a digital post I request that assessment is undertaken of resources required and / or methodology available to every house in the Ennis West Area with their GPS coordinates.”

Cllr Meaney told the meeting that Ireland is one of the few developed countries that does not operate a digital postcode system.

He said that at time when calls to the emergency services pass through call centres, a digital postcode would lessen the chance of confusion on call outs.

Cllr Meaney explained that people handling the calls are not familiar with townlands and address in many rural areas.

Speaking from personal experi ence, Cllr James Breen (Ind) told the meeting that had ambulance services made it the home of his late brother in law on the main Ennis to Ennistymon road, then “it might have made a difference”.

In response to Cllr Meaney’s motion, Town Clerk Leonard Cleary stated, “There is merit in this proposal. However there are some challenges in responding to it in the current economic climate. At present Clare Local Authorities is experiencing the impact of 200 vacant staff positions and multi-million budget income reductions. The impact is greatest in the effort to sustain existing even at a tailored back level.”

Mr Cleary said the views of the Council could be conveyed to An Post “or other stakeholders who may be in a better position to contribute to the solution.”

Cllr Meaney added, “If a means could be found to do this on a resource neutral basis, it would certainly help.”

THE streets of Ennis should be closed to traffic at the weekend during the summer to encourage more people into the town.

That’s according to independent councillor James Breen, who put forward his proposal at yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis West Electoral Area.

He called on Ennis Town Council to “completely pedestrianise the streets in Ennis for the month of June and July between 5pm to 10pm on Fridays and 5pm to 9pm on Saturdays and 11am to 6pm on Sunday”.

Cllr Breen said, “This would turn Ennis into a hive of activity that we’ve never seen before.”

In his response, town clerk Leonard Cleary, stated that the pedestrainisation of O’Connell Street and Abbey Street is an objective of the current Ennis and Environs Development Plan (2008-2014). He explained that a pilot pedestrianisation was introduced in 2010 “but was abandoned after a short period”.

“Ennis Town Council has since undertaken a series of pedestrainisation initiatives in selected streets/areas aimed at delivering a unique customer and visitor experience. Pilot pedestrianisation periods in Ennis were preceded by public consultation. These pedestrianisation initiatives have been designed to maximize the level of business generated for commercial rate payers in Ennis town,” he said.

Mr Cleary said the council had received positive feedback in relation to recent Christmas and St Patrick’s Day pedestrianisation pilots. “During the recent public listening process for developing an Ennis Hub Strategy (Ennis 2020) Visioning Process, Ennis Town Council has received a very strong indication that customers wish the council to continue to develop a permanent pedestrianisation experience. The matter will continue to be progressed with the elected members of Ennis Town Council who is statutory authority for the area.”

Cllr Tony Mulqueen (FG) said businesses had concerns over gangs of young people hanging around the streets at night. He said that some businesses had to close their doors on St Patrick’s Day because of kids using spray paint. “If you’re going to take cars off the streets, you need a visible Garda presence,” he added. Cllr Mulqueen said issues around parking for deliveries and collections also had to be addressed.

Town manager Ger Dollard told the meeting that pedestrainisation remains a target in the medium term for Ennis. He said work would first have to be completed on the inner relief road before the council could consider pedestrianisation of the town centre. Committee chairman Cllr Brian Meaney (GP) recommended that the proposal go forward to Ennis Town Council.

ONGOING delays to the completion of a € 100,000 conservation job at the 13th century Ennis Franciscan Abbey have been branded a “disgrace”.

The Abbey has been closed to the public for three years to facilitate works carried out by the Office of Public Works (OPW).

According to the OPW, the Abbey is expected to open in a limited way to the public in June.

A roof has been installed over the 18th century church in order to provide protection for the collection of carved features, which survive at Ennis Friary. The OPW also plans to improve visitor access at the site.

Authorities on medieval sculpture have highlighted the importance of the Friary’s unique collection, which contain a complete set of panels representing the 12 apostles and stages of the passion of Christ.

Since care of the Friary was vested in the Board of Works in the late 19th century, concern has been expressed about the vulnerability of the collection. However the duration of the works came in for strong criticism at yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis West Electoral Area.

Fine Gael councillor Tony Mulqueen said the closure of the Abbey is hurting tourism in Ennis. He said, “The amount of tourists standing up outside is amazing and they can’t even take a photo. It’s a disgrace.”

He added, “The Franciscans seem to have built the Abbey faster than the OPW can put up a few slates.”

Cllr Mulqueen, whose father kept the keys to the Abbey at his nearby business during the 1960s for use by visitors, requested an update on the works at yesterday’s meeting.

In his response, senior executive engineer Eamon O’Dea, stated, “The project is the responsibility of the Office of Public Works. We understand from contact with the OPW that there have been some delays in relation to the project at Ennis Friary. The discovery of a large number of burials where the floating foundations for glazing panels in the transcept were to be placed has resulted in a short delay.”

Mr O’Dea continued, “The intention is to open to the public in late June but in a limited way. The advantage is that the visitors will get to see the masons working and will see progress being made. The OPW is also looking at an extension to the season and some flexibility on charges.”

THE committee responsible for Traveller accommodation is to recommend that Clare County Council not build any more Traveller accommodation units in the county.

The Chairman of the Council’s Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee (TAAC) confirmed yesterday that the recommendation would go before next month’s meeting of the local authority.

Green Party councillor Brian Meaney told a meeting of councillors in the Ennis West Electoral Area that the TAAC has proposed not to go ahead with the recommendations contained in the Traveller Accom- modation Plan.

Cllr James Breen (Ind) said the Council should not provide any more Traveller accommodation until all existing units are in use.

Responding to questions, Cllr Meaney said there are ongoing efforts to ensure “mandated attendance” by Travellers at meetings of the TAAC. The recommendation follows a report released last October that showed that the council spent € 20 million on Traveller accommodation over the past 10 years. The council has invested in 10 group housing schemes and one temporary site in the county that were put in place over three Traveller accommodation programmes since 2000.

The report showed that the council incurred high security costs on the Beechpark group scheme in Ennis, which was the subject of criminal damage and remains the subject of threat and intimidation since 2010.

The report states that a total of five units of accommodation had been destroyed by arson attack in the previous 22 months (Beechpark, Ashline, Ballymaley).

In a motion at yesterday’s meeting, Cllr Meaney called for members of the Traveller community living on an illegal encampment in Barefield to allow and elderly ill member of their community to take up housing allocated to her. The Barefield encampment is currently the subject of legal proceedings by Clare County Council.

AMID the controversy about the controversial route of the Limerick Northern Distributor Road, Clare County Council has this week revealed that it is to publish a report outlining why it cuts straight through Clonlara and Parteen.

The Draft Constraints Report on the 10k road that will link Coonagh with the Parteen/Ardnacrusha area before crossing the Shannon to the University of Limerick will be issued on April 10.

The project is being led by Clare County Council, in conjunction with Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council, with project manager Tom Tiernan revealing that “the publication of a Constraints Study at this point in the consultation process is rare and is not in accordance with guidelines.

“In an effort to ensure residents and public representatives are fully engaged in the consultation process, however, the council has made the decision to release draft constraints information,” he added.

Meanwhile, an additional public consultation meeting in relation to the Limerick Northern Distributor Road goes ahead this Tuesday from 3pm until 8pm in the Raddison Hotel, Ennis Road. The meeting follows on from the decision to extend the closing date for submissions by a period of two months until May 11, 2012.

Information on the emerging Preferred Route Corridor for Phase 2 will be on display with Local Authority personnel and representatives of Roughan & O’Donovan Consulting Engineers available to answer questions. All comments received at the consultation will be recorded and members of the public will be able to make submissions to Clare County Council up to May 11, 2012.

Views expressed during the consultation exercise will be considered in the context of the emerging Preferred Route Corridor for the scheme. Design of the Limerick Northern Distributor Road (Phase 2) will progress based on the corridor to be confirmed following the public consultation process, leading to the publication of an Environmental Impact Statement and Compulsory Purchase Order in due course.

The Draft Constraints Report will be published on April 10 on www. clarecoco.ie, www.lcc.ie and www. limerickcoco.ie. It also will be on display in the Westbury Area Office, Aras Contae an Chláir, Limerick City Hall, Limerick County Hall and Limerick County Council’s Area Office in Annacotty.

UP TO 100 jobs, including work in construction, are to be created in the West Clare town of Miltown Malbay in the coming weeks.

Within a six-week timeframe, ground will be broken on the Ennis Road to build the € 4 million SuperValu supermarket and community development for the town.

Included in the development will be the town’s first ever playground.

The much-needed community facility will be provided by the new supermarket owners, John and Claire Jones, as well as a commercial astroturf pitch.

In addition to the 50 to 60 permanent jobs created by the supermarket, further construction jobs will also be created in the next few weeks.

The new development will consist of a 10,000 square supermarket, 140-space car park, relief road for the town, a children’s playground and an astro-turf facility with associated dressing rooms and lighting.

The family behind the plans have 175 years of business experience in the West Clare town.

The Joneses, who currently operates a Centra supermarket at Church Street, Miltown Malbay, are the seventh successive generation of the family to operate a business in the town since 1838.

The new SuperValu supermarket is expected to be open by the end of the year.

Yesterday (Monday), SuperValu announced that it would add approximately 400 jobs over the next year nationally, as five new stores are added to its network over the next 12 months.

The stores will be opened as part of a € 20 million investment programme, which includes the refurbishment and revamping of 30 further stores.

“Despite a tough trading environment, 2011 was a good year for SuperValu, with two billion in retail sales and achieving market share of almost 20 per cent. We serve over two million customers per week and we believe it is our value proposition, our Irish sourcing policy and shoppers’ desire to shop locally in order to support their local communities and local jobs that are driving this success,” said Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, SuperValu.

“SuperValu has 195 stores and is the only retailer with a store in every county. SuperValu remains committed to local employment and sourcing from Irish producers.

“In 2011, the total purchases of Irish goods and services made by SuperValu was worth over € 1.5 billion to the Irish economy, serving to both create and protect almost 30,000 Irish jobs in the farm, food and retail sector,” he said.

A YOUNG driver who admitted speeding in the Gallows Hill area of Ennis last summer has been ordered to pay money to the disabled driver’s association.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Daniel Nesbitt (19) with an address at 15 Old Military Barracks, Kilrush Road, Ennis, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving a vehicle without due care or attention.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that a resident in the Gallows Hill area of Ennis observed Nesbitt driving in the area on August 15, 2011.

Insp Kennedy said a complaint was made regarding speeding, breaking and handbrake turns. He said the accused was subsequently interviewed and admitted his wrongdoing to Gardaí.

The court heard that Nesbitt has no previous convictions.

Solicitor Tara Godfrey described her client as someone who is easily impressed by people performing stunts in cars.

She said Nesbitt had been advised that he could lose his license as a result.

Ms Godfrey said her client is a “high-spirited car enthusiasts who didn’t realise the full implications of his actions”.

Judge Patrick Durcan described Nesbitt as being “all gearbox and no brain box”.

“He needs to wake up quickly,” he added.

Judge Durcan ordered Nesbitt to pay € 350 to the disabled driver’s association by May 2.

He added, “He better wake up quickly. This kind of carry on will not be tolerated.”

CLARE patients are now waiting up to three years for life saving organ transplants.

The Irish Kidney Association (IKA) are hopeful however that this timeline will shorten as the number of people carrying organ donor cards has started to increase.

Peggy Eustace, treasure of the Clare branch of the Irish Kidney Association said, “We had a big increase in the numbers of people opting to carry the organ donor card following last year’s campaign. There was also an increase in the numbers of transplants carried out in 2011.”

This year the IKA’s Donor Awareness Week will take place from March 31 to April 7.

“This annual life saving awareness campaign highlights to the general public the plight of people with organ failure and the on going need for organ donation,” she said.

As many as 35 patients from Clare are receiving dialysis treatment at two dialysis facilities in Limerick the Mid Western Regional hospital dialysis unit and Riverside Park on the Dock Road, while some others attend unit 7-dialysis unit in Merlin Park Galway.

A number of Clare patients are also on the home dialysis programme.

“There are almost 600 patients on the transplant pool at present some of which are from Clare. The waiting time for a kidney transplant for some is now up to three years,” said Ms Eustace.

“We are forever grateful to the donor families who, at a very difficult time for themselves, thought of those who were ill. In donating there loved ones organs they have given the gift of new life to so many.”

The Clare IKA branch members and volunteers will be promoting the donor card and fundraising for the Irish Kidney Association on Saturday, March 3, in Ennis, Kilrush and Tulla.

They will be in Shannon and Ennis again on April 7.

This year’s Clare donor week will be launched in the West County Ho- tel on March 27. Guest speakers on the night will include Dr Ahda Ali, Renal Registrar; Dialysis Nurse, Helen Kennedy and pharmacist Paul Lohan and Mike Kelly co-ordinator of counselling services at Donor House will also be in attendance.

Those wishing to help with the campaign are asked to call 087 9849004. The organ Donor Card can be obtained by free text the word DONOR to 50050, at pharmacies or doctor’s surgery.

Free Organ Donor e-cards are also available for smart phone.

EVERY morning Agnieszka Abramczyk goes to work at 8am in the Holy Family School, Ennis.

The dinner lady loves her job, especially working with the children.

Very few people are aware however that the jolly mother of two is one of the 35 people awaiting a kidney transplant in Clare.

Mrs Abramczyk has been on dialysis since March 2006. This is a date she is not likely to forget, as her life changed forever.

Since then she travels to the Mid Western Regional Hospital Limerick four times a week for dialysis, which takes up to four and a half hours.

Three of the sessions are at night and one in the afternoon.

The most difficult part of the process for the young woman is the tiredness.

Most weeks she finishes her dialysis at 5.30am, comes home to Ennis and then gets ready for work at 8am.

“I sleep when I get home at 2pm,” she told The Clare People .

She loves her job though as it allows her to escape from her thoughts about her illness.

“When I was diagnosed first I was waiting every day to hear the phone ring from the transplant team. Now I just forget about it and think about living,” she said.

Agnieszka is on the transplant list for two years, but with many waiting for up to three years she is not waiting on tender hooks for the allimportant call any time soon.

Her family are very supportive of the lady that made Ireland her home seven years ago.

Husband Piotr was willing to give the love of his life one of his kidneys. However when he was tested it was discovered that their blood was not compatible and the transplant could not go ahead.

Her 18-year-old son Adrian has already signed up as an organ donor and carries a card everywhere.

Daughter Natalia is just 14 but she tells The Clare People that she cannot wait to turn 18 so she too can sign up to be an organ donor.

While she does not know the day or the hour she will receive a new kidney, Agnieszka is hoping that in the interim she can go on home dialysis.

This would mean that she would not have to leave home for her weekly treatment.

The Polish native is also full of praise for the medical staff who have been treating her for the last six years.