Month: November 2013

THERE has been a dramatic increase in the number of serious drugs offenses detected in Clare over the first 10 months of 2013.

According to figures released at last night by Clare Chief Superintendent, John Kerin, Section 15 drug offenses have increased by a massive 68 per cent compared to last year.

There has been a total of 74 Section 15 offenses in Clare so far this year – a 68 per cent increase on the first 10 months of 2012.

Section 15 offenses refer to larger quantities of drugs, which are deemed to be for sale or supply.

There was also a 29 per cent increase in Section 3 or minor drugs offenses, which rose from 154 in 2012 to 200 so far in 2013.

Chief Superintendent, John Kerin, told last night Joint Policing Meeting of Clare County Council that there was no town and village in Clare were drug dealing was not taking place.

“The big increase that we find is in drug cultivation, where some people are growing their own cannabis plants.

“There is a lot of that in County Clare. Most of the time this is for a persons private use but not always,” said Chief Supt Kerin.

“We have had an increase in detection this year – but it is hard to know if that is because of an increase in activity or better detection.

“There is no village in Clare that doesn’t have people taking drugs or selling drugs – there is no point in saying otherwise.”

Former Mayor of Clare, Pat Daly (FF), criticised the judicial system saying drug dealers are getting off on technicalities and judges are being too lenient.

“The gardaí are doing an excellent job but there is something wrong in the courts somewhere.

“There are a lot of people getting off on technicalities and I think that that is wrong,” he said.

Chief Supt Kerin commented that he could not comment on any decisions made in the courts.

“We don’t like to see anybody getting off but should a person be convicted in the wrong?

“You have to balance that,” he said.

ENNIS Town Council has been named in a test case before the high court, as more than 1,000 taxi drivers sue the Government amid claims their property rights were breached when the industry was de-regulated. The taxi drivers are also suing the Minister for the Environment, the Attorney General and Dublin City Council. As many as 1,200 legal actions by other drivers are awaiting the outcome of the legal proceedings. Taxi drivers in the test case, includ- ing drivers from Ennis, suffered a “financially disastrous overnight catastrophe” they claim when the taxi licensing regime was deregulated in 2000.

Many drivers bought a licence valued at £80,000, almost € 100,000, before deregulation in November of that year. Some claim they purchased the licence as late as August 2000.

Taxi drivers say the “overnight” deregulation scheme wiped out the value of their licences.

These drivers now allege that this deregulation breached their property rights under the Constitution.

They have also claimed that the Government, which is defending the test cases, breached EU competition laws when the industry was liberalised. The taxi drivers believe they should now receive damages as a result of what it maintains was an unlawful and unreasonable move.

THE noxious smell that has plagued the residents of Shannon has made it all the way to Dáil Eireann.

The foul odour was the subject of a question to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government by Sinn Fein’s Deputy Brian Stanley on the request of his Shannon party colleague Mike McKee, when he asked for an update on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation into the stench.

The EPA advised the minister that investigations to date indicate that the source of the odour appears to be the sewer network in Shannon.

“Investigative efforts will be focused on the sewer collection net- work including all discharges to the network and improvements that may be beneficial at Shannon town’s wastewater treatment plant. The EPA and Clare County Council, with the assistance of the HSE, have put in place an action programme for further monitoring and investigation,” said the minister.

The Government bodies will continue to monitor the smell as well as any unusual patterns of illness in the local population.

“The odour problem remains under active and detailed investigation by the EPA and Clare County Council. The EPA has been liaising with local public representatives as well as local media to disseminate information to the public and will continue to do so while the investigation is ongoing and until the situation is remedied.

“The EPA has also informed my department that it monitored air quality in Shannon between March 2012 and June 2013, measuring a range of pollutants that are the most important indicators for assessing impact on human health. All measured pollutant levels were found to be below EU limit values,” explained the minister.

THE Clare county coroner is to write to the health services in Clare to highlight a family’s call for closer coordination between services and doctors involved in the treatment of addicts. Isobel O’Dea was speaking on Tuesday after returning an open verdict at the inquest of a “bright and gifted” 41-year-old Dublin man found dead in Ennis earlier this year.

Gardaí discovered the body of retired physiotherapist Oliver MacNamara at the Abbeyfield apartments, Francis Street, Ennis, on March 18.

The inquest heard Mr MacNamara, who also had an address at Ard Haven, Springhill Tramore, Waterford, had been addicted to prescription drugs and attended Narcotic’s Anonymous. He had also took medication for chronic back pain. Shannon town based GP, Dr Michael Flynn told the inquest he issued a monthly prescription for pain medication to Mr MacNamara on March 15. After questions from the deceased’s sister, Geraldine MacNamara, Dr Flynn said, “I wasn’t aware he was dependent on the stuff to that extent.

“It’s only now that I found out that he had an addiction,” he added.

Dr Flynn said Mr MacNamara was also on medication for depression. He said there would’ve been a danger of “tipping him into a severe depression” had he suggested Mr MacNamara come off the medication.

“The impression that I got from him was of a very reasonable man, very well presented. He told me he was a physiotherapist and one of the best chess players in Ireland. It all tends to make you believe that this wasn’t just anybody,” added Dr Flynn.

Ms Isobel O’Dea said the impression was that Mr MacNamara gave a “very credible reason for having medication”. A post mortem revealed the presence of a number of painkillers, prescription drugs and benzodiazepines including diaphine, diazepam and tramadol.

A pathologist told the inquest that while all drugs were within the therapeutic range, “The combined effect created cardio failure.”

Cause of death was found to be cardio failure secondary to the combined toxic effects of drugs.

Returning an open verdict, Ms O’Dea expressed her sympathy to the MacNamara family. “It’s very sad for such a bright young man to die so tragically,” she added.

On behalf of the gardaí, Inspector Michael Gallagher expressed his sympathy to the family.

Speaking afterwards, Geraldine MacNamara described her brother as “really bright and gifted in many ways”.

A MICROSCOPIC extinct creature is providing scientist in the Burren with groundbreaking information about the climate on planet Earth, millions of years before the dawn of man.

Hundreds of tiny conodont fossils have been discovered in the limestone around Lisdoonvarna in North Clare. Using cutting-edge techniques, experts have been able gather information from the fossils which is helping them to map the rising and falling of sea levels during ancient ice ages.

Initial research into the Irish conodont indicates that in prehistoric times planetary cooling took place at a much earlier date than had been previously believed. This research is providing scientists with a new picture of how the climate operated on earth – hundreds of millions of years ago.

Dr John Murray of NUI Galway and Milo Barham carried out research St Brendan’s Well in Lisdoonvarna and at a number of conodonts hot-spots along the west coast.

“If you could go back in time about 500 million years ago and throw a net into the sea off the Clare coast, you’d probably pull out hundreds of these conodonts. They were so prolific in the past but they were so tiny, they are largely an enigma,” said Dr Murray.

“When you drive through the Burren you notice the terraced landscape. All of those big terraces were deposited when sea levels rose and fell and rose again over million of years. The reason for these rises and falls in sea level, is the world falling into and out of ice ages.

“We took a look at the oxygen isotopes, which we found in the conodonts, because this can give us an indication of the temperate in which that creature lived. We have published two papers on this subject and we are currently preparing a third and this paper is looking very closely at the chemical composition of the conodonts and also the evolution of the species. But we are still working on that paper.

“The real problem at the moment is the speed at which climate change is taking place. Milo’s work established that the cooling of the planet happened much earlier that anyone had previously thought, and much of that knowledge is down to these Irish conodonts.”

Conodont are tiny fossils, usually of just one millimeter in size, which are found in limestone. Up until recently, little has been known about the creatures, because the fossils usually only preserve records of their teeth.

Indeed, it was once thought that conodont and humans might have a shared ancestry as their teeth structure is similar to our own. Over the last decade however, scientists have discovered that conodonts are actually eel-like animals, which lived in large numbers in sea water.

Conodonts had teeth but no jaws, similar in ways to lamprey eels, and lived between 500 million years ago and 200 million years ago.

CLARE gardaí who played key roles in two water rescues were honoured for their bravery at a national awards ceremony last week.

Garda Joseph Hayes, the goalkeeper for the Clare senior football team and Ennis garda James Hanley were both honoured for their heroic actions at the National Bravery Awards in Farmleigh House.

Garda Hayes, originally from Lissycasey, received his awards after coming to rescue of a woman who jumped into the River Shannon on June 6 (2012).

Garda Hayes was on duty was on duty with colleagues in the Dock Road area of Limerick City when they noticed a woman standing by the River Shannon. The gardaí were concerned for her welfare and stopped to talk to her.

The woman appeared to be in an irrational state and seemed to be intoxicated, and while every effort was made to persuade her to step away from the edge of the river, she jumped in. Garda Hayes immediately reacted and followed the woman into the river. He quickly swam to her assistance and brought her back to the quayside where, with the help of his colleagues, she was removed from the water and taken by ambulance to hospital.

The award panel states, “Garda Hayes actions in this instance are to be highly commended especially when one considers the natural elements that he had to overcome. The River Shannon is tidal and at that time of the year, it can reach six metres. At the time the tide was coming in and the force and swell of the river was made worse by heavy rain that had previously fallen. The currents in such conditions are treacherous and Garda Hayes faced a real risk to his own life in saving this woman.

For his efforts, Garda Hayes was awarded a Bronze Medal and a Certificate of Bravery.

James Hanley of Ennis Garda Station received a bronze medal and certificate of bravery after his courageous actions helped save the life of a woman who fell into the River Fergus on January 13 (2013).

When Garda Hanley and a colleague arrived to the scene they found the woman hanging onto a life buoy in the river. As she was unresponsive to their calls Garda Hanley climbed the river boundary wall and waded out to her. The woman was conscious but very frightened and weak. Garda Hanley managed to keep the woman’s head above water and continued to reassure her until he was able to pull her out of the water with the assistance of his colleague and some onlookers. The woman was treated by paramedics and removed to hospital where she made a full recovery.

The awards panel stated, “There is no doubt but for the courageous action of Garda James Hanley entering the river, especially in difficult conditions as it was cold and there was a strong current, this incident may have resulted in a loss of life.”

THE number of people signing on the live register in Clare fell again in October – and now stands at its lowest level in almost five years.

Despite this good news Clare business leaders have warned that a number of leading employers in the county are still in “survival mode” and any shock to the economy could have a drastic impact on local jobs.

The total number of people signing on the live register in Clare last month was 8,947, a drop of 36 on September and the lowest on record since February of 2009. The register showed a sizable drop in the Ennis area, with Kilrush and Tulla also showing a reduction.

There were, however, 53 more people signing on in the Ennistymon area or a 4 per cent increase when compared to September 2013. This increase in understood to be as a result of the end of the tourism season, which has seen in best year in North Clare since the start of the recession.

Rita McInerney, CEO of Ennis Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the reduction but said that the emphasis should be on the number of people in employment and not the live register.

She also warned that a number of Clare businesses were still struggling to survive and that the prospect of widespread job losses could not yet be ruled out. “Businesses are in survival mode at the moment. just to survive is the new ‘doing well’ for businesses. Everyone is surviving on the edge,” she said.

“There are some green shoots but this is a dangerous time for businesses. Until we manage to get back on our feet – now is not the time for anything that increases the cost of doing business.

“We welcome the live register reduction but there should be more of an emphasis on the employment figure itself, rather than the live register. The live register is effected by people going back to college and people emigrating.”

The Ennis Chamber has warned that the upcoming harmonisation of rates between Ennis and Clare County Council could push businesses in the county town over the edge.

“The cost of doing business is difficult right now, especially in Ennis. Rates is a major issue and I know a lot of businesses in Ennis would not be able to survive a rate increase when Clare County Council and Ennis Town Council merge next year.”

GUSTS of up to 130 kilometres per hour forced the closure of the Cliffs of Moher Visitors Experience this Saturday as management deemed that it was unsafe for staff and tourists to visit the 700-foot-tall cliffs.

Hurricane force winds lashed the Clare coast on Saturday afternoon, with staff beginning the process of evacuating the world famous tourist attraction from 3pm. The facility was completely evacuated at 4.30pm and remained closed until Sunday morning – when weather conditions had improved dramatically.

This is just the sixth time in the last seven years that bad weather forced the closure of the Cliffs of Moher. The attraction has seen a marked increase in tourism number in 2013 and could be posed to break the one million tourism mark for the first time since 2007.

While the average wind speed recorded at the Cliffs was a 70 kilometers per hour or gale force winds, gusts of between 110 and 130 kilometres per hour were recorded, which qualify as storm or hurricane force winds.

“At 9.15am on Saturday morning Met Eireann issued an Orange weather warning predicting winds with mean speeds of 70 kilometres per hour with gusts of between 110 and 130 kilometres per hour,” said Cliffs of Moher director Katherine Webster yesterday.

“Warning signs were erected at the Cliffs, warning visitors to proceed with caution as conditions were hazardous. Around lunchtime conditions deteriorated rapidly and new signs were put up warning visitors not to proceed as conditions were too dangerous to visit the Cliffs.

“Soon after 3pm in worsening conditions the manager on duty took the decision to close the centre and assist visitors who were still onsite to leave the site safely. AA Roadwatch was advised and booked groups were also notified. “The last staff left site at approximately 4.45pm on Saturday. On Sunday, conditions had improved and the visitor centre opened as normal at 9am.”

Management at the cliffs employ a flag system to warm visitors of danger. A white flag signaling dangerous weather is is flown when winds in excess of 30 km per hour are recorded.

When winds of more than 50 kilometres per hour are recorded visitors are advised not to venture onto the cliff walks. Winds of more than 100 kilometres per hours trigger the cliffs “Red Protocol” which entails the evacuation all staff and visitors.

THE Clare All-Ireland Hurling win continues to have a profound affects on the psyche of the county and may even lead to a new baby boom a leading psychiatrist has predicted.

With this in mind it is anticipated there will be a lot of Clare babies born in June and July of 2014!

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Moosajee Bhamjee said that following the 1995 win there was an increase in the number of babies born in the county, and now wonders if 2014 will see an increase in the number of infants in saffron and blue baby-grows.

The Ennis-based psychiatrist is confident that the win has had a huge impact on the mental health of the county and he even draws on the winning experience to help his patients. The psychiatrist has even suggested using the team as an example while talking to patients in therapy sessions.

Dr Bhamjee made particular reference to the equalising point by Domhnall O’Donovan in the first All Ireland to ensure a draw and a replay.

“You can use it in therapy to have a never give up approach.

“It can be used as an example for people. You know we can sometimes give in too easy, in life we get fed up and things like that, but now we can turn round and say;

‘Remember O’Donovan’s point and the team never gave up’,” he said.