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ENNIS is facing its worst ever rental property crisis – with prices set to rise by at least 10 per cent over the next 12 months.

The rental market in the county town is on the verge of grinding to a standstill – with just 29 properties available for rent in Ennis today, and only 12 three-bedroom, family style homes.

Rental property prices rose by 2.2 per cent in the the second quarter of this year – with the lions share of this rise being driven by Ennis.

A normally functioning rental market should see more than five per cent of the total property stock on the rent- al market at any time. Ennis requires a 1600 per cent increase on current stock levels to get close to that level.

“The last six months has seen a sharp decline on the number of properties available to rent in Ennis. We had a property last week which was rented after its first viewing for a increased rent, a lot of properties aren’t making it to the property websites they are going so fast,” said Mairead Carrig of Location Location in Ennis.

“Properties are being snapped up very quickly and there are very few new builds coming through. It would not be unrealistic if we saw price increases of 10 per cent of more in the year ahead. The powers that be need to make it easier for builders to get back to work in Ennis.”

The divisions between Clare’s two speed rental market also appears to be deepening with a large number of properties still available for rent outside of urban areas.

According to Ronan Lyons of Daft. ie, Ennis is just six months off a property shortage similar to those currently being experienced in Dublin and Cork.

Unlike Dublin and Cork however, there are few building projects planned for Ennis in the short and medium term.

“The figures for Ennis are really dramatic. A healthy market should have between 5 or 10 per cent of properties for sale at any one time but there is nothing close to that at the moment,” he said.

“Ennis is in the same boat as Cork and Dublin, there is just a lack of available accommodation, but it just on a small scale. Ultimately, this can only lead to large increases in rents.

“We have seen rent rises in four of the last five quarters in Clare and I could see rent rises significantly in the county over the next six months. It is very difficult to predict but I wouldn’t be surprising to see rents for the whole of the county rising by between 5 and 10 per cent in the year ahead.

“The places will see this the most is in Ennis and the parts of Clare which are close to Limerick and Galway. More and more now people want to be closer to jobs and services.”

SCORES of Clare horses are being trapped in a circle of neglect with many horse owners literally unable to give their animals away.

The number of Clare horse owners increased sharply during the Celtic Tigers years but reports of cruelty and abandonment have been widespread since the economic downturn, with many people now unable to af- ford the cost of keeping the animals properly.

However, according to Clare dog warden Frankie Coote, a large number of Clare horses are suffering from neglect on numerous occasions – with their owners unable to get rid of the animals. With a large number of horses bought or sold on the black market, many Clare horse owners have no longer got the money to keep their animals but do not have the documentation to sell their animals.

“We are dealing with the same horses now as we were dealing with four or five years ago. Because of difficulties with passports and microchips, there people are unable to sell them on to factories which has resulted in a lot of people owning horses who don’t have the means to look after them,” said Frankie Coote.

“We are being called out to the same horses again and again over the past four years. These horses are getting no vetinarial treatment, their hoofs are not being done and they are not being fed right. They are not getting adequate water in many cases.”

A number of Clare cases of animal cruelty have currently been referred to the DPP for possible investigation.

“We can take animals away in severe cases and we have sent a number of files to the DPP in relation to cases from last year,” said Frankie.

“But we do have a situation at the moment where we have a lot of peo- ple who just can’t take care of their animals but can’t get rid of them either. People should know that in emergency cases we have fodder for horses available and vetinarial fees available – so people can contact us for help.

“We are expecting this to be a difficult winter and we are certainly advising people not to over stock. But I think we need a legislation change really to allow for these [undocumented] horses to be moved on.”

ONE hundred and fifteen jobs at one of Clare’s leading employers are safe – following the buyout of Ennistymon’s Data Display by US firm Daktronics yesterday.

The buyout, which was announced to the US stock market yesterday morning, could see an increase in employment in Ennistymon with an investment promised by the NASDAQ-listed company.

Data Display has been a landmark company since it was founded by local businessman Kevin Neville in 1978. While Mr Neville took a step back from the company in 2007, both Paul and Ann Marie Neville retain a senior management role within the company and are expected to remain in their roles as the company passes to Daktronics.

According to a company spokesperson, careful negotiations have been underway between Daktronics and Data Display for the past 12 months.

“Daktronics have given a firm commitment to the company here and the employees in Ennistymon. They have a long-term view of the facility here and they want to bring investment here for production and engineering,” said Paul Horan of Data Display.

“A growth in employment is certainly possible but I would not want to overstate it at this point. There is talk about the future but everyone is being very careful not to overstate anything. My own personal view is that there is good potential for growth here in the future.”

In a statement to The Clare People yesterday, Daktronics confirmed that they would retain the Data Display workforce.

“We believe Daktronics and Data Display complement each other well. Daktronics is active in the transportation business, mainly in the United States, and we have a global presence with offices and people in many countries, currently focused on sports, third-party advertising and video solutions,” said Daktronics CEO Reece Kurtenbach.

“Adding the strengths of Data Display will allow our combined organisations to better serve transportation customers worldwide and broaden our leadership position on a global scale. Daktronics looks forward to further expanding its customer and market focus in Europe and surrounding areas.”

INTELLIGENCE, hard work and the Young Scientist Competition are being credited for the success of Lisdoonvarna student, Keelan McMahon, who discovered last Wednesday that he’d earned the maximum 625 points in the Leaving Cert.

Keelan, who is a student at Mary Immaculate Secondary School in Lisdoonvarna, is a veteran of many Young Scientist Competitions which clearly paid off for him as he sat a total of five maths and science based subjects for his exams.

The Lisdoonvarna student, who works at the Cliffs of Moher Visitors Experience, also received his first choice course of Mathematical Sciences in University College Cork when the first round of college offers were made yesterday morning.

“I think the Young Scientist really helped, it definitely influenced me a lot. Before I went up to the Young Scientists I had very little interest in science. But going up there and getting the feel for different sciences when they are done properly got me interested. The Young Scientist definitely did play a big part of it,” he said.

“I’m really happy and a little shocked as well. It’s great to have it all over with to be honest. There was a lot of stress waiting for the results. I couldn’t sleep the night before, so I got up at 9am and went straight in to get them from the school.

“I got six A1s and when you include the extra 25 points for honours math that makes 625. I got the six A1s in math, applied math, physics, chemistry, biology and in German.

“I got an offer for Mathematical Sciences in UCC which was my first choice. I’m starting college there on September 8, which is three weeks away, and I’m looking forward to it. I picket that course because it was so broad and you can go into so many careers after it. But at the moment I’m looking at actuary.”

CLARE County Council spent € 742.15 last month on the official launch of the its new Local Enterprise Office (LEO), but the spend was far from the € 4,000 splurge of some other local authorities or the frugal celebrations of Leitrim County Council who partied for just € 30.

On July 14, the Minister of State for Small Business, John Perry, officially launched LEO at Áras Contae an Chláir in Ennis, a department that has been operational since mid April.

Combining the resources of the Clare County Enterprise Board and Clare County Council’s business support unit, Clare LEO is one of 31 around Ireland that is tasked with delivering services and support to busi- nesses within a framework set by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and overseen by Enterprise Ireland.

According to figures released in a parliamentary question, 27 local authorities have already hosted official events to launch these offices.

The € 742.15 spent by Clare County Council on the official launch included photography costs.

The efforts of the neighbouring local authority, Tipperary County Council, were not as prudent however as it ran up the largest bill of € 4,385, which included a € 1,449 catering bill and a € 1,000 marquee hire.

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown also ran up a bill over € 4,000 with the Taoiseach’s home county of Mayo coming in third with costs reaching € 3,717.

Clare was well below the mid-way mark in 16th place when it came to costs, but it was Leitrim that proved to be the most entrepreneurial when it came to showcasing its enterprise office. The € 30 it spent was for the cost of a courier to deliver a stand. The tea and coffee for the celebration was provided by the council canteen and kitchen with two small local companies displaying their home baking and providing the food free of charge.

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton said official launches of these offices, which cost a total € 38,528.81, were part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness of their role.

“Each LEO has a small allocation for events such as these and the costs are incorporated into each Office’s budgets for the year,” he said.

THERE are more than 100 extra vacant commercial premises in Clare compared to this time last year – despite anecdotal evidence of improvement in the local economy.

The latest report from the Geo Directory tracker has found that the rate of vacant premises has risen from 11.4 per cent last year, to 12.9 per cent in the second quarter of 2014 – meaning that 904 of Clare’s 7,030 premises are now vacant, compared to 801 last year.

The chairperson of Ennis Cham- ber of Commerce, Rita McInerney, described the figures as disappointing but stressed that sections of the Clare economy are experiencing a recovery.

“I am disappointed that the rate has gone up because the general feeling within business is that things are broadly improving. I think it reflects the challenges that the retail sections are facing at the moment,” she said.

“This is indicative of the pressure that the retail trade is under. Retail is the sector that will always require premises when new businesses start.”

The Ennis Chamber is keen to forward new approaches to retail, such as the creation of a Business Improvement District, to allow businesses to win back customers from large retail parks and online shopping sites.

“The creation of a Business Improvement District is one of the weapons we can use to tackle vacant units in Ennis and other town centres. These districts strive to reenergise town centres and ensure that there is the right mix of shops and facilities to give customers what they want,” continued Rita.

“There is a real possibility of challenge online shopping by giving people a different sort of shopping experience. Online shopping is clinical, it’s unsocial and people are looking for that social kind of shopping experience.

“It’s about being able to offer people a complete experience. Online shopping serves a purpose, people are social by their nature and a lot of people are looking for an experience when they shop.”

Discussions on the creation of a Business Improvement District in Ennis are ongoing amongst businesses involved in the Ennis Chamber of Commerce.

FAMILY, friends and many clergy members turned out in Ennis last week to celebrate the life of the late Canon Frank Mulvey (pictured above).

Born in 1935, Canon Mulvey was the son of the late George and Margaret Mulvey from the Clonroad area of Ennis. He studied for the priesthood at St Patrick’s College Thurles and was ordained on Thurles Cathedral on June 14, 1959.

He was ordained for the Archdiocese of Cardiff and in August 1959, his first parish was in Gendros, Swansea. He had a brief spell in Cardiff before serving for 12 years in Tredegar in the Welsh Valleys.

After a number of years in St David’s parish in Newport, he moved to Rumney, Cardiff where was attached to the Blessed Sacrament Church for 28 years.

In 2009, he was joined by family and friends to celebrate his 50th year in the priesthood. To mark the occasion, he was made a Canon.

Canon Mulvey was on his annual summer break back home to Ennis when he became ill.

He died peacefully in the company of his family at University Hospital Limerick on August 6.

At his funeral mass in Ennis Cathedral on Friday, family and colleagues recalled a warm and generous person who loved sport, particularly golf, the Clare hurlers and the Munster Rugby team.

“Canon Frankie despite his many years in Wales never lost his love of his native county and especially rejoiced in their wonderful success down the years”, recalled Fr Brendan Quinlivan.

He told mourners, who included members of the clergy from Wales, how Canon Mulvey’s house was often a ‘haven’ for people travelling to rugby games Cardiff Arms Park.

Fr Quinlivan said Canon Mulvey was a man of “deep prayer and reflection” who came to love Wales and it’s people.

Shane Mulvey shared with mourners memories of his Uncle Frankie’s much-anticipated visits home to Ennis. “He was always thinking of others such was his nature”. Shane told mourners his uncle was a keen photographer who lived for his visits home to see his sister Rita and brother Tony. “We were so happy to have him home for the last few days and we got to hear him sing one last time. I’d like to thank him for everything he’s done for us. A very special man to the end. We’ll miss you very much Frankie”, Shane added.

THE government has not allocated any money for more than 30 Clare storm defense projects needed to prevent further devastation should storms threaten Clare coastal communities this winter.

The Office of Public Works wrote to Clare County Council last Friday, August 8, informing them that they cannot consider any new coastal protection works until funding has been released by the Department of the Environment.

Clare County Council had been waiting on news on a € 12.1 million submission for more than 30 new coastal protection structure, including those at the devastated area of Clohaninchy in Quilty, since February of this year.

The council made the submission as part of an overall funding allocation sent to the Department of the Environment in February.

At the time, the department re- ferred the situation to the OPW for consideration.

Last Friday’s admission by the OPW has created a chicken-and-egg situation regarding the € 12.1 million – with the OPW saying they cannot consider the submission until the Department of the Environment makes funding available, and the Department of the Environment referring the matter to the OPW.

The money allocated to Clare County Council to date is only to cover repair of flood defenses and other infrastructure.

No money has been allocated to build any of the 35 new structures required – following the previous flood defenses being completely swept away.

The Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Tom Coughlan, wrote to all councillors last Friday informing them of the situation.

This revelation comes after a series of communications between the OPW and Clare County Council in recent days, including a behind closed doors meeting which took place in Ennis on Thursday.

This revelation comes despite a number of assurances given by former Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan (FG) and Minister with responsibility for the OPW, Brian Hayes (FG) that all steps would be taken to avoid any “cash-flow issues” slowing works.

Both former minister are currently serving at the EU.

“We don’t know what is going on. Hayes [former Minister Brian Hayes] and Hogan [former Minister Phil Hogan] were back here promising money but it turns out that this money has never been signed off on,” said Kilkee Cllr Ian Lynch (IND).

“The councillors are blue in the face trying to bring about some movement on this issue.

“The Chief Executive [Tom Coughlan] and Senior Engineer [Tom Tiernan] are doing everything they can. The whole situation is incredibly frustrating for everyone involved.”

On March 11, former minister Bri- an Hayes (FG) announced funding to “immediately assist local authorities” in the repair for coastal defenses.

“The physical damage will take time to repair and I am pleased that my Office has responded so quickly. The amounts being made available, together with the guidance provided by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government on works and development consents required will greatly assist local authorities in these works,” he said March.

“Furthermore, I am also conscious of the urgency of these works and in order to assist local authorities in a practical way and avoid any potential cash-flow issues, my Office will con sider advance funding requests of up to 80 per cent where a contract for works has been made.” The Clare People contacted the OPW in relation to this story but a spokesperson declined to make any specific comment on last Friday’s revelation.

“The matter of both multi-annual funding for storm damage and further funding for the February 2014 storms is a matter for Departments of Environment, Community and Local Government and Public Expenditure and Reform,” a spokesperson said.

A spokesperson from the Department of the Environment yesterday declined to have any role in relation to the allocation of funding to the OPW.

“The Department of the Environment doesn’t fund coastal protection works so we wouldn’t be making funding available to the OPW. The department’s role in this matter was to co-ordinate the submissions from LAs [local authorities] in respect of the estimates of the cost of damage to public infrastructure caused by the second period of severe weather from January 27 to February 17 and these have been compiled.

“A Government decision on funding for damage caused by this second period of severe weather has not yet been made,” said a Department of Environment spokesperson.

THE Director of the upcoming Merriman Summer School in Ennis believes the event remains relevant and important in shaping discussion in Irish society.

Speaking ahead of the school, which runs in Ennis from August 1317, Professor Patricia Coughlan says the events such as the Merriman still have a future.

“I absolutely think so. I’m a huge fan of them.

“I think it’s a place to thrash things out where people can have an input into what is a national discussion. I think it is a more thoughtful medium”, she says,

“The radio is very good. Television tends not to be so good for this because it tends to be soundbites.

“There are good discussions on radio but the constraints of time on a radio are very narrow.

“This is something more leisurely and something where you can draw things out a bit more”.

This year’s theme – Emotional Life in Ireland – will be discussed and debated by authors, academics and musicians.

Prof Coughlan, who is Professor Emerita in the School of English at UCC, says summer schools have a relevance beyond academic and literary circles.

“They do. I’m really a fan of summer schools, generally. It’s an Irish invention that doesn’t exist elsewhere.

“I think it’s one the things that we do really well. I hugely respect the people that attend summer schools because they are not necessarily people with influence.

“They are serious people who want to hear things trashed out and discussed. They take issues seriously and I think that’s a very positive sign of our culture”, she explains.

Prof Coughlan said she also made a conscious decision to invite more young speakers to the school.

She explains, “One of the parts of the brief was to engage some younger speakers and I very much sought to do that.

“That’s not to outlaw the older speakers. But looking at the programme, most of the speakers are actually under 50 and probably under 40, between the poets and all the other speakers.

“They are younger scholars and critics primarily. To be honest it was easier to find people doing this kind of research in the various disciplines and who were interested in discussing. It was actually easier to find younger people. It’s a topic that’s only coming into being discussable now.”

THE NUMBER of children being baptised in West Clare has dropped significantly in recent years as the effects of emigration further impacts on rural Clare.

According to figures produced by the Diocese of Killaloe, the number of baptisms in the west of the county fell from 170 in 2010, to just 157 in 2013 – this equates to a drop of almost 8 per cent.

The worst hit areas were Kilmihil which recorded a 39 per cent decrease (from 23 to 14) and Doonbeg which saw a 33 per cent decrease (from 21 to 14).

Despite losing all of it’s government funding in 2012, Kilrush based Rural Resettlement Ireland continued to rehouse urban families in rural areas.

“Indeed, according to founder Jim Connolly, the organisation has brought three new families to West Clare so far this year.

“Where we see the drop in population most is in requests from schools, who are desperately needing two or three students who need students to save a teachers job.

“We get requests like this from families from all over the west – it’s like they are ordering families off a fence.

“We have three villages in West Clare who are getting new families this summer, all with young children. I know that in each of these cases they are saving a teachers job,” said Mr Connolly.

“It seems to me that all over the West [of Ireland] a generation has been lost.

“The spin at the moment that Ireland is pulling out of recession applied only to Dublin and to the East coast.

“I’m not a doom merchant, I’m a very positive person, but as far as I can see it every rural town in Ireland is as dead as a dodo.”

Rural Resettlement Ireland has also began taking requests from homeless families who are currently being kept in emergency accommodation by ur- ban local authorities.

“None of the current situation makes common sense. We have a housing crisis in Dublin.

“For the first time ever we are now taking inquires from people who are homeless – people who had a mortgage, Mr and Mrs Average who had a mortgage and couldn’t keep up with it.

“We were dealing with one family last week who were being put in a Travelodge by a local authority,” continued Jim.

“You have hundreds and hundreds of families who need a home, and on the west coast we have thousands of homes with no-one in them.

“It just doesn’t make sense.”