Month: September 2008

CLARE County Council’s bid to se- cure millions of euro through naming rights for the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre has been dismissed as a futile exercise and a waste of money.

Local councillor Martin Conway (FG) made the charge after the coun- cil failed to name a single benefactor almost two years after it unveiled the Sol sles alee

In November 2006, the council announced it was seeking donors principally in the US to part with €1 million to have their names attached to the council’s “premium viewing

platforms”, including the famous O’Brien’s Tower overlooking the At- lantic Ocean.

The council was also offering nam- ing rights to seating bollards on the main concourse for €50,000 and seeking €©500,000 for viewing plat- forms on the cliff edge.

Those interested in having a slab named after them at the cliff walk were asked to stump up to €10,000 while anyone tempted by a bench with their name on it would have to shell out up to €25,000.

Also on offer were naming rights for facilities in the cliffs centre rang- ing from €200,000 for the audio-

visual theatre and €100,000 for the interpretative area.

The council has already named the first aid room at the cliffs after Nicho- las Stokes, the young baby who died there in July 2006 and whose parents Delia and Kelly pledged $86,000 for the facility in his memory.

The first aid room doesn’t come within the remit of the council spon- sorship scheme and the website page relating to benefactors showed no names and included outdated infor- mation.

Referring to the lack of response, Cllr Conway said that while he un- derstood the strategy, there was a

need to go back to the drawing board and not be “going around with the begging bowl”.

“The idea was to get soft money from the US, but there is no such thing as soft money and the notion of €25,000 to have your name on a park bench is not something that people have bought into.”

Cllr Conway said that the drive to secure money for the sponsorship scheme was a “futile exercise’.

He added, “It was a waste of money and I would like to know how much money was spent on trying to get the funding. I just don’t think enough thought went into it.”

AS children from across the county return to school this week in their thousands, some small schools re- main under threat of closure in the coming years.

While an increase in population through returning Irish emigrants, new immigrants and the relocation of families through Rural Resettle- ment Ireland has turned around the fortunes of many one and two teach- er schools, not all have benefitted.

Chairman of RRI, Jim Connolly, said that a number of schools are in difficulty, but many more have ben- IOLA SLe B

During the past number of years, communities in danger of losing their school have contacted the Kil- baha based organisation in the hope of encouraging families to the area.

Although in many cases families have successfully been relocated to an area not all choose the local school.

‘Parents have a total right to decide where their children go to school. Families can’t be told what to do, therefore there has been disappoint- ments as well as successes,” said Mr Connolly.

“You do your best for the local school but parent choice is number one,” he said.

Small schools provide an identity and focal point for many small com- munities, particularly in west Clare, as well as providing for the local children’s education.

While some schools continue to struggle to sustain numbers to re- main open, many more have been hailed a success in the race to keep

children coming through the school eee oe

For the past 18 years, families have been relocating from Dublin to Clare and schools once under threat of closure are now seeing an increase in the number of names on the roll book.

For Jim Connolly the greatest suc-

cess of Rural Resettlement Ireland’s contribution to Clare schools is the second and third generation of reset- tled families that are now attending Weloeee

“IT am really tickled when I see grandchildren of families who moved going to the schools,” he said.

“These children are following in

the footsteps of their parents who moved west with their families to start school 18 years ago.

‘As far as Iam concerned what we tried to do is working,” he said.

AS classroom sizes and adequate school accommodation remains an issue throughout the county, two east Clare schools received planning per- mission for temporary accommoda- tion.

Just over a week ago Clare County Council granted Scoil Seanain Nao- fa, Clonlara, permission to install two prefabricated stand-alone class- rooms.

The permission was granted sub- ject to a number of conditions in- cluding that all surface water runoffs generated by the proposal shall be collected and disposed of within the site, and shall not be disposed of to public sewers.

The conditions also outlined that in the event that the proposed prefab units become obsolete, the Board of Management shall at its own expense remove them and return the site to its original condition. Otherwise the

planning permission is valid for five years.

The planning authority also or- dered that and existing pipes beneath the structure would be encased in 100 mm concrete.

Likewise, Scoil na Maighdine Mhu- ire in Broadford received permission last week to erect two portacabins to the south of the existing school building.

The first portacabin is to provide a classroom, resource room and two

toilets of approximately 120 me- tres squared. The second temporary building is to provide a resource room of 16 square metres.

Once again Clare County Coun- cil gave permission to the Board of Management to proceed with its plans subject to some conditions, including its request to remove the temporary building if it is no longer needed.

The permission had also a shelf life of five years.

A CLARE TD has warned that school children in the county could be left on the side of the road as the cost of school transport reaches an all time high.

The cost of uniforms with special- ised crests, and the cost of books, which are constantly changing, 1s also putting added pressures on par- ents’ coffers.

Fine Gael TD Pat Breen has claimed that parents will have to dig deeper into their pockets this September with the cost of sending children to school on the increase once again.

‘The reality is that the cost of get- ting children ready to go back to school is expensive and while the Back to School and Footwear Al- lowance is in place, many families find that the allowance is not enough. Parents also face the problem of having to pump out more on school transport charges this year,’ he said.

‘Indeed the entire school bus trans- port system is facing a year of uncer- tainty due to the Government’s mis- handling of the removal of the fuel rebate scheme.”

“Children will be left at the side of the road if school transport opera- tors have to withdraw their services

mid-term due to unexpected costs. If private operators start pulling their services it will have a devastating impact on rural school children and their families.

“The government already increased school bus charges due to arise in fuel costs, these have not been passed on to the companies which operate the school bus routes. The government needs to state clearly if there will be a replacement fuel rebate scheme for school transport services.”

He said he was disappointed that the Minister Mary Hanafin refused to review the grant aid available to families to meet the cost of school

clothing and footwear.

“She fails to understand the fi- nancial difficulties facing families. School transport alone has risen by a whopping 70 per cent,” he said.

In response to a parliamentary question in July, the minister said, “The adequacy of back to school clothing and footwear allowance payments will be kept under review. Any changes to the structure of the scheme would have cost implications and would have to be considered in a budgetary context and in the light of resources available for improve- ments in social welfare payments generally.”

THE Board of Shannon Swimming & Leisure Ltd must bridge a shortfall of €300,000 to finance a €1.3 mil- lion redevelopment of the Shannon SR icemereesl eo.

Board member, Councillor Patricia McCarthy is confident the shortfall can be met as €1 million has already been generated through National Lottery funding, local fundraising and a proposed loan.

Cllr McCarthy was speaking yes- terday after the publication of the Shannon Centre’s latest accounts show that it is the only community- owned leisure complex in Clare with

a positive balance.

Lahinch Seaworld has accumulated losses of over €500,000 while Kil- kee Seaworld is also in the red.

However, the Shannon Swim- ming & Leisure Ltd accounts show that turnover increased by nine per cent in 2007, rising from 55,000 to ol) 01007

While costs increased from €515,000 in 2006 to €527,000 last year, the leisure centre was still in a position to report a profit for the sec- ond year in a row.

A surplus of €74,000 allowed the centre eliminate its accumulated losses and return an overall surplus of €49,000.

The accounts show €139,000 cash at bank and equity funds of €244,000.

The company has 13 employees and Staff costs are €293,000.

Commenting on the figures, Cllr McCarthy said that the performance of the centre over the past year has been brought about by a lot of hard work.

“Finances are reasonably healthy, but we are going to have higher costs with electricity and oil prices going up. The centre is a valuable resource for the entire community.”

Commenting on the redevelopment plans for the centre, Cllr McCarthy Said it would include tennis courts, a

skateboard park and a gym, as well as the retiling of the pool.

She said the National Lottery had provided €350,000 in_ funding, while €250,000 has been generated through fundraising with a further €400,000 to be raised through a bank loan.

Construction will take place on a phased basis and the board will de- cide which part of the project will be first developed.

Cllr McCarthy the shortfall in fund- ing for the new development would be bridged through fundraising.

A SHANNON town councillor has come under fire for suggesting that the council should refuse to co-oper- ate with a directive which could see local authority tenants from Limer- ick being re-housed in the area.

Cllr Geraldine Lambert warned that the councillors would be branded as bigots if they pass a motion from Cllr Tony Mulcahy that the council “have no hand, act or part in any Regional Housing Policy that would include

the re-location of people from the Limerick City Regeneration Project on OE Kome

“Just think about it – if the words ‘people from Limerick city’ were re- placed with the words “Polish peo- ple” or “Nigerians” there would be uproar’, said Cllr Lambert.

The Fianna Fail councillor said that she is “totally opposed” to opening the door to any of the city’s feuding or criminal element “but you can’t put a blanket ban on an entire geo- graphical area. There are plenty of

decent, honest, hard-working people living in that area. What should be happening is that the three councils should sit down together to discuss housing policy”.

ClUlr Mulcahy will propose at to- night’s meeting “that this Council would ignore the Ministerial Direc- tive from Minister Gormley and have no hand, act or part in any Regional Housing Policy that would include the re-location of people from the Limerick City Regeneration Project to Clare and in particular to Shannon

Region. I would also request that this be communicated to Minister Gorm- ley in the strongest possible terms.”

And he said he is not deterred from speaking on the motion.

“This is a way of allowing Limer- ick to export a problem to Clare. If this goes ahead, it won’t just be a concern for Shannon. There will be people moving into all parts of Clare. We have enough people on our own housing lists and we have our own problems. I don’t see why we should be solving Limerick city’s problem.”

MAYOR of Shannon Gerry Flynn (Ind) last evening launched the cam- paign by Shannon Senior Citizens Club to raise much-needed funds with the help of brother and sister team Seamus and Suzanne Tyler.

The Tylers will take part in the Dublin City Marathon on October 27, in aid of the local organisation that provides support and entertain- ment to the people of Shannon.

For those that would like to learn more about the organisation, can at- tend an open day on Friday next at the organisation’s centre in Purcell

ae

As well as a raffle and bring and buy sale, refreshments will also be served.

The Shannon Senior Citizen’s Club was the brain child of a number of local people in 1980, when Shan- non had a mostly young population travelling to the town from around the county for much needed employ- ment.

As a result of the demographics of the population, the senior citizens who were in the minority often felt isolated and so the club was formed.

Now as the population ages, the need for the club has become even

more apparent.

Initially the plans for the club were to provide a congenial meeting place where senior citizens could meet old friends and make new ones.

The club has expanded significantly from this initial ambition as it cur- rently provides more than 60 three- course meals twice a week.

These meals on wheels are deliv- ered by unsung but essential volun- teers.

Important events in members’ lives are not forgotten with birthday cakes provided on special days, members with disabilities are provided with a taxi service door to door, and holi-

days to the seaside are provided eve- ry year with the assistance of Clare- Care.

Weekend breaks are catered for, and visits to other clubs in Clare and Limerick are the norm.

Members of the busy club avail of Services at the local leisure club, take part in gentle exercises, and visit the chiropodist every Wednesday.

The club continues to function thanks to sponsorship, donations and the work of volunteers.

In the coming months the people of Shannon will be asked to assist he club by sponsoring the two athletes taking part in the marathon.

INTERFERENCE with radar equip- ment at Shannon airport could signal the end to plans by a Cork-based com- pany for the construction of a wind farm in the Sixmilebridge area.

Last week Clare County Council granted planning permission to Cork- based firm, C Wind Ltd to construct a 200 ft high test mast at Knocknaur- ha Hill, Oatfield, Sixmilebridge for a period of 15 months.

But the company may not get fur- ther than the test stage as the Irish

Aviation Authority (IAA) has in- formed the council that they opppose the proposal and request that plan- ning permission not be granted for a windfarm at the location.

The IAA say their opposition is based on the potential interference the windfarm would have on radar installations operated by the Shan- non airport traffic control.

The council granted planning per- mission for the test mast because of the rural nature of the site; the intend- ed use of the proposed test mast and the provisions of the Clare County

Development Plan. The local author- ity also concluded that the wind farm would not injure the amenities of the area.

However, the local authority made it clear that the planning permission does not infer a favourable response on a subsequent application for a wind-farm.

Elsewhere, west Clare may be about to get its third wind farm with EirEn- ergy lodging planning permission for a 200 ft high test mast at Crossmore, Knockalough.

Wind speeds will be tested before

a decision is made on lodging plans for a windfarm in the area.The devel- oper in this case has the advantage that no wind farm in this area has the potential to interfere with Shannon airport.

A decision is due on this applica- tion later this year.

To date, there are only two wind- farms operating in Clare, one at Monmore near Kilrush and a second near the mid-Clare village of Con- nolly and plans are currently before the council for an extension to that WAnNele-Dueee

GALLAGHERS in Kilkishen is not know for silence on a lively Saturday or Sunday night but last weekend, a bit of hush was required – at least for a while – in the bar.

The popular pub has become home to the Sixmilebridge Folk Club and the club got together some of it’s core players on Sunday to record the ses- sion for posterity.

Furthermore club members who joined in have a chance to become recording stars.

“It’s our tenth anniversary and we re hoping to put together a double

CD from the best of the sessions last Sunday and tracks donated by artists who have performed at our Winter Music Weekends,’ said Brendan Walsh, club chairman.

The club has grown to having al- most 300 people on the mailing list for events such as the Winter Music weekend and regular concert nights are frequently sell-outs with up to 70 people showing up.

“Our regular club nights, which are starting back in Galaghers on Sep- tember 20 and we usually get a good crowd for those. There are about 250 people who give us great support and during the Winter Weekend,

nearly 3,000 people turn up for the various concerts and sessions’, said Brendan.

The recording in Gallagher’s was expertly done by Pat Costello, whose job it now is to take it away for edit- ing.

It will be a tough job to pick tracks for the CD, said Brendan “but we’re not going to make any promises about what will be included – the fairest thing is just to see what turned out best”.

The CD will be ready for launch, Brendan hopes, in early December, before the Winter Music Weekend and proceeds will go towards help-

ing to meet the club’s expenses.

The club will meet for sessions eve- ry Sunday night at Gallaghers from September 20, starting at 7pm to al- low younger musicians to take part. Musicians, singers and listeners are all welcome.

AS THE Scariff based Every Mo- ment Counts Youth Group (EMC) heads into its third year, a special plea is being made for helpers and youth leaders.

The club has gone from strength to strength, getting involved in all kinds of entertaining and develop- mental activities but unless parents, aunts, uncles and other adults vol- unteer some time this year, the club could be in trouble.

Said Youth Leader Tracey Doyle, “we’re bound by health and safety regulations as well as insurance and child protection laws. We have to

have one adult for every ten young people. We currently have 42 mem- bers in the club and just three lead- ers. We’ve been lucky in that not all the members turn up together every night but if we are to have any new members this year then the club has to have more adult supervision.”

The club members have been in- volved in schemes such as “Drums not Drugs” , where they learned hand-drumming and eventually per- formed in Croke Park.

A spin off of the club, “Youth Ex- press” in which youngsters learned how to express ideas through art and crafts was set up. The young mem- bers even organised their own youth

music festival this year.

The new youth club year starts on Thursday September 11 and goes on each Thursday between from 7pm- 9pm at Youthreach, Scarriff next to library.

“If parents don’t come along on September 11 to register as helpers, then we simply won’t be able to take in any new members”, said Tracey. Clare Youth Service will train new leaders and the commitment in- volved does not include having to or- ganise outings or paperwork “but it would be great if people would come along, get involved with the activities at club level and come with us to help on outings. We particularly need

people who might be able to bring some activity for young lads. A cou- ple of men would be very welcome’, said ‘Tracey.

Annual membership costs ©25 and includes insurance for all activities.

Weekly admission is ©2 per per- ete

All parents of members are re- quired to come on registration night and sign up to a volunteer rota.

“If enough parents sign up they will only be required to volunteer once every six to eight weeks”, said Tracey. Volunteers can come along in Thursday week or contact the club by email at emcyouthgroup@hotmaiul. com.