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THE generosity of a group of Shan- non workers is set to greatly enhance the lives of several children in the mid-west.

Workers at Genworth Financial in the Industrial Estate in Shannon raised €6,/00, through a variety of events last year. They have donated this money to The Blue Box Crea- tive Learning Centre.

The Blue Box is an innovative charity, which provides support to young people and their families,

through creative therapies.

Genworth selected The Blue Box as its charity partner for 2006. A committee of six people organised various events and everybody was keen to get involved, in some way.

Among the fundraisers organised included a Valentine’s Day cake sale, children’s art competition on St Patrick’s Day, a mini marathon, table quiz and Christmas card com- petition. Groups of staff also took part in a 10k in Limerick walk last SLennapas lore

Committee member Toni McDon-

agh said the 300-strong staff at the company are keen to help various charities.

“We adopt a different charity every year and try to raise funds through- out the year,” she said.

“The art competition involved the children of people who work here. Everybody gets involved,” she said.

The organisers were thrilled to raise so much money. The aim is to collect €5,000 every year, but this was surpassed last year.

“We aim for €5,000. If we get more than that, it is a bonus. We

were very proud to have supported The Blue Box. We aim to reach out in our community, give back to 1m- portant local causes and have lots of fun along the way,” said Ms McDon- agh.

Last year, the Blue Box was chosen after a vote. Staff were all invited to make suggestions on who should benefit from the money raised throughout the year and The Blue Box came up trumps last year.

This year, the staff have voted to make donations to Bluebell ABA, which is a pre-school for autistic

children in the mid-west.

‘Parents have got together and set up the pre-school. It is based in Ra- heen, Limerick. We heard about it, through work and picked it out, to donate our money raised this year,’ added Ms McDonagh.

Bluebell opened its doors in March 2004 and caters for autistic children homey vue Ceber be

Its aim is to help move children into mainstream education and the staff at Genworth are optimistic that their effort will go a long way in helping those children.

AMERICAN Airlines has = an- nounced it plans to reinstate direct daily services from Shannon to its Chicago hub throughout the 2007 summer schedule.

The move will mean boosting car- go capacity from Ireland and bring- ing important revenue into the Clare airport.

The new direct services from Shan- non will start on May | using B7/57 aircraft to complement the airline’s existing daily B767 Dublin-Chicago

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The latter will now operate direct once again as they did in summer 2006, dropping their winter 2006 Shannon stop.

A spokeswoman for the Airport Authority said that the decision by AA 1s to be welcomed. “It shows that they believe there is a market here for the direct flight and that they have confidence in us. We are very happy with the announcement.”

Fine Gael TD Pat Breen has wel- comed the news from American Air- lines that it will be increasing cargo

capacity from Shannon. Deputy Breen said the announcement was “a vote of confidence in Shannon by the US-owned airline and demonstrated the potential of the cargo business between the US and Shannon.”

All American Airline flights from Ireland arrive midway through the same day, allowing for fast transfers onto its extensive US network, or ur- gent local deliveries.

American Airlines Cargo is rep- resented in Ireland by IAM, whose MD Ian McCool says, “2007 has got off to a flying start for American

THE Government remains commit- ted to increasing resources for spe- cial education and reducing primary school class sizes, according to Min- ister for Labour Affairs and Clare TD, Tony Killeen. The Mu£nister’s comments follow the announcement by Minister for Education and Sci- ence, Mary Hanafin, TD that over €3.6m has been approved for build- ing projects in 10 schools around Orie

Minister Killeen continued, “To- day’s announcement, which has been made under the devolved accommo- dation programmes, enables Clare’s schools to manage their own projects in delivering on additional accom- modation they themselves have iden- tified as being required. The funding allocation of €3,612,000 will allow

Airlines Cargo in Ireland, with new traffic from new agents.

‘The decision to maintain the Shan- non service during winter 2006 paid off handsomely. Although capacity was reduced, the agents in the west still had a daily service throughout the last quarter peak period, without the need to truck to Dublin.

‘Now that we have additional ca- pacity once again, the loyalty we have built up will certainly help us to win a larger market share.”

Sixty per cent of AA cargo from Ireland now flies on the airline’s di-

for the provision of additional class- rooms and rooms for special edu- cation, therefore contributing to a reduction in class sizes. The various projects, which have been identified by the schools in question, will also lead to a modernisation of school buildings and facilities.”

Minister Killeen said he was de- lighted to learn that St Flannan’s National School in Inagh is to benefit from today’s announcement.

“St Flannan’s National School cur- rently boasts a first-class autism unit which provides an invaluable serv- ice to Inagh and surrounding areas. I] have made numerous representa- tions on behalf of the school in the past and I am delighted to see that it is to benefit under the Government’s permanent accommodation scheme, ’

rect flights, although [AM continues to offer additional capacity using nightly express road feeders to the airline’s London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Manchester gateways, from which AA operates a total of 129 flights per week to the USA.

American Airlines is the world’s largest airline. American, American Eagle and the American Connection airlines serve 250 cities in more than 40 countries with more than 4,000 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 1,000 air- evan

Minister Killeen said.

“Under the Small Schools Scheme, there is a good geographical spread of schools. The funding alloca- tion will allow for modernisation works to take place at Rineen Na- tional School, Ruan Central National School, Kilnamona National School, Clooney National School, Clondri- nagh National School, Ballycar Na- tional School, St Augustine’s Nation- al School in Kilshanny, St Cronan’s National School and Cree National School.

‘All the schools approved for fund- ing under these initiatives will be contacted directly by the Building Unit of the Department of Educa- tion and Science,’ Minister Killeen AYO CO(oren

CLARE’S county manager, Alec Fleming, has written to the National Roads Authority (NRA) to recom- mend that it proceed with developing a contentious road through the vil- lage of Kilnamona.

The controversy surrounding the route selection for the upgrading of the N85 Ennis to Inagh road has dogged Clare County Council since last November.

A motion by Deputy Mayor Coun-

cillor Brian Meaney that the council proceed with the so-called ‘Purple Route’ precipitated heated debate at the council over a succession of meetings on council procedure.

A recommendation that the coun- cil adopt the “Purple Route’ was re- jected by councillors in 2005 who instead opted for the ‘Red Route’ which would have less disturbance on farmers’ land along the route.

However, the NRA is only willing to fund the ‘Purple Route’ as it is the only route that meets with standard

criteria for road investment.

The issue remained stalled until Cllr Meaney tabled his motion last November and, as a result of the con- troversy, Mr Fleming has sent off a nine-page memo to Karina Downes, Regional Manager with the NRA out- lining the background to the current situation. In it, Mr Fleming admits that he should never have brought the report for approval before the coun- cillors in 2005.

In the letter — circulated to council- lors — Mr Fleming states, “From my

perspective as County Manager, I now realise that our action in bring- ing the draft route selection report before the council was not a neces- sary part of the process.

“In appointing consultants to carry out a constraints study and a route selection report including public con- sultation, the council was essentially acting on behalf of the NRA.

“It is, therefore, appropriate for me as County Manager to consider the route selection report and provided that I am satisfied with it, to submit

it to the authority along with the completed phase three route selec- tion questionnaire. It then becomes a matter for the authority to consider and approve the report if appropri- aioe

“It would then become a proposal from the NRA. It is at that stage that the local authority, in its capacity as a roads authority, 1s empowered under Section 22 of the Roads Act to make representations to the NRA.

Mr Fleming now asks the NRA to proceed with the ‘Purple Route’.

ENNIS’S creaking infrastructure has resulted in the local council refusing planning permission for a €20 mil- lion residential development on land zoned for development.

Last month, Ennis Town Council refused planning permission to Joe McNamara to construct 52 homes and 28 apartments at the Golf Links Road, Ennis, citing the inadequate local sewage infrastructure to cater for the development.

Now, Mr McNamara has appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanala. In the appeal, Mr McNamara said, “The council has specifically zoned these lands for residential uses and do have any in principle objection to the proposed land use, density, mix of uses or site layout.

“We believe, therefore, that it is the antithesis of proper planning and development where the developers are endeavouring to secure the im- plementation of the council’s own development plan objectives, but si- multaneously are being stymied on infrastructural issues.

“In this instance, it is particularly unreasonable as there is an entirely

reasonable resolution to their con- cerns. Furthermore, the council’s reference to the prematurity of the proposed foul water strategy is dis- ingenuous, given that the proposal complements the objectives of the Ennis Main Drainage preliminary report.

In the appeal, Mr McNamara’s con- sultant states, “It is our submission that we have provided a comprehen- sive solution to foul water manage- ment in accordance with recognised standards and in accordance with the Ennis Main Drainage Preliminary report, we believe that therefore that the council’s refusal in unjustified.”

The County and Town Develop- ment Plan state that it is the council’s policy to encourage housing develop- ment in designated towns and villag- es where infrastructural and social services exist or are planned.

“The plans aim to consolidate the form of the settlement and stem the excessive spread of ribbon develop- ment.

‘The subject site represents a natu- ral location for the expansion of the town in a sustainable manner.”

A decision is due on the appeal later this year.

Bishop Willie Walsh wants to cre- ate a “new model of Church” to deal with the scarcity of priests.

Dr Walsh said half of the 109 priests working in the diocese’s 58 parishes serving 115,000 Catholics are over the age of 65 with one-third over 75.

In a Lenten Pastoral letter, Dr Walsh said, “The scarcity of priests is taking hold and we have no choice but to respond to it in practical ways. I realise that change is never easy. Change born out of necessity can be even more difficult.”

Dr Walsh wants Massgoers to “‘vol- unteer for the essential work of manag- ing finances, school boards of manage- ment, choirs, maintenance of parish buildings and works of charity.

“A move in this direction is a move towards a new model of Church. It is not about lay people helping the priest; it 1s rather about lay people fulfilling their baptismal promises. We need to continue to move and to move more rapidly to the model of Church in which the priest concen- trates on the work that requires the presence of a priest.”

The figures published by Dr Walsh

show that there are less than 20 priests under the age of 44 in the dio- cese and only one man studying for the priesthood.

“We cannot gloss over problems such as the ageing profile of our priests, but we should be able to tack- le problems and see them as opportu- nities for change,” said Dr Walsh.

“T am deeply aware of criticism of bishops and priests when we speak of the need of lay involvement. People have a sense that we were not that ea- ger to give way in the past.

“I know in my heart that when we had a plentiful supply of priests we

neither allowed nor encouraged peo- ple to take on their rightful role in the life of the Church.

‘“Today’s shortage of priests has created a ‘needs must’ situation and people are not slow in pointing this out to us.”

Dr Walsh also anticipates that few- er masses will be held as a result of the age profile of the priests and their declining numbers.

“The best way to approach this matter is for small groups of neigh- bouring parishes to devise a Mass schedule which will meet the pasto- ral needs of the people in the area.

, Dr Walsh said, “I don’t have doubts that I will be retir- ing in three years time.”

Dr Walsh is now 72 and has been Bishop since 1995.

He explained yesterday that it was mandatory for bishops to offer their resignation at 75.

‘In some cases, they ask people to stay on, but they generally tend to be

accepted. That said, Archbishop Con- nell was asked to stay on two years in Dublin and Cardinal Daly was asked to stay on for an extra three years in Armagh,” he said.

“Generally speaking, most of the time, the process of appointing a new bishop begins around the time you reach 75.

“The result is that very often, it 1s six months or at the outset 12 months later that the new appointment is made. Generally speaking, the resig- nation is accepted at 75.

“IT was just 60 when I was appointed and that is 15 years and I think really that in 15 years you have given most

of what you can give in that period and I think it is good that there will be fresh ideas and fresh energy.

“It is important one doesn’t remain on too long and one doesn’t have the same energy at 75 as one had at 40. Thankfully, my health is very good and I can still do a very full day’s work.”

Earlier in the interview, Dr Walsh said, “Part of my calling over the past 15 years as bishop has been to deal with the very tragic issue of sexual abuse which happened over a long period in the past.

“I see part of my calling to try to bring healing to victims of abuse

and I regard that to some degree as a privilege to try to bring healing to these people who have been hurt.”

He added, “As the age profile of priests has advanced, I regard it as my task as bishop to give some leadership towards a new model of Church, where lay people take on a greater response for the day-to-day life of the Church.

“I believe that in those days we had too many priests in the diocese and I think it wasn’t a good thing for the life of the Church.

“It in many ways discouraged peo- ple from playing their full role in the Church.”

CLARE is falling behind its Mid- west neighbours in the size of dis- posable income and total income per person new figures reveal.

The figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that dis- posable income per person in Clare has jumped from €8,554 in 1995 to €17,993 in 2004.

However, the report published last week shows that the average dispos- able income in Clare still lags behind that of people living in Limerick and north Tipperary.

The statistics show that the dispos- able income per person in Limerick has climbed from €9,109 in 1995 to €19,500, while in north Tipperary, the average disposable income per person has climbed from €8,998 in 1995 to €18,312.

The figures also show that the aver- age disposable income in Clare falls behind that of the mid-west average of €8,924 in 1995 to €18,828 in 2005.

The figures show that Clare was six per cent lower than the state average while Limerick was slightly above the state average. The figures also show that Clare was falling behind in esti- mates of total income per person.

In 1995, the figures show that the average total income in Clare was 10,602, climbing to €22,402 in 2004, with Limerick’s income fig- ures going up from €11,322 in 1995 to €24,185.

The figures again show that the average total income falls below the mid-west average of €24,185.

The figures show that the Dublin region had the highest disposable in- come per person of the eight regional authority areas, being 11.8 per cent above the State average in 2004.

At county level, the only coun- ties that had an average disposable income per person in excess of the State average were Dublin, Limer- ick, Kildare and Cork.

Green party election candidate, Brian Meaney said last night, “These figures should act as a wake-up call to the State agencies charged with at- tracting inward investment into Clare and helping to create indigenous en- terprise.

It is anticipated that the figures would show that the Shannon-En- nis corridor would show disposable income levels higher than the na- tional average, but that the more pe- ripheral areas of Clare would show a large drop on the national average income.

A COURT has heard that a man Set fire to a house in west Clare, causing more than €100,000 in the process.

Bart Russell (59), of The Mews, Kilrush Road, Ennis, pleaded guilty to damaging a house by fire at Moy- glass Beg, Mullagh, in April 2005.

He also admitted a charge of crim- inal damage, at the same house, also in April 2005.

Sgt Joe Hehir told the court that the unoccupied house — the prop-

erty of Thomas and Mary Clancy — had been broken into and all the windows in the house had been bro- ken with a hammer.

Referring to the fire incident, he said the house was totally engulfed in flames and €120,000 damage was caused.

The court heard the accused is a voluntary patient in the acute psy- chiatric unit at Ennis General Hos- pital. He admitted his involvement in the incident.

Sgt Hehir said the injured parties have suffered gravely as a result of

what happened.

Defence barrister Michael Collins said his client suffers from bipolar disorder and has attempted suicide on a number of occasions.

“The case could not have been proved against him, but for his ad- missions,” said the barrister.

“This man is a serious risk to himself and needs active treatment, treatment he is getting at present,” he said.

He said his client was not a can- didate for an immediate custodial sentence and he said he was propos-

ing to the court that the psychiatric treatment would continue.

Judge Carroll Moran said he un- derstood the accused needed treat- ment and said he needed a sentence which was structured to include that treatment.

“We are going to try and help him, so long as he co-operates with us,” he said.

He adjourned the case until next month and ordered that the accused continue as a voluntary inpatient in the psychiatric unit, unless he 1s re- leased into the custody of his sister.

A 17-YEAR-OLD youth has been convicted of assaulting a schoolboy during a school lunchbreak in Kil- Mut ee

Kilrush District Court heard that a 15-year-old boy — who is from west Clare — was walking along Moody’s Lane on January 9 last, when he met the accused and another individual,

who was not before the court.

The boy was repeatedly hit to the face with a clenched fist. The court was told that the accused urged the other individual to join in. He reluc- tantly did so. The young victim even- tually managed to run away.

He sustained a black eye, soft tis- sue damage to the nose, a lump to the side of the head and two lumps to the forehead.

The accused, who cannot be named because of his age, told the court that the young boy called him and his friend “scumbags and knackers,” and he then hit him.

The accused said the 15-year- old “doesn’t come into Kilrush any neuen

Supt Joe McKeown, prosecuting, asked him, “Why does he not come into Kilrush any more? … Because

of you.”

Supt McKeown added that the ac- cused has made life “a misery” for the boy and his family, but the ac- cused replied that this was not the OF Ton

“They have made my life a mis- ery, he said.

Judge Joseph Mangan convicted the youth of assault and fined him PAULO}

A YOUNG woman has told a court that she has become a “very different person” as a result of being stabbed, while she worked at an Ennis hotel.

Mia Buena (30), a Filipino national, was waitressing at the Auburn Lodge Hotel on January 2, when she was approached and stabbed in the back with a knife.

The accused, Tommy Dormer (33), of 11 Ashfield Park, Gort Road, En- nis, pleaded guilty at Ennis Circuit Court to assaulting Ms Buena, caus- Thokcap ates am ercvw eee

The victim told the court she has suffered gravely as a result of the stabbing, both physically and men- NOAA

“I thought it was my fault. I was blaming myself because I didn’t see it coming,” she said.

“I still haven’t been able to go back to the place where it happened,’ she Said.

She said her family in the Philip- pines depend on her and she is un- able to support them at the moment.

She said that under the conditions of her work permit, she should be working, but is unable to and now fears she will be deported.

She said she understands what the accused 1s going through.

Outlining the facts of the case to

the court, Detective Sergeant Joe O’Brien said Ms Buena has worked at the Auburn for five years and the accused regularly visits the hotel.

On the evening in question, he went into the bar where Ms Buena was serving customers.

“For no apparent reason whatso- ever, Tommy Dormer stabbed her in the back with a knife,’ he said. She sustained a stab wound to the shoul- Coe

He then went to a neighbouring house and requested that the emer- gency services be called.

The garda told the court the ac- cused said, “I’m on a mission of mer- cy.” While he waited for gardai to arrive, he said Hail Marys and Our Fathers. He said that Dormer said that “voices were telling him to do these things”.

He said the accused suffers from psychiatric problems and over the years there were several incidents of self-mutilation.

Judge Carroll Moran asked where the knife was recovered and the garda replied, “It was left in her back, my Lord”’.

Defence barrister Lorcan Connolly said his client suffers from chronic schizophrenia and that he put the blame for the incident firmly on his own psychiatric problems.

He said his client has never been in

trouble before and “all of a sudden he leaves his home and suddenly com- mits an act against a person who had been very good to him in the past”. He asked that the case be put back,

with the accused remaining in cus- tody, until a regime could be put in place, possibly in Cluain Mhuire, which the court would be satisfied with, on an interim basis.

Judge Carroll Moran adjourned the case until next month, for a Proba- tion Report to be completed.