Month: September 2005

THE Shannon Airport Authority and the Department of Transport have declined to make any comment about the suspension of a member of the airport’s Police Fire and Rescue Service, following an incident dur- ing arecent security audit at the air- sour

Sources have confirmed that the suspension is not related to the much publicised security breach at Shannon last May, when an inspec- tor from the Transport Department managed to carry a Swiss Army knife undetected through the main passenger security check.

The airport police officer at the centre of that incident has not been reprimanded.

Well-informed airport sources have confirmed that one of the two inspectors who carried out last May’s audit, and who is a regular visitor to Shannon, recently observed an

airport police officer conducting a search of a trolley used by a contract cleaning company at the airport.

The search was carried out prior to the contract worker and the trol- ley, which contained cleaning mate- rials and towels, being allowed enter a secure area.

It 1s understood that the inspec- tor was not happy with the search, as She observed it. As a result, the of- ficer has been suspended from duty.

An airport source said, “really, the officer was suspended for something which did not happen, but should have, as opposed to something which did happen. It is not related to any breach of security as such. He just didn’t search the trolley prop- erly. Nothing was found in the trol- ley in fairness, but we all have to be careful.”

In a statement, the Shannon Air- port Authority stated, “the Author- ity does not comment on specifics of security matters at the Airport, nor

on internal disciplinary matters.

“We continue to treat all aspects of security at Shannon Airport with the utmost seriousness.”

A Department for ‘Transport spokesperson said, “It is entirely a matter for the Shannon Airport Au- thority. We would have no comment to make on such matters.”

Meanwhile, it has emerged that at least one airport police officer has been asked by management to ex- plain how a well-known Mid-West- based anti-war activist managed to drive undetected through a security post on the main road leading to the airport, before he was observed in the vicinity of the terminal build- ing.

The activist, who is well known to gardai and airport police officers, is understood to have driven through the checkpoint on several occa- sions in recent weeks without being stopped or recognised.

AN ENNIS man who 1s alleged to have threatened he would ‘get’ a garda when he was off-duty, has had public order charges against him dismissed.

David Gormley (19), with an ad- dress at Maiville, Kilrush road, En- nis, was charged with the offences in Ennis on March 17 of this year.

Garda Stephen Hession _ told Kildysart court that the accused was shouting at Parnell Street, at 10pm on the night 1n question.

“He appeared to be intoxicated and was very aggressive,’ said Gda Hession.

The court was told that he refused to give the garda his address and when asked for it, said, “Why the *** do | have to give you my ad- dress. I’1] get you when your hat and ID is off”.

When asked to leave the area, the accused started making threats at the garda, the court heard. “As he was walking through the Market area, he kept shouting and making threats at me. He said ‘I’ll get you

without the hat’’, said Gda Hes- sion.

Defending solicitor John Casey said his client was going home, along the Kilrush Road, as he had been ordered to do, but the garda continued to follow him and this frustrated the defendant. “He will admit he told you to f*** off. He was going home if you would leave him to go home,” said the solicitor.

But the garda said the accused

made “numerous, very specific threats” to get him while he was Oe RrelIAs

Mr Gormley told the court that the garda called him “a little sh**” and he gave a bit of abuse back. He admitted saying he would have “no problem finding” the garda any time. ‘He was telling me to go home but he wouldn’t let me go home,” said the accused.

Mr Casey said there was some doubt about what happened and said the onus was on the State to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

Judge Joseph Mangan dismissed the charges against Mr Gormley.

GARDAI investigating — the death of Ann Walsh in Kilrush almost three weeks ago, are ap- pealing for anyone who may have seen her during the final moments of her life, to come forward.

The body of the 23-year-old was found in the grounds of St Senan’s church on Toler Street shortly after 11pm on the night

of Wednesday, August 24 last.

A number of people who saw Ms Walsh in the John Street, Looney Lane and Toler Street areas of the town up to 10pm, have come forward. However Supt Joe McKeown, who is leading the investigation, is ap- pealing for others to come for- FEO B

“There has been a huge re- sponse from the public in the Kilrush area, but we still want

to speak with people who may have seen Ann between 10pm and Ilpm and who may have seen anything suspicious,” said Supt McKeown.

A team of gardai continue to work on the case, at the incident room set up at Kilrush garda station.

The incident room can be contacted at 065 9080550, or people can ring the Garda Con- fidential Line, 1800-666-111.

CLARE woman Lottie McClure has been re-appointed to the board of the National Disability Authority (NDA).

A native of Shannon, Mrs McClure will work with the statutory body that advises the Government on the co-ordination and development of policy on disability.

She has already warned about the dan- gers of funding for the disabled being ab- sorbed by administrators.

“Unless proper structures are put in

place, standards for services are introduced and services are co-ordinated across all Government Departments, there is a real danger that the bulk of this money could be absorbed by administrators and service providers instead of making a real impact on the daily lives of people with disabili- ties” she said last week.

Due to a streamlining strategy, the board of the NDA has been cut from 23 to 13 members. Mrs McClure believes this will allow the organisation to adopt a more “fo- cused approach”.

Along with transport and education the issue of personal assistance grants for people with disabilities is a major issue in ETc

“There is great demand for personal as- sistants but unfortunately there is an is- sue with funding and this is something I hope to address through my work with the board” said Mrs McClure who is also involved with the Clare Branch of People with Disabilities in Ireland.

THE Mayor of Ennis has expressed con- cern that manufacturing companies are not setting up in the town, in the wake of the announcement that Roche Ireland in Clare- castle, is to shed 35 jobs over the next 18 TneLOyedetse

Mayor Frankie Neylon said the news from Roche was very disappointing for the town. “I am hoping this will be the end of the lay-offs in Ennis. These jobs will be shed over 18 months so it is not as bad as if it was before Christmas. But very few jobs have been created in Ennis in recent years and there has been several closures.

“The lack of manufacturing jobs here is not good. Companies can go elsewhere for a quarter of the price and that is something we have no control over,” said Cllr Neylon.

He expressed disappointment that there appeared to be few prospects of companies setting up at the Technology Park in the rey aee

“One unit is occupied by Clare County Council and Shannon Development occu- pies part of another. I don’t see anything new coming in there and that is very dis- appointing. People are leaving Ennis every day to work elsewhere,” he said.

Ennis Chamber of Commerce CEO Rita McInerney said while job losses were dif- ficult at any time, this blow didn’t really re- flect the overall performance of Roche.

“It is a worrying trend in terms of the way manufacturing is going in this country as a whole. We have to look at ways of attract- ing this type of industry into the region. Manufacturing is leaving Ireland and is going to countries where labour costs are lower,’ said Ms McInerney.

“We have to attract high quality jobs which require a high level of education. We have a very well-educated workforce in the town,” she added.

A production unit at the pharmaceutical plant – which manufactures naproxen, a pain reliever used for arthritis – will close by the end of next year. The company said price competition was a key issue in the de- TSO

‘There are less costly sources of naproxen intermediate in the market place than from the Roche supply chain,” said a spokesper- son for Roche.

Roche has been in existence in Clarecas- tle since 1974. With a current workforce of 270, which is supplemented by 100 contract staff, it 1s Ennis’s biggest employer.

The company will attempt to reach the job cut target through a voluntary sever- ance programme.

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