Month: December 2013

A 20-YEAER-OLD man involved in burglaries in which € 11,000 in cash and jewellery was stolen from homes in Shannon this year has escaped a prison sentence.

Jamie Considine was warned he could be still be sent to jail if he stepped out of line over the next few months. At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Mr Considine pleaded guilty to his role in eight burglaries that occurred in the Tullyglass, Inis Sioda, Tullyvarraga and Dun Na Óir areas of Shannon between January 11 and March 22.

Mr Considine, with an address at The Magnet, O’Donoghue Avenue, Janesboro, Limerick, was one of a group of people who broke into the unoccupied family homes.

The court heard Mr Considine did not enter all of the houses but acted as a lookout on some occasions. He was paid in drugs for his role in the offences, the court heard.

The court heard the items taken from the houses included large sums of cash, valuable pieces of jewelry and commemorative medals.

Insp Michael Gallagher said the owners returned to find their homes ransacked. Judge Patrick Durcan said he reluctantly accepted jurisdiction.

Defence solicitor Daragh Hassett said his client had indicated he would be pleading guilty at an early stage. He said Mr Considine, who has now moved to Ballybunion, fully cooperated with gardaí and has no previous convictions.

The court heard that at the time the offences were committed, Mr Considine was abusing cannabis, cocaine, heroin and Xanax.

Mr Hassett said his client has abided by strict bail conditions and his efforts and commitment to give up drugs has impressed the Probation Services. Judge Durcan said a 12-month prison sentence would send out the message that burglaries would not be tolerated.

Asked for his views on the crimes, Insp Gallagher said eight families had suffered the ordeal of these burglaries. “I know if it happened to me, I’d hate to see them walk free,” he added. Judge Durcan adjourned sentencing for a brief period. When the case was re-called, Judge Durcan said he was going to remand Mr Considine on continuing bail, subject to conditions outlined by the Probation Services, to appear again in court on March 12, 2014.

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

“If you step out of line between now and March, everything comes back,” Judge Durcan warned. Mr Considine thanked Judge Durcan for giving him a chance.

A LARGE search involving dozens of members of the Killaloe Unit of the Irish Coast Guard, the RNLI and members of the Gardaí too place in Scariff, last Friday evening.

The emergency services were tasked to locate a missing male in the Scariff area late on Friday evening. A combined land and water search was undertaken, with a large number of emergency responders focusing their efforts on the area around Scariff Bay.

The water searched was aided by the Irish Coast Guard Helicopter from Shannon, and the Killaloe Ballina Search and Recovery Dive Unit. The missing person turned up distraught but safe after the three hour search.

“On Friday night we responded to a report of a missing person in the Scariff area. It was an extensive search of a relatively small area as the search teams had to focus on both a land and sea search,” said Joe Doolin of the Killaloe Unit of the Irish Coast Guard.

“After a search of about two and a half hours the person was located safe and well. He did not require any major medical attention.”

The Killaloe Unit of the Irish Coast Guard has had one of its most busy years on record so far in 2013. With a month of this year still to go, the unit has already logged more than 229 operational hours so far in 2013 – an increase of 179 per cent on the number of hours of active service in 2012.

The number of incidents responded to has also increased to 39, this represents a 26 per cent year on year increase, while the unit has given aid to 59 individuals – a 52 per cent increase on 2012.

In June of this year the unit undertook one of its largest ever mass rescues when a regatta on Lough Derg descended into chaos following a suddenly deterioration in the weather.

The unit brought more than 40 people ashore in an hour with many of them being treated for hypothermia.

ENNIS’ reputation as one of Ireland’s top tourism towns was further enhanced when it was one of the best places to visit.

Fáilte Ireland last week honoured Ennis as one of the top ten towns in Ireland making a difference to tourism, at the 2013 Tourism Towns Awards Ceremony in Dublin. The highest accolade went to Kil kenny who won the national title of Ireland’s Tourism Town 2013. The Medieval town was chosen from a shor tlist of ten top tourism towns including Ennis.

The Fáilte Ireland judging panel praised the town’s “historical, archaeological and cult ure heritage while retaining the best of its nat ural envi ronment”.

They continued, “Shopping in Ennis is a delightful experience and the range and quality of attractions is commendable as is the range of accommodation and food offerings.”

Congratulating Ennis on reaching the top ten, CEO of Fáilte Ireland Shaun Quinn said, “I would li ke to commend the community of Ennis for making the top ten at this year’s Tourism Town Awards. You are a great example of what can be achieved in tourism when all the local elements are aligned with a common pur pose. I hope that the towns and villages recognised today will inspi re other communities across Ireland to take similar steps.”

Speaking about thei r involvement with the award, Teresa McGrath, Ennis Tidy Towns Coordinator, said, “Resulting from our par ticipation in the Fáilte Ireland Tourism Towns competition, various tourism interests have come together to share thei r views, thei r experiences, thei r plans, thei r concerns for the tourism products of the town and its hinterland. There has been lively and valuable discussion on the various tourist products of which Ennis can boast and the way in which these products can be promoted.”

Ms McGrath continued, “The emphasis on sense of place in the competition has shar pened the focus that product providers have of the uniqueness of the Ennis experience, a uniqueness that has a broad appeal, not only to the visitors from across the seas but also to Irish people in Ireland seeking an affordable, safe and fun holiday on the island. The various sections and stages of the competition provide a roadmap for the development of Ennis as a leading Irish tourism town.”

ENNIS could be set for an employment boost after it was announced that up to 20 new jobs could be created in the town next month. Private bus company Dublin Coach has been granted a license from the National Transport Authority (NTA) to extend its service from Dublin Airport to include Ennis. The company, which is owned by Clare businessman John O’Sullivan, had previously been refused a license to extend its daily Limerick/Dublin service to include Ennis. However a special meeting of Ennis Town Council last month heard the company has been successful in its application following submissions to the NTA from the local authority, councilors and local businesses. In a letter to the council in May, Mr O’Sullivan stated the company was considering using Ennis as tourism “hub” due to the quality of bus parking facilities in the town centre. Last year the council spent € 76,000 on new bus and coach parking spaces and facilities in the Friars Walk area of the town. At the council meeting, Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) told members that as many as 20 permanent jobs could be created in the town through Dublin Coach’s expansion into Ennis. Cllr Flynn told the meeting Mr O’Sullivan sees Ennis as a potential tourism hub from which to base bus tour services to Clare’s most popular tourist attractions. It is thought that a further 50 jobs could be created next year. In his letter to the council in May, Mr O’Sullivan, a native of Kilrush, indicated the service could boost tourist numbers in the town. “Currently we operate a coach service every hour in both directions between Limerick and Dublin. Having viewed your facility we believe there is real merit in extending this service to Ennis. This could translate into 16 departures and arrivals each day from your coach park to Dublin and Dublin Airport. This provides a real opportunity to attract tourists from Dublin to Ennis with such high frequency, low cost fast and comfortable connections,” he wrote.

CLARE Labour TD, Michael McNamara, has started bizarre war words with Clare County Council – accusing the local authority of specialising in threatening letters and bullying landowners.

Speaking in the Dáil last Wednesday, the East Clare TD even went as far as to suggest that Clare County Council were incapable of sending a letter which was not threatening. Deputy McNamara was speaking on the local authorities enforcement of the 1993 Roads Acts, law which was introduced by the last Labour government.

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TWO passenger planes had to delay landing in Shannon Airport after anti-war protestors made their way onto the main jet runway last year, a court has heard.

Margaretta D’Arcy (79) was lying down on the runway and Niall Farrell (60) was standing up when Shannon Airport police officers arrived to the runway at around 4pm on October 7, 2012. The pair were holding placards protesting against the alleged transport of US military drone aircraft through Shannon Airport.

Ms D’Arcy, with an address at St Bridget’s Place, Woodquay, Galway, and Mr Farrell, with an address at Ballynacloghy, Maree, Galway, denied the charge of interfering with the proper use of Shannon Airport by going on the runway without permission. The alleged offences are contrary to the Air Navigation and Transport Act. Both wore orange Guantanamo Bay style prison jumpsuits for the hearing.

Officer Joe Noonan told the court Airport Police received a call from supporters of the peace activists that Ms D’Arcy and Mr Farrell had made their way onto the runway.

Under cross-examination from Ms D’Arcy, airport police officer Richard Moloney said, “It was dangerous. It was a very dangerous situation. You were putting the lives of those people in the airplanes in danger.”

Air traffic controller Damien Egan told the court an Aer Lingus flight was held in the air for 17 minutes while a Ryanair flight was held for 12 minutes to allow gardaí and airport security time to escort the accused from the runway.

Ger O’Shea, Duty Sergeant with the Airport Police, said, “At no stage would I have given them authorization to enter the airfield.”

Ms D’Arcy and Mr Farrell admit being on the runway but denied interfering with the proper use of the airport.

Ms D’Arcy said she felt “compelled as an Irish citizen” to protest against the use of Shannon Airport by the US Military “I did not interfere with the proper use of the airport because it is not a proper airport,” she said

“My inner being, my soul is being destroyed by what is going on in Shannon” she said to a round of applause from a large group supporters in court who included Dáil TDs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly, who both gave evidence on behalf of Ms D’Arcy

On several occasions, Judge Patrick Durcan warned the accused they would not be allowed to use the court for political speeches.

Reading from a prepared statement, Mr Farrell said, “The Irish State is in denial concerning the US military’s activities in Shannon.”

The case was adjourned to tomorrow to Ennis District Court to fix a date for sentence.

A DISGRUNTLED Fianna Fáil met last evening (Monday) to select its candidates for the Ennis Municipal Area of the Clare County Council election.

After a weekend of threats to cancel the convention, withdraw local party support and even the nominees to withdraw their names, the vote went ahead with members still not informed as to how many candidates would be selected on the night.

Even the chairman of the party in Clare and the local director of elections were kept in the dark, as they cast their vote.

“All the talk about openness and transparency in a new era for the party, with the grass roots having their say must have been all forgotten; the first time it is tested it fails,” said one annoyed paid-up party members.

“It is like the bad old days, a dictatorship of some kind, with the members being denied their say,” added another.

At the 11th hour Fianna Fáil headquarters rescinded a threat to divide the Ennis area selection into smaller areas, after a backlash from senior members of the party executive in Clare.

Just two and a half hours prior to the start of voting, the local members of the party were in the dark as to which of the nine candidates they could vote for and indeed how many.

There were also talks of the Comhairle Dáil Cheantair (CDC) – the most senior members of the party in Clare – withdrawing from the process, and the possibility of candidates withdrawing their names still looming.

Early last week, a meeting between representatives of the party nationally and officers of the CDC had agreed the strategy for the selection conventions. It was agreed four candidates would be selected on the night with one to be added later, and each of the 184 Clare members getting a vote.

However, hours after the close of nominations on Friday, a new directive was sent to the Clare officers from the party’s head quarters stating that just three candidates were to be selected from the nine nominees on the night, and the selection process would possibly be divided into sub regions.

An emergency meeting was called with the conventions nominees, who include current member of the county council, and an agreement was reached that if this directive were forced through they too would withdraw.

By yesterday afternoon negotiations were ongoing between Clare’s CDC and Fianna Fáil head office as to how the convention would proceed.

One angered member of the party told The Clare People , “The ‘one person one vote’ format introduced by the party was just a way to keep us fundraising. By the looks of things we are back to the bad old days when we don’t get a say.”

Disgruntled members of the CDC had also agreed to withdraw from the selection process if the 11th hour new format was forced upon the Clare delegates and party members.

The nine candidates contesting the convention were Cllr Tom McNamara, Cllr Pat Daly, Cllr Brian Meaney, former Cllr Bernard “Bomber” Hanrahan, former mayor of Ennis Joe Reidy, former Sinn Fein member Joe Corbett, Clare Colleran Molloy, Eoin Neylon and Alan Considine.

Voting in the Fianna Fáil Selection convention for the Ennis Municipal area was not completed at time of going to press. The result will be available on www.clarepeople.com with a full report in next week’s edition.

A CLARE company is set for a € 50 million global expansion next year, which could lead to an increase in production and employment at its Shannon headquarters.

Mincon Ltd, which was founded in Clare by Patrick and Mary Purcell in 1977, was valued at almost € 200 million after a successful floatation on the Irish stock market last week.

This floatation, which brought in € 50 million through new shareholders, launched the company at € 180 million – with the value of shares reaching € 197 million at one point.

A company spokesperson told The Clare People yesterday that the planned international acquisition will bring extra job security and possibly extra employment for it Shannon headquarters.

“The money raised has been earmarked for acquisitions outside of Ireland. What this will do is bring extra security to the manufacturing which is taking place in Shannon,” said the spokesperson.

“Everything that is manufactured in Shannon is used for the operations around the world so there is certainly potential that we will be more busy in Shannon.”

The Purcell family owned almost 80 per cent of the company prior the floatation. They have retained 57.7 per cent stake through their Kingsbell Company investment vehicle, which enables them to maintain control of the future direction of Mincon.

The family of the company’s chief executive, Kevin Barry, owned just under 20 per cent of Mincon through a company called Ballybell prior to the sale. Following the stockmarket entry, they now own 14.4 per cent of the company. Based on the new stock price, the Purcells’ stake is now valued in the region of € 110 million while the Barry family stake is worth more then € 28 million.

Mincon hit the headlines in 2010 when its drills played a crucial role in the successful rescue of 33 Chilean miners who became trapped nearly one kilometre underground.

A supplier of specialised drilling equipment, Mincon’s products have been used in some of the most remote regions of the world by firms engaged in mining, oil and gas exploration, as well as construction.

Before establishing Mincon, Patrick Purcell (77) worked as a fitter for the Air Corps and for De Beers [now Element Six], in Shannon.

LIBRARIAN Seamus Ryan (Lab) has been chosen to contest the Ennis Electoral Area for the Labour party at next year’s local election.

Ryan, who was also re-elected to the National Executive of the Labour party over the weekend saw off the challenge on well-known disability rights campaigner Dermot Hayes to secure the nomination. Ryan, who works at the De Valera Library in Ennis, has identified the conversion of unused local authority properties to community use and funding alcohol-free locations for youth in Ennis as two of his key campaign elements.

“I intend to start campaigning this week,” he said.

“I will be focusing on a number of issues that will impact on familes.

“A number of local authorities properties will soon become available and I would like to see these premises to be put to good use and made available to not-for-profit organisations such as community childcare providers. Seamus secured his second election success of the week on Saturday when he was re-elected to the National Executive of the Labour party during at the Labour National Conference.

SERIOUS concerns have been expressed over safety measures along the River Fergus.

At yesterday’s monthly meeting of Ennis Town Council, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) said she had been made aware that there was no way for a person who falls into the river to get out.

Cllr Howard said the issue had been highlighted to her on the night of a major search operation around the river earlier this month.

“It was brought to my attention that night, if you fall into the river by accident, you won’t get out of it”, she said.

Cllr Howard raised the issue of safe access in a motion tabled at the meeting. She asked if a health and safety report had been done in relation to current improvement works being carried out on the river between the Maid of Erin and Knox’s Bridge.

“Did this report refer to the safe ac- cess to and from the river at Woodquay / Parnell Street?” queried Cllr Howard. Ennis Town Engineer, Eamon O’Dea said the lower Fergus drainage scheme is an Office of Public Works Project.

Mr O’Dea continued, “An audit was carried out by Irish Water Safety on behalf of Ennis Town Council and this report was forwarded to the OPW in January 2013. Ennis Town Council dealt with all matters raised regarding lifebuoys and items within out control. The OPW design team are assessing the IWS audit.”

“The matter has been raised with the Lower Fergus Certified Drainage Scheme Steering Group in meetings with the Office of Public Works, Ennis Town Council and Clare County Council. I expect that the review of the IWS Audit and recommendations will be forwarded to the Office of Public Works for their consideration early next year,” added Mr O’Dea.

Town Manager Gerard Dollard told the meeting the Council would pursue the issue with the OPW.

Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) said while there was some merit to the proposal he said safety ladders and chains could be open to abuse and vandalism.

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said the proposal was very timely. “The river is moving at a greater speed since being corralled so there is a risk.”

Cllr Howard said there are serious concerns over safety along the river. “If a child falls in and you go in to save them then you can’t get out,” she said.