The Clare People Archive

OPPONENTS of a planned €10 million explosives plant outside Kildysart have claimed that due to ‘a contractual nexus” between Clare County Council and the Whelan Group, the council failed to rule on the plan in an objective and impartial manner.

The council granted planning per- mission last month to the Whelan Group-owned Shannon Explosives to construct the plant at Cahercon pier, Kildysart.

It was the latest twist in the coun- ty’s longest running planning saga that started nine years ago when plans were first lodged.

Ensuring that the controversy will continue, Cairde Chill an Disirt Teo have appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanala with other appeals ex- pected to follow.

Pointing out that the council “is known to have substantial contracts with various companies associated with the Whelan Group’, Cairde Chill an Disirst Teo claimed that be- cause of this contractual nexus, there has been a failure on the part of the council to consider this application in an objective and impartial manner.

“It has not been established that there is any need for this facility in Ireland or at this location. Safety concerns have not been fully ad- dressed and it an essentially unsafe

development.

‘There is no evidence of the finan- cial capacity of Shannon Explosived Ltd to develop the site and serious questions must be raised as to its ca- pacity to proceed with the develop- ment at all.

“Both this company and its parent eroup are heavily borrowed and in the absence of up to date financial information as to its ability to pro- ceed with this development, permis- sion should be refused until further information 1s available.”

The group also claim that the devel- opment would constitute a breach of the County Development Plan.

“Ignoring the information supplied by the statutory bodies and submis-

sions made by third parties where legal issues are involved, the council has failed to act in compliance with its statutory duties and obligations.

The council gave the plan the go- ahead on the basis that it would not seriously injure the amenities of the area and properties in the vicinity, would not be prejudicial to public health and would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety.

Without a sod being turned, the Whelan Group has spent almost €7 million on the project. They claim that it will provide employment for close to 35 people and contribute €3million annually to the local econ- omy through wages and outsourcing of services.

THE former chairman of the Ennis General Hospital Development Com- mittee has produced a copy of a let- ter which he says he put in the health minister’s hands but which Mary Harney says she didn’t receive.

A spokeswoman for the health min- ister said last week that there was no question of the minister having et- ther received or ignored a letter from Mid-West Regional Hospital Con- sultant, Dr Terry Hennessy, warning about the dangers of an outbreak of C-diff back in April 2005.

But former chairman, Peadar Mc- Namara said he was part of a nine- person delegation which met Minis- ter Harney on that day.

“We read nine scripts to her and Dr Hennessy read his. All nine were presented to her in a folder, including Dr Hennessy’s letter. That folder was put in her hand.”

Mr McNamara said that he person- ally heard the contents of Dr Hen- nessy’s submission read to the min- ister “and it clearly warned about the dangers of cross-infection”’.

The letter made no specific refer- ence to a danger of cross-infection with the C-diff virus, but did sound alarms about overcrowding.

Dr Hennessy said in his submission that average occupancy figures in

the hospital in 2005 running at 120 per cent were “not just uncomfort- able and emotionally distressing for our patient population but it is also frankly unsafe from a medical and surgical point of view.

“Due to the serious overcrowding, there are safety issues with regards to cross-infection of patients and resuscitation of patients in confined spaces.”

Meanwhile, the HSE has lashed back at claims by Sinn Fein that dirty hospital laundry is being transported next to clean deliveries of sheets.

The party’s Limerick representa- tive, Maurice Quinlivan, said, “It has come to my attention that dirty laundry from nursing homes and hospitals is being transported around Limerick, Clare and Tipperary with the clean laundry, severely increas- ing the risk of contamination from infections such as MRSA.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for the HSE said that clean linen is de- livered wrapped in heavy plastic and dirty linen is bagged and transported in metal cages.

‘This is normal practice here and in the UK but, in addition, in the mid- west there is a special sanitising unit in the truck, the only one of its kind in the country. The truck and laundry cages are disinfected daily and a log kept.”

MINISTER of State Tony Killeen launched an unusual picture show last Friday night when images were projected on to Ennis courthouse as part of an initiative to involve the public in tackling climate change. From 9pm until midnight adver- tisements from the Government’s climate change awareness campaign were projected onto the outside of the courthouse to encourage locals to engage with the campaign, find out about how they are impacting on

the climate and how they can play their part in addressing this global Otitis

“They are aimed at motivating peo- ple to deal with climate change and remind us that we have tackled other major challenges over the years, such as independence, emigration, unem- ployment and the peace process,’ said the minister.

The 60-second television adver- tisement, which has been _ broad- cast on television over the past few weeks, opens with footage of Eamon de Valera and Michael Collins and

continues with scenes showing chal- lenges that Ireland has faced since the foundation of the State. These include scenes of emigration in the 1950s, UN peace keeping and hu- manitarian involvement overseas, the peace process and economic de- velopment.

It ends with the call to action: “Change Your World; Change the World”.

“The campaign is about much more than advertising alone; an extensive stakeholder engagement programme is Well underway which aims to gal-

vanise organisations across large industry, SMEs, the public sector, education, agriculture, construction and tourism, with information and knowledge to change their behaviour in order to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions,’ continued Minister Ono

Seminars will be held throughout the campaign, starting this month, to inform and to show them how to change their work practices in order to contribute to a solution to climate change. See www.change.ie, or lo- call 1890-242 643.

NINE north Clare farmers have come together to form a co-opera- tive to promote their land as a tourist location.

The Burren Farmers Eco-Tourism Co-op, which was established last week, aims to create environmen- tally-friendly means for farmers to make an income in the Burren.

The co-op is designed to act as an umbrella group to help farmers to de- velop the Burren as Ireland’s prime eco-tourism destination. It is the first farmer-led eco-tourism initiative of its kind ever attempted in Ireland.

“T have a farm of around 420 acres and there are loads of things that eco-tourists would find interesting. I have a totally undeveloped natu- ral cave, a silver mine and a calcium mine,” said Michael Davenport, one of the nine farmers who have found- ed the co-op.

“Tf you were to start walking around the land, you would be walking for four or five hours before you would see most of the things up here. A lot of the roads are already in place be- cause I have been using them myself for farming down the years.

“It’s another way of making a liv- ing but it is not for everyone. It suits

me to get involved but there are oth- ers I know who would like to stick with the farming.

“The one thing we would worry about is insurance – but I’m sure we will all come together and get a group insurance scheme that will cover us all.”

The co-op has targeted farmer-led guided walking tours and heritage tours as one of the main activities it can develop as a tourist product.

The nine co-op members have hold- ings which run into the thousands of acres, including a significant part of the Burren’s three major desig- nated Special Areas of Conservation

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The designated land includes an array of monuments, both recorded and non-recorded, and a wide selec- tion of flora and fauna.

The co-op has also stated its com- mitment to upholding both the Burren Code and the principles of ‘Leave No Trace’, which seek to limit the damage done to the area by mass tourism.

The co-op has organised a two- day training weekend on ‘Leave No Trace’ in the Burren on May 24 and 25. Anyone interested should con- tact burrenecotours@gmail.com or phone 087 785 0140.

A FOREIGN national was kicked while he lay on the ground, as people spilled out of a nightclub in Shan- eee

Arising out of the incident, three men and a woman pleaded guilty to violent disorder, while two of the men admitted to a charge of assault causing harm.

James Hesse (22), Gleann na Smol, Shannon; Caine Levers (24) and his sister Chantelle Levers (20), of Ross- bracken, Shannon; and Kevin Kelly (27), of Rossbracken, Shannon, all pleaded guilty to violent disorder.

Hesse and Caine Levers, who were described in court as “the main pro- tagonists” pleaded guilty to assault

causing harm, arising out of a row at Tullyvarraga, Shannon, at around 2am on April 21, 2006.

At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, Judge Carroll Moran ordered that €5,000 compensation be paid to the victim and he adjourned sentencing to allow this to be done.

Outlining the details of the incident, Garda Aidan Sweeney told the court that when he arrived at the scene, ‘a group of people were attacking a man who was on the ground.”

He said he observed Hesse kicking the man on the ground. He said that CCTV footage showed Caine Levers “making a swing” for the victim, while Chantelle Levers had “her two arms up, like she was going to punch somebody.”

While the victim wasn’t uncon- scious when gardai arrived, “he was in a bad condition,’ said the garda.

The victim sustained a wound over the right eye, but has now recovered.

Judge Moran said that Hesse and Caine Levers should each pay €2,000 in compensation to the vic- tim, while the other two accused should pay €1,000 each. However Kelly’s barrister Mark Nicholas said his client “had no contact really with the principal injured party”. The garda accepted this and the judge then said Kelly did not have to pay oyna ole shsr-1eceyee

He noted that Chantelle Levers was “peripherally involved” and said the court may consider “some other solu- tion” for her.

A KILRUSH teenager is facing three years behind bars for a stabbing, af- ter a court heard he breached his cur- few on nine occasions.

Daniel O’Brien Junior (19), of Sycamore Drive, John Paul Estate, Kilrush, had been ordered to abide by a number of conditions, including that he obey a curfew and be home ease nopeee

This was after he pleaded guilty in April 2005 to a charge of assault causing serious harm, in which he stabbed another man in the stomach in 2003, when the accused was just 15. The victim had sustained ‘near fatal injuries’ according to medics who treated him.

The sentencing had been adjourned and he had been ordered to abide by various conditions.

However, at Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, gardai in Kilrush outlined details of nine occasions in which he east eOm Aso OL UNE KAYA

Five of those were since his last appearance in the court, last Novem- ber.

Garda Donal Corkery told the court that O’Brien was arrested in Thurles at 12.30am on November 18 last and charged with a number of offences. These were still being dealt with in the district court.

He was seen in a licensed premises in Thurles at 10.45pm later that day, meaning it would be impossible for him to get to his home in Kilrush by Bhyee

On December 24, Garda Corkery stopped O’Brien in a car in Kilrush at 11.15pm.

He was seen in two west Clare bars in the early hours of the morning, on two other dates.

O’Brien’s barrister Mark Nicholas said that he was in Thurles to pur- sue his ‘scaffolding ticket’ as he has worked with a scaffolding firm in re- nM UD este

‘He doesn’t recall being there the following day,’ he said, relating to the second alleged sighting of O’Brien in Thurles.

“Is nine breaches of curfew a man out of control? Two were family occasions. He is aged 19. It is very hard to be at home every night at 11 o’clock,” he added.

Judge Carroll Moran said that when details of the stabbing case were heard in court, he had a four year suspended sentence in mind. How- ever, he said he must impose a jail term, after hearing about the curfew pasts slone

‘He ran at him (the victim) with a knife, with a blade about six inches long. . . the injured party was sem1- conscious. He could have died,” said the judge.

He said that a curfew of 11pm was “reasonably realistic.”

“The cumulative effect of all these, | must impose a prison sentence of four years, and suspend the last year, said the judge.

A MAJOR initiative geared towards cracking down on burglaries and thefts has sprung into action. The move comes in the wake of crime Statistics showing that those offences

account for almost 80 per cent of all crimes reported last year.

As gardai estimate that there has been a further increase in these types of crime since the start of this year, they are aiming to tackle this head-on.

The initiative is being rolled out nationally and gardai in Clare are warning people to be mindful of op- portunistic crime, particularly dur- TbOTSMn OM oComncL UDO ON OaCe)

Ennistymon Superintendent Gabri- el O’Gara said that thefts from cars

and thefts of machinery are of par- ticular concern in the county.

Several cars parked in tourist spots across the county are targeted every Summer. Just last week, two cars parked at Inchiquin Lake were bro- ken into while their owners were out fishing. A substantial amount of cash was taken from one of the cars.

Supt O’Gara is also warning peo- ple to be aware of distraction crime in rural areas.

“People are going around selling stuff. They are targeting people living on their own. One person attracts your attention at the front door, while another goes around to the back of your home. The advice is to only buy from reputable people. Don’t engage them,” he said.

“In rural communities, be vigilant in relation to your own property and your neighbours. Take numbers of cars,” he said.

He confirmed that meetings have been held in recent weeks with a view to re-establishing several com- munity alert groups in north Clare.

“We are going to up the ante on this by getting more people involved and having more regular meetings,” said Supt O’Gara.

THE Limerick Clare Energy Agency (LCEA) has said that the Govern- ment’s launch of a Home Energy Saving Scheme had presented the people of Clare and Limerick with an ideal opportunity to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. The LCEA, along with Clare Coun- ty Council and Limerick County Council, will administer the multi- million euro pilot scheme. “The aim of the scheme is to en- courage homeowners to improve the

energy efficiency of their homes in order to reduce energy use and green- house gas emissions,’ explained Pat Stephens, Director of the LCEA.

“By participating in the scheme, householders in counties Clare and Limerick, with the exception of Lim- erick City, can potentially save up to €500 on their energy bills every year,’ he said.

“Thousands of tonnes of CO2 will also be saved in its first year alone. The full €100 million scheme is ex- pected to yield greenhouse gas sav- ings of 175,000 tonnes per year,” said

Mr Stephens.

Outlining the operation of the scheme across Clare and Limerick, Mr Stephens stated, “Householders will avail of a Building Energy Rat- ing (BER) assessor to come to their house, give the home a BER rating and advise on the works that need to be carried out to improve energy efficiency. The homeowner will pre- pay €100 towards the cost of this assessment, with Sustainable Energy Ireland subsidising the balance. The Government, therefore, will cover approximately two thirds of the cost

of the assessment.”

“The assessor may advise that the house requires such work as attic insulation, interior or exterior wall insulation, low emissions double- glazing, heating control or a range of other energy efficient works.

“The Government will then cover up to 30 per cent of the cost of these works, to a maximum of €2,500. On completion of the works a follow-up energy assessment on the building will be undertaken so that there is a “before and after” test of what has been done,” he said.

Mr Stephens urged householders across Clare and Limerick to imme- diately consider the scheme. ‘Homeowners interested in receiv- ing financial assistance in improv- ing the energy efficiency of their own home should call the Lo-Call number that will be advertised by Sustainable Energy Ireland the Gov- ernment over the coming days. “Alternatively, they may view our website at www.lcea.ie for further information on the Home Energy Saving Scheme,’ concluded Mr Stephens.

“YOU have ruined my life.” That was the stark message yesterday from a 60-year-old woman to the knife- wielding drug addict who viciously attacked her.

A court heard how Jean Nolan is in fear of leaving her home alone after a nightmare attack in broad daylight in Shannon.

It was revealed that a bench war- rant had been issued for her attack- er’s arrest when he failed to turn up for sentencing at Ennis Circuit Court at the end of 2006.

He had robbed two other women — aged 75 and 23 — in Ennis in Septem- ber 2004 and was due to have those matters finalised in 2006.

Robert Nestor (27), originally from Hermitage, Ennis and also with an address at Elm House, Drumgeely, Shannon, admitted robbing €110 cash from Ms Nolan at Dun an Or1r, Shannon on November 20 last. He also pleaded guilty to producing a knife, in the course of robbing the

cash.

Detective Sergeant Michael Houli- han told the court yesterday that Ms Nolan was walking home from work at 2pm when she noticed someone following her.

She heard a low murmur behind her and a man jumped out in front of her.

“He was wearing a hoodie pulled tightly around his head. She resisted by holding on to her handbag. She was pulled forcibly and knocked to the ground. She noticed the accused was holding a knife,” he said.

“I believe he repeatedly swung the knife at her. There was evidence of that on her coat and also on the in- jury she had,” he said.

Ms Nolan sustained a finger injury, for which she received five stitches.

A number of witnesses were swift- ly on the scene and pursued Nestor. When gardai arrived, he was hiding in a Shed in a nearby housing estate.

IRISH farmers rose up with one voice last week and unilaterally re- jected the current trade deal on the table of the World Trade Organisa- nee

More than 10,000 farmers brought Dublin to a standstill Thursday in an unprecedented show of power and solidarity. The protest was timed to coincide with the visit of the Presi- dent of the EU Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso.

Barosso was in the capital to cam- paign for a yes vote in a crunch up- coming referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. The majority of Irish farm- ing organisations have threatened

urging a no vote if their concerns on the WTO are ignored.

‘Farmers could not support a Com- mission that has sold out on family farming and food production right across Europe,’ said IFA president, Padraig Walshe addressing the pro- test.

“If the Mandelson proposals were followed there would not be farmer support for the treaty. That is my message for President Barroso today. That is my message for the Govern- ment today.”

It has been claimed that the out- come of the current negotiations would cost the Irish economy four billion euro and see 50,000 farm- ers put out of business, along with

50,000 job losses in the processing sector.

Speaking before the national day of protest, Clare IFA County Chairman Michael Lynch has called on farm- ers to hit back against Commissioner Mandelson.

“The WTO negotiations are at a critical stage and Mandelson is out of control, offering to destroy the CAP in a reckless last-ditch effort to get a deal,’ he said.

“The reality of the Mandelson cuts would be a flood of beef steak 1m- ports from South America into Eu- rope, which would collapse Irish cat- tle prices to €2/kg or 7Op/Ib, making suckler and livestock farming totally uneconomic.

“Milk prices would be cut to 24c/ litre as a direct result of greatly in- creased imports of butter and other dairy products. There would also be huge losses in the sheep, pigs, poul- try and grain sectors.

“Irish agriculture would be devas- tated and the loss of farmers’ liveli- hoods and jobs in the food industry, agri-business and services would be felt in towns and communities across the entire country.

“If Mandelson is not stopped, we are facing a €4 billion per year loss to economy with rural Ireland hard- est hit by far. This 1s a crucial protest in our campaign to stop Mandelson and secure the future of Irish farm-

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