Month: March 2007

THIS week signaled the beginning of a new era at the home of the GAA in Ireland. Michael Cusack’s joined the elite of the footballing world last Saturday week when they officially opened the new floodlighting at Glenn Ciosog.

The grounds new state of the art lighting system and upgraded chang- ing facilities were christened in good fashion with a brace of matches and an evening packed with quality foot- ball.

The GAA’s’ Munster Chairman, John Fogarty,

Council joined

Clare County GAA Board chairman, Michael MacDonagh in flicking the switch and bringing light to football in the centre of the Burren.

“This field was developed 25 years ago with the stand and dressing rooms coming two years later and at that time it would have been one of the finest facilities in the county,” said a club spokesperson.

“Tt will also be very important for the parish. We now have a large room which could be used for all sorts of community events in the parish.”

Liscannor were the big winners on SoMeA COND OTM DEO DITCME: Ae NAM SLES EES Te Corn An Chéad Cup after defeat-

ing Ballyvaughan in the final of the north Clare Senior and Intermediate competition.

Fittingly, it was an underage team from Michael Cusack’s who had the honour of being the first team to claim a victory under the new lights as the under-12’s saw off the chal- lenge of Lisdoonvarna.

“Our numbers are small, like every rural parish, but every child in the area 1s playing football and enjoy- ing it. The floodlights will add to the excitement of it for the children and bring a bit more buzz for them,” con- tinued a club spokesperson.

Meanwhile, just down the road, the

finishing touches are being put on the Michael Cusack’s Centre which will open to the public from Easter Sun- day. The fully restored 18th century cottage of Michael Cusack will be the highlight of the tour for many people while the centre itself will provide a host of information and photographs which is sure to be a must for any GAA fan.

The centre, which was officially opened by GAA President Nick Brennan in November will be open from 10am to 5pm each day dur- ing the Spring. Admission is €5 for adults, €3.50 for children and under 5’s are free.

A NEW project being organised at Mary Immaculate Secondary School in Lisdoonvarna is helping to revo- lutionise the relationship between young people and the rest of the community in North Clare.

The project culminated last week in Promoting Courtesy, Care and Con- sideration week which saw students from the school organising a series of events involving members of the wider community.

One of the main focuses was a post- er, painting and poetry competition which attracted hundreds of entries from primary schools, community groups and individuals from all over north Clare.

The inspiration for this initiative came from a committee set up last

year which included students, teach- ers, parents, community representa- tives as-well-as project leader Mau- reen Droney.

“One of the thing that came from the group was the Courtesy Care and Consideration. It has been going for a number of months now but this week is really the culmination of all of that work,’ said Maureen.

“We all worked together on how we would involved the community with the students and we came up with the poster or painting and poetry com- petitions. We wanted to create an awareness. To try and understand the needs of other people. Consideration is the best way to describe it.”

One of the areas specifically fo- cused on was the relationship be- tween young people and the elderly. The group has forged a connection

with the Stella Maris day care centre in Lisdoonvarna and last Wednes- day and Thursday students from the school entertained the people there with a collection of music and danc- ing.

“It has been wonderful to be in- volved the Stella Maris. I’d say it has been a powerful lift to them, but the children will get a lot back from them as well. They are getting a lot back already some of them, with grand parents in the home. It can have a huge positive effect,” she continued.

In the school itself each class and subject, from Business Studies to Home Economics, has been incorpo- rating the theme of consideration.

One of the more interesting ele- ments of this has seen students write a series of poems which are now be- ing used as the ‘thought for the day’

at the school.

“Each day this week the winning poems have been read out by the stu- dents over the intercom,” continued Maureen. “It has been a really suc- cessful part of the programme. We will also be putting a booklet togeth- er of all the poems.”

On Friday March 30 at 8pm, poet John O’Donohue will give a talk in Mary Immaculate Secondary School. Tickets are €10, €5 OAP, with all money raised going to the Stella Maris Day Care Centre.

KILRUSH Town Council have be- gun work on a new blueprint for the erowing town.

This month its town councillors agreed to move forward a new town plan to draft stage.

A report was presented to the members in February outlining the out come of the pre-draft pubic con- sultation process for their considera- soe

The councillors then took part in a workshop to discuss the report fully prior to giving any direction to the manager in relation to the drafting of the plan.

The workshop focussed on discus- sion of the issues raised by the writ- ten submissions and observations made by the public.

The council adopted the manag- er’s recommendations subject to six amendments.

Fifty submissions were received from the public for the draft cover- ing wide spectra of social, commer- cial and economic development.

Formally proposing the prepara- tion of the draft proposal Cllr Tom Prenderville (FF) said the new de- velopment plan encapsulates the council’s vision of where the west Clare capital will be in 2013.

“Kilrush is most fortunate in hav-

ing an infrastructure capable of sustaining a population of 10,000. Recent residential, retail and com- mercial development undertaken in the urban area have been undertaken in this knowledge and has placed the town in a most advantageous position in attracting inward invest- ment,” he said.

‘This council rejoices in the record number of submissions received to date in the KTDP review process. It indicates a welcome interest by po- tential investors and developers in the native place.

“We celebrate this new-found op- timism that permeates the local economy. Kilrush, to all intents and

purposes, stands on the threshold of prosperity. Current retail and com- mercial proposals underway give credence to this happy state of affairs in Kilrush,’ said Cllr Prenderville.

‘There is an onus to frame a devel- opment plan that sustains, supports and facilitates an inclusive society. The provision of adequate social ed- ucational, and recreational services must form a core vision in the plan,” he added.

The preparation of the draft propos- als will take 12 weeks to complete.

The resulting Kilrush Town De- velopment Plan will cover the years 2008 to 2013, and it is hoped it will be adopted by October this year.

PLANS are underway for a west Clare community facility to provide offices and working space for the many voluntary organisations in the area.

Joe Saunders, who carried out the feasibility study for such a facil- ity, told Kilrush Town Council that there are more than 100 community groups registered in Kilrush and a further 60 to 70 groups in the wider west Clare area.

There are 15 organisations in total with their own staff, needing premis- oe

To date there are eight buildings hosting community groups in Kil- Murs ee

The consultant said that as the town changed and grew there was a need for a place where civil marriages could be performed.

Outlining the gravity of the situ- ation he said the Gardai in Kilrush have nowhere to address the local public outside the cells in the sta- tion.

Meanwhile artists have to exhibit their work in inadequate facilities or move outside the area.

He said that as the voluntary sec- tor is becoming more professional it needs proper facilities.

“A hotel conference centre would meet some of the needs but a lot of eroups would like to be with like minded groups,” he said.

In his report Mr Saunders con-

cluded that the current community and training services accommoda- tion base in Kilrush and west Clare is considered generally unsuited to the task of serving the sector over the next decade.

“Already organisations with a sig- nificant remit and serving large num- bers are finding the available accom- modation to be an impediment to maintaining and developing services to their target groups. In addition, newer organisations are coming on stream as the not-for-profit and train- ing sectors grow in size nationally,’ he said.

Mr Saunders said that a communi- ty facility would probably have core tenants that would have contracts of service agreement the would provide

funding for ongoing rental charges.

“The capital element of the project will need to be provided through lo- cal and national exchequer routes,” he said.

“Ownership structure and ongoing management will require negotiation between core tenants and relevant stakeholders.”

Town Manager Bernadette Kinsella said west Clare was suffering due to a lack of integrated facilities.

She said that Mr Saunders report confirmed the view that there was a deficit in this area.

“Now we will go back to the eroups, look at what a facility would look like, who would fund it, and audit where it might be located,” Ms Kinsella said.

DOONBEG Community Develop- ment Ltd has added its voice to the objections against the proposed clo- sure of aright of way on to the White Strand.

In its letter to the council, chair- man John Smith, said it was decided to object to the proposed closure fol- lowing a meeting of the development company on March I.

He said the company objected to the “proposed closure of the public road to Murray’s (Carrig’s) gate and the consequent extinguishment of the public vehicular and pedestrians

right of way to the beach from the said gate which has been obstructed by a boundary wall”.

“We would remind the council that it was this company which proposed the golf development in the first place and supported it through planning on the understanding that right of way to the beach would be honoured,’ he wrote.

‘We have always been of the opin- ion that a tunnel capable of taking an ambulance was the best solution to this particular problem,” the letter eyeTebaLeCeem

“We welcome the long overdue provision of a car park.”

Doonbeg man Murt McInerney has also written to the council with a similar objection.

In his letter he said the proposal to provide a car park was welcome, and agreed with the development compa- ny that a tunnel under the fairway ca- pable of taking an ambulance should be provided.

Meanwhile Cree man James Mc- Nulty has written to all council members asking that they object to the proposal.

The proposal in question is for a 120-metre portion of the public right of way on a local road, from where the existing roadway turns to give

access to Doonbeg beach to the point where it enters the private driveway.

Any extinguishment of a right of way is the reserved function of the council and can only be changed by the council members.

Kilrush’s county councillors have already unanimously proposed to defer any consideration of the pro- posed extinguishment of a public right of way at Doonbeg pending the outcome of a judicial review.

The councillors also agreed to move their March meeting from the Doonbeg Golf Club to Lissycasey, for fear of a perceived conflict of in- terests.

THE cool dudes from Mullagh know what is good for them.

Everyday during the month of March they are eating their greens and devouring their fruit as part of Bord Bia’s Food Dudes programme.

The programme, launched by Mary Coughlan, Minister for Agriculture and Food and Mary Hanafin, Minis- ter for Education and Science aims to permanently increase consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables among primary school children both in the school and at home.

Mullagh National School is just one of 50 schools nationwide selected to take part in the programme.

This programme, which was devel- oped by the University of Wales, has delivered effective and long-lasting

results across the primary age range, regardless of gender, school size, and geographic and socio-economic fac- tors.

It is ultimately designed to enable children enjoy healthy diets, and to create a healthy eating culture within schools.

Two of the teaching staff, Mrs Connie Sexton and Ms Brid Keane, of Mullagh National School have attended Department of Education in-service in relation to the delivery of this programme and are currently overseeing its implementation in the school.

The pupils enjoy fruit and vegeta- bles on a daily basis as well as talks and videos explaining the benefits of fruit and vegetables within a healthy hte

More than 30,000 children will

participate in the programme over a three-year period.

The implementation of this pro- gramme was one of the recommen- dations in the recent report from the National Obesity Task Force.

Speaking about the programme in Mullagh National School, Minister Coughlan said, “The results of the National Children’s Food Survey 2005 tell us that currently in Ireland, some one in five children are over- weight or obese. It is therefore impor- tant that we encourage our children to eat healthily and fruit and vegeta- bles are key in that regard. The Food Dudes programme is designed to encourage children to develop a lik- ing for fruit and vegetables through repeated tasting and to maintain this behavioural change over time.”

School principal Séan McMahon

welcomed the initiative.

“Food Dudes is proving to be pop- ular with both parents and children. It has been successful in increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables among children in Mullagh. I see it as a central element of the schools approach to promoting a healthy en- vironment and seeking to instill in pupils a health conscious approach to diet, which will stay with them throughout their lives.

Mar a deir an seanfhocail “Is fearr an slainte na na tainte,” he said.

WALKING around the narrow halls of Ennis National School the one thing you quickly notice are the pic- tures. There’s quite a few of them.

Old grey images, which chart the school’s achievements through the years, be they sporting or other 8 Ion

Grouped among various teamshots of hurlers, footballers, basketballers, soccer players and the few youth- ful, but instantly recognisable faces of future All-Ireland winners, are photos of the Ennis National School band.

Founded by former teachers Sean McDermott and Michael Collins, the band nurtured and encouraged many

aspiring young musicians.

This year marks the 30th anniver- sary of the band’s formation and to celebrate the occasion a special con- cert will be held in Glor this Wednes- day (March 21).

Two schools from Clare; Knocka- nean National School and Ennis National School will be joined by students from Limerick’s Milford National School for a school band’s spectacular. The students will also share the stage with local piper, Michael Coyne.

This is the second year of the event, which was last year held in the con- cert hall of the University of Limer- ee

Organisers decided it would be ap- propriate to acknowledge the contri-

bution made by Sean McDermott to promoting music in the school.

Teacher Fiona de Buitleir explained how the band developed in the early days.

“We only just realised that the band would be going for 30 years this year. When Sean started the band with another teacher at the time Michael Collins, they didn’t know how to play themselves so they were teach- ing themselves as they were teaching the kids.

“They used to say they were one note ahead of the band while they were playing. At that time they didn’t have a set room, so they used to prac- tice in the hallway.”

Ms de Buitleir said the school band was one of the few forums available

Where children could learn to play music.

“If you think about it, 30 years ago there was no maoincheoil or other eroups where kids could go to play.

“It gave the opportunity to children who weren’t necessarily the best at sport or other areas a chance in the limelight, so from that point of view it was important.

“The band has performed in pa- rades and I| think they got to play in Cusack Park one year.”

The full timetable for the concert is: llam – Knockanean; 11.15am – Milford; 11.30am – Ennis national school during which time the 30 years will be acknowledged.

The grand finale will take place at 11.45am.

STRONGER commitments regard- ing the delivery of broadband serv- ices in Ennis are being sought amid claims Clare could be missing out on thousands of jobs.

Speaking at the monthly meeting of Clare County Council, Councillor Joe Carey stated that many homes in Ennis still had no access to broad- band services.

He called for the council to provide a full report with regard to broad- band services in the county indicat- ing which areas have been enabled and what plans Clare County Coun- cil have to expand the network.

He said, “In reality there is a large part of Ennis that is still without broadband services. No commitment has been given to when it’s going to

start up.”

Responding, Director of Services Community and Enterprise, Tom Coughlan said the council had al- ready submitted proposals for Ennis and Shannon to be included in the Metropolitan Area Networks Pro- eramme (MAN).

“The responsibility for the rollout of broadband services nationally lies with the Department of Communica- tions, Marine and Natural Resourc- oe

“To co-ordinate the delivery of broadband in the Shannon region, Shannon Broadband Company Ltd was established in 2003. This com- pany comprises the six local authori- ties in the mid-west region including Shannon Development.”

Mr Coughlan continued, “The de- partments strategy for broadband

connectivity nationally since 2002 has been on two fronts, The Metro- politan Area Networks Programme (MANs) and the Group Broadband Scheme (GBS). MANs deals with the provision of infrastructure to strategic towns in the country with a population greater than 1500.

“GBS includes towns and commu- nities with a population of less than 1500. Proposals have also been sub- mitted for Ennis and Shannon.

“Government approval and excheq- uer funding will be required for this development. It is anticipated that these projects should be at the plan- ning stage by the end of this year”’

An inadequate broadband infra- structure could also mean that Clare iS missing out on thousands of jobs. That’s according to the Managing Director of Magico.ie, the Ennis

based web design and software de- velopment company.

Paul Montwill said a growing dig- ital divide had emerged between rural and urban areas resulting in a loss of investment, job creation and competitiveness.

Montwill said, “In light of the re- cent significant job losses in the mid- west region, the Government should now look to ways of creating new employment opportunities’.

He continued, “Numerous studies have shown that the development of an advanced communications infra- structure can lead to job creation and retention, increased business effi- ciency, improved education systems, faster industrial growth, increased start-up and entrepreneurial activi- ties, and more productive research and development.”

THE Labour Relations Commis- sion (LRC) is set to put an improved ‘survival plan’ for Shannon before unions this week that is expected to secure the approval of the 550 work- ers at the airport.

The talks between union and man- agement at Shannon continued until 4am on Friday morning, with steady progress made on agreeing a deal.

Negotiations commenced on Wednesday and continued all day through Thursday.

Chief executive of the LRC, Ki- eran Mulvey is expected to present a package to unions possibly as early as today (Tuesday) at Shannon.

The deadline for any progress be- ing made in the current round of talks is this coming Friday, when the first round of lay-offs will commence among the airport’s 90 temporary SENeR

Twenty-three staff are due to lose their jobs in the first round and the Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) has also told a second group of tem- porary workers that they will lose their jobs next month.

However, the lay-offs and industri- al action promised if they go ahead, will be diverted if the LRC — as ex- pected — produces a deal that 1s ac- ceptable to both unions and manage- ment.

Executive Chairman, Pat Shana-

han and Airport Director, Martin Moroney along with Head of Hu- man Resources (HR) at the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), Damien Lenagh headed up the talks on be- half of management, while Pat Fit- zgerald and Tony Carroll represented SOF A source close to the talks told

WARNING bells have been sounded about rogue recruitment agencies who lie to applicants about why they didn’t get a job, send on their CVs without per- mission and bill employers for ‘ghost’ staff they never employed.

A major agency with offices in Gal- way, Cork, Sligo, Dublin and Athlone this week lashed out at, “falling stand- ards, unscrupulous behaviour in an already fragmented and unregulated Th eveLbrsiam Yaa

SUeteBrceuelianets sme ClUbamlOm bKorTN OMI: booming under a national skills short- age in a range of professions and indus- tries. Now the managing director of one of Ireland’s longest established recruit- ment consultancies, Collins McNicho- las, Colman Collins, has been lobbying for nearly seven years for the industry to pep Ker MUI IKeen

“I firmly believe that new legislation is urgently needed if the recruitment industry is ever to be recognised as a provider of professional services.

“The current situation is reaching crisis point. What we have now is a erowing number of agencies — 707 by December 2006 — chasing a reducing number of candidates.

‘This is a recipe for disaster, with em- ployers and job seekers both being short changed in the process.”

Among the horror stories which are brought to the agency are those of cli-

ents whose CVs are sent to firms with- out their permission and who are then bullied by the agency, which demands to represent them.

In other cases, employers complain that some agencies lie to clients about why they didn’t get a job, falsify refer- ence checks or change the client’s email address to get around employers’ IT tracking systems that would otherwise recognise that they already have a cli- ent’s CV.

Several employers have complained that some agencies present invoices for fictional candidates who were never hired by the employer.

One employer who contacted Col- lins McNicholls said that submitting an invoice in excess of the agreed agency rates was a regular tactic of one particu- lar agency.

While many agencies maintain scru- pulous dealings, Collins said, “Every week, one of my consultants tells me a horror story of an employer or a job seeker, about the unprofessional behav- iour and practices of some recruitment agencies.’

Collins said that a “recruitment agen- cy in Ireland can be established with great ease by anyone really, with no formal qualification required and very little monitoring of activities, so the re- sults of the present situation are not only predictable but inevitable…Legislation is the only answer and the sooner the eres wae