Month: December 2012

A JUDGE has refused jurisdiction of a case involving a Barefield couple accused of harassment.

Judge Patrick Durcan made the decision at Ennis District Court on Wednesday having previously accepted jurisdiction of the case involving Martin McLoughlin (65) and Ann McLoughlin (62).

The couple, both with an address at Ballymaconna, Barefield, are both charged with harassment of two named people in Barefield.

It is alleged that Mr McLoughlin made a threat, which a man believed would be carried out to kill or cause serious harm at Cregard Barefield on March 19 (2011). He is also facing a similar charge relating to an alleged incident at Cregard Barefield on September 24 (2011). He is also facing two separate charges of harassment on dates unknown between January 2004 and March 2012.

It is alleged that Mr McLoughlin caused criminal damage to trees and shrubs at Barefield on September 24 (2011). Ms McLoughlin is charged with alleged harassment of a woman in the district court area of Ennis on dates between October 2006 and March 2012. Judge Durcan had adjourned the case for a week to allow him to consider an application from defence solicitor James Nash requesting disclosure of documents from the State.

He also said that he would re-consider the issue of jurisdiction as the case had been “troubling” him.

Mr Nash previously told the court that the letters between gardaí and the local authority could prejudice his clients. The court previously heard that the State were not at lib erty to disclose the contents of the letters. On Wednesday, Judge Durcan said he was making no order on Mr Nash’s application.

He said that having considered the nature of the charges, he did not deem the matters fit to be heard in the district court. The couple were remanded on continuing bail to appear at Ennis District Court on January 23, 2012 for service of the book of evidence.

A TEENAGER has pleaded guilty to multiple charges of theft and criminal damage arising out of incidents at housing estates in Sixmilebridge in September.

At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Mark Burke (19), with an address at 26 Beechwood Grove, Sixmilebridge, admitted to the theft of Sat Nav systems from cars in O’Garney Heights and Oakwood and to the theft a wallet and portable CD player from cars in Oakwood and O’Garney Heights.

Mr Burke also pleaded guilty to two charges of criminal damage at Beechwood Grove and O’Garney Heights.

All of the charges relate to September 9.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed summary disposal of the cases.

Judge Patrick Durcan accepted jurisdiction.

The court heard that a resident observed Mr Burke interfering with cars at around 6am on the morning in question. Gardaí were called to the area.

Insp Kennedy said Mr Burke had forcibly entered two cars and opportunistically taken items from them. The court heard Mr Burke was found quite close to the area in a state of intoxication.

Insp Kennedy said the accused made admissions and was totally cooperative with gardaí. Mr Burke has no previous convictions.

Defence solicitor Stiofán Fitzpatrick said his client

Had brought € 500 compensation to court.

He said Mr Burke had consumed 20 Xanex tablets and drank vodka on the nights.

He said the incident had caused great embarrassment to the family as some of the cars belonged to neighbours.

Mr Fitzpatrick said his client was “hugely remorseful.” “He spiraled out of control,” he added.

Insp Kennedy said Mr Burke would benefit from the intervention of the probation and welfare services.

Judge Patrick Durcan said, “The people of Sixmilebridge are entitled to go to bed at night without expecting a zombie filled with vodka and Xanex coming around interfering with their cars.”

He commended Mr Burke for the payment of compensation but he said the people of Sixmilebridge deserved better.

He adjourned the case until March 13, 2012 for a pre-sentence report from the probation and welfare services.

The State were granted liberty to re-enter the case at 24 hours notice.

A MAN who grew cannabis plants at his home in Crusheen to supplement his income has been ordered to make a contribution to charity.

John Nolan (35), with an address at Scalpnagoon, Ballinruan, Crusheen, appeared at Ennis District Court on Wednesday.

Mr Nolan pleaded guilty cultivating cannabis plants contrary to the misuse of drugs act. The charge relates to the discovery of 15 cannabis plants at Scalpnagoon, Ballinruan, Crusheen on October 20 (2010).

The court heard that the plants had an estimated value of € 6000.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had directed summary disposal of the case on a plea of guilty only. Judge Patrick Durcan accepted jurisdiction of the case.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that gardai found 15 plants growing in an upstairs room. The court heard that Mr Nolan told gardaí that he grew the plants to supplement his income after he fell into financial difficulty.

Insp Kenendy said Mr Nolan has no previous convictions and was very cooperative and forthcoming with gardaí. Defence solicitor John Casey said his client had worked solidly as a stonemason until work “suddenly turned off” a number of years ago.

He said Mr Nolan had been a cannabis smoker. Mr Casey said his client was “mucking around on the internet” when he found out how to grow cannabis.

Mr Casey added, “He has stopped now. This has put intense pressure on him. He recently became a new father.”

Mr Casey said his client had offered an early plea and is keen to start afresh and end this part of his life.

Inspector Kennedy said he could not disagree with what Mr Casey said about Mr Nolan. He told the court that the plants would not have been fully developed at the time.

Judge Patrick Durcan said this was a “serious matter” as outlined by the view taken by the DPP that the case could only be dealt with in the district court on a guilty plea only.

He added, “This is a matter where a 12 month sentence could be imposed.” Noting the early guilty plea and the circumstances outlined by Mr Casey, Judge Durcan described Mr Nolan as someone who is “very unlikely to re-offend.”

He ordered him to pay € 500 to the court box. Judge Durcan said if this was done by April 10, 2013, he would strike out the charges against Mr Nolan.

A COMMERCIAL ferry operator has expressed an interest in operating a commuter ferry service connecting Ballyvaughan and Galway City.

Following a trial service held over the summer, the Ballyvaughan Bay Hop group have been trying to entice a ferry operator to take on the route on an ongoing basis. The group contacted a number of North Clare residents last week, asking them to register their interest in a new service to begin in the spring of 2013.

Depending on the response from the people in the area, a limited fulltime service could begin in February of next year.

“We have secured the interest of a private marine eco-tourism operator who is willing to provide a limited service that may be of interest from spring 2013,” said a statement from the Ballyvaughan Bay Hop group.

“However, we need to establish the minimum number of passengers this service is likely to attract in order to ensure it will be viable.”

The group are asking anyone interested to complete an online survey to detail their own interest in the service. The Clare People understands that the new ferry operators will sail the route twice a day, bringing commuters from Ballyvaughan to Galway City and home again each evening. This service will save those on board approximately two hours each day of a commute time, compared to making the same journey by car.

A trial ferry service on the Ballyvaughan to Galway City route took place earlier this year. The service received great interest locally and many sailings were completely booked out.

Despite the large customer interest, however, the trial service was suspended after just three days following issues with the boat provider.

This commercial beginning of the Ballyvaughan Bay Hop follows years of work by a small group of local people in Ballyvaughan.

More information on the service as it becomes available can be located on www.ballyvaughanbayhop.org.

WITH just hours until the Government announces yet another ‘austerity’ budget, charities such as Clare Haven are bracing themselves for a year when they may have to cut services.

The women’s refuge for families who have been subjected to domestic violence and abuse has already had their statuary funds cut by as much as 10 per cent, and have been warned more cuts are on the way.

Since 2009, the statutory funding for the organisation has been cut by € 80,000.

Even with the level of statutory funding that was received in 2009, the organisation still had to fundraise in an attempt to meet the needs of women and children who were subjected to abuse in the home.

Clare Haven Manager, Denise Dunne explained, “Unfortunately, as well as cuts in statutory funding, since the recession it has become increasingly difficult to fundraise. We rely so much on the goodwill and generosity of the local community in County Clare, not only for monetary donations but also for donations in food, clothes, emergency supplies such as nappies, baby food and toiletries.

“Our volunteers are also an essential part of our service, including those who carry out church gate collections, help out with fundraising events, such as the Clare 10K, sort through donations and help out in the refuge,” she said.

“We have already been told to expect further cuts in 2013. This is why fundraising events such as the Clare 10K are such a lifeline for our organisation.

“We are hoping to make the Clare 10K the biggest and best so far and would encourage walkers and runners to help out their own local charities by taking part in this. All proceeds from the Clare 10K registration fees go directly to Clare Haven Services.”

During the first 10 months this year, as many as 208 women and 303 children fleeing from domestic abuse were unable to find accommodation at the centre, as all six units were full to capacity.

Ms Dunne explained that Clare Haven staff gave these families the numbers of other refuges around the country or helped them to locate one, but finding a place able to accept them was often difficult as most women’s refuges are working to full capacity.

As many as 73 women and their families, which included 109 children, have stayed in Clare Haven’s Refuge Centre this year.

While the service has also helped as many as 186 in total through its support visits, outreach programme and refuge centre.

PEOPLE living with disabilities in Clare have suffered more than other sectors and “have nothing left to give” in this week’s budget. That is according to local organiser for Enable Ireland, Margaret Burke, who believes that cuts to local authority budgets has made it very difficult for people using wheelchairs to get around Ennis and other towns in the county.

Ms Burke was speaking after an event in Ennis last week which saw a number of politicians taking to wheelchairs to experience, firsthand, the difficulties experienced by disabled people every day.

“They really want the people who represent them to know exactly what they are talking about. If someone hasn’t been in a wheelchair, it is not always that easy to represent them and to understand exactly where they are coming from,” she said.

“The biggest thing is that this event was organised by the service-users themselves. They are used to people being vocal for them, on their behalf, but this an event organised by the service-users themselves. That is a big step.

“It is empowering for them – it gives them more of a voice. It is beginning to unfold like that more and more in Clare. Our role is more and more to sit back and support them, and let them speak for themselves.”

According to Ms Burke, there is a lot of fear among disabled people in Clare ahead of this week’s budget.

“When you cut local budgets, it has a massive effect on people with disabilities. If Clare County Coun- cil don’t have the funding to fix the paths and fix the roads, then people in wheelchairs struggle every day. It is an massive obstacle to get into town [Ennis] every day. They need their busses, they need their transport,” she said.

“These people are on a disability allowance – they really don’t have much. They have everything to lose and nothing left to give. Everyone is hoping that there won’t be any further cuts. We have always been in a recession down in this part of the world.”

MEMBERS of Ennis Town Council will meet today to pick a name for the newly opened € 2.5 million section of the inner relief road.

Jail Road and Bothar Na Rince are among the names that have been so far suggested.

It has also been suggested that a plaque be erected near Madden’s Furniture, the site of the old Paddy Con’s dance hall, to commemorate musicians in Ennis.

Up to 4,500 vehicles per day are expected to use section E of the Ennis Inner Relief Road project, which opened to traffic last week.

The newly completed 180 metres of single carriageway road links Station Road at Madden’s Furniture to Friar’s Walk and the Clare Road at Cathedral Court.

The € 2.5m road also features new traffic lights at Station Road and Clare Road.

Ennis Town Council says the com- pleted section of the Inner Relief Road will improve traffic flow to the town centre for customers and visitors to Ennis, and will reduce traffic congestion in the Station Road and Upper O’Connell Street area of Ennis.

Officials have said that it will take a few months to adequately assess the impact the road will have on traffic flow on the town.

Speaking at the opening, Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Peter Considine said, “It is heartening to see that despite the current fiscal constraints faced by Ennis Town Council that it is still continuing to complete important infrastructure projects throughout the town. The completion of the Inner Relief Road will bring a range of immediate benefits, both to the local community and to those visiting the town.”

Ennis Town Clerk Leonard Cleary said the new section of the Inner Relief Road will complement similar road projects completed in recent years, including the Ennis Bypass and the section of the Inner Relief Road from Station Road to Francis Street, in further reducing traffic congestion in the Clare County capital.

“The completion of work on Inner Relief Road project will be welcomed by motorists throughout the town as it will bypass numerous traffic bottle necks and vastly improve commuting time for users,” he added.

The road project is funded by Ennis Town Council with a € 2.1M loan approved by the Department of Transport.

FIVE thousand new jobs can be created in Shannon by 2018 as Clare’s international airport finally prepares to free itself from the shackles of Dublin Airport Authority control and chart a new independent future for itself.

This ambitious blueprint for Shannon was revealed by senior Cabinet ministers, Leo Varadkar and Richard Burton at an aviation conference in Dublin on Monday, with December 31 next set as formal beginning of the new independent airport freed of its € 100m debts and given a start-up fund in this Wednesday’s budget as it begins life as a separate, stand alone entity.

The new airport authority has been provisionally named as NEWCO – a merger between existing Shannon Development and Shannon Airport staff, and in an early move to allay fears among the workforce in the two companies, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton has said “there will be no compulsory redundancies”.

Meanwhile, The Clare People can exclusively reveal that Clarewoman, Rose Hynes, is being lined up to become the first chairperson of the new airport authority. The Bellharbour woman chaired the Aviation Business Development Task Force that drafted the new airport plan, which she says is “the beginning of a new era” for Shannon.

The government has set a target of boosting passenger numbers at Shannon by one million over the next nine years, with Transport minister Leo Varadkar telling The Clare People that “if Shannon can’t achieve that kind of growth, then there is no fu- ture for the airport”.

However, it’s in the area of jobs that Shannon can expect its biggest windfall with Minister Varadkar revealing that a new international aviation services centre has “the potential to create between 3000 and 5000 jobs within five years”.

Minister Bruton said the airport’s independence, which will see two companies in Shannon provide up to 850 in the coming months represents “a new chapter in regional development” in Ireland.

GARDAÍ in Ennis have launched an investigation after an attempted arson attack on units in the Beechpark Traveller accommodation site.

Two buildings at the site on the outskirts of Ennis sustained smoke damage when an attempt was made to set them ablaze on Saturday night.

Intruders attempted to set fire to the kitchen of one unit after breaking a window. The rear was forced open in another unit and an attempt was made to set the building alight.

Gardaí in Ennis said yesterday that petrol was discovered near the scene of both attempted fires. No one was injured in the attack.

The family who live at one of the damaged units were away on the night. As of yesterday, no one had been arrested or charged in connection with the attack.

It is the second time in three years that the Beechpark site has sustained damage. Between 2010 and 2011, the Council was forced to spend € 2800 a week on providing security at Beechpark after units there were destroyed by vandalism and arson in April 2010. Last year, a report from Clare County Council on the costs associated with providing traveler accommodation in Clare, stated that Beechpark has been the subject of threats and intimidation since 2010.