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RESIDENTS of an Ennis housing estate plagued by almost two years of anti-social behaviour, threats and verbal abuse expressed their frustration at yesterday’s meeting of the Ennis Joint Policing Committee (JPC).

Four residents attended the meeting and outlined the issues affecting the beleaguered estate. They include the running of horses on one of the town’s busiest roads, anti-social behaviour and harassment.

One woman told of how two families have left the estate while many others have had to install security features such as chains, security cameras and alarms on their properties. “We feel we have a right to feel safe in our home. We shouldn’t be intimidated by either adults or children. Our children should be able to feel safe to go out and play,” she said. “It’s a terrible way to live. We’re here from an estate with a hundred houses, asking for help.”

The meeting heard the problems started after a man with a large family moved into the area two years ago.

One woman told of how children under the age of 12 are “running riot and destroying property”.

She said, “The horses are being chased up the road. They are just frightening the horses, pushing them into the estate. The horses are running wild. I feel sorry for the horses. The horses are bolting out onto the road and car could be coming down the road. It’s just frightening.”

Supt Derek Smart of Ennis Garda Station said he was aware of the problems in the area. Gardaí have conducted regular patrols of the estate. Supt Smart said the issue regarding the children has been raised with the Health Services Executive (HSE).

He said, “It is something that is very high on our agenda. In Ennis town in all the estates, we are now making an attempt to assign particular guards to estates.”

Concern was also expressed for the welfare of the children.

One resident said, “I’ve made calls to the HSE regarding young children under the age of 10, there all day and all night on their own. They’re rearing themselves. That’s their way, that’s fine but it’s not right to have an eight or nine year old looking after an infant. Who is feeding them? Who is cleaning the child? It’s just sad, very, very sad. The HSE has far as I’m concerned haven’t stepped in as they should.”

JPC Chairman, Cllr Paul O’Shea, said the HSE should be invited to attend a meeting to discuss the issue.

Cllr Mary Howard (FG) said she could not understand how the children have not been taken into care.

MORE than half a million euro has been made available for the upgrade of parking facilities at the Cliffs of Moher Visitors Experience.

The cliffs, which attracted just under one million visitors to Clare last year, has been operating using a gravel car park since the opening of the € 31 million re-development of the facility in 2007.

Management at the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience announced the € 550,000 investment last week which includes an upgrade of the existing public car park, provide additional coach parking as well as an upgrade the centre’s exhibition.

Contracts have already been awarded for the coach parking and exhibition upgrades with works due to commence shortly, while a plan ning application has been submitted in respect of the proposed car park improvements.

“The upgrades to the coach park and car park will provide an improved experience for our group and car-based customers with increased capacity and a better layout including e-car charging points, additional disabled parking and improved pedestrian flow,” said Katherine Webster, Director of the Cliffs of Moher Visitors experience.

“The new exhibition content will bring fresh exciting new experiences and greater visitor interactivity to the cliffs exhibition. The upgrade is being provided by Dublin-based Rockbrook Engineering and we’re delighted with how their proposals will bring some of the outdoor ex perience of the cliffs inside into the dome area.”

Advanced booking at the Cliffs of Moher for 2014 indicate that the facility is likely to top one million visitors this year for the first time ever.

This follows a 10 per cent increase in 2013, when 960,134 people visited the world famous tourist attraction. This compared to 873,988 visitors in 2012.

The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience has also been identified as one of the three Signature Discovery Points in Clare on the Wild Atlantic Way, alongside the Bridges of Ross and Loop Head Lighthouse.

THE people of Lahinch are in search of a benefactor to come forward and help fund the purchase of the Lahinch Army Barracks and Sluagh Hall before the property is auctioned by the Department of Defense in May.

The appeal was made at a meeting of the Lahinch Community Council last week, with finances needed urgently if the barracks – which is located on the Liscannor Road beside the Lahinch Castle Course – can be purchased before auction.

According to local councillor and member of the Lahinch Community Council Bill Slattery (FG), the community could purchase the 5.2 acre site for € 380,000 now, a fraction of what it would likely receive at auction.

The property also borders the Lahinch community field, and locals aim to develop a number of additional playing fields as well as a community centre at the site of Sluagh Hall, if the property can be secured.

Cllr Slattery has been in contact with the Department of Defense and believed that if the money can be raised quickly – a deal is possible.

“I am disappointed that the local community do not have the funds available for this project.

“We still have time, there is a small window of opportunity available before this is sold. I know that € 380,000 is a lot of money but this could be a massive investment for the town,” said Cllr Slattery. “If someone can come forward with the financial backing, the community would be able repay the investment over a 10year period.

A spokesperson from the Department of Defense confirmed that the property was being readied for sale but would not confirm a date for the auction. The Clare People understands that the auction will take place in May of his year, giving the local community between four and six weeks to raise the finances needed.

THE National Roads Authority (NRA) will continue to monitor a stretch of the M-18 which they closed to all drivers for a week last month, in an unprecedented move.

The northbound stretch of the motorway between Barefield and Crusheen was closed to allow repairs to take place between March 10 and March 14.

The main focus of the repair work was focussed on a patch of the mo- torway an overpass between Junction 14 and Junction 15.

A spokesperson from the NRA said yesterday that the repair effort had required “additional resources” but the roads authority is happy with the work which was carried out.

“There was cleaning out of culverts and maintenance of road drainage system and yes there was some areas worse than others, so it took additional resources but currently the road appears to draining well and we are monitoring it,” said a spokesperson from the NRA.

The work, which was described by the NRA as “drainage assessment and improvement works”, follows months of pressure from Clare County Council, Clare gardaí and the local media, following a spate of accidents on the road over the Christmas period.

The NRA had previously rejected calls for a safety audit to be conducted and speed restriction to be introduced but had a change of heart in early March, confirming that a safety “engineering assessment” would take place in the com- ing months.

The NRA assumed responsibility for maintenance on the M18 between June and September of 2013.

A number of questions have been raised about the safety of sections of the M-18 between Ennis and Gort since it was opened in November of 2010.

A number of local people stopped using the motorway in the wake of a spate of accidents over the Christmas period, instead using the old N18 route between Ennis and Gort.

GARDA resources are being stretched to the limit trying to deal with the rise in burglaries in Ennis.

Yesterday’s meeting of the Ennis Joint Policing Committee heard that 59 burglaries were recorded in Ennis for the first three months of the year. That is an increase of three burglaries on the same period in 2013.

Supt Derek Smart of Ennis Garda Station told the meeting burglaries are the area of most concern to gardaí.

He said a large number of Garda resources, including the establishment of crime checkpoints near Ennis, are being allocated to tackle the crime.

“Burglaries are taking up a lot of time and effort. People’s homes should be their castle. So a lot of my resources are stretched trying to tackle that and detect that crime,” he said.

“We’ve taken checkpoints and brought them back closer to Ennis town where the majority of our burglaries are being committed. There are a lot more crime checkpoints which are directed at trying to find the culprits,” added Supt Smart

In his report to the committee and members of the public, Supt Smart detailed crime figures for Ennis for the first three months of 2014.

He said there have been five robberies of persons in 2014 compared to one in the same period as last year.

A number of people are currently before the courts in relation to the allegations.

There were three incidents of criminal damage by fire in the first three months of 2014; 28 reported thefts and 26 thefts from mechanically propelled vehicles.

Supt Smart told the meeting there is an 81 per cent detection rate in thefts from persons.

Garda have investigated 13 reports of missing persons, conducted 50 drugs searches and 46 searches under warrant.

There have been 11 drink-driving detections compared to 12 for the same period in 2013.

Three people were detected on suspicion of drug driving in the first three months of the year. The meeting was attended by a large number of business people who expressed concern about the level of anti-social behaviour on the streets of Ennis.

A number of them highlighted incidents that occurred on St Patrick’s Day.

Supt Smart urged people in the town to contact them anytime an incident occurs.

In response to questions on the use of Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBO), Supt Smart said very few of the orders have been issued in Clare.

On the prospect of increased Garda resources for Ennis, Supt Smart said the force in Clare has been hit hard by retirements in recent years. Committee member Michael Guilfoyle (Ind), quoted a recent comment by Chief Supt John Kerin who said 55 gardaí had retired from the force in Clare over the last few years.

A NEW commercial training centre could be on the way for Shannon as plans for the facility have been with an Bord Pleanála.

The Shannon Airport Authority lodged the proposal with the planning authority last week, which would see an existing boiler house at Shannon converted into the a new commercial training centre.

Little information about the nature of the proposed development is available except that the application was made under the Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) system at an Bord Pleanála, which is normally reserved for very large projects which would have a regional impact. How- ever, under current planning legislation, every development at the airport is required to go through the SID process – even if the development is small and will be referred to planner at Clare County Council.

Clare County Council is currently working to remove the planning law, which requires all building projects at Shannon Airport to be first lodged with an Bord Pleanála but it is currently still required in order to gain planning.

This news comes just over a week after Shannon Development an nounced plans to clear a massive 10,000 square metre site in the Shannon Free Zone for an unknown future development.

The agency applied to Clare County Council last month for permission to clear the site, which is located at Block C in the Shannon Free Zone.

In the planning file lodged with the local authority, Shannon Development has requested permission to clear a number of existing light industrial and office buildings in Block C, with a total cleared space of more than 8,050 square metres.

There is at present no indication that a particular development has been earmarked for the site, but a spokesperson from Shannon Development said that the area has been earmarked for “redevelopment”.

“The work we are carrying out at Shannon Free Zone is part of our strategy to position this area of the Zone for redevelopment with a view to developing this site in the future,” said the spokesperson.

ABSENTEEISM within the health services in the mid-west, which includes County Clare, is almost twice the national target.

While no specific reason was given to explain why the figures in the region are so high, HSE area manager Bernard Gloster said “we have reduced it substantially and there is more to come, because it drives our agency costs through the roof and that is a major cost for us.”

The national target for absenteeism in the HSE is 3.5 per cent, but in the mid-west it is approximately 6.4 per cent, higher than the national average at 4.71 per cent.

“I make no apology for saying to anybody that one of the biggest demands and pressures on the staffing resourses in the mid-west remains the one focusing on absenteeism. First thing I will say on our rate of approximately 6.4 per cent in terms of the measurements and instruments we use to focus on that, is that is down from over 8 per cent and in some cases it was nine per cent so we have had a very significant focus on that,” he said. “We have where appropriate used the application of the disciplinary procedure and that is not something I consider necessarily a badge to wear on the sleeve, but when we are challenged by certain situations we are not shy in dealing with them. We have an increasingly robust focus on absent management.”

The HSE boss said that there were also a number of very genuine longterm absentee cases.

“I equally want to say on the positive balance side to be fair on staff themselves, my experience is that the majority of staff that have been out sick have a very genuine and sincere illness and reason and they don’t have repeat patterns. You would be surprised when I go to look behind some of the absenteeism figures, the number of young staff who have had incidents of cancer,” he said.

“That is why you maintain the balance with sensitivity but I can assure you in relation to the ones that are more challenging we are well on the game, we are reducing the percentage.”

Michael O’CONNELL
, 31Tullyglass Hill, Shannon. Funeral Mass today (Tuesday) at Mary Immaculate Church, Shannon at 11am, followed by burial in Illaunamanagh Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Sean WARD
, Ugoon,Tulla.At Milford Hospice. Service at Smyth’s Funeral Home in Feakle on Tuesday at 11am, with burial afterwards in Feakle Cemetery. Family flowers only please, donations, if desired, to Milford Hospice. May he rest in peace.

Michael CAREW
, Castlebank, Launch Bar, Limerick,Ardnacrusha. Laid to rest in Relig Lua Cemetry Killaloe. Donations if desired to Cancer Research. May he rest in peace.

Patrick (Paddy) KENNEDY
, Parnell Street, Ennis. Funeral Director, Parnell Street, Ennis. Peacefully at the Galway Clinic. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. Donations if desired to a charity of your choice. May he rest in peace.

Patrick (Paddy) MCINERNEY
, Carrowmore, Mullagh. Suddenly. Laid to rest in Clohanes Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Senan RYAN
, Carnacalla, Kilrush. Laid to rest in Old Shanakyle Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Margaret KELLY
, Shannon. Unexpectedly, at Cork University Hospital. Laid to rest in St Finbarr’s Cemetery, Dunmanway. May she rest in peace.

Shirley MCNEVIN (née O’Doherty)
, 11 Corrovorrin Green, Ennis. Peacefully at the Mid Western Regional Hospital Limerick. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Teresa BLAKE (née McNamara)
, Ennis, Peacefully at home. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

James (Jimmy) BROHAN
, Cloughleigh Road, Ennis. Suddenly. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Margaret COEN (née Flynn)
, London, and Shannon. Formerly of Creevaghbawn,Tuam. laid to rest in Creevaghbawn Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Michael (Mick) ENRIGHT
, Doonbeg, Retired Assistant Commissioner of An Garda Síochána. Peacefully in his 93rd year. Laid to rest Esker Cemetery in Dublin. May he rest in peace.

John ENRIGHT,
Inchmore, Inch, Ennis. Laid to rest in Clarehill Cemetery, Clarecastle. May he rest in peace.

Steven KAVANAGH
, 35 Derryvinna, Clonlara. Laid to rest in Doonass Cemetery. Donations if desired to Search & Rescue. May he rest in peace.

Mary CONSIDINE (née Brody)
, Kilshanny. Laid to rest in Kilshanny Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Vincent (Snr) CROWLEY
, Moyadda and late of Ennis Road, Kilrush. Laid to rest in NewShanakyle Cemetery. Donations, if desired, to Kilrush Community Hospital. May he rest in peace.

Betty McMAHON (née Kelly)
, 11 Derryvinna, Clonlara. Late of Templemore, CoTipperary. Laid to rest in Doonass Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Patrick (Pat) HANRAHAN
,Ard Aoibhinn, Limerick Road, Ennis. Late of Harahan’s Supermarket, Clonroadmore, Ennis. Peacefully at Carrigoran Nursing Home. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. Donations if desired to the Clare branch of Alzheimer’s Society. May he rest in peace.

Mary Bridget HOWARD (née Breen)
, Tarmon, Knockerra, Kilrush. Peacefully at Cahercalla Hospital,Ennis. Laid to rest in Knockerra cemetery. Donations, if desired, to Cahercalla Hospital, Ennis. May she rest in peace.

Sadie McSWEENEY (née Sweeney)
, Wood Road, Cratloe. Laid to rest in Mount Jerome Crematorium, Dublin. May she rest in peace.

Sean O’HALLORAN
, Noughaval, Kilfenora. Peacefully, at home. Laid to rest at Noughaval cemetry. House Private onWednesday morning. May he rest in peace.

James (Jimmy) O’LEARY
, Poplarville, Ballycar, Newmarket-on-Fergus. Peacefully at the MidWestern Regional Hospital Limerick. Laid to rest in Fenloe Cemetery. Donations, if desired, to Clarecastle Day Care Centre. May he rest in peace.

IN WHAT has been hailed as a “hugely significant week” for the independent Shannon, nine new routes are starting operating out of Clare’s international airport over a five-day period.

Ryanair has added nine new routes to its Shannon services, while Aer Lingus has commenced a new service to Malaga as well as having a year-round transatlantic presence at the airport.

All in all, the 2014 summer season, which officially begins in April, will see 16 service enhancements at Shannon, including the nine new routes.

Less than 15 months after the airport was made independent, Shannon will enjoy its biggest week in almost a decade in terms of new route start-ups as Ryanair launches new services, to Munich, Paris, Faro, Warsaw, Krakow, Nice, Poitiers, Berlin, Fuerteventura, while Aer Lingus Regional kicks-off a new Bristol service.

Among the enhanced services is the now year-round Aer Lingus New York service which commenced on Sunday. This will be a six-times weekly service and is the first time Aer Lingus will have operated yearround on New York since 2009.

Aer Lingus also started a new twice-weekly Malaga service on Sunday, which will add to the significantly expanded European network to and from the airport this year.

“This week is a turning point for Shannon,” said Shannon Airport CEO Neil Pakey. “Not since 2005 has Shannon had a week like this in terms of new routes starting up and we see this as a real reward for the loyalty of our passengers across Ireland. They now have excellent choice from Shannon with 37 attractive destinations in Europe, the UK and North America.”

“Shannon Airport is a catalyst for growth for a region that stretches from Cork right up to the North West,” said Shannon chairperson, Rose Hynes. “We are the only airport across this region with transatlantic services and we worked particularly hard on developing that part of our business in 2013.

“We are delighted that this has paid off with new routes and improved connectivity. The next step for us was to grow our European route network and this week sees our efforts here bearing fruit.

“We listened to what our customers had to say and, with our airline partners, have delivered new services to nine great destinations. These new routes also connect us with destinations that have a strong inbound market and this presents a great opportunity for tourism here on the West Coast,” she added. New r out es commencing t his week fr om Sha nnon a r e:

DOONBEG is hoping for All-Ireland glory this weekend as its drama group is in the All Ireland Drama Final in Claremorris, Co Mayo.

Having reached the top nine of the 34 drama groups doing the “competition circuit” nationally, the group are now in a position to bring national gold to the long village.

The Doonbeg Drama Group is no stranger to the pressures of national competition having come runners up by just one point to the All-Ireland winners in 2012.

Producer and co-founder of the group 34 years ago, Mary Egan said the 22-strong crew and actors were looking forward to taking to the stage in Mayo on Sunday night with The Cavalcaders written by Billy Roche.

The group was reformed in 1980 by Ms Egan and Murt McInerney who also served as producer for the group for numerous years. In 1990 Doonbeg Drama Group began competing in competitions around Ireland and has been one of the stronger groups on the circuit since.

Those wishing to see the play one last time before the set and cast relocate to Claremorris for the All-Ireland Final, can do so in Doonbeg Hall this Thursday, April 3, at 8.30pm.

The winner of the All Ireland will be announced on Saturday, April 12.

NEARLY a quarter of million euros worth of funding announced on Friday for the repairs of four Clare piers is part of the € 16.8 million previously announced by the Government, despite reports to the contrary.

The funding – which amounts to € 130,950 for Liscannor Pier, € 65,700 for Ballyvaughan Pier and € 18,000 for Seafield Pier and Kilbaha Pier in West Clare – will not come from fresh government funding.

Councillors at yesterday’s North Clare Meeting of called for an end to the Government “spin” in relation to the Government funding for the storms, which they say is creating confusion amongst the public.

“We should not have any further announcements of this kind, this is very misleading. The very least that could be done is that we should know where we stand. This sort of confusion is not acceptable,” said Cllr Richard Nagle.

A spokesperson from Clare County Council said that the most recent announcement was supposed to indicate the exact locations where the funding would be spent and not to indicate that new funding was being made available.

Cllr Michael Kelly (FF), said that the most recent statement represent “spin” from the Government.

“There should be clarity, this is all spin. We would all be as well off to get a clear statement and leave it at that,” he said.

“This is the second time that there has been a misunderstanding like this. There is a lot of misinformation coming out about this funding.”

The four piers were severely damaged by the successive storms which rocked the Clare coast in January and February.

“This is no extra money, it is just clarification of where that money is going. My understanding is that this money has already been included in the general fund and that is that,” said a council spokesperson.