Month: January 2008

THE way is now clear for the smooth relocation of 300 staff to Clare Coun- ty Council’s €27 million HQ after a dispute with IMPACT has been re- solved — for now.

Last month, IMPACT members voted four to one for industrial action in relation to disciplinary procedures that the council have in place.

The vote threatened to disrupt the council’s relocation from_ offices around Ennis back to the recently completed HQ, which is set to be

open to the public on Wednesday.

However, the vote by 130 members of its 270 strong membership at the council overwhelmingly voted for industrial action.

In response to the threat of industri- al action, the two sides met last week and agreed to refer the council’s con- tentious disciplinary procedures to a third party.

The third party will be a profession- al in the industrial relations field.

According to a spokesman for IM- PACT, the union are anxious that members be afforded proper union

representation in disciplinary proce- dures and that the employees be made aware of allegations before them.

The spokesman said that an issue that will be addressed by the third party will be staff transfers with only 24 hours notice as a means of disci- plining a staff member.

The IMPACT spokesman said: ‘The council denies that the transfers are carried out to discipline people, but we take a different view.”

The spokesman said that the dis- pute had the potential to disrupt the council’s relocation if it was not re-

solved.

He added: “We are asking that the council deal with people in a civi- lised way.”

The major logistical exercise of re- locating to the council’s new HQ was continuing last night.

As well as providing office accom- modation for 300 staff, the new cor- porate headquarters incorporates a number of environmentally friendly measures and will operate as a natu- rally ventilated building. Some solar panels and a wood chip heating sys- tem have been installed.

SPANISH Point is set to become one of the world’s leading sites for the production of wave energy following the launch of the Ocean Energy Ini- tiative last week.

The new initiative, which guaran- tees a price of €0.22 for each KW hour of ‘blue’ energy, has made Ireland the world’s most attractive market for the generation of wave energy.

Spanish Point was identified by the Irish Marine Institutes as one of Ire-

land’s top four sites for the produc- tion of wave energy. Indeed, it was short-listed as a possible site for the creation of Ireland’s first test facility for wave energy.

“Places like Spanish Point are now going to get more and more attractive because investors will be able to see exactly what price they will be able to get for the energy in the long term,” said Andrew Parish, of pioneering wave energy company, Wavebob.

“Investors will be able to go into Spanish Point, examine the prevalent wave strength and predict with cer-

tainty exactly what revenue they will be able to make. This will make it much easier to get financial backing for large-scale projects.”

“The real key is that we will have market stability. This makes it attrac- tive for developers such as ourselves to invest and it also makes it easier for us finance major projects.”

With a host of new wave energy generators at the prototype stage, the wave energy market is expected to boom over the next 10 years.

“We are relying more than 90 per cent in Ireland on fossil fuels. So by

having this tariff for renewable en- ergy, it encourages more alternative clean sources of energy into the mar- ket, which will actually make energy cheaper in the long run,” continued Mr Parish.

“Fossil fuels are going to get more and more expensive as time goes by, and wave energy is going to become a reality.

“Not only will Irish companies be looking at developing sites like Spanish Point, but international com- panies will be there too. It 1s very at- tractive for them.”

IN WHAT proved to be a turbulent week for the meat Industry in Ireland, Glanbia finally removed themselves from the once lucrative involvement in the meat industry.

A deal, reported to be worth less than €10 million, is in place to sell the remains of the company’s inter- ests in the meat industry to a man- agement-led consortium.

The company will instead focus more heavily on areas such as cheese, nutritional ingredients and consumer foods with a nutritional emphasis.

Glanbia’s meat business was one of the leading pork slaughterer and processor in Ireland and it processed

1.2 million animals last year. That represents almost half of all the port slaughtered in Ireland in 2007.

Employing 850 people, the busi- ness operates from four facilities in Ireland, including two modern slaughtering plants at Roscrea and and Edenderry.

It also operates the only pork-head boning facility in Ireland in Offaly and a bacon curing and processing facility in Leitrim.

Along with the slaughtering of animals, the company 1s also one of the largest pig-farming operations in Ireland, with 4,500 sows across six ie Nesny

Meanwhile, Teagasc last week an- nounced details of development plan

to strengthen the pig industry in Ire- land.

The plan was compiled after an ex- tensive consultation process with all the main stakeholders in the sector.

The key issues facing the Irish in- dustry are addressed including the competitiveness of Irish pig produc- ers and how it compares to the in- dustry in other European and inter- national countries.

The report found that around 7,000 people are employed in the sector in- cluding about 1,200 on farms. Cur- rently, close to 500 pig producers in Ireland produce 3.6 million pigs annually. The Irish industry exports approximately 60 per cent of its pro- duction and is worth €250 million

annually. The report also states that pork is the most consumed meat in the world accounting for 38 per cent of meat consumption worldwide.

‘“Ireland’s position as a world leader in pig productivity has recently been overtaken by a number of its main competitors,’ said Brendan Lynch, Head of the Teagasc Pig Production Unit.

“A key factor in improving produc- tivity in future is to improve skill levels at farm level.”

During 2007 feed ingredient prices worldwide soared. Typically feed ac- counts for about 70 per cent of the cost of producing a pig and high feed costs in Ireland require very efficient use of feed on the farm.

IRISH farmers have been told to re- main vigilant following the discov- ery of a fourth swan infected with bird flu in England on Thursday.

IFA National Poultry Committee Chairman Ned Morrissey said last week that reports of the bird flu in England reinforces the need for poultry growers here to maintain the highest levels of vigilance.

‘Producers here have implemented extra measures such as the installa- tion of water chlorination systems to ensure the health status of their flocks is protected,’ he said.

“Flock owners are safeguarding

their domestic flocks by having the highest levels of bio-security meas- ures in place, to avoid any exposure to wild birds.

“Poultry producers meet the high- est veterinary standards at all times, and are particularly vigilant at the moment to protect the health of their flocks.”

The new outbreak has renewed calls for the routine vaccination of all free-range, organic and hobby birds in the UK against the deadly flu virus.

The Elm Farm Organic Research Centre has been campaigning for such a preventive strategy for more than two years. The Defra institute

has a stock of 10 million does of vac- cine but so far they have been offered only for use to save rare birds and collections in zoos.

Richard Sanders, senior policy re- Searcher at the centre, said the latest outbreak at Abbotsbury was now “a trigger point” and gave a definite in- dication the virus was circulating in wild birds.

Sanders has urged Defra to release its stocks of HSNI1 vaccine to start an orderly programme of preventive acer eeeloele

However, a spokesperson from the British Department of Agriculture siad late last week that there was, as yet, no evidence of a large infection.

‘There is currently no evidence to Suggest widespread disease in the wild bird population but enhanced surveillance is taking place and poultry keepers in the area are re- minded to remain vigilant,” said her spokesperson.

Britain’s first case of the strain was in a wild swan found dead in Cel- lardyke in Scotland in 2006 and there have subsequently been outbreaks at poultry farms in eastern England, most recently in November 2007.

The virulent HSN1 strain has killed more than 210 people worldwide since 2003 and millions of birds had either died from it or been killed to prevent its spread.

ONGOING traffic congestion in Sixmilebridge is of a huge concern to locals, who fear that a major ac- cident will happen, unless the issue

is addressed.

That was the message delivered during a debate on a proposal to widen a bridge in the village, at a meeting of Shannon area councillors last week.

Clare County Council Senior Ex- ecutive Engineer Donal Hogan said he has asked the roads section to look at the possibility of widening the bridge.

He said there have been several new residential estates completed in

the area, while a major new commer- cial development is also mooted.

“The width of the bridge would be a major factor in the satisfactory operation of the bridge,’ said Mr Hogan.

“It is a protected structure. That is one of the issues,” he added.

Independent councillor Patricia McCarthy said that traffic conges- tion in Sixmilebridge “is actually dangerous. It is very hard to solve the problem. Maybe we should go for a ring road.”

CUlr Gerry Flynn (Independent) said the council has recognised that a problem exists.

“It would make a lot more sense if money was spent on the southern

Ring Road. I wouldn’t support what you are proposing. I think that’s wrong and would be a stop gap,’ said Cir Flynn.

Cllr John Crowe (FG), who lives in the area, said he had proposed the footbridge but “I don’t mind that be- ing put on hold.”

“I feel there should be an overall job done on it. A few years ago New- market was choked. That’s gone now to Sixmilebridge,” he said.

“If road design are coming in and doing an overall job and if it’s going to take that bit extra time to do it, at least do something that is going to be there for generations to come,” said Saver

Cllr Pat McMahon (FF) said the

problem exists and “will not go away. It will get worse. There could be a major accident”.

Shannon Town Manager Ger Dol- lard said there are issues in Sixmi- lebridge.

“The area engineer iS saying as Sixmilebridge develops, strategic decisions will be taken. There are is- sues which need indepth discussion,” he said.

Referring to suggestions regarding a relief road, he said, “It was devel- oper-led. I don’t think the council has acquired any lands in relation to that road. It is an issue that needs to be addressed. As Sixmilebridge de- velops further, the problem is going to get worse.”

A YOUNG Shannon student’s skills in art have been recognised in a na- tional awards competition in which she scooped first place.

14-year-old Desislava Valkanova, a student at St Caimin’s in Shan- non, won the top prize in a postcard competition which was organised by Léargus, which promotes language learning 1n Ireland.

The event was organised to cele- brate European day of languages last September and the winners have just

been announced.

Junior cycle German students were asked to depict a site of cultural in- terest for another country and write a message in a language of that coun- try on a postcard.

Dessi, who is a native of Bulgaria and moved to Shannon with her fam- ily a few years ago, drew a picture of the Aleksandar Nevski Cathedral in Sofia and wrote a friendly message in her native tongue on the back.

She even went to the lengths of drawing a stamp on the back of the postcard. Her work earned her a

book token for €500.

Dessi and 16 others from St Caimin’s entered the competition. While Desi particularly impressed the judges, her schoolmates also fared well as they were all com- mended on their efforts.

Her teacher Anne O’Loughlin, who organised the competition in St Caimin’s, said everyone was very proud of Desi, who thoroughly de- served the award.

“She is deserving of the award and always puts her heart and soul into her work. It is great to see her getting

some kind of recognition,” she said.

“We are thrilled. We incorporated this into celebrating the European day of languages,” she said.

This was the first time that the school entered this competition and Ms O’Loughlin is optimistic that this success will be followed by fu- ture accolade.

A SHANNON councillor has been accused of painting a “bleak” picture in relation to funding available to Shannon Town Council.

The comment was made by the Town Manager Ger Dollard, after Cllr Gerry Flynn (Independent) said that lack of funding for the local au- thority was proving problematic.

The discussion arose amidst a de- bate on the effects of flooding in various parts of Shannon.

Cllr Patricia McCarthy raised the issue, Saying she wished to thank the council staff who worked so hard to get to the root of the flooding in Drumgeely.

Clare County Council Senior Ex- ecutive Engineer Donal Hogan said there are “always gulleys getting blocked in Shannon”.

He said that manhole covers in the Corrib Drive estate had been lifted and a section of the sewer which had been blocked was freed.

A similar problem had been recti- fied at St Conaire’s school, said Mr Hogan.

He added that he was confident that the problems in those areas will not recur.

Councillor Gerry Flynn said, “They have left you with no funding. You have no money. You haven’t enough of a crew. This is the facts of it,’ he Said.

He said he regularly walks and said he believed that 90 per cent of paths “were not accessible in certain areas’.

‘Planners allowed so much develop- ment in the Ballycasey area. Women with buggies couldn’t get out of their homes in the last few weeks. A lot of this is due to developers leaving infrastructure around,” he said.

“Money has to be found to do something with the infrastructure in general in Shannon,” he added.

Shannon Town Manager Ger Dol- lard reacted to Cllr Flynn’s com- ments and said, “Councillor Flynn is painting a very bleak picture. It is a phenomenon. Climate change is hap- pening in Shannon.”

Mr Dollard stressed that there had been “a huge volume of water in the past couple of weeks”’.

He said, “We certainly could do with more funding. We will contin- ue to try to improve the situation. I don’t think the picture is as bleak as it’s being painted.”

Cllr Flynn said he wanted to point out that improvements had been made in a number of areas such as lighting and footpaths, but there was a lack of funding in other areas.

“I have no problem working with the council to try and get extra fund- ing. I don’t think it’s fair of you to say I am painting a totally bleak picture. I have to tell the truth,” said Swe aise

THE FUTURE of Irish traditional music in East Clare is secure and well, according to Tulla concertina player and teacher, Mary McNama- ra. And Mary should know, having taught concertina and fiddle in the area for the last 12 years.

Now some of her young musicians Mary are to take centre-stage at the Comhaltas HQ, Cois na hAbhanna in Ennis for a seisitin that will showcase East Clare talent.

The 20 youngsters — aged 10 to 18 — will play the venue at the invitation of Comhaltas on January 25, and a fabulous night of music, song, poetry and dancing is promised.

“We have such a wealth of talent

here that I could have picked more than the 20 needed for the pro- gramme,’ said Mary.

Since before Christmas, the music students have been practicing the tunes, solos, duets and songs they will perform on the night.

‘We have a very varied programme including a couple of O’Carrolan ar- rangements. They had to learn the tunes and that comes naturally to these youngsters, but they also had to learn to play on a group Seetting or with other musicians. But they’re all very talented and capable.”

The seisitin is an informal evening, more like a gathering by the fireside of a home or cosy pub.

As well as the youngsters under Mary’s direction, students from the

Anne Burke school of traditional dancing in Scariff will perform.

Comhaltas have a programme of seisiun nights planned for their newly refurbished HQ, which gives musicians a platform to perform and families a venue to share the pleasure of music at a reasonable price.

An adult ticket for the evening costs just €5 and a family ticket can be bought for €10.

Mary has been preparing students for competitions and performances for many years. Her daughter, Sor- chadha Costello, won the All Ireland Under 12 fiddle title in August last year and her son, Padraig plays piano with the seisiun group.

As well as Mary, Mike Willis teaches piano, Conor Keane teaches

accordian and John Kelly teaches flute.

The evening fits in with the ethos that Mary likes to bring to her les- sons.

“T want the children not just to learn the tunes themselves but to en- joy their music and to be aware of the rich heritage they have in learning the tunes and the style of East Clare. And through evenings like this, they also learn that the greatest joy in per- forming is the pleasure they bring to an audience through their music,” she said.

AN INDEPENDENT radio producer from Scariff has been nominated for an award in the radio documentary category of the prestigious Interna- tional Celtic Media Festival which will be held this year in Ireland.

Paula Carroll of Rag and Bone Pro- ductions previously won the award, regarded as the “Oscars of the world- wide radio industry”, in 2004.

The Celtic Media Festival, held each year in one of the Celtic coun- tries, 1s a celebration of radio, TV and film work produced in those ar-

eas. This year the Festival returns to Ireland for the first time since 1998.

The radio documentary ‘I’ll Find a High Mountain’ tells the story of the O’Donoghues, one of the last Travel- ler families who still take to the road in the West of Ireland every year. Produced by Ms Carroll, it was made with the support of the BCI’s Sound and Vision Scheme and broadcast on RTE Radio One in 2007.

Radio listeners in Clare will be familiar with the work of Rag and Bone Productions through the re- cent, hugely successful series of live traditional music broadcasts “The

Kitchen Sessions’ on Clare FM.

Paula Carroll won the Celtic Media Festival award in 2004 for her docu- mentary ‘Living with Dara’, also broadcast on the Clare station. That also won the World Silver Medal at the New York Festival for Radio Pro- eramming.

Another independent radio produc- er associated with Clare FM, Mary Owens of Well Said Productions, has been nominated in the same category for her documentary on Hanna Gre- ally, who was forcibly detained in a midlands psychiatric hospital for al- most 20 years.

The aim of the festival is to pro- mote the languages and cultures of the Celtic countries onscreen and in broadcasting.

The Festival is an annual three-day celebration of broadcasting, film tal- ent and excellence from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and Brit- tany and is supported by broadcast, film, cultural and economic develop- ment organisations throughout those Kosta (Once

The awards presentation will be made at the Celtic Media Festival in Galway which will take place from April 16 to 18.

Coie tre for Environmental Living and Training (CELT) in Scariff to plans for the development of eight 410 ft high turbines that will supply elec- tricity to 22,000 homes.

As part of the plan, the developers propose to remove 425 acres of for- est plantation.

Clare County Council is due to make a decision on the submission by Ventus Energy before the end of the month but local residents have

already lodged objections and the Department of the Environment has also expressed concerns.

In a fresh objection, CELT claims that “contrary to local community attempts to regenerate the economy, available data shows that house and farm prices in the vicinity of wind farms drop by up to 20 per cent”.

The group claims that this would be unacceptable to the local commu- nity who are “trying to regenerate the economy of this disadvantaged region’.

The objection continues, “Small turbines for single households or small communities are the only type acceptable. The proposal for new generation 3MW massive turbines is

totally out of the question; standard- sized turbines as at Derrybrien are unacceptable.

‘“Land-based wind farms should be a thing of the past. There is now the technology and opportunity to situ- ate wind farms at sea where they will maximise use of the Atlantic winds and minimise pressure on the envi- ronment, tourism and local commu- nities.

“If they must be situated on land, then it ought to be in an unpopulated area away from designated landscape and near to the coast and a smaller scale development.

“The size of designated areas is totally inadequate and on this basis CELT would be concerned that these

designations will be forcibly en- larged by intervention from the EU and any damage to the landscape/ ecology/habitats would then have to be rectified.

‘To interfere with this important ecosystem and habitats is contrary to all efforts to improve and enhance biodiversity in accordance with EU directives.

‘Several migratory bird species are known to frequent the area including protected greenland white-fronted geese, lapwing, golden plover, red erouse, merlin, peregrine, kestrel, snipe, curlew and a number of spe- cies of bat — all of these would be threatened by rotating wind turbine blades,” the CELT objection states.