Month: October 2008

A WEST Clare man lost his life in an accident, just seconds after he and his partner kissed, while she was driving a car, an inquest has heard.

Ennis Coroner’s Court heard that 54-year-old James Whelan, of Mount Rivers, Doonbeg, died after the car in which he was a front seat passen- ger hit a bridge at Carrowbrough, Ballala, Doonbeg, in the early hours of Sunday, July 10, 2006.

At Ennis Circuit Court last March, his partner Pamela Moore (43), of St Gerard’s, Ballard, Doonbeg, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Mr Whelan and also to

drink driving.

She was disqualified from driving for 12 years and handed a three-year jail term, suspended for three years.

Ennis Coroner’s Court heard last week that Ms Moore was not avail- able to attend the inquest, due to medical reasons.

Her deposition was read out to the inquest. In it, she said she and James had been socialising at the Ocean Cove hotel in Kilkee on Sunday, July 9, 2006. They then left in a car driven by her.

Whilst driving, he held her hand. “He leaned to kiss me. I leaned over to kiss him. There was a loud bang and glass flying. I didn’t know what

was happening,” she stated.

She said she knew James was in difficulty and she tried to resuscitate him. She screamed for help and was later cut out of the car and put into an Nee leleer-telerer

She did not remember the journey to hospital, but did remember being in hospital.

Garda Charlie Killeen recalled at- tending the scene of the accident at around 5am on July 10 of that year. The said the vehicle involved in the crash was in the middle of the road, facing towards Kilkee.

He said that there were two people in the car and Mr Whelan was un- responsive. Garda Denis O’ Herlihy

also attended the scene of the crash.

He said that Mr Whelan has sus- tained a gash to the forehead and was not conscious.

He was pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor.

Pathologist Dr Stephanie Curran performed an autopsy on Mr Whe- lan’s body at Limerick Regional Hospital on July 11.

She concluded that the cause of death was shock and hemorrhage, due to multiple chest and abdominal injuries, consistent with having been involved in an accident.

Coroner Isobel O’Dea recommend- ed that a verdict of accidental death be brought in and the jury agreed.

TUBBER based artist, Eileen Healy, is calling on farmers from each cor- ner of the county to get involved with a innovative new art project involv- ing farm photographs.

Visual Stuttering is a new project commissioned by the Clare Arts Of- fice that will explore aspects of farm- ing in Clare through the use of aerial photography.

Eileen would like to hear from any farmers who have aerial photograph of their farm, either from recent years or years in the past.

This new project has emerged from a research project co-funded by

Clare Arts Office and Burren Con- nect which identified the need for a community-based art project which engaged directly with farmers.

Eileen has focuses primarily on ru- ral issues and she was commissioned to create this project following on from her recent solo exhibition at the X-PO community space in Kilnaboy. There she showed three aerial pho- tographs of the her home farm on the Tyrone/Donegal border entitled “Visual Stuttering — 1970, 1985 and 1996”.

‘These images, spanning three dec- ades, clearly document the changes in farming architecture and methods, while also highlighting the relation-

ship between man, animal and land- scape,’ she said.

“This sub-genre of rural documen- tary photography resulted in most farm houses having a photograph of their farm above their fireplace — an image which clearly aestheticizes the time-based nature of farming in a very striking way.”

During the X-PO exhibition the photographs generated a lot of inter- est and discussion from locals, with people immediately identifying with the images. As a result of this inter- est she decided to engage directly with local farm-owners and identify similar photographs with a view to presenting a public exhibition and

publication in March of next year.

“The Clare Arts Office is com- mitted to process-based works such as Visual Stuttering, as a means of establishing contact with farming communities in Clare, involving them as co-creators of and audience for process based public art,” said Fiona Woods, the Regional Arts Co- ordinator for north Clare.

“This project will document aspects of the changing face of farming both from above and below, but more than this, it furthers critical art practice in response to a rural context.”

Anyone interested can _ contact Eileen on aerialfarmphotographs@g mail.com or by phone 0877922618.

THE farming organisations has wel- comed what they described as a “bal- anced” stance taken by Minister for Agriculture, Brendan Smith, at last week Council of EU Agriculture Ministers in Brussels.

Minister Smith spoke at the meet- ing about the need to measure the steps taken to combat climate change with the current needs and challeng- es of the agriculture and agri-food sector in Ireland

“This is a clear recognition by Ag- riculture Ministers of the importance of ensuring that the EU’s policy ob- jectives for the agriculture and food sector are upheld in the Climate Change negotiations,” he said

“While climate change actions are vitally important it 1s equally impor-

tant that any proposed actions are considered from an agriculture and food production perspective leading to greater coherence in the pursuit of EU policy objectives in both areas.”

Minister Smith said that Ireland fully supported the goals agreed by the Heads of State and Government at the 2007 Spring European Council for reduction in the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions.

“Tam, however, concerned that the implementation of the reduction pro- posals should not result in unintend- ed impacts in terms of Ireland’s and the EU’s role in global food supplies and global greenhouse gas levels,” he Se AOR

“Given the relative size of the ag- riculture sector in Ireland’s economy and the high proportion of green- house gas emissions coming from

our largely animal-based production, the EU target posed particular dif- ficulties for us including the pros- pect of having to reduce our bovine ate) xe ad

The Minister referred to the fact that Ireland is one of the countries facing the highest target of 20 per cent under the effort-sharing pro- posal of the European Commission’s Climate Change strategy.

World demand for food is growing with the possibility of a doubling of meat and dairy consumption globally by 2050.

“It 1s important then to encourage our agriculture and food sectors to respond to these developments in the interests both of global food security and of the pursuit of important mar- ket opportunities,” he said.

“IT am anxious to ensure that Ire-

land continues to play a full role in the efficient production of food maximising its strengths in livestock husbandry that is heavily reliant on forage based on grass.

“We can do this only if a much greater level of flexibility 1s provided for in the Commission’s proposals and Ireland has put forward a number of ideas in this area including secur- ing recognition for carbon sequestra- tion from forest and other sinks.”

can reveal this

in the wake of a serious aggravated

burglary in Sixmilebridge overnight last Wednesday.

Attempts were also made to steal

several cars in the Ballycullen area

of Sixmilebridge the same night. One car was stolen, while another car was crashed and burnt out in the same area that night. Gardai are trying to establish details about that car which has not been reported as stolen.

Some hours later, between 5am and 6am, the post office and shop premis- es in Cratloe was broken into. Three people entered the premises and at- tempted to steal a safe, but failed to do so after the alarm was activated and made way without any items of value.

Gardai believe that a car and van were involved in this attempted raid

and CCTV footage has been acquired by those investigating it.

Last week’s incidents follow bur- glaries in those areas over the past number of months, prompting anxi- ety among local residents.

While gardai say that the post of- fice incident was not connected to the Sixmilebridge attack, the inci- dents have prompted local concerns in relation to Limerick criminals tar- geting Clare.

Superintendent John Scanlan, who is leading the investigation in last week’s incidents, said gardai have grave concerns about crime in the

Ssixmulebridge area.

“We are concerned about the number of burglaries. We are con- cerned about the level of crime in Sixmilebridge. There has been an in- creased level of crime in that area,’ he said.

“We would ask for people to be vigilant. We are conscious of what is going on. We are putting in place po- licing patrols in that area, to prevent criminals coming out. People are go- ing to see a lot more of this activity,” added Superintendent Scanlan.

SHANNON’S 300 Aer Lingus work- ers are to be asked to ballot on all out industrial action after hearing they are to be axed from the company Or NeRO ee

Responding to management plans to outsource all ground operations and introduce a pay freeze, SIPTU National Industrial Secretary Gerry McCormack said the plan “repre- sents a fire sale of good quality jobs by a management that can see no fur- ther than the next quarter’s profit and loss sheet”.

“Nobody in the company will emerge unscathed from this exercise. Even those who keep their jobs will have to sign up to new contracts, ‘a merit and performance based cul- ture’ and a pay freeze until the end of 2009. The company has also told us that it will continue to seek further savings so that surviving staff face the prospect of further reductions in pay and conditions.”

SIPTU representatives were offi- cially informed of the clean sweep of eround staff at a meeting with man- agement yesterday. It will mean 1,500 people being axed from the company payroll, 300 of them at Shannon.

The core of the package will see all ground operations, including ca- tering, cleaning and check-in out- sourced to third-party agencies.

Cabin crew based in Heathrow and Shannon are also victims of the cuts which are part of a plan to stem mas-

sive losses experienced by the airline in the last twelve months.

All staff will be subject to a pay freeze until late 2009.

“We are perfectly willing to discuss savings with the company and will be

entering the process to be chaired by Kevin Foley of the Labour Relations Commission. But, as we have made clear from the start, we are totally opposed to outsourcing. That mes- sage does not seem to have gotten

through to the management team and therefore we are in the place we are in,’ Mc Cormack said.

Meetings with shop stewards were on-going last night as the details of the jobs carnage were clearly out-

lined.

A SIPTU spokesman said that cab- in crew are the only ones who will be offered the direct option of taking up other employment with the airline.

“Everything on the ground is being cut. There will be a voluntary redun- dancy package on offer, where staff can decide to take a lump sum and then seek re-employment with the new agency, but there is no guarantee that they will be taken on. The other option is to stay on and to transfer to the new employer but there is no guarantee with that of how long it will be before the new employer re- negotiates contracts, probably with lower wages.”

Clerical staff will largely not be facing job losses, but it’s thought that they will have to enter talks on new contracts with pay being perform- ance related and possibly a change in the pensions scheme which will pos- sibly be contribution driven.

The company has told the unions it wants the deal wrapped up by No- vember 30 and the new scheme ready to go by December 1, a dateline that would allow the airline to carry out the changes during the traditionally flat business period in January and onarles

CLARE finance professionals have given a guarded welcome to the Gov- ernment’s decision to become guar- antors for the banks.

Some are welcoming it as a means to make borrowing money easier while others hope it will reinstate confidence in the economy.

Mortgage adviser, Iggy Duffy of IFG Mortgages in Ennis described the decision as “one of the best re- sponses in the EU to the problem. It was vital to keep the economy

working and functioning. The conse- quences of letting a bank collapse are unthinkable. It will bring confidence in the economy and will make it a bit easier for ordinary people to access credit to buy a house or a car – the ordinary things”.

Duffy is also hopeful that an eased credit situation “will allow business- es to borrow and expand. That means more jobs and that’s good news for the economy.”

Financial advisor, Donal Carey be- lieves the real impact of the decision will be seen someway down the line.

“The banks won’t change their lend- ing criteria until they have seen the full implications of the legislation. But there is still money available if you meet their criteria. That criteria might be a bit tighter but that may not be any harm”’.

He feels that what is needed now is a confidence boost and hopefully the budget will bring that. It’s good the Government has stepped in to pro- tect the ordinary punters’ savings but this is the second time that the State has moved to save at least one of the banks and they should respond by

giving something back to their cus- tomers and taking a smaller profit’.

He says that a move which would help the building trade in the budget would be one that would benefit the wider economy.

‘A lot of people are employed in the building trade and anything which will put confidence back in the prop- erty market is good. There has been a fall in house prices but that is re- ally putting house prices where they ought to be. A couple on a reasonable income can now get a loan to buy a house in Ennis’, he said.

FOCUS in the mid-west needs to be on positive developments which the region has seen and building on those successes, the new mid-west president of IBEC says.

Despite a disastrous year for tour- ism, the Cityjet Shannon to Charles deGaulle route is so successful that the airline is planning to double it’s capacity and everything that can be done to boost tourism in the region must be done. This was the key mes- sage delivered by incoming presi- dent, Dr Maria Hinfelaar at the AGM of the regional body last week.

‘It has been an extremely difficult tourism season. The number of tour- ists on the ground and the level of spend and income in the region is down on last year. The region has witnessed a significant drop in bed nights with US golf business to the region down significantly. There is little doubt that access to Ireland, particularly for US visitors through Heathrow was very beneficial to the region and we have lost significantly there,’ Dr Hinfelaar said.

“In the midst of all these impeding factors, everything possible must be done to protect the industry. There are a number of positive develop- ments regionally, which give rise to

optimism for the future,” she said, pointing to the success of the twice daily Cityjet service.

But while it is recognised that this connection to Charles de Gaulle “is a major achievement more connectiv- ity is needed. We know that Shannon Airport and its partners are work- ing hard to achieve this and given the current difficulties in the airline industry this will be a challenging task,’ she noted.

Upbeat about the future of the re- gion, Dr Hinfelaar said, ‘We are looking forward to Shannon becom- ing the first airport in Europe with full US pre-clearance facilities. It will give us a unique and competitive advantage, which must be capitalised on,’ Dr Hinfelaar added.

The IBEC president also pointed to opportunities which could be de- veloped between Shannon and the Middle and Far East and the need to strengthen US relations.

“It is time to focus on what we have; several of Ireland’s top attrac- tions, major industrial players and educational institutions are based here. A positive attitude is needed and is one that will pay dividends,” Dr Hinfelaar said.

A TOTAL of eight people have died in drowning incidents on the River Fergus since 2004, according to the figures revealed by the water safety officer with Clare County Council.

Liam Griffin addressed members at yesterday’s meeting of Ennis Town Council along with the Chief Fire Officer for Clare, Adrian Kelly. Mr Griffin told the council that in some cases, the drownings were as a result of suicide.

He said, “I don’t think it’s possi- ble to rescue a person when they are

drowning. Unless, you had someone on the scene when it is happening, who is a top class swimmer. People drown in seconds, maybe minutes. When you hear of people getting rescued from rivers, it’s usually be- cause they have hung onto a branch or climbed up onto a bank.”

Mr Griffin outlined to the council the training methods employed to equip volounteers working with the Clare Civil Defence.

He also pledged his support to any review of existing procedures for water safety in Ennis.

“If the council feels there should

be a review, maybe replacing or up- grading water safety equipment, we would support that.”

Mr Griffin also called for people to respect life rings placed on the Fer- gus, saying that abuse and vandalism was a bigger issue in Ennis than any- where else in Clare.

Mr Griffin and Mr Kelly spoke at the council in order to clarify the specific roles of the different ele- ments that make up the rescue serv- ices in Clare.

Their appearance was prompted by comments made by Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) at the September meet-

ing of Ennis Town Council.

At the time Cllr Neylon, told the chamber that he had received a phone call from a member of the Fire serv- ices in Clare, alleging that the chief fire officer threatened to fire staff that entered a river to rescue a person from drowning.

Mr Kelly has since strongly reject- ed making the statement and re-iter- ated his stance in no-uncertain terms MK KOr Ne

“T never said anything like that and I never would,” the chief fire officer Cr ALOR

He said that members of the fire

services are provided with water awareness training and co-ordinate closely with other agencies on oc- casions when a body is reported to have entered the water.

“It is my responsibility to make sure firemen don’t get injured and get home to their wives,’ said Mr th

He added, “We are a fire and res- cue service not a water rescue serv- ice.’ Mayor of Ennis Peter Considine (FF) led tributes to Clare’s rescue services, with Independent council- lor Taiwoo Matthew calling their vo- lounteer work a “noble campaign”’.

A PROPOSAL to cut 300 Aer Lin- gus jobs in Shannon Airport, has left staff worried for their future and also led a local TD to suggest that the distinguishable green uniform is “a thing of the past” in Shannon.

Shocked staff were told by union representatives that the airline was proposing to out-source all jobs in Shannon Airport with the exception of maintenance. This would include cabin crew, ground handling and cargo staff.

In a two and a half hour meeting with management in Dublin, staff union reps were told the cuts were a result of oil costs, the economy and softening bookings. Up to 300 pen- sionable jobs are proposed to go in Shannon.

“2009 is predicted to be a bad year. The Americans are not travelling. We see that ourselves,’ said one staff member.

“We have seen this before in 2001 and 2004,” said another.

The company will be offering vol- untary redundancies and crews will

be out-sourced and supported by bas- es in New York, Boston and Dublin.

In total 1,500 jobs are proposed to be out-sourced and inevitably lost to Aer Lingus. Jobs will also go in Cork and Dublin.

Aer Lingus management set a dead- line of November for the implemen- tation of the ©74 million cost-cutting programme including a €©50 million cut from staff costs.

They also said €14 million would have to come from a reduction in ad- vertising and distribution costs, air- port costs and professional fees, and

€10m from reducing the airline’s long haul aircraft fleet from nine to eight.

“We are going to continue fighting. Even to save 100 jobs,” said one up- set worker.

Before the official announcement was made, the union’s general presi- dent, Jack O’Connor had appealed to the Government to establish a “threshold of decency” in the avia- tion business where, he said workers wages were being driven through the ground.

Speaking at the union’s regional

conference in Tralee, he predicted the union would mount “the siffest resistance possible” to any attempt to outsource the 1,500 Aer LIngus jobs.

He added that what is happening in Aer Lingus could no longer be isolated from what is happening in aviation in Ireland in general and it would feel the pinch.

“It is ironic that against a back- ground of billions being spent to bail out the bankers…that people who are paying taxes are being fed to the wolves,” he told the conference.

THE number of people signing on the live register in Clare is up by al- most half on the same time last year, the latest shock figures have shown.

The latest Central Statistics Office figures show that numbers signing on are up by 1,940, bringing the unem- ployment total from 4,074 last Sep- tember to 6,014 this September.

The confirmation of the jobs crisis emerged as staff at Aer Lingus in Shannon were living under threat of 300 further jobs being axed.

No area of the county escaped the slump. Unemployment in Ennis was

up by 43.7 per cent with an additional 1,069 people signing on. In Ennisty- mon an extra 317 people have signed on since last year, bringing the job- less total there to 906 while in Kil- rush, 226 extra people are now on dole payments, bringing the unem- ployment figure for the area to 799. Tulla has seen the largest percentage unemployment increase, at 70.7 per cent and extra 328 unemployed mak- ing a total of 792 people without jobs and signing on.

The latest figures for Clare were re- leased as the latest quarterly ESRI re- port yesterday predicted that 14,000 jobs will have gone by the end of this

year and next year will see the loss of 33,000 more. “The rate of unem- ployment is expected to average 6.1 percent in 2008 and to jump further in 2009, averaging 8 percent. The net migratory outflow in 2009 is now expected to be 30,000,” the report predicts.

Fine Gael TD Pat Breen, comment- ing on the release of the CSO Live Register Figures for 2008, said that the rate of increase in the Under 25 Category is particularly worrying with a 65.1 per cent increase over the same 12-month period.

“Every year, the September Live Register figures reflect the fact than

students and others return to full- time education so we must look at the latest figures is this context. How- ever, when we compare September 2007 to September 2008 the figures tell a very different story. What is particularly worrying is the number of under 25s on the Live Register for that same 12-month period. 65.1% increase from 762 in September 2007 to 1,258 this month.’

“T am now calling on the Govern- ment to show the same urgency in dealing with this crisis as they have shown in dealing with the bank- ing crisis over the past few days’, he Cr HLee