Month: July 2014

YOUNG disabled people in Clare have been ignored for nearly 18 months as a result of government inaction, according to local campaigners.

The government backed down on a decision to scrap both the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant in March of last year, follow intense local media attention. At that time the Department of Health decided to conduct a review of both grants and produce a workable solution which would meet the needs of disabled people.

While the review is taking place, no new Clare applicants have been granted access to either scheme – resulting in a number of disabled Clare people being left without a suitable transport options. According to local campaigner Ann Marie Flanaghan, who herself was able to take up employment as a result of the schemes, if a person took a suit against the Government under the Equal Status Act, they would most likely win.

“A number of people who were in the process of applying for the schemes and that has been stalled and their application have not been processed. There is a whole other group of people, who have no other means of transport, and cannot apply for any scheme at the moment,” she said.

“There is a whole group of people, with quite significant disabilities, who are not being provided with help while others are. The government promised that this review would be a fast turnaround, but as we know there has been no news and there is no prospect of news.”

At present there are more than 300 disabled Clare people in receipt of the Mobility Allowance or the Motorised Transport Grant Scheme. While there is currently no figures of how many Clare people have been prevented from entering the scheme over the past 18 months – it is though that the number could be between 10 and 20.

“In my opinion the Government are abusing their position and not supporting a vulnerable group of people. Those who are accessing those schemes are the people with the most significant disabilities and are also unfortunately the poorest in society, as the financial cut off point was very low to begin with,” continued Ms Flanaghan.

“People are always using the expression ‘prisoners in their own home’. In 2014 is is sickening to have to use that expression but that is the reality.”

INVESTIGATIONS are continuing into the latest smash and grab raid on a business in Ennis town centre.

The latest break in occurred at around 3am on Wednesday morning when two men used a sledgehammer to break through a glass door panel at Ennis Electrical on Parnell Street.

High value good estimated to be worth € 20,000 were stolen before the gang made their escape in a silver car.

A vehicle was later found burnt out near the Ballyhannon area of Quin. Gardaí are investigating if the car is linked to the break in.

A senior garda said yesterday no one has yet been arrested but investigations are continuing.

He also denied suggestions that Ennis is being targeted by criminals, pointing to a spate of similar smash and grab raids against businesses in Clonmel, Charleville and Limerick.

Gardaí are also examining the similarities between the latest break in and another smash and grab raid at a pharmacy in Ennis two months ago.

In May, Cassidy’s Pharmacy in En- nis was the scene of a raid occurred at around 2.30am.

Two raiders, believed to be males, used a sledgehammer to smash in the reinforced glass panelling on the front door of the premises.

The thieves filled bags with stock, mainly brand name men’s fragrances and cleared several shelves before leaving the scene in a black Volkswagon Golf.

The incidents have sparked concern among businesses in the town.

Clare Labour TD Michael McNamara said, “This incident is the latest in a series of similar break ins in the town and these robberies are a challenge to the Gardaí as well as to business owners and employees.

“They are not just an attack of property but potentially on the livelihoods of people who work in the town centre.

“Ennis has an enviable reputation as a friendly town that welcomes visitors from near and far.

“Break ins and anti-social behaviour cannot be allowed to damage this reputation or the business life of the town which needs all the support it can get in these difficult economic times,” Mr McNamara added.

A MAN whose family-run business was hit by a daring smash and grab raid in Ennis last week is urging businesses to be extra vigilant.

High value electronic goods worth up to € 20,000 were stolen when two men broke into Ennis Electrical in the early hours of Wednesday morning last.

A number of Apple devices including iPads, iPods, Samsung tablets, computers and a television were stolen.

Eric Flynn of Ennis Electrical said the premises on Quin Road had previously been targeted by thieves but this is the first time the shop on Parnell Street has been hit.

“You get the odd broken window there on a Saturday night with people being out but we’ve never had anything like this.

“The window that was broken was the only one that wasn’t shatter proof. The rest are.”

He continued, “It was a bit of a shock alright but to be honest it’s more of a disappointment. You would get the odd small minor thing but nothing on this scale. We’re in business in town for 40 years and something like this never happened.”

Eric believes there is very little that could have been done to prevent the robbery.

“The reality is there very little we could have done to prevent it. These guys don’t care about the law. They don’t care about the guards. They don’t care about alarms, security cameras, anything. They are on a mission. They were only here for 90 seconds. This was well planned and well thought out. They were probably watching the place beforehand. They used a sledgehammer to break in the window and they left that behind them. They left a fine mess.

“We have CCTV but they had hoodies up. They don’t care about cameras. It’s only a minor obstacle to them. It was unlucky in one way. The guards had passed the area a few minutes beforehand and they were there about three minutes after it.

“In fairness, the CCTV system in the town is second to none. The guards were able to tell me what route they took out of town where they were at a certain point.”

Eric is urging businesses to be vigilant of any suspicious behaviour around their premises.

“Businesses and that goes for everything from retail, pubs, newsagents, it’s important to be vigilant. If you see anyone hanging around the shop it might be no harm to make a note of it and tell the guards. From a day-to-day perspective, if you notice anything suspicious, it’s no harm to tell the guards. Hopefully that can be helpful down the line.”

The six laptops stolen from the shop were taken without power supplies.

“They don’t have a power supply so if someone is offered them that should raise a red flag,” Eric added.

FIVE apartments and three retails units right in the heart of Ennis could be yours for as little as € 180,000. That’s according Allsop Space Estate Agents, who will be putting such a property in county capital under the hammer this Tuesday at its latest sale of distressed properties.

What has been advertised as a “detached modern mixed use block” that’s located on the Mill Road in Ennis will be auctioned in the RDS, with Allsop, which has already sold a number of properties in the area giving a guide price of € 180,000 to € 200,000.

According to the auctioneers, the block is “internally arranged to provide five two-bedroom apartments and three retail units” and it is being advertised as an “ideal investment opportunity”.

The property is located along the Mill Road close the junction with Pound Lane and the Old Mill Road, while Allsop have revealed that first floor offices are not included in the sale as they have previously been sold.

Rental income on the property at present amounts to over € 25,000 per annum, a figure made up of € 18,000 from three of the apartments while one of the retail units is bringing in € 7,380 per annum for the present owner. Two of the retail units are vacant at present as are two of the apartments.

A CLARE father who “sacrificed the welfare of his children for alcohol” has been given a four year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the neglect and ill treatment of six children.

The eldest victim described how she was ten when she was left to care for her six week old sister. She said the baby slept beside her in a single bed and when she was unable to stop the infant crying during the night the accused hit her in the face.

The now 19-year-old woman also described coming home from school to find the baby alone strapped into a car seat when her parents had gone drinking. She also cared for her other siblings and forged her mother’s sig- nature in shops in order to feed them. The foster parents of some of the children, aged between two and 12 years-old at the time they went into care, said they were unable to use cutlery, were not toilet trained or able to shower or use a toothbrush.

The 54 year-old man pleaded guilty to eight counts of child cruelty against six children on dates between 2001 and 2010. He is the father of the five younger children.

His former partner and mother of all of the children has already received a four year suspended sentence for the same charges.

“In effect the children were rearing themselves without any parental guidance,” noted Judge Mary Ellen Ring.