Month: February 2011

STUDENTS from Ennis Community College will set sail on the River Fergus in April after taking a lead role in a new currach-building project.

Working alongside members of the Fergus Rowing Club, James Madigan and Richard O’Donohue of the West Clare Currach Club, 11 first and second year students have spent the past week building a currach.

The pinnacle of the project will be the official launch of the boat as it embarks from the River Fergus in Clarecastle and makes its maiden voyage west of the Shannon.

Teacher Vivien Arthur-Grogan explained, “The project is cross-cur- ricular in nature and the benefits are admirable. Students who normally would have no hands-on knowledge or no previous point of reference to such a craft are responding excitedly.

The 11 students involved are Jordan Slattery, James Slattery, Ethan McNevin, Shaun Brody, Eoghan McInerney, Michael Daly, Brendan Molloy, Roisín Peoples, Toheeb Tolulope, Sylvia Kielak and Corey Hayes.

Vivien added, “The project provides an ideal forum to engage students from a multitude of nationalities and cultures to engage in team building exercises, benefiting them in countless ways.” I a m Ge r r y Wa ls he , a n e le c t r ic ia n b y t r a d e a nd for m e r c ont r a c t or who e m p loye d 7 m e n. I a m a s king for your num b e r 1 vot e or 2 nd p r e fe r e nc e if you ha ve a lr e a d y d e c id e d on your 1 s t p r e fe r e nc e . In t he p a s t I ha ve c a m p a ig ne d t o ke e p Ennis Ge ne r a l Hos p it a l op e n wit h full s e r vic e s , a nd c a m p a ig ne d a g a ins t t he b a il out wit h NAMA a nd Lis b on r e fe r e nd um , I a m a ls o a g a ins t t he c ur r e nt b a il out of p r iva t e b a nk d e b t . I d e c id e d t o r un a s a c a nd id a t e in t he Ge ne r a l Ele c t ion b e c a us e I a m d is g us t e d wit h t he c or r up t ion wit hin t he p olit ic a l s ys t e m . If e le c t e d I will b r ing hone s t y a nd a c c ount a b ilit y t o t he Dá il a nd will b e a s t r ong fig ht e r for t he p e op le of Cla r e a nd t he ir ne e d s . I will fig ht t o ke e p Ennis A & E a c ut e s e r vic e op e n a nd c a m p a ig n for t he Links Ca r g o hub a nd d e ve lop m e nt of t he Sha nnon r e g ion wit h a r a il link t o t he a ir p or t . I will a ls o d e ve lop a loa n s c he m e t o a s s is t our Fa r m e r s , s e lf-e m p loye d a nd s m a ll b us ine s s e s , not for g e t t ing our fis he r m e n. I found e d a n a nt i-c or r up t ion or g a nis a t ion wit h t he we b s it e www. s p ir it -of-t r ut h. or g whe r e I p ub lis he d a ud io a nd d oc um e nt e d e vid e nc e t o s how a c onne c t ion b e t we e n Ir is h s old ie r s a nd t he b uying of a r m s on t he b la c k-m a r ke t . I wa s t he m a in wit ne s s who e xp os e d t he s e ir r e g ula r it ie s a nd wis he d t o c onfr ont De fe nc e Minis t e r Tony Kille e n a s t o why he r e le a s e d a m ilit a r y r e p or t wit hout int e r vie wing m e t he m a in wit ne s s wit h e vid e nc e . I a ls o p ub lic ly c r it ic iz e d t he c ove r up of c hild a b us e wit hin t he Polit ic a l a nd St a t e b od ie s a nd p ub lic ly r e a d c or r e s p ond e nc e fr om a s e nior Ga r d a whe r e he c la im e d he c ould not look in his offic ia l file s r e la t ing t o t he s e m a t t e r s b e c a us e he wa s not in Cla r e in 2 0 0 8 . If e le c t e d t o t he Dá il I will b e a wa t c h d og for t his Count y a nd Count r y a nd will c onfr ont t he c or r up t p olit ic ia ns , b a nke r s a nd wha t e ve r d a r k s e c r e t s t his c or r up t s ys t e m ha s b ur ie d . I ur g e you t he p e op le of Cla r e , if you wa nt r e a l c ha ng e t o s t op vot ing for t he s a m e old c r onie s a nd g ive m e a nd ot he r ne w Ind e p e nd e nt s your Vot e s o we c a n he lp b uild a Ne w Ir e la nd .

CLARE General Election candidate Brian Meaney (GP) says his primary focus will remain local issues, even if he is asked to take up a senior position within the Green Party following the elections.

Cllr Meaney will be the most senior party member in the country should the Greens, as predicted, lose all of their Dáil seats in the upcoming election. Cllr Meaney has already been touted in some quarter as a possible party leader following next week’s vote.

“I will probably be the most senior elected Green in the country [after the election] and that is not something that I would relish. What will happen will happen but the party will not go away. The party will need to be rebuilt, and they’re not going to be rebuilt from the ashes because the possibility is there that there won’t be any ashes,” he told The Clare People . “But that said, on a good day we could get four seats; we could even get eight seats. There is no way of predicting this.”

Should the Green Party lose all of their Dáil seats, they will need to retain at least two per cent of the overall national vote to retain funding for national party office in Dublin. Even if they don’t achieve this, Cllr Meaney is confident that the party will survive.

“In many ways we are still a campaigning party and no matter what happens we will remain a campaigning party and many of the issues that we are campaigning on have become main stream issues. The issues have not gone away and the need for a Green Party has not gone away,” he said.

“It wouldn’t bother me [if he started to get responsibility within the party] but I would concentrate on my main job which is a councillor representing the people of Ennis West. The electorate of Ennis West, the electorate of Ennis Town Council and the various other positions that I have as a result of these, they are my primary function and responsibility.”

SHANNON Airport passenger figures are poised to continue to decline until the end of March. That’s the prediction of a spokesperson for the airport, which is anticipating growth after the end of the first quarter of the year. The reduced figures were released last week, after Ryanair’s decision to reduce its services from the mid-west airport took effect in January.

Figures published by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) showed that commercial terminal flights through Shannon were down by almost 25 per cent in January. “The performance at Shannon Airport is a cause for concern,” stated a spokesperson for the IAA.

According to the figures, air traffic through Irish airspace increased by 5.1 per cent last month, compared with January 2010. Dublin and Cork figures were more promising than those for Shannon. Commercial terminal flights at Dublin increased by 0.7 per cent, while they were down by almost seven per cent at Cork.

North Atlantic flights between Europe and USA increased by four per cent last month, compared with January 2010.

Responding to the figures, a Shannon Airport spokesperson said: “Shannon Airport monthly passenger figures will continue to show a decline for the first quarter of 2011, at the end of which they will stabilize and return to growth.

“The drop is largely attributable to the ending of a five-year agreement with Ryanair, which had four aircraft based at the airport and operated 18 services twelve months ago compared to one aircraft and ten services this January. Shannon Airport was unable to accede to the airline’s demands for a new agreement that would have involved unsustainable passenger charges and significantly reduced traffic volumes. The ending of the agreement accounts for 90 per cent of the decline in passenger numbers at Shannon since.

“However, from May of this year we expect that both passenger and air traffic movement data will show a marked improvement at Shannon, arising from the airport’s strong recovery in the latter half of 2010 and its move towards a more sustainable network of services. This has already yielded positive results, with the announcement of a range of new services in the latter half of the year, an upswing that has been maintained into 2011,” added the spokesperson.

Among the newer services include the establishment of Aer Lingus services to Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Bristol (last summer) and the commencement in December of a new Aer Lingus Paris service.

THE “crippling cost” of high rents in Ennis are forcing some businesses to close down, a meeting in the town has heard.

The claim was made by a local businesswoman at a meeting between business representatives and General Election candidates in Ennis last Wednesday.

Debbie Harrington, Co-manager of Little Silvermines jewellers, told the meeting that the high cost of rent was forcing her to close her doors.

Speaking in the Temple Gate Hotel, Ms Harrington said she and her sister had “established the business from scratch” in Ennis 13 years ago.

She explained that a number of factors including commercial rates and a lack of parking spaces had forced the closure of her business.

Ms Harrington added that high rent, which she said was set “at the height of the boom”, had had a “crippling effect” on her business.

Calling for rents to be reduced in Ennis, Ms Harrington added, “Everyone has to start living in the real world now.” A loud and sustained round of applause followed Ms Harrington’s final comment from the over 200 business people in attendance.

The chairman of the Ennis branch of the Irish Taxi Federation, Martin White, told the meeting that 33 taxi drivers had recently lost their jobs in Ennis.

He said taxi operators, hotels and pubs should be “working hand in glove” on a collaborative basis to encourage more tourists into Clare. “Until such time as we get together, we’re gone,” Mr White warned.

Eamon Cagney, owner of the Wine Buff, urged Clare’s politicians to do every thing they can to get a major multi-nationals to set up in Clare.

Ger Murphy of Gerz Place Café called for free parking to apply in Ennis until 12 noon. Ms Murphy said this would give parents more time to spend in town after dropping kids of at school without worrying about the cost of parking.

Tattooist Tadhg Kelly said business owners should be entitled to free parking in Ennis.

CLARE TDs in the next Dáil have agreed to meet with business leaders in the county four weeks after taking office to discuss how Clare can become the first county in Ireland to exit recession.

The pledge was made by 14 of Clare’s 16 General Election candidates, either present or represented, at a public meeting attended by almost 220 business owners in Ennis last Wednesday.

The meeting was told that those present employed 1,300 people in Ennis.

Organised by Ennis Development Forum and Ennis chamber, the meeting in the Temple Gate Hotel was held to highlight the growing jobs crisis in the county, canvass new ideas and initiatives and encourage consumers to buy local.

Nine business representatives explained the main issues facing small and medium-sized businesses in the county with candidates also outlining their strategies to boost Clare’s economy and save local jobs.

President of Ennis Chamber of Commerce John Dillane said that meeting was not about “bitching and pointing fingers” but rather looking forward.

Chairman of the O’Connell Street Trader’s Association Gearoid Mannion told the meeting that there is a lot of “goodwill and enthusiasm” in Clare. Citing the success of the Wallcandy Street Art project and the Ennis Street Festival, he said it was important for everyone involved in business to “stay positive”.

Aoife Madden of Madden’s Furniture and the Ennis Development Forum said, “Clare will be the first county in Ireland to get out of recession”. She said that over 500 people had signed up to a Facebook page, urging customers to “stay here and shop local”.

She encouraged all businesses to fly Clare flags outside their premises. “They will think we’ve all gone mad down here, but we have to shop local, its important,” added Ms Madden.

SITTING amongst 100 or so people in Drumbiggle at the General Election meeting, one could not help but notice a considerable representation for minority groups.

With 50 members of the Travelling community present, and maybe 10 or more foreign nationals, the questions being hurled at the candidates mainly focused on the difficulties now facing marginalised people; the closure of adult education centres; the cuts in welfare and many other problems.

Also present was Colette Bradley, from Ennis Community Development Project, and Orla Ní Eilí, from the Clare Immigrant Support Centre, who are the official representation, of sorts, for the minority groups.

“We have been turning up to these meetings to get politicians to sign a protocol that they promise they will use their voices sensibly, instead of jumping on marginalised people and using them to highlight issues in the recession,” said Orla Ní Éilí.

“We’re aiming to dispel people’s misconceptions. Recently two politicians rang us saying that some people were giving out about travellers and foreign nationalists abandoning buggies because they didn’t have to pay for them,” said Colette Bradley.

“But this is far from the case, and we want to make people aware of the exact difficulties facing minority groups. And we also don’t want this to be something that could be left behind due to all the other problems that are facing Ireland,” she added.

Anne Cronin pledged that if she didn’t succeed in this election, that she would mentor someone from these groups, and make sure they had proper representation in 2016. Other politicians did, however, promise not to forget the problems of the minorities when they get into power.

FRESH from his success at the World Press Photography Awards, Corofin photographer Kenneth O’Halloran was one of the big winners at the Press Photographers’ Association of Ireland Awards that were announced in Dublin on Friday.

O’Halloran claimed four prizes on the night, scooping first, second and third prizes in the Portrait category, while he also was placed second in the Daily Life category.

He was awarded first prize for his photograph of a young girl with her geese, second prize for a shot of a girl in a pub and third for a cryptic image of Mis Africa Ireland, which the judges said “at first glance, this could be a portrait about Africa, it is in fact an Irish portrait with extraordinary good use of light and colour with a clever subject matter”.

Freelance and former Clare People and Clare Champion photographer, Eamon Ward, won second prize in the Reportage category for a photograph titled ‘Chernobyl’s Human Cost’ and third place in the Daily Life Category for ‘Country Gents’.

Clare Champion staff photographer John Kelly was also among the winners for his Christmas Day photograph called ‘Ice Cycle’.

A GENERAL Election in Clare would not be the same if Shannon Airport wasn’t one of the biggest burners of the day. Indeed, it’s doubtful if there’s been an election campaign this past 30 years without the airport’s future being up for discussion.

“The rights of Shannon have always been protected under Fianna Fáil governments, no matter what the circumstances,” said Charles Haughey during the 1987 election campaign.

“There were often threats from different quarters, but we always stood by Shannon. As long as there is a Fianna Fáil government in office, the future of Shannon is assured. Fianna Fáil and Shannon are synonymous with national progress and will be for a long time to come,” Haughey added.

Those words must haunt Fianna Fáil now, because Shannon has been grievously wronged by Fianna Fáil governments, from the abolition of the Shannon Stopover in 1993 onwards.

The current state of ill-health with the airport was graphically illustrated recently when a survey of 300 airports revealed that passenger numbers at Shannon dipped by 37.2 per cent in 2010 – the biggest drop in Europe.

Yes, it’s crisis time for Shannon. The potential to develop the airport is still there, but this past generation it has gone un-tapped. The incoming government has to act because the survival of Shannon is at stake.

Fianna Fáil has failed miserably to live up to Charles Haughey’s words failed to such an extent that the party has no representation on Shannon Town Council.

Fine Gael and Labour have made soundings about making Shannon “great again”. But is the political will there? Is the will there to give fair treatment to an airport that has been under the thumb of Dublin for many years.

Independence for Shannon Airport is one way.

A new Irish Airport Authority, where Dublin, Shannon and Cork are equal partners, ensuring Dublin doesn’t have the whip hand on Clare, is another way.

Handing over Shannon to Michael O’Leary and giving him incentives to make the airport is hub of operations is another way.

One thing is certain – something has to be done and done fast.

Or else the hares John Dillon talked about back in the 1940s will be on their way. The tumbleweed Michael O’Leary talked about too.

A SIX-MONTH suspension of commercial rates in Ennis and greater independence for Shannon Airport were among the main commitments sought by businesses from Clare’s General Election candidates, at a public meeting last week.

Michelle Madden, of Madden’s Furniture told the meeting in Ennis last week that her family had been in business for 99 years in Ennis.

She said Madden’s, which employs five people, pays € 16,500 in commercial rates to Ennis Town Council every year. “High rates are rates are closing businesses,” she claimed.

Ms Madden added that rates should be determined on profit and not the size of a business. She called on the council to suspend rates for six months.

Local publican and representative of the Vintner’s Federation of Ireland (VFI) Gerry Collins, said that instead of having 20 shop units closed in Ennis, it would be better if the council lowered rates “and kept half of them open”.

Gerry Barry of Clare Trade Supplies said that businesses were finding it very hard to pay rates. He said businesses had to cut costs to survive and the council must do likewise.

CEO of Ennis chamber Rita McInerney told the meeting that businesses in Ennis paid € 5.5 million in rates to Ennis Town Council last year. She described the business community as a “significant stakeholder” that should have a greater voice at local government level.

However, Green Party candidate and Ennis councillor Brian Meaney said that without commercial rates, the council would not be able to provide essential services to the public.

He said there had been no increase in rates in Ennis for the past three years and any suspension would represent a “serious deficit in income” for the council.

He said water charges and domestic rates were needed to fund local government.

“Which library are we going to close? How are we going to salt roads?” asked Cllr Meaney.

He added, “These are very real services that have to be paid for.”

The meeting also heard pleas for greater promotion of Shannon Airport.

Pat McCarthy of Pat McCarthy Shoes described Shannon as the “nucleus” of the economy in the midwest.

Addressing the candidates, Mr McCarthy said, “Please, please, please go to the Shannon Airport Authority and get Shannon moving the way it was when I came to Clare.”

Brian O’Neill, Managing Director of the Rowan Tree Hostel and Restaurant, called for a dedicated marketing strategy for Shannon and for the “ridiculous” travel tax to be abolished.

THOUSANDS of jobs could be created in the renewable energy sector in Clare over the next decade following the news that a number of private and public sector companies are preparing to invest more than € 2 billion in different projects in the county.

According to Pat Stephens of the Limerick Clare Energy Agency, a number of multinational utility companies are currently seeking to invest in excess of € 2 billion in a series of wind, wave, tidal and biomass projects in Clare.

This investment could see Clare transformed into one of the leading areas for renewable energy, not just in Ireland but in the world.

This news comes after the launch of a new Integrated Strategy on Energy and Climate Change by the Clare County Development Board (CDB) last week.

“Clare has world class renewable energy resources in the areas of wind, wave, tidal, and biomass energy. These resources will be harnessed to create clean energy and great wealth for the county and the country,” said Mr Stephens, who is also the chairman of the steering committee that delivered the new integrated strategy.

“The strategy will focus on ensuring that Clare maximises the benefits from the development of its natural renewable energy resources, and the establishment of a Low Carbon County.”

While no specific targets for local job creation were outlined in the strategy, it is believed that an investment in the region of € 2 billion could lead to hundreds or perhaps thousands of high skilled jobs being created in the county.

“This comes at a time when the country is searching for solutions to many social and economic issues. Ireland’s economy is suffering badly in the global recession and County Clare has been affected,” said Cllr Joe Arkins (FG), chairperson of the County Clare Development Board.

“The county has also felt the finan- cial effects of climate change during severe flooding and freezing weather last winter. Despite having abundant renewable energy resources the county and country are also heavily dependent upon imported fossil fuels to support our society and economy.”

According to the director of the Clare County Development Board, Ger Dollard, developing a low carbon economy is a central policy issue for all developed countries.

“The Low Carbon Society and Economy is defined by its use of local renewable energy resources. As such the economic activity is underpinned by secure clean energy,” said Mr Dollard.