The Clare People Archive

A PROMINENT hotelier has said that the tourism industry in Clare could be in for a slight rebound this year. John Madden, owner of the Temple Gate Hotel in Ennis, told a meeting yesterday that hoteliers had reported a 6-7 per cent increase in business last year. He said the boost in trade was a welcome one for the industry, given the tough economic conditions of recent years.

Mr Madden was speaking at a meeting of Clare County Council’s, Community and Enterprise, Tourism and Emergency Services Strategic Policy Committee (SPC). Commenting on the future of Shannon Airport, which he said was essential to tourism in the mid-west, Mr Madden said the indications are that Shannon will have “some definite independence by the end of the year”.

He said he also hoped that there would be a renewed emphasis on marketing Shannon, an area he said had been “sadly lacking” in recent years. “There hasn’t been a specific body for the marketing of Shannon and that is a problem,” he said.

Director of Service, Ger Dollard said the recent announcement of two new flights from Aer Arann was a welcome development for the airport. The move sees the introduction of a new Shannon-Rennes weekly service and improved frequency on the Shannon-Edinburgh route.

Mr Dollard said the council was awaiting publication of a government-commissioned report from consultants Booz and Company on the future of Shannon Airport. He told the meeting that the Department of Transport had responded positively to proposals to develop Shannon as a humanitarian aid hub while progress had also been made on plans to construct new cargo facilities at the airport.

The meeting heard strong criticism of what SPC members called a lack of a definite marketing strategy for Shannon.

Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) said an initiative should be launched to woo customers from the east of the country. He said the ready availability of the airport’s parking facilities should be highlighted as part of the campaign.

Cllr PJ Ryan (Ind) said a € 15 mil- lion budget had been promised to promote the Open Skies initiative but so far Shannon had only received € 3 million. He also criticized Shannon Development, saying, “Shannon Development have virtually put nothing into promoting Shannon.”

Cllr Pat Daly (FF) said Shannon needed to attract another airline like Ryanair. Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) said the absence of year-round transatlantic flights from Shannon was hurting the airport.

He said agencies associated with the airport would have to be more “aggressive” in marketing Shannon

TEACHERS, parents and concerned members of communities throughout the county are expected to gather in the county town on Monday night next to voice their concerns at one of the largest cuts to teaching numbers in the history of the state.

Co-ordinated by the teachers’ union, INTO, the meeting will address the growth in class sizes that will lead to the reduction in teachers in many schools throughout the county.

Larger schools such as the Killaloe Boys National School are facing massive cuts.

The East Clare school faces the prospect of having its teaching numbers halved next year, from 14 to nine mainstream and remedial teachers and five special needs assistants (SNA), to just 7.5 – 6.5 teachers and one SNA if the proposed cuts are implemented.

Many smaller rural schools in Clare also face losing a teacher next year, with teachers faced with teaching numerous classes at once.

In many other communities, despite an increase in population and growing numbers at the local schools, teachers will also be lost.

For example a school with 49 pupils are currently entitled to a principal plus two teachers. However, by September 2014 the school must have at least 56 pupils to retain its three teachers.

Clare executive member of the INTO and Mullagh principal Sean McMahon said changes to staffing in small schools would also be applied retrospectively.

“Next year’s teacher allocation will be given to schools on the basis of pupil enrolment last September. Last September, a school with 50 pupils could have expected three teachers next year. The budget changes mean that school will only have two teachers,” he said.

The public is now being invited to have its say on the issue.

The officers of all Clare INTO branches met with Mr Mc Mahon last week and decided to respond to hundreds of requests from parents and teachers throughout the county to help organise a public meeting in Clare to highlight the issues involved, as well as appraise the Clare Oireachtas members on their growing concerns.

The public meeting will take place in the West County Hotel, Ennis, at 8pm on Monday February 20.

ENNIS Town Council has said it does not have land available to give to sports clubs to develop facilities.

With clubs in Ennis seeking to develop their own playing grounds, a local councillor had urged the council to make any surplus lands available.

In a motion submitted to the February meeting of Ennis Town Council, Cllr Johnny Flynn called on, “Ennis Council to request Clare County Council, a la recent decision with regard to the site at Doora, consider making available portions of any suitable surplus lands in Environs area similarly available to Ennis Rugby Club, Avenue United soccer club, Ennis Town and other clubs who have the ability and can demonstrate the capacity to build much needed additional facilities.”

He added, “Some of these clubs, I understand, made previous such applications/approaches to one or both local authorities.”

In his response, Town Clerk Leonard Cleary, pointed to the council’s significant investment in “flagship facilities” such as Lees Road.

However he said that the council does not have surplus land available to distribute to clubs.

He stated, “Ennis Town Council recognizes the important role that sports clubs play in the everyday health and quality of life of residents and visitors to Ennis. In this regard, the council has invested in the development of flagship facilities at Lees Road, Ennis Leisure Centre, Tim Smyth Park, Glenina, Cloughleigh, and Coote Park. Some government grant support has also been provided which has enabled the local authority to develop these facilities.”

Mr Cleary regarded, “This is a major capital investment in sports in Ennis town and requires significant council budget provision to meet operational costs of these facilities. Further developments are planned at these sites, subject to available resources. Ennis Town Council is aware of a number of sports clubs currently seeking to identify a suitable site, but does not currently have a suitable landbank for consideration in this regard.”

The matter was discussed at last week’s council meeting with on councillor suggesting the sporting clubs in the county look to NAMA when it emerged that there was no local authority lands available for sporting amenities.

“Can we get a list of lands from NAMA and put the clubs on to them,” asked Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) who was reacting to indications from town manager Ger Dollard that the local authority had no surplus lands available.

“I am not sure that Clare County Council has a surplus of lands available.”

He added that while the town council should contact the more senior local authority to request any such lands for sporting clubs, he did not want to give false hope.

THERE was a large increase in the number of dogs being put down in Clare last year, with a total of 728 animals destroyed in the county throughout 2011. This compares to a total of 547 animals destroyed in Clare in 2010 – a year when more animals were put down in Clare than in any other county in Ireland. Given this 34 per cent year-on-year increase, it is likely that Clare will retain the unwanted title of Ireland’s biggest dog-killing county when na- tional figures for 2011 are released later this year.

This news comes despite massive efforts being made by a number of organisations in the county – including the ISPCA and Clare County County – to reduce the number of animals being destroyed each year. Of the 1,378 dogs dealt with by the Clare dog pound in 2011, 176 were returned successfully back to their owners while 465 dogs were rehomed in Britain though Deirdre Ryan and Rover Rescue.

The majority of dogs, 812 in total, were brought to the pound by their owners, while 563 were stray dogs.

“People don’t realise the scale of the problem in Clare. I have been in the pound this morning from 9am to 1pm and already we have had 11 dogs handed into me here this morning,” Clare dog warden Frankie Coote told The Clare People yesterday.

“Nobody here wants to see a dog put down. We are making every effort we can. It is heartbreaking having to put down an animal. We have about 150 dogs in for biting people each year and another 170 or thereabouts in for chasing livestock. The fact is that once a dog does something like that, we have to take action. But we have one of the highest numbers of dogs who we get back to their owner each year.”

Only 4,000 of the estimated 30,000 dogs that currently live in Clare are registered.

“These problems could be solved quite easily if dogs could be microchipped. That way we know as soon as we find a dog who the owner is and we don’t have the expense of keeping that dog for days. That way, when we come across a stray, we know it’s a stray straight away. This would sort the whole thing out very quickly. As it stands now, the figures in Clare are not going to change because we have too many dogs,” continued Frankie.

CONCERNS have been expressed at the location and availability of lifesaving defibrillators in the county town. Ennis Town Councillor Paul O’Shea (Lab) believes that the local authority should provide 24-hour access to defibrillators that are placed at convenient locations, in sight of CCTV cameras on the main streets with no less than a three-minute walk from each installation.

Ennis Town Council currently has three defibrillators. One is located in the Customer Service office of Ennis Town Council and two in the council’s Sports and Leisure Facilities – one in Ennis Leisure Complex and one in Lees Road.

Ennis Town Clerk Leonard Cleary said, “Staff have been trained in the use of this equipment. Clare County Council also has a defibrillator, which is located on its property within the town. The local authority does not have a role in relation to other privately-owned or community-owned defibrillators. The council’s CCTV network is available as a resource for the gardaí, with whom Ennis Town works closely.”

Cllr O’Shea raised concerns, however, that the council offices close at five, the leisure centre at 9pm and Lees Road at 10pm. He said that defibrillators should ideally be positioned three minutes from each other, and be available 24 hours a day.

“We probably need a few (defibrillators) but we need a 24-hour one,” he said.

Mr Cleary explained that there are a number of other defibrillators in the town centre owned by voluntary organisations.

Cllr Mary Howard (FG) said it was an issue of awareness. “I don’t know where they are located,” she said.

The councillor called for all defibrillators to be clearly marked and visible to the public.

Ennis Town Manager Ger Dollard reminded the council that the provision of defibrillators is not a function of the local authority.

“Perhaps the HSE have a better idea of where the defibrillators are located,” he said.

MORE than 700 jobs could be fasttracked to Ennis this year with a planned new private hospital set to circumvent the local planning sys- tem and gain planning permission in as little as 26 weeks. Construction work on a new € 60 million private hospital, which is proposed for the former Our Lady’s Psychiatric Hospital, could begin before the end of the summer should An Bord Pleanála classify the hospital as a Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID). The project is being put forward by Ennis-based company Duesbury Ltd, which lists John and Allen Flynn of the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis as its company directors. Allen Flynn purchased the site with builder Martin Fitzgibbon and Paul Talty from Clare County Council for € 5.2 million in October, 2005.

A MAN has received a three-year prison sentence for an incident in which a 10-month-old baby suffered “horrific injuries”.

At Clare Circuit Criminal Court yesterday, Larry Connors (19) with an address at Cronan Lawn, Shannon, was convicted on a charge of child cruelty and neglect.

The charge arose out of an incident in the Shannon area in December (2010) during which a 10-month-old boy suffered a broken leg, arms, a dislocated right elbow, multiple bruising, marks and significant bleeding to the brain. The court heard that the mother found Connors in a room holding the child, who had blood on his face, on the night in question.

Garda David Laing told the court that the injuries included a bite mark to the face and injuries consistent with burning. In her victim impact statement, the child’s mother said, “He used to slap, punch, and throw my child around the place like a toy.” She said at the height of the abuse, Connors became “psychotic”, locking himself into the room with the baby and screaming at him.

She said her son is now “fine and running around” but will require further treatment for a dislocated elbow and a tear in his mouth. The court heard that the baby was brought to hospital last January following the incident.

The court heard that a doctor reported the injuries to Gardaí through a social worker. The incident gave rise to a Garda investigation. The court heard that Connors and the child’s mother moved in together in December (2010).

In a statement to Gardaí, the boy’s mother said that it was at this point that Connors became abusive to the baby. One day when the baby was crying, the court heard, Connors pushed him into his high chair with his foot and tightened the straps causing the child to be out of breath.

The court heard that the child was subsequently placed in care for six months. The baby is now back living with his mother.

Barrister Brian McInerney said his client came from an “extremely dysfunctional family”. He said he had received no education and his father was a very strict disciplinarian.

He said Connors was “ill prepared, ill trained and ill conditioned to the stresses that come with minding a small baby”. He said the accused was “deeply remorseful” for his actions.

Imposing a three-year sentence, Judge Carroll Moran acknowledged Connors’ guilty plea. He added that Connors would suffer additional opprobrium from other prisoners because of the nature of his crime.

Judge Moran said, “The injuries were pretty horrific on a defenceless baby.” Judge Moran imposed reporting restrictions.

A KILRUSH-BORN garda is being hailed as a hero after a dramatic gun attack in the Newport area of Tipperary on Monday of last week.

Garda Gerry Brassil, who is stationed in the area, has been praised for his “quick-thinking” that one resident who witnessed the incident on the Thurles Road out of Newport said helped save the life of fellow garda, Sergeant Deborah Marsh.

Anthony McMahon was stopped on suspicion of drunk driving on Monday night at 7.30pm, with a source close to the investigation saying he was seen driving “in an erratic manner” moments earlier.

However, when Mr McMahon (44), originally from Janesboro in Limerick, was approached by Gda Brassil and Sgt Marsh, he fired a number of shots from one gun and then, after a struggle, turned another gun on himself and died.

“I saw the whole thing,” said local resident Shane O’Brien. “I could see the lady garda at the front of the car. I could hear another male voice – I presume the male garda – and he was saying: ‘Don’t go for the gun, don’t go for the gun’.”

Gda Brassil wrestled with McMahon for control of the shotgun while Sgt Marsh pepper-sprayed him, before racing to Mr O’Brien’s house to raise the alarm. “They wouldn’t be alive only for each other. They were brilliant in fairness,” said Mr O’Brien.

After the initial struggle as the two gardaí ran for cover, Mr McMahon is believed to have fired another four or five shots from a rifle, before turning the gun on himself.

An investigation into the incident is being led by officers from the Office of the Garda Ombudsman, while a local Limerick politician, Cllr John ‘Rocky’ McGrath, has said the immense courage of Sgt Marsh and Gda Gerry Brassil should be recognised.

“Definitely they should receive medals for bravery. What they did was unbelievable and thank God they weren’t injured,” he said

“Only for the grace of God and their heroic actions, we would be marching behind a hearse,” one garda told The Clare People .

A 17-YEAR-OLD boy has been sentenced to nine months in a young offenders institute after pleading guilty to burglary in Shannon last year.

At Ennis District Court last Wednesday, the boy also pleaded guilty to charges of the unauthorised taking of a vehicle and handling stolen property. The offences arose out of an incident in Ros Min, Shannon, last December. The court heard that the boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, has 55 previous convictions.

A Detective Gwarda told the court that the boy entered the house, taking a set of car keys, house keys and a quantity of cash. A car was also taken in the incident.

The court heard that the house was occupied at the time of the burglary. The boy gained access through the front door, which was closed but unsecured, the court heard.

The accused was subsequently arrested in Tipperary where he admitted his involvement to gardaí. The car was recovered undamaged.

Solicitor Eileen Whelan told the court that her client had entered an early guilty plea so as to spare civil- ian witnesses the “trauma” of re-living the burglary in court.

She said her client, who was accompanied in court by his parents, had “certainly been mixing with the wrong people”. Ms Whelan said her client intended finishing his Leaving Certificate and had enroled in a mechanics programme. “He’s having a real eye opener. He’s here to take his medicine”, she added.

Judge Aeneas McCarthy noted that the boy had “umpteen previous convictions”, adding, “He hasn’t got a good record”. Taking into the account the accused’s plea of guilty and other mitigating circumstances, Judge McCarthy imposed a ninemonth sentence for the burglary charge. A three-month concurrent sentence was imposed for the unauthorised taking of a vehicle.

CLARE’S Labour TD Michael McNamara has launched a stinging attack on his Government colleagues, describing them as cowards who “hide behind bureaucracy” instead of making real decisions.

The East Clare TD singled out the Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan (FG), and the Minister for the Arts, Jimmy Deenihan (FG), for spe- cial criticism while he also accused Clare county councillors of hiding behind the county manager.

Deputy McNamara was speaking about an independent report, commissioned by Clare County Council, on the future of the historic building at Blake’s Corner in Ennistymon. The report, which cost € 15,000 to produce, has been completed for nearly a year but the local authority have so far refused to publish it.

McNamara has contacted Clare County Council as well as Minister Hogan and Minister Deenihan in an effort to force the publication of the report. “I am very disappointed with the minister’s response. Is it too much to expect that in our democracy that a survey commissioned at taxpayers’ expense should be made available to the tax payers?,” he said to The Clare People yesterday.

“I have now raised this matter with the Minister for Environment and Local Government, Phil Hogan, who referred me to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan, who has now referred me back to Clare County Council.

“I’m beginning to understand why the public is so skeptical about the need for elected representatives in Ireland when the IMF/EU Troika determines the headline budget figures and ministers, with few exceptions, will not exercise the little power they have but instead hide behind bureaucracy like county councillors who hide behind the county manager.”

Fine Gael councillor, Joe Arkins, who was the only North Clare councillor in favour of publishing the report, said the matter should never have gone to ministerial level.

“It would not have been necessary for anyone to contact any ministers about this report if the councillors in North Clare had agreed to allow the report to be published. We bought it, we paid for it, and if it’s fit for purpose, we should be allowed to see it,” he said. “Any report that has been paid for with tax-payers’ money should be made available to the public – not just this report.”

The future of the 19th-century protected structure at Blake’s Corner remains in doubt, with plans to demolish and rebuild the building to make way for a new road junction on hold.

Clare County Council last month decided to delay the planning process on the site to allow an Environmental Impact Statement to be carried out. This will delay the project for a further year and cost in the region of € 100,000. The Clare People contacted Clare County Council in relation to this but no response was received at the time of going to press.