Month: September 2008

DOCTORS in Clare have reported an increase in the numbers coming to them seeking a second opinion, following the two recent misdiagno- sis at Ennis General Hospital.

Last week the Health Service Exec- utive issued a statement urging peo-

ple who are concerned about tests carried out at Ennis General Hospital to contact their local GP and arrange for a new test to be carried out.

One west Clare doctor believes that while there is concern among the pa- tients she is seeing, there is faith in Ennis General Hospital.

“T have had some people 1n to me in

the last week who are worried and if they are worried then they have the right to be re-tested,”’ said the doctor, who asked not to be identified. ‘There 1s concern in the area, but I would stop short of saying that there is panic. The key thing 1s, if people are not sure then the best thing for them to do is get it checked again, for

peace of mind if nothing else.”

However, Ennistymon based doc- tor, Gerry Wheeler said that to date, he has not been contacted by anyone concerning a re-test.

“The HSE sent around a form last week telling anyone who is unsure or who has concerns over a test to have a recheck. They also advised anyone

in that situation to contact their local GP,’ he said.

“To date however, I have not been contacted by anyone from the area who has concerns. I don’t know whether that means that no one in this area has worries over the situa- tion or not but factually, no-one has contacted me so far.”

FOURTEEN rural roads in Clare will benefit from €376,399 funding under the 2008 CLAR Programme. The projects, which are co-funded by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the

Department of the Transport were proposed by Clare County Council.

According to Minister of State and local TD Tony Killeen, the CLAR fund is an investment programme designed to tackle the problem of de- population, decline and lack of serv- ero UO Melee D Er: Dustakce

He said the grant allocation to GETMAIN Yee elena Zounlae meu tcaatshyI of all allocations received by local authorities in Ireland, would be of enormous benefit to local commu- nities. The allocations were deter- mined by the county’s percentage of the total population in CLAR areas.

The roads to benefit under the 2008 Programme are at Ballyartney, Coolmeen (€49,880); Decomade, Clondagad (€27,/720); Cloontabon- niv, Kinturk (€22,000); Mount Cal- lan, Formoyle (€50,000);

Lehaknock, Killanniv (€20,000); Ballyvaskin (€25,000); Tullygarvan,

Moy (€13,000); Killanniv, Kilma- ley (€15,000); Derryabbert, Ayle (€24,000); Ballylaghnan, Ogonnel- loe (€32,000); Magherabaun, Ayle (€44,000); Clogholia, Castlecrine (€13,399); Hurdlestown, Kilseily (€20,000) and Ballydonnell/Fahy, Fahymore (€20,000).

THE PROBLEM of algal bloom in Lough Derg is “destroying” an al- ready hard-pressed Clare tourist in- dustry, it has been claimed.

Calls have been made to speed up approval of sewerage schemes to stop raw sewerage ending up in the JEN cor

Speaking in the wake of the latest toxic bloom warning, with notices being placed at the lake-shore last week, Teresa Browne of East Clare

Tourism says solutions are not being implemented fast enough.

“I’ve been told by fishermen that there was raw sewerage in the river at Scariff and it follows that that flows into the lake. We’ve had this problem for years now and we’ve been promised a solution but it hasn’t happened yet”.

The tourism businesswoman said that the incidents of algal bloom had not been as frequent this year, largely due to high water.

‘The truth is that even if the weath-

er had been better, visitors wouldn’t be able to go into the water when there’s algal bloom. This is destroy- ing the tourism trade and things are difficult enough”.

While providing treatment plants around the lake are an important part of solving the problem, Teresa says things are not moving fast enough and season after season the lake is being hit by the toxic bloom.

“Look at Scariff – we have a whole new network of pipes almost finished but the money for the treatment plant

hasn’t been approved yet. When is that going to happen?”’

The warning signs on the shores of the lake are to alert people to the fact that there is blue-green toxic algae in the water, which can cause rashes in humans and have previously proved fatal to dogs.

High water temperatures have contributed to the toxic bloom, ac- cording to North Tipperary County Council, who were responsible for erecting the notices.

Local county councillor, Pat Hay-

es, says he is confident that approval will be given in the near future by the minister to finance tenders for the upgrading of the Scariff sewer- age treatment plant.

“Thing have improved in recent years. The Blue Flags for water qual- ity at Ballycuggeran and Mountshan- non are testament to that,’ he told

ENNISTY MON students celebrated Sunday’s International Day of Peace in artistic manner.

The first years of the local Voca- tional School, under direction of art teacher Bairbre Geraghty, undertook an international project, Pinwheels for Peace, by ‘planting’ pinwheels with messages of peace on school grounds. They were underscoring a statement that peace needs to be- come more than just a word.

‘Pinwheels for Peace’ was begun by art teachers in 2005 as an art instal- lation project and a way for students to express their feeling about what’s going on in the world and in their

Taste

In its first year, groups in about 1,300 locations were spinning pin- wheels on September 21, amounting to a grand total of about 500,000 objects around the globe. Last year, the number came to over 1.2 million in 2,500 locations, including Ireland, across Europe, the United States, Asia, Australia, Canada, the Middle East, Africa and South America.

Says Bairbre Geraghty, “The word is spreading; we’d love to see more schools and groups join with us next year.”

The first year students in Ennisty- mon created windmills displaying their images and words of peace and tolerance as part of the creation

process, writing their thoughts about ‘war and peace/tolerance/living in harmony with others’ on one side. On the reverse they made collages to express their feelings.

“The project is non-political – peace does not necessarily have to be asso- ciated with the conflict of war; it can be related to violence/intolerance in our daily lives, to peace of mind,” explains Bairbre.

‘To each of us, peace can take on a different meaning but, in the end, it all comes down to a simple defi- nition: ‘A state of calm and serenity, with no anxiety, the absence of vio- lence, freedom from conflict or disa- ereement among people or groups of people.,” she said.

THE CLARE fire and rescue serv- ice has reported a decrease in the number of road traffic incidents around the county for the first eight months of the year.

Between January and August, the service was called to 148 road traf- fic incidents in Clare — a decrease of over 12 per cent on figures for the same period last year.

While it may have dampened the holiday spirit, the record-breaking rainfall of recent months led to a 55 per cent drop in the number of forest, grass and bog fire incidents. While house fires were up 8.5 per cent to 64, chimney fire call-outs dropped by 12 per cent. The overall number of incidents attended by the Service dropped from 879 to 823.

Chief Fire Officer Adrian Kelly said the number of fires in Clare was un-

acceptably high and there were five fire-related fatalities in the county between January and August. He en- couraged householders to learn more about fire prevention in the home.

He said that the decrease in the number of call outs to road traffic incidents showed that road safety awareness initiatives were having a positive impact in Clare’.

Expressing disappointment at the number of false alarms, Mr Kelly said there were 93 false alarms, 38 of which were malicious, between Jan- uary and August and these resulted in fire and rescue service resources being deployed unnecessarily.

The release of the statistics coin- cides with the Clare launch of Na- tional Fire Safety Week, which runs from October 6 to 13. The Clare Fire and Rescue Service will host a series of local prevention activities to heighten fire safety awareness.

Open station nights will be held at Ennistymon, Shannon, Ennis, Killa- loe, Scariff, Kilkee and Kilrush fire stations where local fire fighters will offer advice and give out leaflets and posters on fire prevention.

The open nights will be held in En- nistymon and Shannon on October 6; Ennis on October 7; Kilrush and Kilkee on October 8; Scariff and Killaloe on October 9.

Mr Kelly said fire safety week would highlight the importance of testing smoke alarms weekly, having an escape route planned and know- ing your obligations regarding fire safety in the home.

The fire service will also be asking schools and businesses to undertake fire drills during the week.

ENNIS Chamber is lending its sup- port to the inaugural Clare Enter- prise Week, which takes places from October 6 to 10, by organising two free seminars in the county capital to assist business with their day-to-day ey oe: (Oy eke

The first seminar entitled “Ready for Business” presented by Niall Garvey, Chartered Accountant and Solicitor William Cahir, will take place on Wednesday, October 8.

The seminar is aimed at those em- barking on their own business and wish to know the financial and legal steps to take. It would also benefit those already in business who wish to increase their knowledge of these vital areas of business. Some of the Topics to be covered include; Finan- cial Planning, Taxation, and Record Keeping Requirements as well as the Legal Format, Protecting Intellectu- al Property and Business Names, and Business Types.

Then on Thursday, October 9 Pe- ninsula HR will present an “Employ- ment Law Seminar” for the small to medium enterprise. It is very difficult for businesses to keep on top of all the new employment law legislation as well as Health & Safety require- ments. Yet failure to do so can lead to awards and fines that can cripple even the most financially robust business. This fast paced seminar, specifically designed for business owners, man- agers and directors, is full of useful information, tips and advice to assist businesses in understanding their obligations. Everyone businesses at-

tending will have the opportunity to avail of a free consultation to review their current Employment Law prac- (Che

The Chamber Enterprise Week Seminars are scheduled from 6pm to 9pm on both evenings in the Ban- ner Room of the Old Ground Hotel, O’Connell Street, Ennis.

Speaking on Clare Enterprise Week, Ennis Chamber President Niall Garvey said “Ennis Chamber is delighted to be involved with the first ever Clare Enterprise Week and to lend our support by organising relevant and informative seminars for the benefit of the business com- munity.”

Everyone is welcome to attend and there is no charge to attend either seminar. However booking 1s advisa- ble as places are limited. Booking can be made by contacting Ennis Cham- ber, 54 O’Connell Street, Ennis, Co. Clare by telephoning 065 684 2988 or emailing info@ennischamber.ie by Monday, October 6.

THE DPP has not yet decided if former Killaloe-based doctor Pas- chal Carmody is to be retried on 11 charges of deception and false pre- aeons

Mr Carmody (60), of Ballycug- garan, Killaloe, was acquitted of 14 charges, at the end of a five-week trial at Ennis Circuit Court earlier this year.

However, the jury could not decide on 11 charges and verdicts of disa- greement were returned on those. The 11 charges relate to more than €30,000.

The charges relate to three cancer patients who visited his clinic in Killaloe, between September 2001 and October 2002. They were John Sheridan from Kilkenny; John James Gallagher from Westmeath and Conor O’Sullivan, a 15-year-old boy from County Wexford.

All three died within a relatively short period of time of receiving treatment at the East Clinic.

Mr Carmody had denied obtaining money by falsely pretending that he would cure the terminally ill cancer patients through photodynamic ther- “lO ae DADE

The case was adjourned to yester- day, for directions from the Direc- tor of Public Prosecutions on the 11

outstanding charges. However, Ennis Circuit Court was told yesterday that no decision had been made.

“The DPP hasn’t made a decision yet, but it is imminent,’ Counsel for the State, Stephen Coughlan, BL, told the court.

Defending solicitor Michael Staines asked that the case be made peremp- tory against the State.

Judge Carroll Moran said he had not presided over the trial, but if there was to be a retrial, October (when the next trials will take place in En- nis) would be too near in time to the initial trial, which concluded in July. He adjourned the case until January 12, when the DPP directions will be made known to the court and marked it peremptory against the State.

Mr Staines said he may make a number of applications on the next date. He applied to the court for his client’s passport to be returned to him for three weeks in November and this was granted.

During the trial, the trial Judge Rory McCabe directed the jury to find Mr Carmody not guilty on eight charges, due to insufficient evidence. The jury found him not guilty on six other charges and failed to agree on Oe beer

EIGHT Clare start-up and develop- ing companies are exhibiting next week at the Millennium Theatre at Limerick Institute of Technology.

Clarefocus.ie, Evolve Software, Fahy Analytical, KPM Group, Pedi- ereecattle.ie, Pitchside Products, The Irish Bread Mix Company, and Tour- ist Republic are among 27 businesses that will be exhibiting at the 2nd MidWest Entrepreneur Showcase and Seminar on Thursday, October oe

The event is organised by the En- terprise Acceleration Centre (EAC), a business incubation centre serving the Mid-West region. The EAC is located on the Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) campus.

Clarefocus.ie, Evolve Software, KPM Group, Pedigreecattle.ie and Pitchside Products, which were all set up by Clare residents, are partici- pants in the current LEAP (Limerick Enterprise Acceleration Platform) programme. LEAP is aimed at help- ing high-potential start-up compa- nies to develop an investor-ready business plan and take their compa- WUC RUD MNO Oe

These five companies cover a range of activities, some running innova- tive websites, some providing train- ing and consultation in mission-criti- cal areas, and one developing a new type of sports product.

Fahy Analytical provides special- ist chemical analytical services, The Irish Bread Mix company has devel-

oped niche home-baking products, and Tourist Republic developed and runs the Unique TouristR website.

The Seminar and Showcase are sponsored by Enterprise Ireland and AIB, and the event chairperson is Gary Carroll. Founder and director of EAC-based Episensor, Mr Car- roll also chairs the EAC Advisory Board.

The seminar topic is “Winning Sales — the Key to Start Up Success’. Attendance at the half-day event is free, but registration in advance is So TE

The organisers are encouraging business professionals from all over the mid-west to attend — that includes entrepreneurs, emerging entrepre- neurs, sales professionals, investors and business advisors. Third-level students are also welcome.

The Seminar and Showcase will run begin with registration at 8.00 Aaeee

After an official welcome at 8.55 am by Dr Maria Hinfelaar, Director of the Limerick Institute of Technology, Frank Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Ireland, will speak on

‘Entrepreneurship in Ireland — from Start-up to Global Success’.

One of Enterprise Ireland’s main aims is to accelerate the develop- ment of world-class Irish companies so that they can achieve strong po- sitions in global markets. At a time of intensifying global competition, increasing market challenges, and worldwide financial uncertainty, this talk should be of particular interest.

Entrepreneurs need to be able to give an elevator pitch at the drop of a hat, so Paul O’Dea of Select Strategies will give advice on how

to prepare a great pitch. He is to be followed by Padraic O’Maille, of O’Maille Group, advising on how to inspire a “super-positive” sales atti- tude in your team.

After an open forum, at 11 am there is a one-hour coffee break to allow time for visits to the stands at the ex- hibition.

At 12 noon the first of three case studies of sales successes is to be given by Jim Breen, CEO of Pulse Learning in Kerry, which he founded in 1999. The second will be given by Frank Hannigan, CEO and founder of YouGetitBack.com, a Cork-based fey enh ey ahs

John Collins, CEO of Limerick- based Original Solutions, which was acquired in May this year by Perot Systems Corporation, will present the third case study.

After a second open forum, chair- person Mr Carroll will make his closing comments. A networking re- ception is scheduled for 2 pm.

For further information and to book online log onto www.leap.ie/ showcase or contact Graham Royce at graham.royce@lit.ie, telephone O61 490152.

TANAISTE Mary Coughlan has launched a new tourism website as part of a €2 million Shannon De- velopment initiative aimed at es- tablishing the Shannon Region as a world-class destination for walking, cycling, water-based and other out- door activity pursuits.

The €2 million support package is to encourage product promoters develop new and upgrade existing activity trails. The new website pro- vides information including detailed directions and maps for trails, such as walking, cycling, mountain bik- ing, equestrian, canoeing, surfing, scuba diving available around Clare and the Shannon Region.

Visitors to the www.shannonre- giontrails.ie website can download detailed walking and cycling maps. It provides contact details for trail- friendly accommodation providers and activity operators, as well as outlining the benefits of trails, and events listings.

The programme involves branding

a network of trails to highest inter- national standards. Other initiatives include two new brochures on surf- ing and canoeing.

Launching the website, Munister

Coughlan said it had the potential to generate additional visitor spend in less developed rural areas. Shan- non was always at the forefront of tourism product development and

the website would be a tremendous resource.

“Many of the new trails require access to the countryside and this would not be possible without the

support and good will of landown- ers and this co-operation must be ac- knowledged”, the Tanaiste said.

Shannon Development Tourism Di- rector John King said over 511,000 overseas visitors participate in walk- ing holidays in Ireland and spend almost €340 million each year and almost 102,000 cyclists holiday here and spend almost €80 million.

“The website provides operators with an opportunity to participate in international web based market- ing campaigns. We have already implemented a branding system and launched a trail-friendly accommo- dation initiative earlier in 2008 and we will continue to work with vari- ous groups to upgrade existing trails and develop new ones,’ said Flan Quilligan, Shannon Development Tourism Project Executive.

THE women of Clare are more cul- tured than their male counterparts – that’s if a survey on the county’s public libraries is anything to go by.

According to the second nation- wide survey of library users, women frequent public libraries in Clare on a much more regular basis than men, with 65% of library users surveyed being women – the only significant difference was among users of the

Local Studies centre where an equal number of men and women use the facility.

Carried out during September 2007, more than 33,000 adult library users in 369 branch and mobile h- braries asked what they visited the library for and what they thought of the service.

The number of questionnaires dis- tributed in each county was deter- mined by the number of library visits by adults that were recorded in each

county during one week in June 2007. 6,478 adults visited libraries in Clare that week and on that basis, 1,093 questionnaires were distributed and completed in libraries throughout the county in September 2007. Asked their opinion of the Clare library service, users appeared very happy with 95% rating the service as either very good or good. 38% of users in Clare visit the li- brary once a week while 17% use the service once a fortnight.

Reflecting the high concentration of internet use in the Clare public li- brary system, 78% used a computer during their visit, 42% used email and 57% used the internet.

When asked what they did when they visited the library ,57% stated they borrowed books. 49% said they came to find something out, 27% read a newspaper or magazine while 78% used a computer.

66% of users surveyed were in full or part-time employment or looking

after the home. 11% of users were either full-time or part-time students with 13% of users being retired and 6% unemployed.

77% of those surveyed stated that library membership charges were about right and 68% stated that over- due charges were about right.

The survey follows the launch in June of a Department of the Environ- ment report on public libraries which set outs the priorities for the service over the next five years.