Month: January 2008

A CLAIM by religious order, Sisters of Mercy that a housing development in the seaside resort of Lahinch will be a “concrete jungle” has been re- jected by its developers.

Last year, Brendan O’Doherty, Patrick Montgomery, Paul Mont- gomery and John McInerney lodged plans for 114 residential units, with a number of those holiday homes.

However, in an objection, the Sis- ters of Mercy expressed their opposi- tion to the proposal, describing it as

a concrete jungle.

The development has also attracted opposition from residents and the proprietors of Vaughan Lodge Hotel. It has now been scaled back to 94 units and developers’ planning con- sultants state that the Sisters of Mer- cy claim “is clearly not the case”.

The consultants add: “The propos- als are very carefully designed with careful considerations to the County Clare Rural House Design Guide. The site has been carefully designed in terms of plot widths, building height and material choice.

“The development is predominantly two storey with the only three storey portions located carefully within the development.”

The consultants continue, “The three storey parts are located so as to have no impact upon the residential amenity of existing homes adjacent to the site.

“The fact that local people are find- ing it increasingly difficult to buy houses in their home area 1s an unfor- tunate reality. This scheme provides a wide mix of residence types in an integrated and inclusive scheme.”

Meanwhile, Michael and Maria Vaughan of Vaughan Lodge Hotel have also expressed opposition to the proposal.

“The nature of development in Lahinch over the past 10 years has prevented many locals from fulfill- ing their aspiration to live locally. The transient population of summer house owners creates massive pres- sure on scarce resources for a period of 10 weeks in summer and leaves the village without community for long periods in the winter.

“The result is that it is difficult to

ensure sustainable life in the village as house prices are beyond reach and the developments thus far are not ap- propriate for long term settlement.

“All of the previous developments although they were promoted as ‘permanent’ in terms of planning, have all been built or purchased by short-term seasonable occupiers.

‘We have a real fear that unless the nature of this proposed development is altered, the village will suffer ad- versely.”

A decision is due on the application later this month.

THE Western Development Com- mission’s, (WDC) investment arm, the WDC Investment Fund, invested €6.2 million in 17 projects during 2007.

Since it was set up, the investment fund has made investments totalling €27/m.

Gillian Buckley, WDC CEO, said, “The size of the WDC Investment Fund’s continuing investments 1s ev1- dence of the excellent stock of com- mercially viable projects in the west- ern region. The 2006 census shows the region has been able to attract an adaptable and educated workforce as evidenced by a population increase in line with the national average,” she said.

“There is a high demand for a fund of our kind that is the only source of venture funds specifically available

for enterprises in the western region. Through the fund we are success- fully filling the ‘funding gap’, allow- ing projects to get off the ground, erow more quickly and bring them to a stage where it is in a position to attract funding from the private sec- tor.”

WDC investment fund recipients during the past year include FMC Tech Ltd, based in Shannon, which has developed the Crystal System, which provides electrical utilities with the ability to locate, measure and predict faults on overhead me- dium-voltage power lines.

THE pre-Christmas partial ban on Brazilian beef imports into the EU has been welcomed cautiously by the farming organisations.

Speaking from Brussels, the IFA President Padraig Walshe stated that only an outright ban will fully safe- guard the European Union from the risk of Foot and Mouth Disease from Brazilian beef imports.

However, Mr Walshe had to con- cede that the restrictions decided upon for Brazil, particularly the re- quirement that all holdings for export to the EU must be approved and list- ed publicly, is a significant step for- ward. “The decision of the European Commission indicates that the new

restrictions on approved holdings should limit the number of Brazilian farms meeting the new criteria for export to Europe. These new restric- tions should limit exports to a small number of farms, if properly imple- mented,” he said.

“The IFA campaign over the last two years highlighting the failure of Brazil to meet EU standards has been fully vindicated. The commis- sion again have admitted that they have identified serious instances of non compliance with regard to hold- ing registration, animal identification and movement controls and a failure to respect their previous commit- ments to take the appropriate correc- tive measures.”

The Commission decision goes on

to state that, “it is only possible to al- low imports to continue on a secure basis by strengthening the control and surveillance for holdings from which animals eligible for export to the community are sourced and by establishing a provisional list of such approved holdings”.

“FMD is endemic in Brazil and only a total ban will safeguard the European Union. Previous attempts to regulate Brazilian beef imports to Europe have fallen down due to a lack of traceability and movement controls, ineffective vaccination against FMD and the inability of the Brazilian authorities to implement proper controls,” said IFA National Livestock Chairman, John Bryan.

The ban was also welcomed by

Irish MEP Marian Harkins. **The fact that it took the Irish Farmers Asso- ciation and the Irish Farmers Journal to expose the deficiencies inherent in the Brazilian cattle production and processing industry casts doubt on the efficacy of the EU’s veterinary and food safety system,” she said .

“The investigation of Brazilian controls in the beef sector by Irish in- terests was first rubbished by repre- sentatives of the EU Food & Veteri- nary Office and was not supported by our minister for agriculture. But the pressure maintained by the IFA, sup- ported by the Agriculture Commit- tee of the European Parliament and members such as myself has forced this reassessment of non-compliance by Brazil with EU requirements.”

, the HSE was unable to say which specialist pa- tients in Ennis were waiting to see.

Meanwhile, the National Treatment Purchase Fund, which has helped to reduce the surgical waiting lists, only applies to people who have been seen by aconsultant and are scheduled for treatment or an operation.

The real wait for patients now 1s to see the consultant.

While those close to the hospital services in the region say that an audit of the waiting list is long over- due as many patients may have died or received treatment elsewhere, the wait is still highly criticised.

Fine Gael spokesperson on health Dr James Reilly, said he would be in- terested in knowing how many peo- ple have literally died waiting.

While Ennis hospital has recorded its longest waiting period as four

and a half years, the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Dooradoyle has a waiting list of three years with 13,074 people waiting.

Neighbouring hospital at Portiun- cula has a waiting list of more than four years, while patients have been waiting to be seen at Galway’s two main hospitals since 2000. A total of 18,206 people have been waiting.

These startling figures were re- leased in the same week that top acci- dent and emrgency doctors criticised HSE CEO Prof Brendan Drumm of having “limited experience” in emer- gency medicine and medical care.

The A and E specialists predicted that at least 360 people will lose their lives as a result of A and E over- crowding this year.

The president of the Irish Associa- tion of Emergency Medicine Dr Fer- gal Hickey called on the HSE to fol- low the UK example and introduce a mandatory waiting time for A and E beyond which patients would not have to wait.

A major report into the A and E cri- sis had previously recommended that a limit be imposed on patient wait- ing times in A and E departments nationally.

An analysis of the HSE national figures by emergency consultant Mr Patrick Plunkett found patient delays in A and E had become worse in re- cent months however.

FEARS that a dispute might ground Aer Lingus flights have been allevi- ated after SIPTU agreed to go along with procedures suggested by the Na- tional Implementation Body (NIB). SIPTU shop stewards agreed to

keep working with Aer Lingus to shave another €10 million off the airline’s budget. Agreement has al- ready been reached on how the air- line can save an initial €10 million, mainly through the introduction of flexible start times and new rosters. The union had threatened stoppages

which would have grounded planes at Shannon and other airports. In a statement SIPTU said it has “agreed to remain within the process estab- lished by the National Implementa- tion Body to find alternative ways of achieving the €20 million savings being sought by Aer Lingus manage-

ment”.

Shop stewards considered the pro- posals made by the NIB on Decem- ber 21 and are “happy it is achieving our objective of identifying alterna- tive savings to the proposed cuts in pay being sought by the company, ’ according to Aer Lingus Branch Or- ganiser, Teresa Brannick.

SIPTU has referred the pay freeze imposed by the company on employ- ees on October | to the Labour Re- lations Commission and the Labour Court. A spokeswoman for the union said this does not interfere with the NIB process.

An Aer Lingus spokeswoman not- ed the outcome of the shop stewards’ meeting and welcomed “their leader- ship in this important process.”

She added that the company is “ful- ly committed to continuing to engage positively with the union”.

The row behind the threatened rollover stoppages centres on union claims that proposed airline meas- ures will cost staff €4,000 a year.

The NIB has recommended that negotiations should be completed by the end of this month. The savings so far have been agreed with ground staff. Further savings will be sought from other workers, including cabin crew, pilots and craft workers.

Rolling stoppages had been threat- ened for dates in mid-November. The NIB, the state’s industrial relations trouble-shooting body, stepped in at the eleventh hour to bring the two sides together.

STAFF at Aer Lingus in Shannon have expressed concerns that they are no longer retraining for short- haul flights.

The 169 cabin crew at the airline must take part in a refresher course every year to retain the licence nec- essary to work on short-haul flights.

In recent months, however, staff returning from maternity leave were told that they would not be retrained in short-haul flights this year, just transatlantic.

Sources close to the airline said that since then no other cabin crew have been called for short-haul flight training. A concerned Shan- non worker said that staff have since learnt that a mandate has been issued stating such training will no longer continue in Shannon.

“If a case of lightning striking the plane happens in Shannon again, as it did at the weekend, and the plane is grounded, another crew will have to be brought from Dublin to accom- pany the passengers to Dublin as the new flight will be considered short-

haul.”

The worker said that the training 1s just one extra module with the trans- atlantic retraining and a few extra questions on the annual teat.

If this continues, there will be no staff trained in short-haul flights in Shannon this time next year. Mean- while, talks are continuing at the La- bour Relations Commission, based in Shannon for the first time ever.

While Aer Lingus is looking for 51 redundancies following the removal of the Heathrow slots from Shannon, it is believed that just 20 employees

have applied for the severance deal.

The original cut-off point for ap- plications for the severance deal was this Thursday but that has been ex- tended for three weeks, so staff can consider any recommendations made by the LRC.

Meanwhile, the last Aer Lingus flight to London-Heathrow will leave Shannon on Sunday.

Speaking on Radio One’s

GREEN Party councillor, Brian Meaney has accused his party col- league, Energy Minister, Eamon Ryan of showing little sensitivity towards the Shannon Heathrow controversy.

Cllr Meaney made the charge yes- terday after Minister Ryan admitted that he went and relaxed on a beach during a family holiday last August after hearing about the Aer Lingus decision to axe the Shannon-Heath- row service.

In a radio interview last week, Minister Ryan said, “I turned on the

radio every morning and heard that Shannon was top of the news. I’d just turn off the radio and go back to the beach and relax for the day so I had a lovely holiday. It was a great break.”

The minister’s remarks have pro- voked an angry reaction from Clare’s mayor, Cllr Patricia McCarthy and yesterday Cllr Meaney said, “Minis- ter Ryan’s remarks showed little sen- sitivity to the issue and to those who gave up their annual holidays to try to save the slots.”

Cllr Meaney said that Minister Ryan’s decision to relax on a beach

after hearing of the Shannon-Heath- row controversy reflected the attitude of the political establishment to the crisis last year.

Cllr Meaney said, “Minister Ry- an’s remarks were off the cuff and he could have chosen his words more or Nacsa veh Yam

Cllr Meaney said that the failure of the political establishment to act on the Shannon issue reinforces his belief that there is a certain indiffer- ence to the mid-west from Dublin.

In the aftermath of the Aer Lingus decision during the summer, Cllr Meaney said that he is considering

his future within the Greens and he confirmed yesterday that he hasn’t made his mind up on his future.

He said, “The Shannon-Heathrow controversy precipitated my thinking about my future within the Greens and other issues that will affect my decision include how the Greens view the upcoming referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.”

Cllr Meaney said that there was very little that the Government could have done on the Shannon-Heathrow issue in the face of the Aer Lingus management transferring the slots by stealth.

FARMERS are being encouraged to place an embargo on cattle being sold to factories — unless a major price increase is forthcoming.

Stock levels being sold to factories are currently at very low levels and any further decrease in the supply coming to factories could result in shortages of Irish beef in the home market.

Last Thursday, IFA president Pad- raig Walshe said that Irish farmers are not prepared to Sell cattle with- out a substantial price increase. Mr Walshe said that with finished cat- tle supplies extremely tight, factory

procurement managers and agents are finding it impossible to get stock at current price levels ranging from €2.97/kg (06p/Ib) to €3.14/kg (112p/Ib).

“Finished cattle supplies are ex- tremely scarce and farmers with cat- tle to sell have something factories desperately need. There was a full sell-out of beef in both the UK and domestic markets over the Christ- mas period and there is nothing left in stock,” he said.

“Brazil is now out of the picture and retailers cannot plan for any availability of Brazilian beef consid- ering the recent decision of the EU Grosenbeebicsy (eye mae

IFA National Livestock Commit- tee Chairman John Bryan said cat- tle feeders are determined to secure higher prices for finished stock to cover the substantial feed price in- creases this year and leave a reason- able margin.

The cost of finishing cattle has increased greatly, especially in the winter, as the cost of feed has risen greatly across Europe. This increase is a result of a scarceness in corn, due to poor weather conditions across Europe in 2007 and the loss of a number of traditional corn pro- ducers to bio-fuel.

“Brazil is now out of the equa- tion. Finished cattle supplies are not

available in any volumes in either Ireland or the UK and retail demand remains very strong,’ said Mr Bry- 2aOe

‘Factories had the power on price prior to Christmas with large num- bers of cattle coming off grass. The price power balance has now shifted to the farmer. Cattle numbers are scarce and farmers must demand a major price increase.

‘Factories need the cattle and now is the time for cattle farmers to insist on a price that covers production costs and leave a reasonable margin. Factories need to respond posi- tively to ensure a year-round cattle

supply.”

FOLLOWING the Government climb-down on the water charges issue in primary schools before Christmas, farmers have launched a fresh campaign seeking a transitional period to be introduced governing the payment of water charges. Speaking last week, IFA Con- naught vice president Michael Silke said that contradictory comments made by various Government min- isters and Department of Environ- ment officials over the last number of weeks have caused further confusion as to the extent to which the penal

watering charging regime needs to be introduced. “Local authorities now recognise the excessive charges which are being imposed on farmers and are supporting the Irish Farm- ers’ Association (IFA) in our plight for fair and equitable water charging for all,” he said.

“This Government and the De- partment of the Environment have allowed local authorities to unfairly impose an inequitable domestic wa- ter usage restriction on farm families while every other user of local au- thority water has unlimited usage.”

Mr Silke has been critical of the local authority meter charges and

the charge for leaking water asso- ciated with the inadequate water Hevea KieueCe MUD KSs

“It is ludicrous to expect the farming community to pay for years of underinvestment in water infra- structure. It is ridiculous that farmers are expected to pay for the antiquat- ed leaking water pipes and the water, which never even reaches the farm. Farmers are not prepared to pay for water leakage or infrastructure,” Mr Silke added.

“The new water charging regime proposed by local authorities lacks clarity, varies 1n each county and penalises farmers for the excessive

water leakage of some 64 per cent, which local authorities have in their water infrastructure.

“IT cannot see how this Government can justify various levels of water charges, which for the average dairy farmer in a county such as Sligo will make it more than €1,500 more expensive to produce and process milk for drinking than other neigh- bouring countries.

“Until local authorities and the min- ister for the environment propose a reasonable water charging regime for farmers the IFA are advising farm- ers to pay the annual flat rates which were 1n place in previous years.”

WHILE businesses nationally were complaining of a slow Christmas trade, the west Clare capital was celebrating one of its busiest festive seasons in recent years.

“Given all the gloom and pessi- mism nationally we were pleasantly surprised to find Christmas trade slightly up on last year,’ said one busy retailer.

Kilrush Chamber of Commerce

reported that the businesses of the town were very pleased with trade this year.

PRO for the chamber Charles Glynn lay some of the success with the new designer Christmas lights which added new life to the town.

“It gave us as terrific boost,” he Sr HLGe

A special promotion day on Decem- ber 16 also started off the Christmas trade in style as shoppers availed of 20 per cent off at most shops.

While last year the west Clare capi- tal may have had to recycle decade old lights this year its residents and visitors had a state of the art LED lighting display to bring festive cheer to the town.

Designing the display for the mari- time town took a lot of planning, with challenges like the width of Francis Street having to be overcome.

The lights will be installed in two stages with the majority of the work already completed this year.

The main streets were lit up for December 2007, with smaller streets catered for in the second phase.

Kilrush Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Kilrush Town Council is currently undertaking the ambitious “Spirit of Kilrush Christ- mas Lighting Project’.

Th project is being supported by generous sponsorship from ESB Moneypoint, Kilrush Credit Union and other smaller businesses in the area.