The Clare People Archive

A PROPOSAL to extend Ennis’ flag- ship entertainment venue received further backing last night.

At Monday’s monthly meeting of Ennis Town Council, members gave the thumbs up to plans for the ex- tensive re-development of Glor Irish Music Centre.

The proposal involves the construc- tion of an exhibition area, bar and reception areas, toilet facilities and storage space. There are also plans to construct a 200-person loose seating auditorium and alterations to park- ing areas with all associated works and signage. The proposed develop-

ment is seen to be consistent with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

Objective 20 of the Ennis and En- virons Development plan 2003 states that it is the council’s aim to make appropriate provision for community facilities relating to health, educa- tion, arts, culture, sports, amenity and recreation in order to support ex- isting and future residential areas.

Recommending the proposal, town clerk Eddie Power said, “Gl6r is an important cultural facility…attract- ing residents and visitors to their full programme of events…. This contrib- utes greatly to the cultural life of the town, its ambience and attraction.”

PLANS by an east Clare-based com- pany for a wind-turbine have come under fire.

Last month, Olympus Diagnostica lodged plans for the turbine arising from a company initiative to meet 40-50 per cent of their electrical “base load” through using alternative Noe ATA

The height of the turbine will be 200 ft high which the company says is “half the size of the industry norm’.

The company stated that it would

consume all the energy from the wind-turbine and there was no need for a grid connection. It points out that the proposal doesn’t lie within any recognised flight path of the Whooper Swan and the Greenland White Fronted Goose.

In a submission lodged with the plan, the company stated: “The ra- tionale for this project has its roots in spiralling energy costs which are set by international markets and impact severely for two reasons: the wide fluctuation in energy costs which make financial planning more difficult and the underlying trend is

upwards.”

Stressing its adherence to a “Cor- porate Social Responsibility”, Ol- ympus points out that it has already reduced its greenhouse emissions by putting in place a wood chip burner instead of oil which also creates a locally-based market for wood-chip. The company also points out that the noise emissions from the wind-tur- bine will be lower than similar sized MUD MOY ESToE

According to Olympus, the Clare County Development Plan has deemed the location “a suitable are for wind energy” and doesn’t have

any scenic or environmentally sensi- tive designations.

However, Mr and Mrs JP Murphy and family have submitted concerns in relation to the turbine.

“We are local residents in the area for the past 60 years and we feel that the decision taken by Olympus to erect the turbine in the position in- dicated on the submitted site plan is inconsiderate to the local landscape and setting of Rosslara Lake and its woodland surroundings

“As highlighted in the council’s development plan, the site for the proposed wind turbine is within an

area specifically zoned as visually vulnerable and due to the mechani- cal nature of this machine this wind turbine would not be in keeping with the development plan.

“The proposed location of this wind turbine is visually intrusive to the scenic area of Rosslara Lake and if planning is granted, it will have a negative visual impact on the sur- rounding area.

“We feel that the proposed develop- ment should be located to a less vul- nerable/scenic area.”

A decision is due on the application later this year.

THE company that will operate the toll on the €810 million Shannon tunnel is expected to generate in ex- cess of €456 million from the route over a 35-year period.

However, the agreement struck be- tween the National Roads Authority (NRA) and the “Direct Route” con- sortium avoids a repeat of the mas- sive profits made by the operator of the toll on the M50 in Dublin.

Described by the National Roads Authority (NRA) as “the largest in- frastructural scheme in the west of Ireland that no one knows about’, work on the tunnel has been continu- ing for the past year. A large propor- tion of the work is taking place in Clare where the 67/5ft long tunnel is

being constructed in a dry basin on the north of the Shannon. It 1s due to open in 2010.

The road will link all national routes converging on Limerick from Dublin, Tipperary, Cork, Kerry, Wa- terford, Ennis and Shannon Airport and is expected to remove 40,000 vehicles per day from Limerick city. Along with the tunnel, the scheme involves the construction of 10km of road, 11 bridges and a 750m cause- way across Bunlicky Lake.

400 workers are employed in the contstruction which involves five separate 100m long elements.

In August of next year the contrac- tor will commence flooding the cast- ing basin before winching the com- pleted tunnel sections into a dredged section of the River Shannon.

The “immersed tube tunnel con- struction approach” is the same method used to construct the Jack Lynch tunnel in Cork.

The road, the first to be tolled in the west of Ireland, is being built through a Public Private Partner- ship (PPP) and as a result, the State’s spend on the scheme is €349 mil- lion. The contract for the scheme is 6,000 pages long.

The €810 million cost of the scheme includes the operational costs and maintenance of the route over the 35 year operation and the annual maintenance and operation- al costs amount to millions of euro TO SMA ore be

Direct Route is a consortium of companies made up of John Sisk & Son Holdings Ltd., Lagan Holdings

Ltd, Roadbridge Ltd and Strabag AG along with financial institutions.

General Manager of Direct Route, Tom King said: “The Public Private Partnership (PPP) won an award for the way the funding was set up.

“It is very unique and through Hali- fax Bank of Scotland, bonds are to be issued into the marketplace every month.”

Mr King believes that €100 million will be raised through the issuing of the bonds.

An NRA spokesman defended the PPP system saying it allowed the work to start sooner.

CLARE and Limerick landowners along the new route containing the Shannon tunnel are sharing in a €/0 million bonanza.

The National Roads Author- ity (NRA) yesterday confirmed that €70 million has been spent on the compulsory purchase of lands along the route.

The money has been paid out to 49 landowners for an estimated 566 acres in an area that straddles Lim- erick and Clare on both sides of the River Shannon.

One of the biggest landowners along the route is Irish Cement Ltd.

The company operates a plant and quarry adjacent to the route and had 43 acres of land compulsorily ac- quired by Limerick County Council.

Part of the Irish Cement Ltd land- holding includes Bunlicky Lake Where a causeway has been con- structed as part of the road scheme.

Limerick County Council has turned down a Freedom of Informa- tion request seeking details on the individual amounts paid out as part of the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) process.

Work has been continuing on the project for the past year. An NRA spokesman said that the contractor “resembles a giant walking on his tip-toes” in dealing the various envi- ronmental challenges on the scheme.

As part of the works, the Direct Route consortium has had to indi- vidually translocate 2,500 plants from the construction site and place a large proportion of them in water tanks recreating the tidal conditions on the River Shannon. The dredg- ing of the River Shannon next year will also be dictated by the salmon spawning season.

General manager of Direct Route, Tom King said: “The plants – you have to translocate them and you can’t do anything until that is done and they occur in copious amounts all over the route.”

Mr King says that the tanks ensure that the plants gets water and nutri- ent at the same time as the Shannon (elon

‘The NRA and their consultants did a mammoth amount of work in prep- aration for the project. The number of combination and permutations of routes and strategies considered was amazing actually,” he added.

FIGURES released from Trocaire this week show that the Killaloe diocese raised €334,859 during this year’s Lenten Campaign, almost €9.000 more than was raised last year.

Trocaire’s 2007 Lenten campaign tackled the issue of gender equal- ity in the devel- oping world and highlighted how equal rights for women and men Oe N cure Ma’s Les D am oy-bas in ending pov- ua

Clare man Ea- monn Meehan, leo) AY ebKster tor of ‘Trodcaire, thanked the clergy and people of Kil- laloe for their kindness and generos- ity for Trocaire’s Lenten campaign this year.

He said, “We are extremely grateful for the huge amount of money raised for developing countries through- out Killaloe diocese this year. This money could not have been raised without the loyal support of parish- ioners who back this campaign every

single year”’.

According to Mr Meehan, “the work that goes on behind the scenes by clergy, parish workers and teach- ers can never be underestimated. Their dedication and commitment is the key to the success of the Lenten

campaign and Trocaire is very erateful for their hard work again this year.” Trocaire’s 2007 Lenten campaign looked at the so- cial roles that men and women have been as- signed and how the two genders are often valued

differently. Trocaire also demanded Were

the Irish Government produce a na- tional action plan that would lead to full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which calls for the active participation of women in peacekeeping, the elimination of violence against women and the pro- tection of women and children in conflict.

CLARE County Council is on a col- lision course that is set to end up in court with a coach operator over the independent operators’ continu- ing refusal to use the car-park at the sem leoe

Since the centre opened in Febru- ary, independent coach operators have refused to pay the €60 to use the Cliffs car park and have instead set down their coaches at the road- side.

The actions by the coach operators have already cost the council an esti- mated €50,000 in lost revenues.

In a bid to end the practice of the coach operators setting down their buses at the roadside, the council last July deployed traffic wardens at the site.

Jackie Cronin of Glynn’s Coaches confirmed yesterday that his compa- ny has received a number of parking fines, but has so far refused to pay the fines in spite of reminders.

As a result, a court date is loom- ing for non-payment of fines and Mr Cronin said that he would welcome contesting the imposition of the fines in court.

He said, “Our legal advice is that we have a good case. These are parking fines, but the coaches are not park-

ing. They are setting down to allow the passengers get off the bus.”

Mr Cronin said, “The council is los- ing out financially, not just with the €60 charge that is not being paid, but we give our customers 50 minutes to do a tour and I’m sure that if they had more time, they would spend more in the shops in the centre.”

Mr Cronin said that the coach op- erators would be open to a coach charge of €20. He said, “I don’t know where this is going to go. It needs to be resolved but it is not costing us anything at the moment.”

Project Leader with the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre, Ger Dollard said yesterday that “the Cliffs have performed very well over the sum- mer and visitor numbers are certain- ly on a par with last year”.

He said, “The only negative aspect to the operation has been the actions of some coach operators of continu- ing to drop passengers on the road- side which remains a serious con- cern.

The council had discussions prior to the summer season and had made certain proposals in an effort to re- solve the situation. At this point we have not received a formal response. The council is of course available to further discuss the matter if request- ed to do so.”

ENNIS Town Council is calling on the Government to clarify the legal position of the controversial Heath- row landing slots.

They want to know who the slots belong to and are also requesting the continuation of a Heathrow service after January 14, when Aer Lingus plan to cease operating the service from Shannon.

The reaction of members of the O1- reachtas to the Aer Lingus decision also came in for criticism.

Fianna Fail councillor, Peter Con- sidine said “We have to ensure the long-term continuation of the Shan- non-Heathrow service. It is an issue that is going to involve everyone from councillors to people on the eround. It is disappointing that some of our Oireachtas members appear more concerned about their own fu- tures rather the concerns of people in the region.”

The long-serving councillor was equally critical of Bord Failte and Tourism Ireland.

He said, “I must express serious disappointment at the lack of any- thing to be said by Bord Failte and Tourism Ireland on the matter.”

Cllr Considine added that Shannon

Airport Authority was in negotia- tions with other airlines about filling the gap vacated by Aer Lingus.

Mayor of Ennis, Tommy Brennan (Ind), also questioned the commit- ment of politicians to resolving a sit- uation that mid-west business chiefs have described as a major blow to the Kesta (One

“From what I have heard on the ra- dio, I think it is treating the people of this country with contempt.”

Fianna Fail councillor, Tom Glynn, said the Government must use its 25 per cent shareholding to block the WED Kol a

‘An alternative airline is not the an- swer. The Government must use its 25 per cent and get involved. That is the only answer.”

Independent councillor Frankie Neylon said, “We should be writing to Ian Paisley and Geoffrey Donald- son. I think we should be talking to them. We should appeal to people in the north to talk to the Government to show compassion to people in the mid-west.”

Town Manager, Tom Coughlan said early morning and late evening access to and from Heathrow had emerged as a key component in Clare County Council’s proposed en- terprise strategy.

ENNIS Town Council may formulate its own housing strategy after refus- ing to adopt a document prepared by Clare County Council.

The draft policy, Housing For Sus- tainable Communities, was presented to members at Monday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council. Using data from the latest census, it sets out projected housing requirements for Ennis from 2007-11. The document also incorpo- rates new legislative and national pol- icles in respect of housing standards

and delivery requirements.

Councillors are angry, though, at the lack of input Ennis Town Council has had 1n the process.

Addressing John Bradley, Senior Executive Planner with Clare Coun- cil, Mayor of Ennis Tommy Brennan said, “I don’t believe anyone from this council has had any involvement in this plan. Do you call this consul- tation? This is not consultation. In- stead we get a document.”

Members backed a proposal to ex- plore the possibility of drafting its own housing strategy.

Town Manager, Tom Coughlan said the prepared housing strategy would form part of the Ennis and Environs Development Plan and that another document could result in three sepa- rate housing policies for Ennis.

The strategy predicted, that in a high growth scenario, Ennis would require 2,086 extra houses by 2011. It also showed that 13 per cent of houses in the Ennis and environs area were vacant in 2006.

The strategy predicted that Ennis could need an extra 290 social houses and 260 affordable houses by 2011.

Countywide figures for local au- thority land requirements to meet so- cial and affordable housing demands revealed a shortfall of 11 hectares.

But Cllr Brennan cast doubt over the figures by saying Ennis lacks the infrastructural requirements to meet new housing developments.

“The figures don’t stack up. I have seen a planning document that says we are almost at full capacity sew- age. How are we going to build these houses, with buckets?”

The town engineer admitted the wastewater scheme in the Ennis and

environs area was approaching ca- pacity. ““We are monitoring the situa- tion. In the intervening period, while we wait for a permanent treatment plant at Clareabbey, there is scope to improve or even expanding existing facilities and install a temporary fa- cility if the need required.”

Fine Gael councillor, Johnny Flynn said, “This council has been put through the hoops by the depart- ment…It is a dangerous situation. En- nis is a recognised hub town, but it has not received quick approval for major infrastructural projects.”

SINN FEIN national chairwoman, Mary Lou McDonald has refuted the allegation that the Aer Lingus deci- sion to relocate its Shannon-Heath- row slots to Belfast was a form of “peace dividend” negotiated between both Governments and the parties. North Kerry deputy Martin Ferris, Clare representative Pat Talty and Maurice Quinlivan from Limerick, accompanied the MEP to Shannon to meet the various concerns opposing

the moving of the slots.

At the airport they met with mem- bers of the Shannon Action Group to offer Sinn Feéin’s full support to help overturn the Aer Lingus decision.

Ms McDonald added that Sinn Féin had agreed to write to the leaders of all the opposition parties in a bid to form a political alliance to have the Aer Lingus decision reversed.

“As far as Sinn Féin is concerned, the origins of the present difficulties can be traced back to the privatisa- tion of Aer Lingus. What I want to

make very clear is that we are aware of speculation locally that the move- ment of these slots was some form of ‘peace dividend’. As someone who has been involved in detailed nego- tiations for two years or more, I can categorically say that at no stage was any such thing discussed as part of a peace package.

‘Sinn Fein would never have agreed to pitching the Belfast region against the mid-west. This isn’t a zero-sum game. It isn’t about pitching Shannon against Belfast,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of Clare Sinn Fein, Cathy McCafferty said that some of the ideas being floated as alternatives to Aer Lingus retaining its Heathrow slots for Shannon are nothing more than “smokescreens ZWOOMRceCd NUM TITSa ee

“T don’t see anything realistic com- ing from proposals that Belfast or Charles De Gaulle could provide alternative hubs for Shannon. As re- gards the news of BMI coming in, there’s nothing concrete about that either.

“In any case these alternatives do not address the core issue of whether Aer Lingus workers at Shannon, es- pecially those employed on ground support roles, will have a future.”

Martin Ferris commended the Aer Lingus workers on their campaign to save the Heathrow slots for Shannon and promised the support of his par- ty’s Dail deputies.

Deputy Ferris said Sinn Féin had campaigned during the recent elec- tion for the re-nationalisation of Aer Bars teat ine

THE ATLANTIC Connectivity Alli- ance 1S preparing to make the case to Transport Minister, Noel Dempsey for retaining or replacing the Shan- non/Heathrow slots at a meeting scheduled for tomorrow.

The alliance — which represents business, tourism, union and com- munity interests — was invited by

the minister to meet with him.

“We welcome this face-to-face meeting with the minister and will be taking this opportunity to leave him in no doubt as to the seriousness of the impact that this decision will have on the region, of our dismay over Government inaction on this is- sue and its apparent inability to un- derstand the grave repercussions this will have for a huge portion of the country,’ alliance vice-chairman, Ken Sullivan said.

“Our priority remains the reversal of this incredulous decision by Aer Lingus to abandon a profitable route for a competitive market in Belfast and we are continuing to work across a number of strands to achieve this.”

The alliance will present the case which they have drawn up and doc- umented. Alliance members have vowed that the Aer Lingus decision to reject Ryanair’s request for an

EGM will not slow their campaign.

“The decision does not impact on the campaign being taken by the alli- ance to retain the Shannon-Heathrow slots and preserve them in perpetuity for Shannon. The alliance campaign will continue across a number of strands, including the meeting with the transport minister,’ Mr Sullivan SrHKOE

Meanwhile, the Mayor of Clare Pa- tricia McCarthy said that the Govern- ment must now take it upon itself to retain direct services between Shan- non Airport and London-Heathrow Mayor McCarthy added she was “bitterly disappointed” with the de- cision by the board of Aer Lingus to reject a request from Ryanair to hold an Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders.

Mayor McCarthy explained, “It is now evident that the Government must act and deliver on the guaran- tees given in its IPO document to have permanent and quality con- nectivity from Shannon to London Heathrow.

“The Government has, to date, failed to realise that this is not just a Shannon issue but has major im- plications for the entire country in terms of maintaining critical con- nectivity to one of the world’s busiest airports,” she added.