Category: News

NON-FARMING shareholders are to lose the right to vote on issues concerning the future management of Clare Marts Ltd.

A resolution was passed at last week’s Special General Meeting of the mart which will see the creation of a two distinct tiers of shareholders: those who have voting rights and those who don’t. Almost 91 per cent of shareholder present voted in favour of the resolution, which requires shareholders to trade cattle, sheep or horses to the value of at least € 5,000 over a four-year period, or surrender their voting rights.

A shareholder who does not fulfill these conditions will be deemed to be a “Category B” shareholder and will lose the right to vote, but will retain the full value of the shares.

Mart shareholder and Ennis busi nessman, Oliver Moylan, criticised the decision – describing it as “discrimination” and said that Clare Marts was “biting the hand that fed it”.

A spokesperson for the mart told The Clare People yesterday that the move was designed to maintain farmer control for the decision mak- ing process at the mart. He also said that similar moves had been made at a number of Irish marts in recent years.

No person who was a shareholder when the resolution was passed last Wednesday, July 24, will lose their voting rights. However, the Category B conditions will kick in when shares are transferred or willed to others.

Over the years, a number of shares at Ennis Marts Limited have been passed on to people who are no longer active farmers. This has created a situation at the mart where many of the shareholders no longer have any direct connection to active farming.

Mr Moylan criticised the decision saying it was very unfair on business people and local families who were involved in setting up the mart and will soon lose their voting rights.

“It’s a farce they don’t want nontraders. They just want farmers and yet a lot of the marts’ business in volves renting and investment,” Mr Moylan said.

“They’re now trying to make it so we have no voting rights. It’s discrimination against a minority.

Turnover of the marts was € 69.5 million last year with the majority of that coming from the sale of livestock and the rest coming from property.

CLARE County Council water service staff will continue to be employed by the Clare local authority while acting as an agent for Irish Water.

A spokesperson for the council said that there will be no redundancies among the 113 people employed in the department.

Last week the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government announced that the region’s Irish Water office will be based in Limerick, leaving questions as to what would happen the Clare council’s water section.

A spokesperson for the council confirmed to The Cla re People that Clare County Council staff will act as agents for the new national body, while remaining in the employment of the council under a 12-year service agreement between both parties.

Clare County Council will then be compensated for costs by Irish Water.

It is also expected that some staff from local authorities will move to Irish Water regional offices once the new jobs have been clarified, a process that could take up to 18 months.

Clare County Council will officially sign off as the county’s water utility provider in 2014, and the re- sponsibility passed to Irish Water.

The office servicing Clare will be based in Limerick City and will be one of three southern regional offices with two others being located in Mallow in County Cork and another in Kilkenny City.

Meanwhile the Clare water staff have begun a countywide survey of an estimated 31,000 domestic water connections in the county ahead of the Government’s introduction of water charges.

However a council official said the local authority staff would not require access to private property while conducting their assessment of water connections.

BALLINRUAN’S Róisín Rodgers will carry the hopes of the county with her as she travels to Tipperary to take part in the International Miss Macra Competition this weekend.

Róisín, who is a keen traditional musician, hope to raise the profile of Macra Na Feirme in Clare through the competition – and who knows, maybe even bring the big prize back to the Banner.

Macra has undergone a renaissance in Clare in recent years with three new clubs forming across the county. The newest of these clubs is Róisín’s own club in Ennis, which is not yet even a year old.

“I am so proud to represent the county, especially as a someone who is relatively new to Macra. Ennis has been very, very active as a club in recent months and it has been brilliant for me to be involve in the club and not as Clare’s Miss Macra,” she said.

“It is a massive undertaking to represent Clare so I am a little bit nervous. It is only natural, I think, when you enter a competition like this. I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t a little nervous.”

Róisín is a keen musician and is about to start a Masters in Music at UL. In the future she would like to play music during the summer, work as a primary school teacher in the winter and also publish a book about the Kilfenora Céilí Band.

“I love the club and I love my role as PRO. I really do want promote the club to the people of Ennis and to Macra as a whole in Clare. It is a real honour to be chosen as Miss Macra for Clare this year and I really do want to promote the work of Macra to everyone in the county,” she said.

“Ennis Macra is such a new club that there is a great opportunity now for people to get involved and really shape the club. The one thing that I keep telling people is that Macra is not just about farming – you can cater Macra to suit your own needs.

“Sometimes people think that to be involved in Macra you need to come from a farming background, but that is not the case. Each Macra club can change to suit the needs of the members.”

Róisín would like to thank everyone who has supported her including her sponsors including Sean O’Keaffe School of Motoring, Banner Equestrian Toonagh, Chez Marie Boutique, the G Nine 9 Boutique, Pat McCarthy Shoes and D2 Print.

A MAN questioned in connection with the alleged rape and false imprisonment of two women in Dublin last year spent some of his time living in Clare.

The man was identified in a weekend report as being the subject of a massive Garda surveillance for the previous 12 months because it was suspected he posed a threat to women. He has also previously been questioned in connection with an armed robbery.

The man moved between addresses in Clare and Dublin. He has been charged with a separate offence in Clare.

Yesterday, a senior Garda spokesperson confirmed that the man was a “person of interest” who had been stopped by gardaí.

However he said gardaí in Clare had not been engaged in an ongoing surveillance operation of the man who is in his forties.

The man is no longer thought to be in the country.

The offence alleged to have been committed in Clare is of a non-violent or sexual nature.

The man was named and pictured in The Sunday World Newspaper on Sunday last.

A SECOND major drugs seizure in the space of a month has been uncovered by a Custom’s dog at Shannon Airport.

Herbal cannabis, estimated to be worth € 50,000, was discovered at the airport on Tuesday July 23. Custom’s officers seized the drugs which were discovered in freight that arrived at the airport.

The plans to import drugs through Shannon Airport was foiled by a sniffer dog named Ollie. A spokesperson for the Office of the Revenue Commissioners confirmed that an investgation into the matter is continuing.

“Officers from Revenue’s Customs Service at Shannon Airport, yesterday (23/07/13), eized a quantity of herbal cannabis with an estimated street value of € 50,000.”

The spokesperson continued, “Following another positive indication by Customs dog, Ollie, Revenue officials discovered the drugs concealed in a consignment of freight that arrived into Shannon from Spain. Investigations are continuing.”

It is the second time in the space of four weeks that Ollie has foiled an attempted drugs importation plot at Shannon Airport.

Earlier this month Customs Officers seized herbal cannabis with an estimated street value of € 300,000 following a positive indication by Ollie.

The drugs were concealed in freight that arrived into Shannon.

The drugs were hidden in a consignment of freight that was thought to be destined for an address in Munster. Gardaí from Shannon Garda Station were assisting officers from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners with their investigation into the drugs shipment.

A STUDENT who pleaded guilty to drink driving an ambulance he took unlawfully while it was on a call out in Kilkee, and being in possession of a steak knife at the time, has been suspended from driving for three years, fined € 250 and given a total of 200 hours community service in lieu of a prison sentence at Kilrush District Court.

Conor Hannon (21) of 102 Sycamore Drive, Rathbane, Limerick was ordered to carry out 100 hours community work in lieu of a three month prison sentence for being in possession of a fire arm – a black handle steak knife.

He was handed a further 100 hours community work in lieu of another three month prison sentence for unlawfully taking the HSE ambulance contrary to Section 112 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, which is to run consecutively to the first sentence.

He was also fined € 250 and dis- qualified from driving for three years under the drink driving charge.

The court heard that gardaí were called to Victoria Terrace, Dough, Kilkee on May 6, 2013 at 2.30am by the ambulance service who were caring for a patient who had fallen and hurt his head.

A highly intoxicated Mr Hannon got into the ambulance and drove it forward a “few feet” before he was removed by ambulance personnel.

Garda Conor Flaherty gave evidence that as Mr Hannon was being removed to the Garda van a knife was found on him.

The garda added that the second year tourism student had been very apologetic the following day.

Defence solicitor Michael Ryan said that it was an indication of his client’s character that there was no element of violence on the night even though he was highly intoxicated, and that he had no recollection of the knife.

“He does feel that his drink was spiked on the night. We are not of- fering that as an excuse,” he added.

“When he got into the seat he put on the belt.

“That is an indication of the intoxication,” said Mr Ryan.

In sentencing Mr Hannon Judge Patrick Durcan said;

“In my view there is only one way to deal with that and put the message out loud and clear.”

The judge said that in his opinion “Someone who works for the ambulance service does a critically important job and if you turn on your radio and listen to Miriam O’Callaghan, Pat Kenny or better still, ‘Joe Duffy in the afternoon’, you will hear people without doubt complaining ‘the ambulance didn’t arrive on time’.

“Into this mix, you have Mr Hannon, filled to the gills with drink and he interferes with the ambulance service.”

The judge then issued the sentence suspending Mr Hannon from driving for three years, fining him € 250 and giving him a total of 200 hours community service

A WOMAN who attempted to undertake her own defense at Ennis District Court last Wednesday was urged to “talk to her husband” about securing the services of a solicitor.

Maria Tynan (46), with an address at Linton House, Oatfield in Sixmilebridge appeared on charges of assault at last Wednesday’s sitting of Ennis District Court.

Addressing the court, Mrs Linton said that she intended to defend herself in the case.

Judge Patrick Durkan said that while she had every right to defend herself, she should consider ever possibly avenue open to her concerning the case.

“If you had a pain in your side and you went to the doctor who said it was an appendicitis – that would make sense wouldn’t it.

“But it is still not a job that you should consider doing yourself,” said Judge Durcan.

Following urgings from Judge Durcan, Mrs Tynan sought legal aid for a solicitor to act on her behalf during the proceedings.

However, after stating that she and her husband own a 170 acre farm with more than 40 head of cattle, Judge Durcan indicated that she would likely not qualify for legal aid.

“I suggest that you talk to you husband,” he said.

The matter was adjourned until September 3 when it will come before the Killaloe District Court.

A MAN who pleaded guilty to stealing a can of Guinness and a number of Cadbury’s Creme Eggs has been banned from setting foot in County Clare for the next twelve months.

Bill Hill (56), with an address at Fairgreen Hostel, Fairgreen in Galway, was banned from entering the county at Ennis District Court last Wednesday and told to “be careful” if he found himself in South Galway. Mr Hill pleaded guilty to stealing the can of Guinness and chocolate treats – in what was described by Judge Patrick Durkin as a “serious” matter.

“I am directing the defendant to stay out of County Clare for the next 12 months. I don’t think that a custodial sentence is necessary for a can of Guinness and some cream eggs but this is a serious matter and I am barring you from Clare for the next 12 months,” he said.

“So keep out of Clare and be careful in South Galway as well. I don’t want to see you coming before me if I am up in Gort as well.”

HUNDREDS of Clare cars are set to be forced off the roads indefinitely later this year as a change to the procedure for taxing cars could make driving a car too expensive.

That is according to Clare based community group Dealing With Debt – who believe that the proposed changed will force poorer motorist off the road indefinitely.

Under the new scheme motorists will have to declare their vehicle off the road in advance in order to avoid being penalised and having to back tax their vehicles, even if the vehicle is not being driven.

“According to the Government the new motor tax bill was introduced to deal with non-compliant motor tax payers. [Minister for State] Fergus O’ Dowd’s comments on this, in which he describes the motor tax evasion loophole, shows the lack of reality on this issue,” said DWD chairperson, Joe Corbett.

“The sad reality is that the majority of these people cannot afford the extremely high levels of motor tax especially on older vehicles. People that can afford newer Eco Friendly vehicles can avail of the relatively low taxation bands available, however less well-off people with older and larger vehicles are penalised for not being able to afford such vehicles.”

Mr Corbett says that this new system will create a situation where poorer motorists are forced to subsidise richer motorists.

“They are further penalised in the limited payment methods available – as taxing on a three month basis is more expensive than on a 12 month and no direct debit or similar methods of payment are available under the new motor tax legislation,” he said.

“The lack of public transport especially in rural areas makes a car a necessity therefore a more realistic and affordable motor tax scheme is required.

“The bill doesn’t seem to take into account everyday problems such as NCT failures, illness and such matters which are impossible to have prior knowledge of.”

A District Court Judge told a sitting in Kilrush he was sending a clear message that robbery of old ladies and young children would not be tolerated.

Judge Patrick Durcan made the comments as he handed down a suspended one-month sentence to an 18year-old Kilrush woman who robbed an elderly woman’s purse at the train station in Ennis. He also told her he would send her to prison the next time she appeared before him.

She was 17 years old at the time of the theft on January 26 this year and pleaded guilty to the theft at Kilrush District Court on Tuesday.

The teenager also pleaded guilty to public order offences and using threatening behaviour in the Market Square, Kilrush on November 26, 2012.

Judge Durcan fined her € 100 for the public order offence.

The court heard that on November 26 the girl was found fighting with another person in the Square and was using threatening behaviour.

The court also heard that on January 26, a woman in her 70s had her purse stolen in what was described by the defending solicitor as “an opportunistic crime”.

When gardaí arrested the young woman before the court she told them she had thrown the purse over a wall.

The purse was recovered but € 100 cash was missing from it.

Solicitor Fiona Hehir said her client is taking medication and is “in a better condition now than she was then”.

She added that she did not remember the incident in the Square.

Following sentencing Judge Durcan said it as obvious to him from observing the young woman in court that she had attitude problems.

“If there isn’t a change in attitude to me, the gardaí and the law you will be in prison next time you appear before me,” he said.