Month: November 2011

THE chances of another public toilet being installed in Ennis are somewhere between “slim and none”, a meeting has heard. Town manager Ger Dollard was speaking in response to a proposal aired at yesterday’s meeting of councillors in the Ennis West Electoral Area.

Cllr Tony Mulqueen (FG) called on the council to “provide a public toilet in Parnell Street car park, Ennis, for car park customers and taxis”.

Cllr Mulqueen told the meeting that the matter had been brought to his at- tention by local taxi drivers. He said drivers operating from Parnell Street car park had told him there was a need for the facility in the area. He said a public toilet would also help reduce the level of public urination taking place at night.

In response, town clerk Leonard Cleary explained, “Public conveniences have been provided in the market area and Abbey Street. It should be noted that a public convenience has a significant annual cost and daily management requirement.”

He added, “The matter can be brought to the attention of Ennis Town Council if the committee so desires.”

Town Manager Ger Dollard told the meeting that public conveniences “are hugely expensive”. He said Ennis Town Council had previously been criticised for the cost associated with maintaining public toilets. Mr Dollard said the chances of providing a new facility are “slim and none”.

Figures contained in Ennis Town Council’s 2010 annual financial statement showed that it cost € 70,000 to operate pubic toilets in the town.

INAGH native Damien Queally has launched a major appeal for the people of Clare to support children in the developing world this Christmas. Damien, who is the Programme Manager of Plan Ireland, yesterday launched the Plan Ireland Christmas appeal with the help of Irish rugby legend Malcolm O’Kelly.

This year’s Life Gifts catalogue includes a number of unique Christmas cards as well as a unique range of photographic canvas prints, all of which will help to raise vital funds to make a lasting improvement to the lives of the world’s most disadvantaged children.

“These gifts will give much needed support and materials directly to the children and communities Plan works with in the developing world. By choosing a Life Gift, like a set for school or a gift of child sponsorship, you are giving a child living in pov- erty the chance of a better life and a gift like this is essentially priceless,” said Damien.

Damien has been working for the charity as Programme Manager since 2008. After graduating from UCD with a Masters in Economics in 1999, Queally spent two years working in banking, before taking a career break in 2001 to volunteer in India and Uganda. Captivated by his experiences in these countries, Damien decided to leave banking permanently and began his career in international development, working in countries such as The Congo, Niger and Darfur.

Plan Ireland is a child-centred community development organisation, part of Plan International which itself was founded over 70 years ago. It is an independent organisation with no religious, political or governmental affiliations. Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume is the Patron of Plan Ireland. He and his wife Pat sponsor a

CURRENT and former members of Ennis Brass Band will gather in the Temple Gate Hotel on Friday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the band’s formation. After the main meal, at the Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis, the members and friends of the band will welcome all former members to join in the night’s reminiscing.

Re-formed in 1971, the brass band have competed numerous times at national and international level on behalf of the town and county. Over 40 years, the band has brought AllIreland and regional glory back to Ennis on numerous occasions.

The band have performed for the visit of high-profile politicians and dignatories to Ennis. In 2008, members were invited to perform at Arás an Uachtaran by former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese.

Countless young people have also passed through the ranks of the band, learning new musical skills and making friends for life.

This year, as part of the band’s celebrations, everyone who has ever played with the band is invited to join with current members at 9pm on Friday November 25, for an informal social night. Founders of the band and their partners will join with the band and their families to celebrate the anniversary and all former members who have played with the band over the years are invited to join.

Anyone who in the past has played with the band is invited to the Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis at 9pm to join in the fun.

A CLARE artist has been invited to exhibit some of his finest work at a prestigious international festival.

Philip Brennan, who is based at Stonehall, Newmarket-on-Fergus, will go to Florence next week to take part in the Florence Bienalle festival.

Six hundred artists from 60 countries will display their works at the event.

“Each artist brings three pieces of their work. All of these festivals have a very big international effect. It is a very big shop window for artists,” said Philip.

Philip’s three paintings are all locally based. One is based on the Burren area, while the other two feature images generated from his own garden in Stonehall. One is based on cutting trees, while the other features the last swallow of the year.

He is looking forward to exhibiting his works in an international setting. “Florence was purely an invitation. I don’t know where they got my name. It is only my second show abroad, following on from the Irish Festival in Milwaukee in 2007,” he said.

“For any artist, any bit of promotion at all is good,” he added.

He has forged strong international links in recent times. He took part in an artists-in-residence scheme in Wales earlier this year and will bring an exhibition there in 2013.

“I am absolutely thrilled, given the way things are now with the recession,” said Philip.

Philip has returned to the studio for the winter months, having focused much of his work outdoors during the summer.

His work is varied and he loves the various challenges presented by his art work. “I usually get a piece finished in two days but wildlife ones take a bit longer. I like the ones that involve people and wildlife in the picture as well as landscapes,” he added. While he occasionally uses pastels, inks, pencil and oils, watercolour is his preferred medium. As well as illustrating bird guide books such as the ‘Birds of Killarney National Park’ and a range of historical and wildlife illustrations, he has published a number of books which feature paintings and accompanying stories, poems and songs. He is also a traditional singer and songwriter and has a background in teaching and wildlife work. Philip will take part in the exhibition in Florence from December 3 to 11.

A PUBLIC meeting to oppose new bylaws which would see boats banned from evening dockings at the pier in Kinvara will take place in the village on Wednesday evening.

The meeting is being organised by local man Declan Connolly, who says that the new legislation will destroy Kinvara’s reputation as a maritime centre and means the end of the Cruinniú na mBád Festival.

The Cruinniú, which will celebrate its 34th anniversary this year, sees scores of experienced sailors from the Aran Islands dock their boats and traditional curraghs in Kinvara each August to celebrate the ancient sea trade routes between the two locations.

The proposed bylaw was prompted by a number of local residents who complained about camper vans and other vehicles parking overnight on the Kinvara pier. The legislation however, proposed a ban on all craft from the pier, meaning that boats with sleeping quarters would be banned from docking there at night.

“There was a legitimate concern from some residents about camper vans staying on the pier for an extended period, so the locals contacted the councillors who came up with this new bylaw for the pier but for some reason they also included boats in the legislation. This will prevent boats which are habitable from being at the pier between eight in the evening and nine in the morning,” said Declan. “If this bylaw was to come true, it would mean that we and other boat user would not be able to work on our boat in the evening time. It would bring about a ridiculous situation where the Cruinniú na mBád would have to stop – where all the boats come over for the weekend and so many people stay on the boats. This proposed bylaw in my opinions is completely ridiculous and has not been well thought out.” Declan is hoping that everyone who has an opinion on the proposed bylaws come to the meeting to allow for a compromises to be reached. “We would like to talk to the concerned residents and see if some sort of compromise can’t be worked out. I think we need to split the two issues and deal with camper-vans and boats separately. It is two different issues and we would like to see the boats removed from the proposed bylaw for a start,” continued Declan. “That said there are a lot of businesses in the town who welcome the camper-vans coming into the village. They come in, the use the local shops and spend money. The vast majority of the time they are very well behaved, elderly people who have all the right equipment and don’t cause any difficulty for people. The meeting will take place at Johnson’s Hall in Kinvara this Wednesday, November 24, at 8.30pm.

ALMOST 250 families will no longer be moving to Shannon as the proposed decentralisation of the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has been shelved. The move, which would have virtually doubled the IAA’s staff numbers in the county, has been indefinitely shelved with the proposed move of Enterprise Ireland to Shannon also now under threat.

A review of the proposed Enterprise Ireland move to Shannon will also take place in the coming months, with no indication as of yet as to whether that proposed decentralisation will go ahead or not.

There was some good news for Kilrush, however, as it was announced that the movement of staff from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners to the town will not be effected.

The Irish Aviation Authority already employs around 240 people at its operations in Shannon and Newmarket. The organisations corporate headquarters are located in Dublin and it was these employees who were to move to Shannon.

“The Irish Aviation Authority have about 700 people employed all over the country. Already in Clare we have a centre at Ballycasey in Shannon and at the North Atlantic Communications centre at Ballygirreen in Newmarket. Our corporate headquarter are based in Dublin and it was this headquarters which was proposed to move to Shannon,” said a spokesperson from the IAA.

The IAA currently employs around 170 people at the Air Traffic Centre in Ballycasey and at Shannon Airport itself and a further 70 people are employed at the radio centre in Ballygirreen. A source close to the IAA told The Clare People that last Thursday’s announcement of the scrapping of decentralisation to Shannon has come as “no surprise” to the people working for the organisation and that employees are “completely unfazed” by the announcement.

It was also announced that the Commissioner for Aviation Regulation is to be merged into the Irish Aviation Authority however it is not clear what effect, if any, this merger will have on the workforce in Clare.

Meanwhile, a new military aircraft from Airbus was given its first testflight at Shannon Airport last Thursday. The Airbus Military’s A400M transport landed in Shannon Airport after taking off from the Airbus manufacturing facility at Toulouse in France.

The flight spent much of its time off the Clare coast and flew as low as 10,000ft at some instances before returning at France. Airbus Military is expected to deliver the first aircraft in early 2013 with another 170 planes on order from other customers.

THE future of Shannon Development remains in doubt, with everything now resting on the recommendations made by a number of Government departments and state organisations to the Brosnan Report.

The report, which was completed by the Mid-West Task Force under the chairmanship of Denis Brosnan, is currently with Minister Richard Bruton (FG) at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. The Clare People has learned that the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation has recently circulated the report to a number of of other Government departments for submission and these submissions will be added to the report before it will go before the cabinet for implementation.

A spokesperson from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation could not confirm when the process will be finished but The Clare People understands that a formal announcement will be made be fore the December 6 budget.

“The recommendations of the report of the Mid-West Task Force re- late mainly to the programmes and structures of the industrial development and other agencies in the region,” said a spokesperson from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

“Accordingly, this department recently sought the views of a number of other departments on the report’s recommendations. This consultation process will be completed shortly, following which the report’s findings and recommendations will be presented to Government for decision in accordance with the timeframe announced in the Public Service Reform plan an- nounced yesterday [last Thursday].”

This news follows a number of sweeping reforms to all Government-funded quangos announced in the Public Service Reform Plan. The plan gives a commitment to perform a complete review of all the tourism function currently undertaken by Shannon Development and examine a the possibility of merging these duties into other unnamed organisations. All of Shannon Development’s non-tourism related function will then be decided in the context of the Brosnan Report.

Shannon Development was one of a number of organisations who contributed to the report of the Mid-West Task Force but it is still unclear how this report will be used by Government.

“Shannon Development is considering the report which proposes to review the company’s activities as part of the implementation of the recommendations of the Mid West Taskforce Report. Shannon Development will be in discussions with relevant Government ministers and departments in the coming weeks,” said a spokesperson from Shannon Development.

WITH pedestrianisation due to be in place in Ennis for two days in December, there have been further calls for a reduction in parking charges.

Yesterday’s meetings of councillors in the Ennis Electoral Areas (East and West) heard calls for changes in parking policy.

Cllr James Breen (Ind) said that “two-hour free parking should be put in place daily in Ennis for a trial period of three months”.

Cllr Breen said the trial could benefit shoppers and businesses. He told the meeting that the one-hour parking limit in place in parts of the town centre was an inconvenience for many shoppers. He said this was particularly the case for women going to hairdressers to have “highlights put in their hair”. He said women were often in the salon for more than an hour.

Cllr Tom McNamara (FF) said current parking limits are an “awful hindrance” for rural shoppers. He said that many people are now opting to shop in Limerick instead.

In response, Town Clerk Leonard Cleary stated, “At the November meeting of Ennis Town Council, the possibility of an incentivised parking scheme to stimulate the Christmas shopping market was discussed. This matter is being further researched. Consultation with the business community has been arranged”. Mr Cleary stated that views from the Ennis Area Committees would be considered by Ennis Town Council.

Cllr Pat Daly called on the council to consider allocating the first hour of parking to shoppers in Ennis free of charge on a trial basis.

Cllr Daly said this would assist rate-paying businesses, many of whom he described as “struggling to survive”.

Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) requested that members of Fine Gael and Labour should lobby the government to ensure parking charges are made exempt from a proposed increased in VAT.

Town Manager Ger Dollard said yesterday that the current parking regime has been designed to ensure a high turnover of spaces.

Mr Dollard said there is a good mix of short- and long-term parking spaces in Ennis.

Ennis Town Council is proposing to pedestrianise Abbey Street from its junction with Francis Street to O’Connell Square; O’Connell Square and O’Connell Street from O’Connell Square to its junction with Station Road.

It is proposed that the areas will be closed to traffic from 11am to 6pm on December 17 and 24.