Month: November 2013

A CLARE senator has suggested a register of SIM cardholders should be established to help prevent cyberbullying.

Fine Gael senator Martin Conway’s comments came at a public meeting in Ennis on Friday that heard schools in Clare are struggling to deal with the spread of bullying through social networking sites such as Facebook and Ask.fm.

Jim Harding, director of the antibullying service, Bully 4 U, told the meeting a recent survey carried out by the service found that 85 per cent of respondents using Facebook are under 13.

He said all the complaints received by his company “are directed towards Facebook.

“Primary school teachers are dealing with Facebook issues on a daily basis. They are tearing their hair out,” added Mr Harding.

He also warned that new forms of social media such as Snapchat are being used to bully. He said vulnerable teenagers are receiving threatening images of ropes and knives.

He said there is a growing concern that online Chat Roulette rooms are being used by pedophiles to make contact with primary school children.

“These are mainly middle aged, naked men who are encouraging them [children] to take their clothes off so they can video and record them,” he explained.

“Mobile phones are the cause of most [online] bullying, the vast amount,” added Mr Harding. Senator Martin Conway told the meeting that the sale of SIM cards – a form of data storage for mobile devices – should be subject to tighter control. “Nobody should be able to walk into a shop and buy a SIM card for a tenner. You should have to produce your passport and there should be a register,” he explained. Dr Patricia Mannix McNamara of the University of Limerick’s Depart- ment of Education and Professional Studies, told the meeting cyber bullying is a major issue in Irish schools. “Schools are in crisis and they are struggling,” she said. Dr Mannix McNamara explained the relationships that foster cyber bullying are often happening in the schools. “Our schools are in crisis. We need our guidance counsellors to be talking to our children but we have so few guidance counsellors,” she said. Researcher Sharon Moynihan said a recent study of children in four counties found that 36 per cent of students admitted to posting hurtful comments or images on social networking sites. Ireland South MEP Sean Kelly hosted the a Cyber-Bullying Forum in the Temple Gate Hotel, in order to raise awareness and inspire action to prevent online bullying. “Cyber bullying, or bullying by social media, is a problem of epidemic proportions affecting mostly young people. It is a very serious challenge for parents, teachers, mental health and youth/community workers. It has fuelled a national and Europewide debate on how to best to tackle the issue,” he said.

GARDAÍ in Shannon say they have not received any reports of bank accounts being illegally accessed following the discovery of a skimming device at a town centre ATM last month.

Gardaí were alerted after the insertion of the skimming device set off an internal alarm in the machine.

Gardaí have not received any reports of bank accounts being hit as the device may have been discov- ered before it was put to use.

It comes as a man in Ennis saw almost € 300 illegally removed from his account at the start of the month.

The man was informed by two banks – AIB and Bank of Ireland – that money from his accounts was used for a series of online transactions. Not all of the transactions were successful.

The amounts, which varied from € 10 to € 30, were used to purchase products from Apple’s iTunes website and Hostelworld.

The banks detected the series of “unusual transactions” which took place on a Sunday morning. The man was waiting to hear from the bank last night to know if his debit card accounts had been illegally accessed online or through other means. The man’s sister, who also lives in Ennis, also was also the victim of a recent similar fraud.

“It was from two separate accounts. The bank got in touch with me to say they had noticed a few unusual transactions on my account. They’ve said I’m going to be re- funded so I’m going to be talking to them,” he explained.

Cash machines in Limerick and Galway have recently been targeted in an ATM scam.

Gardaí in Shannon discovered a skimming device at a town centre cash point on October 11 but have received no reports so far of accounts being affected.

In August, the Irish Payment Services Organisation reported that almost € 30,000 had been stolen through an ATM scam in a single week.

A GOVERNMENT agency has been accused of intimidating Clare County Council staff in their own homes at night prior to bringing charges against the local authority.

The claim was made by county solicitor John Shaw in a report relating to two cases taken by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) against the local authority in the Circuit Criminal Court.

Mr Shaw said the charges arose out of an incident where it was considered necessary to continue supplying water to the town of Ennis, despite there being a problem with treating the water.

He said the problem was notified to the environmental watchdog, the EPA, as well as a proposal to rectify the issue.

“Notwithstanding the notification to the EPA, charges were subsequently brought in a manner which was to say the least, untypical of a state body.

“Council staff were approached late in the evening in their homes and intimidated into giving statements,” he said.

The county solicitor was then notified of this behaviour and arrangements made that all other statements would be made in the presence of the county solicitor.

Soon after charges were brought by the EPA under the European Communities (Drinking Water) No.2 Regulations 2007.

“The approach of the EPA in relation to this prosecution was, to say the least, high handed,” pointed out the solicitor from Michael Houlihan and Partners.

The council’s defence team mounted a defence against the case, which was adjourned three times in the circuit court.

“During the course of adjournment, the Circuit Court judge commented with regard to one public authority prosecuting another and questioned the value to the public in proceeding in this way,” explained Mr Shaw.

The DPP, and by extension the EPA, entered a “nolle prosequi” on September 24, meaning no case was to be answered.

Mr Shaw argued this should have been done much sooner or a case not brought at all as “a valid defence” would have been raised by the council.

Clare county manager Tom Coughlan was also vocal on the cost of this case, and another similar case, to the public purse.

The second case in Mr Shaw’s report referred to 20 indictable charges brought by the EPA against Clare County Council relating to the odour from Ballyduff beg Landfill site in Inagh.

Mr Coughlan explained, “Of the 20 indictable charges, 19 were ultimately struck out.

“The maximum penalty on each of these counts was € 15 million per charge.

“The council was fined € 5,000 in respect of one charge on which it pleaded guilty.

“The EPA sought costs and the council agreed to make an ex-gratis payment of € 3,700 towards the EPA’s cost.

“The council has expended considerable financial and human resources in preparing a defence against 20 indictable charges.

“Those scarce resources could have been expended on delivering and improving services for the people of the county,” said the county manager.

He added while he was satisfied with the council’s defence in relation to Ballyduff beg, he was acutely aware of the significant additional costs, which would be incurred in the event of the 20 charges going to a full hearing.

“In the circumstances, and mindful of the potential waste of public money, the council pleaded guilty to one charge in relation to Ballyduffbeg,” he said.

Mr Coughlan said he was also aware that both the EPA and the DPP must also have incurred huge costs and had agreement been reached at an early stage the cost to the taxpayer would have been significantly less.

Mr Coughlan was also critical of the EPA’s treatment of his staff while investigating the Ennis Water issue, claiming that as well as sending an investigation team to their homes at night, the agency also “commandeered an office in Áras an Contae to conduct interrogations of council staff ”.

“This had a serious impact on staff, particularly having regard to the fact that the EPA were seeking to identify individuals to possibly pursue criminal proceedings,” he said.

Concluding his report, Mr Shaw said the prosecution was particularly annoying as it was without merit and the investigations that were conducted were in a manner that was utterly unacceptable.

“Assurances have been received from the EPA to the effect that such conduct would not be repeated.”

As the report reached The Clare People late last night, the paper was unable to contact the EPA for comment at this time.

ALMOST 500 horses and dogs have been put down in the county so far this year by animal welfare services, a number that far exceeds figures for central London.

As many as 452 dogs were euthanised by the ISPCC acting for Clare County Council, with 37 horses also put down during 2013 to date.

This is an average of 11 animals every week and more than one a day.

According to Anne Haugh, Director of Services, Environment and Water Services, as many as 962 dogs and horses were impounded by agencies acting on behalf of Clare County Council.

The majority of the animals impounded or surrendered were dogs, with 915 canines taken in.

Of these 452 were re-homed including 148 who were re-claimed by owners.

As many as 47 horses were impounded by the authorities in Clare this year, with 10 released back to their owners.

A total of 37 horses were put down however.

“In the case of dog control, the council has an agreement with the ISPCA to carry out all of the coun cil’s functions, other than the taking of prosecutions or the making of Bye Laws under the 1986 Control of Dogs Act,” explained Ms Haugh.

She was responding to questions from East Clare county councillor Cathal Crowe (FF), who said the number of animals destroyed each year pointed to fundamental flaws in dog control laws.

“In all of the metropolitan London area, which has two local authorities and a population of eight million people, 320 dogs were euthanised last year,” he said adding that the figure for County Clare far exceeds that.

THE Office of Public Works is to be requested to boost the profile of the historic Ennis Friary by erecting new signs.

The 13th century building reopened to the public last year following an extensive restoration project.

The purpose of the estimated € 100,000 works project was to provide protection for the collection of carved features which survive at Ennis Friary.

A roof was installed over the 18th century church in order to provide protection for the collection of carved features, which survive at Ennis Friary. The OPW also aimed to improve visitor access to the site.

Entry to one of the town’s top tourist attractions was free when the Friary re-opened in June 2012.

At yesterday’s meeting of councilors in the Ennis East Electoral Area, Cllr Johnny Flynn called on the OPW to retain free entry and provide improve signage for one of Ennis’ most popular tourist attractions.

Cllr Flynn (FG), a member of Ennis Town Council and Clare County Council, says a record 22,000 people passed through the doors of the Friary this year.

He is calling on the OPW to retain the free entry as a means of maintaining high visitor numbers.

He states free entry would also “give Ennis town centre a boost following the necessary but disruptive Flood scheme”.

In a motion tabled at the meeting, Cllr Flynn also called for the OPW to permit greater cultural, musical and educational uses of the Friary.

Town clerk Leonard Cleary stated the opening of the Friary for greater public use “is a manner for the OPW in the management of the facility”.

Mr Cleary said in relation to new signs, “Ennis Town Council and Clare County Council are currently working with the Office of Public Works in relation to the provision of new signage for the old Ennis Friary. This matter will have to have regard to road signage regulations.”

Cllr Flynn also called on the OPW provide more funding for improved tourist services including guided tours at Quin Abbey. Mr Cleary stated the council would discuss with the Office of Public Works “if such a proposal were to emerge”.

Town manager Gerard Dollard said Cllr Flynn’s proposals would be sent to the OPW.

Cllr Sonny Scanlan (FG) backed calls for improved facilities at Quin Abbey.

CLARE County Council has access to more than 3,000 tonnes of rock salt to treat the county’s roads this winter.

The big freeze during the winter of 2010-2011 saw the local authority under pressure as it gritted the county’s main thoroughfares.

This year preparations are in place early with one third of the available salt stock currently in storage.

The 1,000 tonnes of salt in storage has been held over from last winter, which was one of the mildest in recent years.

The additional 2,000 tonnes of salt is available to the council to draw down when required from the National Roads Authority (NRA) and the Department of Transport (DTTAS).

Council staff have already participated in their first road treatment operation of the winter. The surface temperature dropped low enough last weekend for a number of trucks to be dispatched from the local authority’s depot/maintenance facility at Beechpark, near Ennis.

According to senior engineer Tom Tiernan;

“These stocks will be used to treat strategic national (excluding the mo- torway network) and non-national routes around the county during the coming weeks and months.

“For the first time the county’s motorway and dual carriageways will be treated directly by the NRA, which assumed responsibility for the national motorway network earlier this year.”

TWO County Clare hotels owned by West Clare hotelier John Burke received the highest accreditation available under the Green Hospitality Awards (GHA) programme.

As a result of the award this week, Clare is now the leading county for the Green Hospitality Awards programme, with almost half the country’s ‘green hotels’ in the county.

The Armada Hotel in Spanishpoint and Hotel Doolin successfully reduced their energy consumption by almost a third and reduced the amount of waste going to landfill by more than 60 per cent.

The Clare hotels join an elite group of just seven Irish hotels who possess Platinum accreditation under the hospitality sector’s only environmental accreditation programme, which is supported by the EPA through the National Waste Prevention programme.

The programme inspectors who judged both businesses noted that jointly they reduced water consumption by 38 per cent per guest, cut the amount of waste going to landfill by 62 per cent, and reduce electricity per guest by 28 per cent since joining the programme two years ago.

“The green programme has led to a consequential reduction in operating costs at both hotels and in doing so has enabled us to offer the best possible value to locals and tourists, which is critical in order to compete in the current marketplace,” explained Mr Burke.

“Furthermore this programme has a rigorous way of inspecting our approach to greater environmental issues such as reducing our carbon footprint and landfill waste levels, to our social responsibility approach to more local issues like how we contribute to local charitable and voluntary causes, and the support we show for local food suppliers. Our efforts over the past 12 months have seen us significantly improve on our Silver accreditations in 2012 for the Armada and Hotel Doolin.”

Clare is currently the leading county for the Green Hospitality Awards programme, with Dromoland hav- ing also achieved Platinum status in 2011. Three of the seven Irish hotels now in receipt of the GHA Platinum accreditation are Clare-based.

FINE Gael delegates at Friday’s night’s convention raised issues about a selection process some claimed “disempowered” the grass roots of the party. Others argued the process was unfair to certain nominees contesting the convention to select representatives for the party in the eight-seat West Clare constituency.

A directive was issued from the central executive of the party stating that three candidates were to be elected on the night.

There was a rider on the directive however that stated one candidate would have to be selected from the old Ennistymon area, and a second candidate selected from the Kildysert Electoral Area. Of the six nominees remaining after Cree’s Johnny Pilkington withdrew, just one – sitting county councillor Bill Slattery – came from the Ennistymon area.

County councillor Oliver Garry was the sole repetitive from the southern end of the constituency and so both councillors just required one vote to secure a place on the tickets.

Disgruntled delegates were annoyed that they were then limited to select just one candidate for this hotly-contested area, claiming it was undemocratic and limited their in- volvement in the selection process.

Supporters of Councillor Gabriel Keating felt that as the only other councillor nominated on the night he should not have been the only incumbent to go before the delegates.

More raised concerns that they were sidelined in the process and were not given true ownership of the process.

UNSUCCESSFUL nominees from Friday night’s West Clare Fine Gael convention are still hopeful that they could be added to the ticket.

During a contentious selection process, councillors Bill Slattery and Oliver Garry were selected under a geographical directive from headquarters.

Delegates then voted for a third candidate, with sitting county councillor Gabriel Keating getting the nod ahead of former Kilrush mayors Marian McMahon Jones and Ian Lynch and the current mayor of Kilkee Paddy Collins.

It is understood that the incumbent secured his place on the ticket by a tight margin, just ahead of Cllr McMahon Jones, who had a vote that was almost five times that of the nominee in third place.

A motion was put to the chairman of the convention Maurice Fitzgerald by former TD and current Trustee of the party Madeleine Taylor Quinn that a directive be sent to the central executive stating it is the wish of the local party that Cllr McMahon Jones be added to the ticket. This was seconded by a number of delegates.

Yesterday, Monday, Cllr McMahon Jones said she was extremely happy with her vote.

“I am absolutely delighted with the result. I would be very confident that I will be placed on the ticket,” she said adding that she believes she would be a strong candidate throughout the vast West Clare area.

Cllr Lynch has not given up hope of running in the election either.

“I don’t really know if they will be adding someone, they might just run three. I will just have to wait and see and in the meantime I will get behind the other three candidates,” he said.

Fine Gael has selected five candidates to contest the eight-seater Ennis area.

Those close to the party said that it is very likely that at least one if not two more candidates will be added to the ticket for the eight-seat West Clare Municipal Area, with one candidate more than likely to come from Kilrush.

However this decision will be at the sole discretion of the central executive of the party, who could opt to add a candidate who was not even nominated for convention.

Cree nominee to the convention Johnny Pilkington chose to withdraw from the race at the beginning of Friday night’s meeting.

KILLALOE was the fourth and last Fine Gael Local Election 2014 Convention held in Clare, and the third of the conventions to be concluded without the necessity of an election.

Last night (Monday) three candidates were nominated to contest the six-seat constituency that spans from Cappavilla in the south to Abbey in the north and is made up of the majority of the Killaloe area and part of the current Ennistymon area.

The three Fine Gael candidates nominated to contest the new Killaloe Municipal Area were three sitting councillors, mayor of Clare Cllr Joe Arkins at the north of the constitu- ency and Cllr Pat Burke and Cllr Joe Cooney from the current Killaloe area.

Sources close to the Fine Gael party said it was also possible that a fourth candidate would be added to the ticket by headquarters in the coming weeks.

As all of the Government party’s conventions are now concluded in the county, a special election committee will consider if more candidates will be added to the tickets, especially in three of the areas.

There are already five candidates selected to contest the eight-seat Ennis area, with an addition here less likely than in the other three.

Killaloe could see one more name added to the three incumbents in the coming weeks, with one or even two names to be added to the Shannon Municipal Area ticket to join Councillors John Crowe and Sean McLoughlin.

In West Clare at least one if not two candidates will also be added, with one candidate more than likely coming from the town of Kilrush.