Category: News

A BUSLOAD of tourists were sent on an extensive tour of West Clare which would not be an issue if that was their original intention.

However at the time the bus driver was attempting to drive the less than impressed passengers directly from Mullagh to Kilimer in time for the ferry, but poor road signage sent him on a tour through Doonbeg, Bellaha and into Kilkee before making the journey back to Killimer. Needless to say the tourists did not make their intended crossing on schedule and were delayed reaching Kerry as a result.

Kilrush Town Councillor Tom Prendeville (FF) said it was time for the council to follow through on a promise to upgrade signage, especially on approach roads to the town of Kilrush.

As a result of the 35 kilometre detour an appointment to have food in Kilrush also had to be cancelled.

“That was lost business to Kilrush,” said the local councillor.

“I am all for promoting West Clare and keeping tourists as long as possible in the area to sample the many attractions we have here.

“Signage should certainly offer tourists alternative destinations, but in this instance it was misguided and deceptive.

“That can be a great source of annoyance and irritation for some visitors on a tight schedule,” he said.

There is some hope for disgruntled bus drivers and bemused tourists however as Síobhan Garvey, Marketing and Development Officer in Kilrush said that the National Roads Authority is currently re-signing the national secondary N67 route from Miltown Malbay to Kilimer.

This will include the Kilkee Kilimer approach roads.

“As part of the process that will also be removing unlicensed roadside signage. The installation of their new signage scheme will provide clear directional guidance to the visiting motoring public and will include some tourist signage,” she said.

The marketing officer recognised that signage has been an issue in the area.

“There are plans to look in more detail at the Ennis approach road as a starting point by the Tidy Towns Liason Committee in the coming months.

“However both the Town Council and Tidy Town Committee are conscious that the NRA have not completed their signage project on the N67 and would like to see the outcome of this project so a clear plan can be put in place to deal with what signage needs to stay or be removed from the other approach roads in order to provide some unity to the entry – exit points of the town,” she said.

AT LEAST four Kilrush families have emigrated en masse and another young family with two children under the age of 10 are packing their bags this week for Canada.

The plight of families with no option but to leave the country was highlighted by Cllr Ian Lynch (FG) at Thursday night’s meeting of the council.

He said that in many cases these families are arriving in foreign soil with no immediate prospects, just a little more hope for a future.

However many of these families have no work organised in advance and in many cases are working off hearsay that there will be work available. There have been cases where the opposite has been discovered when they arrived in another country, leaving them homeless and penniless.

Cllr Lynch said he does not want to see the people of West Clare suffer the same fate as the homeless man who died on the streets of Ennis last month.

Adding to the plight of this generation are those that are now arriving home on the completion of their visas to a country here nothing has changed.

“When they come back they aren’t entitled to anything. There is a long wait for social welfare,” said Cllr Lynch.

The former mayor of Kilrush called on the Taoiseach to establish a department of emigration that will assist the thousands of emigrants leaving every day.

This office would ensure a central point to obtain information in relation to the new destination they hope to travel to.

The office would also assist those returning home by ensuring they have appropriate and correct information on social welfare entitlements and provide further direction on introduction back in to the work force.

Cllr Marian McMahon Jones (FG) said she was aware of one family that returned to Kilrush and although they were not entitled to any social welfare, they were looked after by the Government due to their circumstances.

Not all councillors agreed that people were misinformed about their decisions, as Cllr Christy O’Malley (FF) argued, “The youth by their nature are idealistic” and will travel.

Cllr Lynch added, “I always say young people should go and travel when they are finished their education but when you see young families forced to leave that is different.”

“It is a sad indictment that we are here discussing that not only our best and brightest emigrating but that when they come back that there is no hope for them, and the only thing we can see for them is social welfare,” said Cllr Liam O’Looney (FF).

MORE THAN 300 disabled Clare people are celebrating a significant victory this week as the government has been forced to row-back on plans to abolish the Mobility Allowance and Motorised Transport Grant.

The you turn has been heralded as a major victory by Clare based organistion Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) – who committed to “waging war” against the proposed cuts in March of this year.

Following a number of protest meeting held in Ennis and in Dublin, the Government has agreed to set up an inter-departmental group, to look at alternatives to scrapping the disability payments.

Organiser of Disabled People Against Cuts, Ann Marie Flanagan, yesterday warned disabled Clare people that they must be ready to fight against any future funding cuts.

“We welcomes the news that the Government will continue to provide individualised payments to significantly disabled people.

This demonstrates the benefits of speaking out and having direct representation on decision making processes,” she said.

“The Government has decided that new statutory provisions will be established to provide individual payments to people with severe disabilities who require additional income to address the costs of their mobility needs.

“The Government has agreed that payments should temporarily continue to be made by the HSE to those persons currently in receipt of the Mobility Allowance for a further number of months, pending the commencement of a statutory scheme on the basis that this would prevent hardship and alleviate stress, anxiety and uncertainty among a vulnerable group in society and having regard to the exigencies that have arisen.”

Earlier this year the Department of Health decided to ax both transport schemes after Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, warned the age limit on the payments was in contravention of equality legislation.

It was claimed at the time that the scheme was discriminatory against old age pensioners and – according to the Department of Health, to roll out this scheme to all people over the age of 66 would cost an estimated € 170 million per annum.

New criteria for a new schemes to assist severely disabled people with transport needs is likely to come before Government in October.

It is not yet clear how many of Clare’s estimated 9,000 disabled people will qualify for this new scheme. Criteria for the existing schemes was already considered by disable groups to be very strict – with only 300 Clare people – or 1 in every 30 disabled people – qualifying for the payments.

THE LABOUR party’s Seamus Ryan will be allowed to serve as a Clare County Councillor if elected – provided that he doesn’t get a promotion.

The North Clare man, who works as a library assistant for Clare County Council, has already stated his intention to run for the party in a Clare constituency next year.

However, according to legislation covering local government, an employee of a local authority is not allowed to serve as a county councillor – once they have achieved a certain position within the council.

Clare County Council confirmed yesterday that since 2004 any local authority employees whose maximum remuneration does not exceed the maximum remuneration for the post of Clerical Officer may become members of a local authority.

This mean that under his current level of seniority – Mr Ryan would be eligible to serve as a county councillor for the next seven years – unless he gets an unexpected promotion.

“Under the Local Government Act 2001 (Statutory Instrument 216, 2004) a person running for the County Coun- cil cannot earn more than the maximum salary of a Clerical Officer. Fortunately, I am at least seven or eight years from the top of the scale so there shouldn’t be a problem with going forward for election,” he said.

Ryan was last year elected onto the nation executive of the Labour Party, has already stated his intention to run in next years local elections – most likely in Ennis or in the new enlarged West Clare area.

THE current site of Ennis National School would be “ideal” for the future development of a commercial retail centre, according to Ennis Parish.

The view that the Kilrush Road site would become a “strategic location for retail development” is contained in a submission by the Parish on the draft Ennis and Environs Development Plan to Clare County Council.

Prepared by engineering firm Paddy Coleman and Associates, the submission cites the Retail strategy for the Mid West Region (2010-2016) in stating there is “a deficiency in retail use in convenience and comparison goods within the town of Ennis”.

The submission states, “It is their opinion that Proposal Site PS1 is ideal and should be promoted by the council through the Ennis and Environs Development Plan to cater for the identified retail deficiency. It is stated that they own part of the said site (the land associated with the Boys National School) and that the land will be available in the short term when it is vacated for the new school currently under construction at Ashline”.

Ennis National School is due to move from its current site to a new building at Ashline later this year. Builders are working to an accelerated programme to have the building ready by Autumn.

Town Manager Ger Dollard has already stated that discussions with landowners have taken place so “a masterplan can be prepared for its development with the objective of completing the planning process at an early stage to ensure that the redevelopment of the site as a primary retail area can be progressed immediately on the relocation of the school to the Kilrush Road.”

The Parish submission states that in order to increase the attractiveness of this site the town centre boundary should be extended to encompass the site. It continues, “this would greatly increase the prospect of developing the site in the near future because it would (a) become a strategic location for retail development in terms of sequential testing as it would become a town centre location rather than an edge of centre location.

It is stated that other sites in the town centre i.e. Cusack Park, the Ennis Shopping Centre and the Post Office Field are not currently developable due to planning restrictions on these sites”.

The submission states that other landowners are interested in the development of the site.

THE NUMBER of commercial flights using Shannon Airport each month continues to drop – despite the completion of the Shannon Airport Authori- ty’s (SAA) new board of management this month. Figures released by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) last week reveal the enormity of the challenge faced by the SAA’s new chief executive, Neil Pakey, with the number of commercial movements for May more than 6 per cent down on the same period in 2012. However a number of new routes connecting Shannon to America and a number of European holiday destinations have been announced in recent weeks and this is expected to have an impact on figures for later in 2013. A total of 1,667 commercial movements took place in Shannon last month. This represents a drop of almost half (45.5 per cent) when compared to May 2008 – at the height of the airports capacity. Indeed, last month represents the second worst May ever recorded in the recent history of the airport. Lower figures were recorded in May 2010 – but this historic low was brought about by the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland which crippled flight all over northern Europe. “After an expected challenging start to the year, not least due to the drop in military traffic, the additional new services that have come on stream in May and earlier this month are starting to reap benefits for us,” said a Shannon Airport spokesperson. “May was on a par with last year in terms of passenger numbers and in June we are beginning to see growth for the first time. “This is really promising considering the airport has only been independent for six months and is down to the additional new services we have been delighted to secure this year at the airport.” The continued decline of commercial traffic through Shannon Airport comes as traffic numbers coming through both Dublin and Cork have shown significant signs of recovery. Transatlantic passenger number dropped from 574,843 in 2008 to 287,923 last year. Over the same period European passenger numbers fell from 1,020,437 to just 236,699 – mostly on the back of a large pull out from Ryanair.

ORDERS from Clare courts that will see the Health Services Executive (HSE) notified of offences committed by parents described as “serial offenders” have been welcomed by one the country’s largest child protection services.

The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) described the transmission of such information to health authorities as “absolutely vital” to the protection of children.

The society was commenting following directions issued by Judge Patrick Durcan in respect of two sep- arate cases at Ennis District Court last week.

Judge Durcan ordered that the Courts Services notify the HSE of the convictions recorded against a mother of two for public intoxication and a father of three sentenced to six months in prison for having heroin for sale or supply at the family home in Ennis last year.

Judge Durcan further ordered that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) furnish a list of all previous convictions to the HSE.

The man and the woman, who are both in their twenties, have multiple previous convictions.

Judge Durcan said when court has knowledge that children are in the care and control of “serial offenders”, it has a duty to protect them.

In the case of the man convicted of having heroin for sale or supply, Judge Durcan added, “I’d like to get the HSE involved here as quickly as possible.”

Caroline O’Sullivan, Director of Services with the ISPCC, said the society “absolutely welcomes” the orders to notify the HSE.

Ms O’Sullivan said, “Often the only way the HSE can intervene in situations like this is when issues like this are highlighted to them. We would welcome it.”

She continued, “We would abso- lutely welcome it. If you have a situation where parents are taking drugs or are out drinking every day there is an obvious concern about who is looking after the children; who is feeding them; who is tucking them into bed. On a physical level, that is obviously a concern but then you also an impact on an emotional level also. It is absolutely vital that this type of information is passed on.”

Ms O’Sullivan said the orders fitted with the Children First guidelines the State’s official policy on the protection and welfare of children.

She said demand for the Society’s services in the Mid West is “increasing all the time.”

AN Bord Pleanála has approved planning permission to develop outdoor café facilities on O’Connell Street in Ennis.

The Ennis based Duesbury Limited has sought planning permission for the conversion one car parking space at O’Connell Street, Ennis to extended pavement area for out-door seating adjacent to Poet’s Corner/Town Hall. The developer also sought fascia signage and surround to the existing central doorway and incorporation of existing Poet’s Corner porch with main bar area. That part of the Old Ground Hotel is classified as a protected structure.

Ennis Town Council intially granted planning permission with Town Manager Ger Dollard stating that the principle of outdoor seating would “improve the vibrancy and character of the street.”

The Council’s decision was appealed by the owner of the Ennis Cash Company, Oliver Moylan to An Bord Pleanála on a number of grounds, including public safety issues, precedent and the loss of valuable on-street parking space.

In his report, Senior Planning Inspector Keith Sargeant states that O’Connell Street “reflects a good balance of activities between desti- nation shopping, pedestrian movement/street shopping, and vehicular movement”.

He continues; “The satisfactory functioning of O’Connell Street as a road, a street and a place, is clearly finely balanced. However I do not consider the loss of one car parking space would be detrimental to the maintenance of the fine balance. In reality the prospect of a motorist obtaining a parking space on O’Connell Street, at any busy time, is remote.

“Figures in this regard are stated in the Planning Authority response to the current appeal. In contrast the opportunity to enhance the sense of place surrounding “Poet’s Corner” area of the street is an opportunity in the public realm which should not be denied for the sake of one vehicular parking space”.

In granting permission, Mr Sargeant states that the “proposed development would not seriously injure the amenities of the area or of property in the vicinity.”

The report states that “the proposed fascia signage and surround to existing door shall be omitted”.

The report continues, “There shall be no retractable canopy or canopies attached to the façade of the building, save with a prior grant of planning permission. Proposed new paving must also match the existing footpath on O’Connell Street.

THE cost to the Fire Services of dealing with malicious fires in Ennis soared to € 183,631 over a three year period, new figures show.

There were a total of 147 likely malicious fires in Ennis between 2009 and 2012. The details were revealed at the June meeting of Ennis Town Council.

Councillor Paul O’Shea (Ind) requested that the Council provide data on the number of malicious fires caused in Ennis between 2009-2012 and the cost to the taxpayer of responding to calls from the fire service.

Details are contained in a letter from Chief Fire Officer Adrian Kelly to Town Manager Ger Dollard.

The Fire Services attended 20 malicious fires in 2012; 24 in 2011; a whopping 57 in 2010 and 46 in 2009.

Mr Kelly states that the fire service incident commander will record what his/her opinion is the ‘most likely source of ignition’ at the time of the incident.

He added, “However the investigation into the cause of fires is not a function of the Fire Services; rather it is a matter for An Garda Suíochana.”

Mr Kelly states that the majority of the incidents were either bonfires; vehicle fires; rubbish and unoccupied derelict buildings. The figures do not take into account the outcome of any investigation by An Garda Suíochana.

The cost to the Fire Services of attending malicious fire incidents in Ennis ran to € 21,992.02 in 2012.

Cllr O’Shea described the figures as ‘unacceptable’. He said, “What are we doing as a Council to deter this waste of taxpayers money?”

Town Manager Ger Dollard said these incidents are always a “cause for concern” to the Fire Services. He said the fire services have engaged in a number of awareness campaigns in recent years.

Mr Dollard told the meeting that the gardaí have been involved in investigating a number of these malicious fires.

SUPPORTERS of a proposal to scrap parking charges in Ennis on Saturdays have been challenged to identify the € 90,000 cuts in local authority spending required to implement the policy.

Ennis Town Council says free parking would have to be accompa nied by a major reduction in services like street cleaning and recreational facilities to make up for the shortfall in income.

The Council estimates that it would lose € 90,000 in six months under the proposal tabled by Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) at it’s June meeting.

Town Manager Ger Dollard described as “irresponsible” any income-reducing proposal brought before the Council that doesn’t include a corresponding cut to spending.

Cllr Flynn proposed that Ennis Town Council follow the example of Nenagh “in it’s initiative to stimulate the local economy by allowing free car-parking for customers/visitors in public car parks on Saturdays for a trial six month period under the current byelaws as special occasions/ events.”

Cllr Flynn told the meeting that he did not think the cut would have a significant impact on the Council’s finances.

Cllr Mary Howard seconded the motion, saying that free parking could first be done on a trial basis.

“The town has gone quiet,” she added. Cllr Paul O’Shea (Lab) said it was time the Council tried something new in relation to parking in Ennis. In response, Town Clerk Leonard Cleary said the Council had piloted a number of parking initiatives in Ennis.

He told the meeting that the Council had undertaken a “detailed examination of income from car-parking.”

He continued, “In 2012 parking income was € 1,088,475.

The proposal in the notice of motion for free parking on Saturdays for six months could result in losses of € 90,000 approx. based on 2012.

“As the Budget for 2013 is now adopted, it is open to elected members to make submissions for expenditure reductions or income generation measures that can bridge the shortfall of € 90,000 approximately that would arise from the proposal in a 2014 budget context.”

He added that “essentially, elected members need to decide what services would not be delivered by the Council.”

Mr Cleary warned that “very hard choices” would have to be made on street cleaning, public lights, estate management and recreational facilities, if the policy is introduced.

Cllr Meaney said Nenagh’s problems stemmed from a decision to develop an out of town retail centre. Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) said the management of car-parks is crucial to the town.

He added, “Its not the car-parking that’s the problem. It’s what is in the town.”

Town Manager Ger Dollard said that if the motion passed, the Council executive would not implement it until the services to be cut were identified.

Deputy Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) described the motion as a “pointless exercise”, pending the outcome Council’s budget estimates meeting.

Cllr Flynn said he disagreed with Cllr Brennan’s assessment, saying the matter could be addressed before then.

Councillors voted unanimously to consider Cllr Flynn’s motion at their Budget 2014 meeting.