Month: October 2005

THE Minister for Community, Ru- ral and Gaeltacht Affairs Eamon O Cuiv has called on farmers to face up to the fact that farming as a profes- sion 1S going to continue to decline in the future. Speaking at the Nation Ploughing Championships last week Minister O Cuiv called for radical and broad rural development policies. According to the Agrivision 2015 Report, it 1s estimated that by 2015, there will only be 105,000 farmers in Ireland, of whom only 40,000 will earn their full-time living from farm- ing. This compares to 225,000 farm-

ers in the 197/0’s.

“The recent European Negotiations were a watershed in European Rural Policy with a clear shift from a pre- dominant focus on agricultural in- come support to a new integrated ru- ral development approach with special emphasis on the rural environment and rural economic development out- side the farm gate,” said Minister O Gina

‘For the first time significant funds have been clearly ring-fenced for gen- eral rural development. Because of our unique situation we are very well placed to play a significant lead role in developing the new rural Europe.”

The Department of Community, Ru- ral and Gaeltacht Affairs will shortly be engaging with the wider rural community in relation to this plan and seeking submissions to it. The Min- ister urged people to think outside of the box and to take a full part in the most radical realignment of rural pol- icies that has ever taken place at both European and national level.

Minister O Cuiv added that a ma- jor part of this radical programme for rural renewal is the Government’s Decentralisation Policy, where it was consciously decided to focus decen- tralisation in a special way on smaller towns and rural communities.

THE BOIL notice in place on the Ennis wa- ter supply should be lifted this week.

According to Tom Tiernan, Town Engi- neer, the notice will probably be lifted by Wednesday, because the Council is expect- ing that results of further analysis carried out on the water supply over the weekend will be clear. The news comes following a meeting between Mr. Tiernan and the Health Services Executive (HSE).

He said that the quality of the water at the source of the supply had improved and that no new traces of e-coli had been found. The announcement was made at yesterday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council. The boil notice, which has been in place since Sep-

tember 14 has imposed an extra financial burden on 30,000 homes in Ennis and the Surrounding areas. Mr. Tiernan said that he had been assured by the HSE that there had been no evidence linking recent illnesses in the area to the quality of the water supply. Cllr Taiwo Matthew (Ind) challenged Mr. Tiernan’s assertion by claiming that he knew of at least two children from the Ennis area that had been admitted to a Limerick hospi- tal with water borne infections.

Cllr Matthew also claimed that neither child had been asked to fill out forms stating where they lived. This prompted Mr. Tiernan to say that there had been a small number of incidents recorded, but that there were rea- sons to suggest that the illnesses might have been associated with other factors. Ennis

Town Mayor, Frankie Neylon, also claimed he knew of incidents where people had been ill as aresult of drinking the water. Concerns were also raised about the level of effort that had gone into notifying the public that the water was unsafe for consumption, with Cllr Neylon stating that it wasn’t sufficient to just advertise on the local radio station.

Councillors welcomed the news that Min- ister for the Environment, Dick Roche, had approved tender documents for the new En- nis Water Scheme. With the scheme not due for completion until 2007, questions were raised about what measures would be taken to safeguard the quality of water in the inter- im. Mr. Tiernan stated that he had instructed consultants advising the Council to explore all options.

THE Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern has denied recent claims that the UN Commission on Human Rights is set to in- vestigate whether the Irish Government has allowed US intelligence agencies to transport suspected al Qaeda prisoners through Shan- non Airport.

Speaking in the Dail last week the Min- ister said: “I am aware of a media reports that Martin Scheinin, the UN Commission on Human Rights’ special rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Counter- ing Terrorism, has been contacted by Irish

citizens regarding allegations about the use of Irish airports by the US to transit prisoners who are suspected of terrorist activity.

“Last week my department was contacted by Professor Scheinin’s office to confirm that neither he, nor any other special rapporteur, is currently investigating, or inquiring into this matter. I understand that the British and US Governments have received similar com- munications from Professor Scheinin’s of- fice,’ the Minister added.

Media reports earlier this month suggested that the UN had launched a major investiga- tion into the use of Shannon and other air- ports in the UK, as stop off points for prison- ers being transported to Guantanamo Bay in

Cuba for interrogation.

Last October, a group of mid-west based ac- tivists made a formal complaint to gardai fol- lowing claims that a CIA plane, a corporate- style Gulfstream aircraft with the registration N379P and nicknamed the “Guantanamo Bay Express,” had been used by the US to “effec- tively kidnap so-called high-value targets and transport them around the world.” The plane has been sighted at Shannon on several occa- sions in recent years.

Minister Ahern said that the US Govern- ment had assured him that they had not trans- ported prisoners through Shannon Airport.

“The US authorities have confirmed that they have not done so and that they would not

do so without seeking the permission of the Irish authorities. No request for such authori- sation has been received from the US authori- ties,’ the Minister said.

“This Government has on several occasions made clear to the US authorities that it would be illegal to transit prisoners for rendition purposes through Irish territory without the express permission of the Irish authorities, acting in accordance with Irish and interna- tional law.”

Last August,

THE people of Bally- vaughan are in for a mu- sical treat this October as the renowned German BASF choir will perform in the St. John the Baptist Church on Tuesday the 25th. The Ballyvaughan concert 1s one of only two dates that the choir will perform at during their short Irish Tour.

The BASF choir was founded in Ludwigshafen in 1892 and recruits its members not only from the BASF factory but from all over the area as a whole. The lay choir boasts some of the regions most gifted voices and is also one of the countries most professional as it employs a full-time pro- fessional conductor.

On the programme will

be songs from musicals and films as well as a number of classical piec- es. During their short stay in Ireland, the 84 strong choir, will also perform in Dublin.

This is the choir’s first visit to Ireland, but in the recent past they have toured in Italy, Hungary, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. They have ap- peared in many television and radio programmes in their native Germany and around Europe.

All proceeds raised from the concert will go to for Ballyvaughan Nation- al School and the Bally- vaughan Christmas Task SLO) KeKomay idee r-Tnemr-LAKesee] OND OTS to stage Ireland’s first out- door Christmas market later this year. Tickets are on sale locally. Admission €12, call: 065 7077377.

AFTER decades of talk, graft and no little work the three secondary schools of Ennistymon are finally to unite and form the Ennistymon Community School.

In a historic development for edu- cation in North Clare, plans for the school along with 22 other schools nationwide, were announced by the Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin last Thursday.

The school will be located on a site obtained from the Sisters of Mercy and will have the most up-to-date facilities for science, languages, art, woodwork and construction studies, home economics, IT and engineer- ing. It is envisioned that the school

will cater for some 650 students and will boast a full-sized sports hall.

The final stumbling block in the way of the proposal was overcome last week as a final price for the site was decided upon by the Depart- ment of Education and the Sisters of Mercy. An independent valuator was brought in following a disagreement over the price of the site which is be- ing handed over to the department as part of the Redress Board settle- ments. The announcement has been widely welcomed by the principals of each school who have expressed their hope that the high level of co- operation between the schools will continue until the new Community School is in place.

Hopes are high that the school will

be among the first bundle of schools approved for funding, which could see tenders for contractors being made as early as mid-2006. Alter- natively, it could be as late as 2009 before progress can be made.

While the announcement heralds the beginning of a new and exciting time for education in North Clare it also marks the end of three rich and proud traditions.

“The Christian Brothers have made an enormous contribution to the youth of North Clare through the values expressed by Edmund Rice and these values will live on in the new school,” said Michael Concan- non, Principal of the CBS.

“The young people of the area de- serve first class facilities.”

The site of the Vocational School has been earmarked for the creation of an Adult and Community Centre for North Clare.

It is expected that much of the staff currently employed in the school could be absorbed into this facility.

“Often with things like this peo- ple walk out the door and the place is locked up. Then three years later, when all the windows are broken, someone gets the idea to do it up,” said Enda Byrt, Principal of the Vo- cational School. “When we walk out of here we want someone to be walking back in that same day.”

Of curse with any amalgamation like this the co-operation of all con- oer e mE

“A steering committee of repre- sentatives of management, staff, par- ents and students of all three schools will oversee the change to the new community school and insure that a smooth transaction will take place,” said Seosaimhin Ui Dhomhnallain, Principal of Scoil Mhuire.

In total €555 million was allocat- ed for projects by the Minister for Education and Science last week.

Aside from the 23 post-primary schools, four new primary schools have been announced as-well-as a number of third level projects.

Ennistymon County Councillor and former CBS student Martin Conway (FG) has welcome what he described as a ‘long overdue development’. “The people of En- nistymon and the surrounding area deserve the very best of facilities,” said Cllr Conway. “The three school have done great work over the year with an archaic infrastructure and I appeal to the Department and the Minister to deliver in 2006 rather than in the later bundles.”

MEMBERS of the Ennis Tidy Towns Committee received the royal treatment last night when they were guests of hon- our at a celebratory banquet at Knap- pogue Castle.

The event was organised by Shannon Development to acknowledge the tre- mendous achievement of the Ennis Com- mittee in winning this year’s National Sroyenelesislere

“This celebratory event is our way of giving due recognition to all who worked so hard on behalf of Ennis Town. It al- lows us to pay tribute and thank the En- nis Tidy Towns committee members,

communities and individuals for their great support and contribution to the en- hancement and protection of the environ- ment in Ennis,’ said John King, Heritage and Tourism Director, Shannon Develop- ment.

Among those who joined the voluntary committee at the Knappogue Castle cel- ebrations were the Mayors of Ennis and Clare, Management and Staff of Ennis Town Council and Clare County Coun- cil, Ennis Chamber of Commerce, and Ennis Civic Trust.

Entertainment for the evening was pro- vided by the Shannon Castle Entertain- ers who devised a special programme to give the prestigious group a flavour of the

entertainment provided by Shannon Her- itage at Knappogue, Bunratty and Dun- guaire Castles, and the Traditional Irish Evening at Bunratty Folk Park.

“A well protected and well presented environment is a major promotional as- set, and down through the years Tidy Towns Committees have made countless environmental improvements in_ their communities,’ said King.

‘Tourism remains one of our most im- portant indigenous industries. It is Ire- land’s third largest industry and is worth over €5.1 billion to the economy annual- ly. In 2004 a total of 6.4 million overseas visitors came to Ireland, an increase of 3 per cent on the previous year.”

has learned.

Raymond Donovan, of New Houses, Cooraclare, had been in custody in Limerick Prison, since August 26. He has been moved

to Cloverhill prison in Dublin, following claims that he was subjected to threats in Limerick Prison.

A spokesman for the Prison Services confirmed the move was made during the past week. “‘It is not uncommon to move prisoners from time to time, for operational reasons. Our number one obliga- tion would be to hold prisoners in safe custody.”

Donovan made his fifth court

appearance, charged with inten- tionally or recklessly causing harm to Ms Walsh, last Friday week. It is alleged he was as- saulted in the courtroom, on that occasion.

The Prison Services spokes- man said the allegation of assault in the courtroom “would also be taken into account,” in his move to Cloverhill

Donovan is due in court again later this month.

THE owners of the ill-fated Holywell restaurant in Bally- vaughan have claimed that a decision to refuse plans to trans- form it into a language centre would have the most serious repercussions for the whole of the Holywell venture.

Wolfgang and Sibylle Diet! shut down their restaurant in a bid to avoid the building containing it from being demolished and lodged plans to change it into a language centre.

In an appeal against Clare County Council’s refusal of permission for the change, the Dielts state, “If the language school is to survive as a stand-alone business, it is crucial for the Dietls to have the necessary facilities to increase their stu- o(STel meee AN .con

“The Dietls have taken out a loan in the region of €1.5 mil- lion on their overall venture, as no government grants were available to them. Holywell has not only acted as a language school and restaurant, but also as a cultural and social facility for the village which is devoid of such amenities.

“The local community hall is not a very warm and welcom-

ing place, as are such halls throughout the country through no fault of the community.

“As Holywell is an inviting and warm venue during the Winter months, it has hosted concerts, lectures, and a film club, along with evening classes in languages, computers, tra- ditional music workshops, yoga and creative writing. These unique and educational events are focused at and for the ben- efit the local population.”

In their appeal, the Dietls also hit out at the Council, rul- ing that it would create an undesirable precedent for further commercial development on this site and in the Burren coun- tryside.

They state, “It is considered that, in the recent past, several precedents of this type of commercial activity have been es- tablished outside the village of Ballyvaughan and that these ventures have both relieved congestion to the narrow streets of the village and brought people to the wider region around WN eLomatAUOEaRXoe

“We therefore contend that this level and type of commer- cial development has several precedents within the wider area

around the village of Ballyvaughan.

“We feel that we have demonstrated that the structure in question does not seriously injure the visual amenities and natural integrity of the area.

“It is considered that any damage — visually or the natural integrity to the area — was essentially done by the originally permitted works and not by the more congruous extension with its vernacular design and natural finishes. It is not con- sidered that the extension has had any further significant over- all impact on the landscape of the region.

‘This area reflects just 17% of the complex in terms of floor area. It is considered that this is not a significant expansion and one that does not materially change the complex or its use, taking into account that it is a well-screened, single-sto- rey structure at the lowest point of the 40-acre holding.

‘There is an existing precedent of commercial ventures in the wider area around Ballyvaughan and that the extension for retention is located on a site that already has a permitted educational use, with all ancillary services in place.”

A SECOND retail giant has made moves to prevent the developers of Skycourt Shannon from realising the €135 million redevelopment of Shannon Town.

German-owned retail multiple Lidl has lodged an objection against plans by the Shan- non Town Centre Management Company to construct two new retail buildings in Shannon, which would include a garden centre in one and a medical centre in the second.

The move by Lidl — which operates a store at Shannon town — to try to block the plans fol- lows Tesco last May appealing to an An Bord

Pleanala, a decision by Clare County Council giving the go-ahead to radically extend the centre to include a new department store, 18 retail units, an enclosed mall and a four-storey 400 space car park.

The Shannon Town Centre Management Company, in a submission to the Council, has admitted that the phase facing opposition from Tesco “is effectively stalled” and that the plan to develop a six-storey hotel and a multi-screen cinema has been abandoned.

The applicants state that the hotel and multi- screen cinema have been abandoned due to onerous parking requirements imposed on the proposal, which could not be met econom1-

cally.

Lid] state that, “In our opinion, the proposed development would be contrary to the proper planning and development of the area, as the proposal infringes on part of the public right of way. Car parking and safety arrangements have not been thoroughly examined.

“The proposed development’s design is out of scale with the existing town centre buildings. The parking arrangements proposed are totally unacceptable.

“The proposed development lacks cohe- sion and commercial synergy with the Shan- non Town Centre Shopping Centre. It is clear that the development is trying to overdevelop a

small parcel of land. This is poor estate man- agement and is not in the interests of proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

“The proposed development is totally out of character with the adjoining buildings. Having regard to the location of the existing buildings in the development, the proposal is completely out of scale and therefore contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development.

‘An inadequate traffic impact assessment has been provided which does not comprehensively deal with safety and car-parking issues.”

A decision is due on the application later this month.