Month: September 2012

CLARE-GROWN lemons will be on the menu for this year’s charity Clare Harvest Banquet, which takes place this weekend in Ennis.

Now in its fifth year, the annual banquet made up exclusively of food sources in County Clare, will include a number of new-found foods.

Due to the poor weather this summer, bread will once again be off the menu for the banquet as no Claregrown wheat could be obtained. The weather did not dampen the growth of some more exotic foods, however, and the organisers have been able to source locally-grown lemons for the first time ever.

“We’re very excited this year to find two different sources of Clare lemons, from Barrtra and from Fanore,” said organiser Sinead Garvey.

“The night will start off with some Clare-made wine and music from the Ennis Brass Band on the lawn of the Old Ground Hotel.

“We have found some Clare hazelnuts this year, which is another new food for us, and we will be harvesting salt from seawater and making our own butter as usual.

“We haven’t been able to source Clare flour this year so we will be using some Clare-grown cucumber as the crackers for the cheese board.

“This year, the two chefs from the Old Ground Hotel, Freddy Rynne and Frank Landy, are cooking the meal and they have really got into the event.”

All proceeds from the Clare Harvest Banquet will go to the Asral Charity, which helps to support some of the most needy families in Mongolia.

“Every ticket sold will get a Mongo- lian family through the winter, which otherwise they would not survive, so this is a feel-good event for everyone who comes,” continued Sinead.

“The charity is still supporting groups in Mongolia to export beautiful textiles which are on sale now in Ireland. It is all about creating sustainability for the people in Mongolia.”

The Clare Harvest Banquet will take place at the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis on Friday, October 5 at 8pm.

For ticket information, contact the Old Ground Hotel on 065 6828127 or, more information on the Clar eHarvest Banquet and the specifically local foods it features, visit www. clareharvestbanquet.com.

A TIPPERARY woman has been warned she faces a prison sentence if she wastes the time of the emergency services again.

Rachel Fogarty (21) with an address at Boher Road, Emly, Tippperary was charged with sending by means of a telecommunications systems, a message for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to another.

A probation report in respect of Ms Fogarty was handed into Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

The incident took place on August 30 (2011) at a place unknown in the district area of Ennis District No. 12.

The court previously heard between 4.24am and 5.44am on the date in question, Ennis Garda Station received a total of eight 999 emergency calls.

Gardaí were requested to attend a house in Hermitage though it was not clear why they were directed to do so.

The court previously heard gardaí discovered that the calls were made by Ms. Fogarty.

Solicitor Tara Godfrey told the court that a psychologist has recommended that Ms Fogarty undergo a course of behavioural therapy. She said a court in Tipperary has adjourned her client’s case until completion of the course. She urged the court to consider placing Ms Fogarty on a nine-month period of probation.

Ms Godfrey said, “My client understands the gravity of the offence.”

Judge Patrick Durcan said that he takes a very serious view of people who make hoax telephone calls. He said such calls cause distress and waste an incredible amount of police time.

He said he fully accepted Ms Fogarty’s difficulties as outlined by the probation services and the psychologist.

Judge Durcan said that Ms Fogarty had been convicted of a similar offence in January 2011.

He said, “If she troubles me again with matters of this nature, I will consider a four month prison sentence.” He adjourned the case until September 18 (2013) and granted the State liberty to re-enter at 24 hours notice. Judge Durcan added, “This kind of behaviour will not be tolerated.”

A MAN alleged to have had cannabis for sale or supply in Shannon last year has been returned for trial.

Danny Harty (38), with an address at 60 Inis Eagla, Shannon appeared at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

He is charged with having cannabis for purposes of sale or supply at Smithstown, Shannon on November 12 (2011).

He also charged with unlawful possession of cannabis at the same location on the same date.

Inspector Michael Gallagher told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had consented for the accused to be returned for trial to the next sitting of Ennis Circuit Criminal Court.

Garda Irene O’Flynn of Ennis Garda Station gave evidence of having served the book of evidence on the accused.

Legal aid was approved for defence solicitor Jenny Fitzgibbon and one junior counsel.

Judge Patrick Durcan delivered the alibi warning.

He made the order returned Mr Harty for trial to the next sitting of Ennis Circuit Criminal Court on October 16.

THE State has been granted a further week to serve a book of evidence on an Ennis man charged with having heroin for sale or supply.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Patrick Durcan agreed to adjourn the case of David Joyce (23) for another week.

Mr Joyce, with an address at 85 Dun na hInse, is charged with unlawful possession of diamorphine at 90 Dun na hInse, Ennis on May 30 (2012).

He is also charged with having diamorphine for purposes of sale or supply at the same location and date.

Inspector Michael Gallagher requested that the State be granted an additional week for service of the book of evidence.

Defence solicitor Tara Godfrey said her client had appeared in court on a number of occasions in relation to the charges.

Judge Durcan agreed to adjourn the case to tomorrow.

Acknowledging Ms Godfrey’s comments, Judge Durcan said they should be interpreted as “a warning to the State to get its act together.”

He remanded Mr Joyce on continuing bail to appear again at Ennis District Court on September 26.

AN Ennis man whom a court was told suffers from alcoholism has been ordered to engage with the probation services.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Darren Maughan (21), with an address at 20 Stonecourt, Drumbiggle, Ennis, pleaded guilty to engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

Inspector Michael Gallagher told the court that gardaí were called to a disturbance at Abbey Street on September 9 (2012).

He said Mr Maughan was involved in a fight with another man.

The court heard that when asked by gardaí to stop fighting, Mr Maughan told them to f*** off.

Insp Gallagher told the court that Mr Maughan has 22 previous convictions.

Defence solicitor William Cahir said his client is unable to control his problem with alcohol. He said; “He was entirely responsible for what happened in the night.”

“He has a huge problem with alcoholism. He appreciates this problem but he cannot control it”, Mr Cahir added.

Judge Patrick Durcan said that Mr Maughan has “no respect for law and order.” He adjourned the case for a week for a report from the probation services.

Judge Durcan said he was considering imposing a 100-hour community service order, in lieu of two months in prison.

He explained that he made the decision because he did not see why the State should have to pay € 1700 a week to keep Mr Maughan in prison. The case was adjourned until September 26.

THE driver of a garda car had to take evasive action to avoid being hit by a camper van driven straight at it in an Ennis housing estate, a court has heard. The incident occurred at Aughanteeroe on the Gort Road, Ennis on August 30.

Thomas Ward (39), with an address at 32 Corrach Buí, Rahoon, Galway, pleaded guilty to a charge of engaging in threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour arising out of the incident. Inspector Michael Gallagher told the court that a camper van was driven straight at a garda car in Aughanteeroe on the day in question. He said the driver had to take evasive action to avoid a collision. Insp Gallagher explained that when the camper van came to a stop, four men, including Mr Ward, alighted from the rear of the van. The court heard that Mr Ward ran away from gardaí and attempted to climb a wall to escape. Insp Gallagher said that when asked to stop by a garda, Mr Ward remained difficult, calling her a “f****** spastic” and a “f****** prostitute”.

Gardaí used pepper spray to subdue Mr Ward. He later apologized to gardaí. Mr Ward denied insulting the garda in the manner outlinewd by the State. The court heard that Mr Ward has 18 previous convictions. Judge Patrick Durcan noted that this was an unusual public order offence in that there was no alcohol involved. However solicitor Tara Godfrey told the court that her client would assert that he was “very drunk” on the day. Insp Gallagher said there was no indication at the time that the accused was drunk. Judge Durcan said the accused had been part of a “general scarper” from the van when gardaí approached and imposed a twomonth prison sentence.

Recognances were fixed in the event of an appeal. Judge Durcan said, “I did consider the issue of community service but did deem it would be inappropriate.”

After sentence was passed, Mr Ward was granted a request to speak in court. Mr Ward apologised for his actions, adding this his imprisonment would be bad for his family.

He said, “I’d prefer not to go to jail, your honour.” Mr Ward admitted being in the van but denied knowing the driver.

He said he had not known anyone in the van, adding that he had been “invited in for a drink.”

Judge Durcan said the prison sentence remained in place.

THE Office of Pubic Works (OPW) has failed to respond to an urgent request by Clare County Council to fix one of Clare’s busiest roads, which is in danger of falling into the sea.

It was revealed at yesterday’s North Clare Area meeting in Ennistymon that the Government agency, which last year assumed responsibility for all flooding and coastal erosion funding, has yet to respond to an urgent request for funding to protect a section of road between Liscannor and Lahinch from being washed into the sea.

The road is one of the main access roads used by tourists to access the Burren and also carries more than 700,000 people to or from the Cliffs of Moher each year.

“We have conveyed to them [the OPW] that we consider this work to be urgent. We have taken the step of getting an engineer to do a design of a retaining wall and the others works needed,” said Stephen Lahiffe, engineer with Clare County Council.

“We applied for this funding in 2012 and we have still to get a response – 2012 is nearly over and we have still to get a response. We have taken the step of getting a consultant engineer to come up with a design – so we are ready to go if we get a positive response.”

Ennistymon-based Cllr Richard Nagle (FF) asked for the council to invite down a member of the OPW to view the road, to ensure that Clare County Council would not be blamed by the government agency, if the road is lost to the sea.

“We need to emphasis to the OPW the importance of coastal erosion works at this location. The sea is rapidly eating the coastline away, it is undermining the road at this location and sooner or later that road will collapse,” he said.

“If it does collapse, then a lot of funding will be needed. This has been going on for several years and is getting worse and worse. It is an exposed and vulnerable area – we need to invite an officer from the OPW to come down and visit the site. This could be solved with a small investment now, it we wait until it collapses it will take a huge amount of money to replace it.”

It was also confirmed yesterday that € 40,000 allocated to strengthen the sea wall in Liscannor cannot be diverted to the road.

TWENTY jobs will be on offer at four Clare-based companies who are taking part in the Skillnet recruitment fair in Galway next month.

The fair, which is one of the first ever events of its kind to take place outside of Dublin, will feature representatives from 30 different companies based in the west of Ireland, with 300 jobs on offer between them.

Similar events in Dublin have drawn massive crowds with eager job seekers even camping outside the venue overnight to be first in the queue.

The event is free and will also include a number of workshops and seminars for job seekers as well as concrete jobs to apply for.

Ennis-based company Microsemi Ireland, is one of four Clare-based companies taking part in the event.

“Participation in the Skillnets jobs fair will provide Microsemi with an excellent opportunity to promote current job vacancies for our businesses in the West of Ireland,” said HR Director of Microsemi Ireland, Denise McCoy.

Skillnets CEO, Alan Nuzum, is encouraging Clare job seekers to take part in the jobs fair.

“This event is a real opportunity for job-seekers in the west to meet local companies with local jobs. There will be a range of jobs on offer in a variety of sectors including medical devices, IT, healthcare and financial services to name a few and we are encouraging all job-seekers to come along to this event to see what’s on offer and also to take the opportunity to access information on a diverse range of free training courses available locally through our networks,” he said.

“We offer training in technical skills, customer service skills, information technology, health and safety, communications skills, sales and marketing, social media, planning and strategy and finance.”

The jobs fair will take place Radission Blu Hotel in Galway on Sunday, October 14.

FORTY thousand euro has been put aside to directly compensate families most affected by the Central Waste Management Facility at Ballyduff beg in Inagh.

The independent community board, which oversees the allocation of the Central Waste Management Facility’s community fund, has taken the unprecedented step of putting € 40,000 on ice from the fourth tranche of community funding — and has asked Clare County Council to change the way in which funding is allocated.

The facility, which stopped taking landfill waste earlier this year, has been hugely controversial in the locality, with a large number of complaints about ongoing odour and pest problems. While a number of community organisations have benefitted from funding from the community fund, a number of families living closest to the facility have been unwilling to interact with the fund because of their ongoing opposition to the facility itself.

This has created a situation where those affected most by the facility have benefitted the least from the community development fund.

“This has been a festering issue in Inagh for a number of years. The fund should have targeted the individuals most affected by the landfill. This has not happened with the previous tranches of funding and I agree with the notion of putting some of this tranche of funding on ice with a view to making it so the people who were most affected by the landfill in the past get some benefit out of this,” said Cllr Joe Arkins (FG).

“One has to wonder how some of these projects, which are six or seven miles away from the landfill, have a benefit to the people in Ballyduff beg. I think that the fund lost track of itself from day one and I am pleased to see that it is coming back to what it was supposed to be.”

Eleven applications totaling € 388,000 were submitted for the fourth tranche of the community fund. The independent local group recommended that seven of these projects are granted funding totally € 100,000, with € 40,000 being ringfenced for future allocation.

Their recommendation must be rubberstamped by a full meeting of Clare County Council but, if accepted, it would mean that the fifth and final tranche of funding would amount to € 152,000, with € 40,000 of this being ringfenced for Ballyduff beg projects.

CLARE patients destined to attend the Mid Western Regional Hospital Limerick can prepare for a winter of even more bed closures, cut backs and staff shortages as the HSE battles to maintain the hospital budget.

The hospital in Dooradoyle, which now caters for seriously ill patients from Clare and Nenagh, has a budget over-run of € 14 million from the first seven months of this year.

The HSE was remaining silent on the affects this over-run will have on services, but those close to the hospital warned of “more of the usual end of year cuts”.

The latest Health Service Executive performance report, dated the end of July, pointed to an 18.4 per cent overspend for the Limerick hospital compared to a 1.5 per cent over-spend for Ennis General Hospital, the equivalent of € 162,000.

The publication of the report came the morning after the vote of no confidence in the Minister for Health James Reilly.

During the course of the debate, Fianna Fáil TD for Clare Timmy Dooley questioned what he described as “his litany of broken promises to Clare”.

“Two years ago, the Minister and Taoiseach, who was then leader of the opposition, visited County Clare and made firm commitments regarding the delivery of health services in the county,” said Deputy Dooley.

“The Taoiseach talked about the retention of medical and cardiac services at Ennis General Hospital but, in recent weeks, the HSE has admitted that they will not be maintained. The best the Minister has been able to do is provide two local Fine Gael TDs with a firm letter saying no decision has yet been taken, while our Labour Party constituency colleague has said he is aware that the medical services the Taoiseach promised would be retained will be taken from Ennis General Hospital and the cardiac services that have been part of the service delivery mix will also be taken.”