The Clare People Archive

THE FIRST ever Clare Enterprise Week which runs until this Tuesday has helped highlight the wide range of supports available to local enter- eho

Speaking at the launch of the week’s activities, Mayor Madeleine Taylor-Quinn expressed hope that the Enterprise Week would become an annual event.

“In the current economic climate, it is important to promote the advice and support available to assist in set- ting up and developing a business, e1- ther new or established. Every effort must be made to promote entrepre- neurship and protect the future com- petitiveness of the local economy”, she said.

“Clare Enterprise Week has been developed as a mechanism to pro- mote entrepreneurship as an oppor- tunity to all sectors, levels and people in Clare — from schoolchildren to the

retired with a desire to do more; to showcase the supports available; to get entrepreneurs to speak honestly and openly about their experiences; to inspire and encourage potential entrepreneurs and to encourage in-

vestment in the county”.

The majority of the sessions fea- tured during the week included case studies and inputs from people in business.

The event featured training and in- formation sessions as well as work- shops on innovation and leadership, creative industries, internet market- ing, planning and environmental matters. There were also sessions on energy management, opportunities for women, HR and Employment Law, succession planning, technol- ogy transfer and schools’ enterprise programmes.

Participating bodies included the Community and Enterprise Direc- torate of Clare County Council, the County Development Board, En- terprise Ireland, Shannon Develop- ment, the County Enterprise Board, local chambers, Clare VEC as well as the enterprise support agencies.

CLARE people have donated more than 10,000 tree saplings to Africa as part of the joint Bothar, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes Give the Gift of Trees initiative which was launched in October 2007 and culminates this month.

Bothar, the Irish charity that spe- cialises in livestock-based develop- ment programmes, and Kellogg’s Corn Flakes are celebrating the most successful Give a Gift of Trees Cam-

paign which has demonstrated an in- crease in donations of almost 300%. Overall, Ireland sent more than half a million trees to Africa. Clare’s portion of the total tree donations ex- ceeds its portion of the Irish popula- tion, confirming the tremendous gen- erosity of the people of the county. The Give the Gift of Trees Cam- paign will help develop sustainable farming practices in disadvantaged communities in Tanzania, Malawi, Rwanda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso & Uganda. In these countries,

Bothar trains farmers how to pursue good environmental practices to en- sure that tree saplings improve the ecological balance by controlling erosion and maintaining soil fertil- ity. Irish families were encouraged to help African families by collect- ing special tokens from boxes of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and sending them to Kellogg’s along with a €5 donation. All of the money contrib- uted went directly to Bothar and for every 10 donations Kellogg’s funded an additional ten trees.

KILFENORA native, Lisa Connole, will shortly depart to Florida on a 6-month internship programme as part of the FAS Science Challenge Internship programme.

During this internship, Lisa will have the opportunity to research a project on the “Control of Plant produced VOCs in Low Mass Plant Chambers” at Dynamac Corporation at the Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The FAS Science Challenge In- ternship Programme provides for unique research opportunities for 42 graduates, postgraduates and ap- prentices in the areas of applied sci- ence and engineering. The initiative serves to enhance the skill sets of these individuals, strengthen link-

ages with world ranking institutions, broaden the research base in Ireland and nurture the future generation of leaders in industry.

SOLAN Gitar Tam seleas EcLbbelel OMAN Comme vba! FAS Science Challenge Internship programme, Rody Molloy, FAS Director General referred to such investments as vital to ensure that Ireland’s workforce is equipped to capitalise on labour market oppor- UDO B Cece

He said, “This initiative is instru- mental in anticipating labour market needs so that employers in the fields of science, engineering and technol- ogy are assured of engaging with a qualified workforce, trained to world class standards, with the added bo- nus of international experience.”

TOM Hogan Motors are delighted to announce they will be hosting a Munster Rugby Player evening in their Showrooms on Monday, Octo- ber 20, at Tom Hogan Motors in En- nis and Tuesday, October 21, in Tom Hogan Motors in Shannon.

Don’t miss your opportunity to meet some senior Munster Rugby Players, get autographs and have your picture taken with the Heineken Cup.

Munster Player Evening commenc-

es on both evenings at 5pm sharp until 7pm. Clare FM will be on-site with their outside broadcaster and there lots of Munster giveaway items up for grabs with the free raffle.

The Heineken Cup will be on display in the Tom Hogan Motors Showroom from noon on each day and everyone is welcome to come eM Ceyatee

You can contact [om Hogan Motors, Gort Road, Ennis, on 065 6821704 or Tom Hogan Motors, Smithstown, Shannon on 061 477600.

DESPITE the recession putting chains on womens’ purses, one en- terprising Shannon businesswoman has come up with a bright idea to help keep her business in the pink.

Despite having no previous exper1- ence of running a business, Siobhan Hayes has been learning to adapt and change her fashion shop, Pink to do the necessary at the SkyCourt Shop- ping Centre in Shannon.

Hayes’ latest idea, launched just two weeks ago, allows women from the neighbouring industrial estate to buy frocks, fashions and accessories without even leaving their desk.

Pink’s online shopping site 1s prov- ing hugely popular with women shoppers who are long on style but SJaleya me) e manatee

“I often thought about how we could make it more convenient for women working in the industrial es- tate to shop. They are working very close to the town centre, but a lot of them only get half an hour for lunch. That’s just not enough time to come over, browse the rails, pick some- thing and get back to work. Then I was talking to a computer genius friend of my mine and we came up with the idea of the website.”

There are now 30 or more items

from the shop’s stock available on the site, www.prettynpink.1e.

“We can even deliver the purchases to the buyer or they can pick it up at the shop,” said Hayes.

The native of Shannon started the 1,100 sq ft unit when the new Sky- Court opened in 2004. Before that, the only self-employed experience Hayes had was in selling gel nails.

Since opening the shop, she has taken courses with the Enterprise Board in Marketing and Women in Business.

“lve always been interested in fashion and I felt there was a mar- ket for an affordable fashion shop in NJa-NeVelOVeMMcCe)eeloLMODDOTcMmMer-lmUvOlelleMOeKos women fashion at good prices. A lot of women will wear an item six or seven times and they get tired of it so they don’t want to feel they have paid is Levant be oae

She also aims to give choice for women aged from their early 20s well into their 50s.

Hayes has grown the business to employ four people.

“It hasn’t all been a walk in the park, but it’s very enjoyable,’ she told

THE RECESSION is having little impact on the success of start-up business. Winning sales is the key to Start-up success – that was some of the key information from an expert line up of speakers presenting on winning sales techniques to an audi- ence of 200 entrepreneurs, sales pro- fessionals and investors at the second Mid-West Entrepreneur Showcase.

Launching the showcase, Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland said, “While the only constant in today’s business environment is change, Irish small and medium sized companies have shown them- selves to be remarkably adaptable in managing change.

“This flexibility and adeptness has been a crucial factor in the outstand- ing success of Irish enterprises. We have witnessed the emergence of Irish companies competing in global markets and forging ahead as market leaders and innovators in their sec- tors,” he said.

Ryan said that entrepreneurs are “making real and valuable contribu- tions in every part of every county throughout the country – in terms of employment and innovative capac- ity, and through anchoring the social

fabric of their respective localities.” Frank Hannigan, CEO of Yougetit-

back.com, told those attending that

he believes that companies who

think globally are better positioned

He also believes that recessions

to survive than companies who think have little impact on the success rate

locally in terms of winning sales and developing products.

for start-ups. “Inputs cost less and there 1s still

demand for good services and prod- ucts. In spite of all the bad news around a global recession and avail- ability of funds, we should not lose heart. There are billions of dollars in Venture funds. They only make a profit if they can spend that money investing in smart start ups. If the ideas are good enough institutional investors still have to invest,’ he Se HLGE

The Seminar and Showcase event was organised by the Enterprise Ac- celeration Centre (EAC) at Limerick Institute of Technology as part of Limerick City Business Week and consists of a half day Seminar and Showcase featuring clients of the EAC and the Limerick Enterprise Acceleration Platform (LEAP) par- aes Oye D OL Ace

The objective of this year’s Mid- West Entrepreneur Showcase event was to present business people with key techniques, tools and real life experiences on how to win sales in order to drive the development of early stage businesses from start-up to international business success.

highlighted the situation on the Laghtagoona Housing Development in Corofin where a number of houses were left with crumbling exterior plaster as well as dangerous road surfaces.

Last week the company behind the development, Cronan Nagle Con- Struction, announced that it was to go into liquidation. Company direc- tors called a meeting of creditors for later month when the company 1s ex- pected to be wound up.

Residents in the estate now have no way of having their houses complet- ed to a Satisfactory standard.

‘Nothing has been been done what- soever to resolve this situation. We are still in the exact same situation at we were six months ago except not it

appears that Cronan Nagle have gone out of business which means that we have no real chance now of getting the houses that we paid for,’ said one Laghtagoona resident.

“In fact the situation is actually worse now than it was back then as we have also discover a problem with our water pipes in the estate which

burst a number of weeks ago.

“It does seem at the moment that all of this is going to be left to the residents to fix. I believe that Cro- nan Nagle have paid a bond to Clare County Council in respect to this de- velopment so maybe they may come out and finish the work. We really have no idea.

“I haven’t had any communication from Cronan Nagle in the last six months what so ever. All the issues are still as bad or worse as they were before. The roadway is still is a very dangerous condition and the plaster is still peeling off the wall in a lot of the houses.

‘According to the insurance com- pany the damage with the plaster is cosmetic and not structural, which means that they will not cover it.”

In June of this year, residents of the Laghtagoona housing estate in Corofin formed an action group to lobby estate developer Cronan Nagle Construction over alleged non-com- pletion of work on the 100-house de- velopment.

THE East Clare Chernobyl Chil- dren’s’ group has moved to ensure that all of the children they invited here for Christmas will be able to come, despite a risk that the Belarus- sian authorities will enforce a ban on visits.

The group have taken the route of inviting children as the private guests of families in Clare and so far, have not met with resistance from the au- thorities in Belarus.

“What we are doing is writing to the families of children, inviting them to come here as guests for Christ- mas and so far we have not come up against obstacles so we would be very optimistic that they are com-

ing,’ said group chairwoman, Geral- dine O’Driscoll.

A Belarussian woman who came her erepeatedly as a child is helping with interpretations and form-filling on the other end. The authorities in Belarus had said they were clamping down on the children being brought to Ireland for recuperation time by voluntary groups here.

Following a harrowing documen- tary several weeks ago, which in- cluded scenes of a small Belarussian boy being tied to a chair and having his tonsils taken out without any an- aesthetic, an online petition to the Minister for Foreign Affairs drew thousands of signatures, asking that he intercede with the Belarussian government to allow the children’s

visits to continue.

Everyone who signed the online pe- tition got a reply recently from Min- ister Michael Martin’s department, outlining what diplomatic efforts are being made to try to secure the Steines ihe

In the email, the ministers’ spokes- man said that a number of represen- tations have led to agreement that formal negotiations are to take place between the Irish and Belarussian Governments with regard to future visits by Belarussian children to Ire- land. The negotiations are expected to begin later this month, the spokes- man said.

“In addition, Ireland’s Ambassador to Belarus, based in Moscow, trav- elled to the Belarus capital of Minsk

on September 9 for meetings with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs in order to underline Ireland’s concern about the issue and our wish that any travel restrictions be lifted.

Since then, two officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs had a meeting with the Ministry for Hu- manitarian Affairs on September 30 to further discuss the issue.

“We hope to find a satisfactory conclusion to this issue in the near future, so that children from Belarus will be able to travel to Ireland in time for Christmas, and I can assure you Minister Martin will continue to ensure that every effort is made to achieve this outcome,’ the spokes- man said.

INCREASED numbers of burgla- ries in a rural part of north Clare has prompted the community alert scheme to increase its profile locally.

The community alert programme in the Turlough/Belharbour/Newquay area was set up 20 years ago. Over the years it had lost its impetus but it

regrouped almost 10 years ago.

There is significant concern that elderly people living alone are being targeted by travelling criminals who prey on them and take their money and any valuables they own. Con- men also call to their hopes, under the pretence that they are carrying out work, but their only interest is robbing them.

Secretary of the group, Margaret Healy said the increased number of break-ins prompted the scheme to 1n- crease its profile in the local area.

“There was a lot of break-ins; peo- ple going around to elderly people. It started from there. We have it both ways – burglaries and conmen call- ing,” she said.

“Everyone in the community has

wised up a lot. If a strange car is seen, the local guards will be called. It is a full community-based thing,’ said Ms Healy.

The nearest town to Turlough – which has been hit over the summer – is Gort and that is 15 miles away, while Ennistymon is 18 miles away. Given their rural location, it 1s cru- cial that residents are in regular con- tact, with a particular focus on those UaiauetcareDleyatee

“There are a lot of elderly people living in the area. It is gone to the stage you are not safe living on your own. It is seriously important to keep an eye out on your neighbours. Eve- rybody needs to be alert. The guards have no power unless the people in the village help out,” said Ms Healy.

The community alert meetings take place regularly, where issues of con- cern in the locality are discussed.

‘People can’t be as trustworthy as they were one time. All we can do is thrash out what we know. There is no solution,’ she added.

The secretary of the community alert group in the area Fergal Lang- ley said there is huge concern that the burglaries are occurring during the daytime and criminals are watching their targets.

has learned that garda management have pledged to put additional garda resources in place in an effort to tackle the prob- lem and clamp down on travelling om enebett vice Conmen, posing as businessmen, are pushing their way into people’s

homes and getting their hands on THON oA

They are especially targeting eld- erly men or women living alone in rural areas in the Turlough/Belhar- bour/Newquay area.

In one incident, an elderly man was robbed of thousands of euro after a man pretending to be a television re- pair man called to his home.

A Dublin man in his 40s was ar- rested and questioned in connection with this incident. A file has been sent to the DPP.

In another incident, a man in his 60s was struck twice by a conman who called to his house and demand-

ed money from him. He claimed he was a medical doctor.

That matter is actively being inves- tigated. No-one has been arrested in connection with that incident.

Ennistymon Superintendent Gabri- el O’Gara is warning that conmen are travelling around the area. He said while the problem “is not rampant”, there have been worrying incidents in recent weeks.

“It is very isolated up there. No doubt about it, it is because of the ge- ographic location. They are looking for isolated places. They are picking their targets. We are trying to get more patrols up there,” he said.

“If anybody is calling around pre- tending to be a doctor or health of- ficial, don’t let them pass the front door until they show identification. Do not entertain any of these peo- ple,” said Supt O’Gara.

He is encouraging people living in rural areas to engage in community alert programmes.

“Report anything suspicious. If you are unsure about someone, pick up the phone and ring your local garda,” he said.

Gardai in north Clare are also in- vestigating a spate of thefts from cars and break-ins to holiday homes in the Ballyvaughan area in recent weeks.