Category: News

THE Tidy Towns committee in Kilrush has expressed disappointment with its rate of improvement in this year’s competition, even though the west Clare capital had the distinction of winning a Gold Medal for the sixth successive year.

This disappointment was sounded out by Tidy Towns chairperson Paul Edson, who while expressing delight at the town’s latest Gold Medal achievement said that the failure to make the “big leap forward” they were looking for will concentrate minds over the next year.

“Our primary hope was that we would continue with the progress that we have made over the last number of years by winning gold,” said Mr Edson. “We did that and it is a huge achievement for us to win a Gold Medal for sixth year in a row. We are delighted and over the moon about retaining that medal, because it gets harder and harder every year. We are still there and we are hanging on to our gold medal and that’s great.

“We had an increase of one part from last year. We are slightly disappointed with that. We are happy to be moving forward, but we felt that the amount of work and effort that we put in actually deserved more than a one mark increase. We are going through the report to see what areas we need to improve on,” he added.

And, in making his comments about Kilrush’s overall mark of 304 points, Mr Edson said that the goal going forward remains becoming the third centre in the county – after Mountshannon and Ennis – to win the overall national title.

“Unfortunately we haven’t made a big leap forward,” he said. “We felt that with the amount of work and effort we put in during the year would deserve more than one extra mark. It wasn’t to be, so we have to look at the adjudicators report and redouble our efforts next year and come back fighting.

“Our next job is try to understand why we only collected one extra mark and why we didn’t do better for the amount of improvements that we did. Look at Moore Street for instance. Unfortunately we didn’t get any recognition from the judges for the work that was done on Moore Street. There’s no comment on those improvements.

“We feel we need to make a big song and dance about the work that we have done. We will review where the adjudicator has made his points and come back stronger next year. We want to win that overall award,” he added.

RESIDENTS of the Beechpark estate in Ennis have not seen any improvement in local services in almost 35 years as Clare County Council was forced to spend a “huge amount of resources” on a nearby Traveller accommodation site.

The contrast in spending was highlighted at yesterday’s meeting of councilors in the Ennis West Electoral Area.

Cllr Tony Mulqueen (FG) told the meeting that there are 22 houses in Beechpark.

He said one of the residents has lived there for 32 years and has not seen any investment to solve problems with street lighting, footpaths and potholes.

Cllr Mulqueen added that in that same period the council has spent huge resources on maintenance and security costs at the nearby Beechpark Traveller accommodation site, which was the subject of arson attacks in 2010.

Cllr Mulqueen was also critical of the National Roads Authority whom he said had failed to carry out repairs to the estate entrance following work on the N85 Western Relief Road.

He was speaking on a motion tabled by Cllr James Breen (Ind). Cllr Breen called on the council to finish and take over the Beechpark estate “in view of the fact that the council has drawn down the bond for close to 30 years”.

Cllr Breen told the meeting that it was his information that had a bond had been drawn down.

However, in her response, Helen Quinn, Senior Executive Planner, explained that a review of the bond database has been carried out and there is no record of a bond having been drawn for this development. Ms Quinn stated that the council is currently reviewing all planning applications that relate to the development to establish if the bond was attached to any element of the site.

She continued, “From the planning files that have been reviewed thus far, which includes the original applications dating back to 1976, 1977, it is noted that no bond conditions were attached. (It is noted that such conditions were attached re: the payment of contributions towards the expenditure being occurred by the council in improving the public water supply in the area to facilitate the development.)

She added, “However it is also noted that the majority of houses appear to have been developed by each individual owner as opposed to a developer. The development is not therefore a development in the conventional sense but a group of individual houses developed by owners of individual sites. The council will examine the history further to ascertain what is the appropriate course of action.”

Town Manager Ger Dollard said the introduction of household and septic tank charges has led residents to demand services from local authorities.

He said there are a number of estates across Clare in a similar situation to Beechpark.

The meeting heard that the council would raise the matter with the NRA.

THE Ennis Town Manager has defended Ennis Town Council’s record of investment in amenity facilities following criticisms over the Post Office Field.

Ger Dollard was speaking yesterday in response to comments made Cllr James Breen (Ind). In a motion tabled at the September meeting of councillors in the Ennis West Electoral area, Cllr Breen called on the council and the county manager “to take immediate steps to develop the Post Office Field at Bank Place and Bindon Street into a community area”.

Cllr Breen said the field is a “marvelous amenity” in the heart of the town that has been underused and underdeveloped for decades.

In his response, town clerk Leonard Cleary stated that the Post Office Field is a major natural resource for the town centre. “It is rich in wildlife and natural heritage. It offers significant potential for appropriate development. Previously the resource was considered as a proposed site for series of different functions. The issue of resources is key in moving any project forward. The Ennis Hub Town Strategy is currently being drafted by Ennis Town Council after considerable community consultation as part of the Ennis 2020 visioning exercise with University of Limerick,” he said.

“The hub strategy indicates strong support for the development of the post office field as an amenity area. It also presents this type of project as an opportunity for the town to re-orientate towards the great River Fergus resource, which bounds the field. A key challenge in implementing this action in the hub strategy regarding the post office field relates to the available financial resources. Any future proposals for the Post Office Field will in the first instance need to be considered by the elected members of Ennis Town Council.”

The field had been put forward as the site for a new library but the project was abandoned due to a lack of funding.

Mr Dollard said a consensus should be established about the future of the field. However he warned that it would be “a number of years before we have funds available to use”.

Cllr Breen said such a timescale was “unacceptable”, adding that it did not “argue” well for what Ennis Town Council had been doing at times when resources were available for the development of the field.

Mr Dollard said the Council invested hugely in amenities in Ennis, citing the money spent on Lees Road and Tim Smyth Park.

Town Engineer Eamon O’Dea told the meeting that field had only come into the ownership of the council within the last 10 years.

MOTORISTS and residents are “giving out stink” about ongoing roadworks in Spancillhill, a meeting has heard.

In a motion tabled at a meeting of councillors in the Ennis East Electoral Area, Cllr Sonny Scanlan (FG) asked when the “Spancilhill Road will be completed and re-opened as it causing a lot of anger and inconvenience to the residents”.

Cllr Scanlan told the meeting that he had received numerous complaints from people on the area “giving out stink about how long it is taking to finish the road”.

He said people are also giving out about the council. Senior engineer Tom Tiernan admitted that the “inconvenience that has been caused is regrettable”. He explained, “A number of issues have combined to create this situation – drainage management complexities, rock removal, the gradual erosion in a number of available staff and the incapacity to replace them etc. The objective at present is to restore two-way traffic in four to six weeks from now and to have completed the project by the end of this year.”

Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) said he too had received a high number of complaints about the length of the works. He said the road is one of the main arteries into Ennis and that the delay in completing the road “paints the council in a bad light”.

Mayor of Clare, Cllr Pat Daly (FF) said the delays are very unfair on motorists coming from East Clare.

Committee chairman Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) also urged the council to do what it can to expedite the project.

THE emergency services at Ennis General Hospital are to face further downgrading, more than three years after it lost its 24-hour accident and emergency unit.

A date has not yet been set, but the HSE confirmed to The Clare People that the Local Emergency Centre (the former A&E) would be replaced with a Local Injuries Unit.

Once these changes are implemented, all patients with emergency cardiology or medical problems will no longer be treated at Ennis General Hospital but will be taken directly to the Mid Western Regional Hospital Limerick.

According to a spokesperson for the HSE, “The Local Emergency Centre will become a Local Injuries Unit focusing on the care of adults and children over five with injuries such as broken bones, soft tissue injuries and wounds.”

Clare representative on the HSE West Forum, Tom McNamara said this news was in complete conflict with what he was told last week.

MOTHERS of children with severe medical conditions and physical and intellectual disabilities are prisoners in their own homes as they work night and day to care for their little ones. Cutting their home care services even more would all but put these Clare parents into solitary confine ment, experts have warned.

As the budget approaches and cuts to home care packages and home help services in Clare are likely to be announced on Friday, families of children with disabilities are feeling the pressure.

Many families in Clare rely on these services to allow them time to collect the glossary shopping, spend time with their other children or even just get a few hours much needed sleep. As well as respite assistance, these families also require help with the day-to-day medical treatment of their children.

The Jack and Jill Foundation provides such support to eight children in Clare up to the age of four years old.

Liaison nurse with the Jack and Jill Foundation, Mags Naughton is dedicated to her role of providing as much help as possible to families of children with medical conditions and intellectual disabilities, but admits it is getting more difficult during the recession. Fundraising, especially corporate fundraising, for the charity has decreased in the last three to four years.

“We have gotten much busier too. In the past, we would have taken less severe cases but we have had to tighten the criteria since the recession as funding has fallen. This is very difficult. It is so difficult to say no,” said the Clare nurse.

Despite the challenges, the foundation and Ms Naughton continue to finance paediatric nurses for an aver- age of eight hours a week.

“That is max standard. It is very tiny but that is what we can give. Unless it is a palliative baby, in which case we can give up to 16 hours.”

As well as supporting the families medically, Mags provides emotional support and helps out with advocacy work. In many cases, families struggle to fill out all the forms associated with the assistance they are entitled to. Most families don’t know their entitlements and when they find out, they are often too busy or tired to fill out the booklet of information required.

Asked abut the proposed cuts, she said, “I think there is a lot of hurt: this is what has happened our child and now doors are just closed on us. A lot of people think they have a sick child and everything will fall into place but this is not the case. You are hammering on doors.

“It is already quite tight for moms to go shopping and they are watching the clock. Most moms are prisoners in their own homes and that is no exaggeration, they really are,” she said.

There is also an inconsistency around the country when it comes to applying for medical cards and other assistance.

“Carers allowance and carers ben efit, because of cutbacks for staff working in those offices, they are all held up for 16 to 18 weeks and that has a huge impact on parents as well. Domiciliary allowance is at least a 16week wait and parents have to furnish so much information; they don’t just take a consultant’s letter, they have to have an occupational assessment. That is very stressful for parents.” * The Ja ck a nd Jill Founda tion a re r a ising funds by collecting old a nd used cr utches. Anyone with old cr utches a t home a re encouraged to br ing them to Applegreen Ser vice Sta tion, a cross from St Fla nna n’s Filed in Ennis before this Sunda y September 16.

THE two men arrested following the shooting of a wedding guest at a Bunratty hotel have been released without charge.

Gardaí investigating the death of Robert Sheehan confirmed that they released the two Limerick men arrested in connection with the September 2, shooting.

A file will now be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Sheehan of Pineview Gardens, Moyross was shot a number of times by two gunmen as he stood having a cigarette outside the Bunratty Castle Hotels at approximately 3.40am on the Sunday morning.

He died on Monday evening September 3, at the Mid Western Regional Hospital, Limerick from his injuries. The father of one, who turned 22 years-old last week, was attending a family wedding in the County Clare hotel.

Shortly after the shooting two men were arrested in Cork and were ques- tioned in Ennis and Shannon Garda Stations before being released on Friday morning last.

Mr Sheehan was buried in Limerick on Thursday.

Speaking at Corpus Christi Church in Moyross during the funeral mass, his father Patrick Sheehan, called for no retaliation for his son’s murder.

“As a family, we would not like to see any other person in the world go through what pain we are going through at the moment. No parent should ever have to bury their child through senseless violence or any other reason,” he said.

CLARE County Council is considering the introduction of new waste byelaws, as figures estimate that up to 25 per cent of all household waste in Clare is unaccounted for.

It follows a report, which shows that almost 53 per cent of households avail of a regular waste collection service. The collection figures are taken from 2010 waste records complied by the Environmental Protection Agency. They are contained in a report prepared by the council in response to concerns raised by members of Ennis Town Council over household waste.

Anne Haugh, Director of Services Transport, Water Services and Environment, explained that 53 per cent is a “stark figure” that needs to be put in context before any conclusions can be drawn.

Ms Haugh cites figures from the Regional Waste Management Office in Limerick showing that 14 per cent of households share a bin service.

Ms Haugh adds that almost 8,400 tonnes of household waste was deposited at the council’s “five civic amenity sites and 54 bring banks” in a single year. The report states that this equates to waste from 20 per cent of households in Clare.

Ms Haugh adds, “This means there are approximately 20 to 25 per cent of households in County Clare where their waste cannot be accounted for. It is in this context that Clare County Council is examining the introduction of updated presentation of waste byelaws that would, with some exceptions, require households within 200 metres of an existing waste collection route to avail of a waste collection service.”

The waste byelaws were due to be presented at yesterday’s meeting of Clare County Council.

The report states that local authorities in Clare work closely to address waste and litter issues. Ms Haugh added, “Environmental patrols, CCTV surveillance and a joint gardaí / waste enforcement checkpoints are carried out on an ongoing basis to counter illegal waste and litter activity.”

The council recently secured three separate prosecutions against people found to be illegally disposing of waste.

Margaret SMITH (nee Cahir)
of 55 Cahercalla Heights, Ennis, and formerly of Ballyshannny, Kilfenora. Laid to to rest in Drumcliffe cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Michael MOLONEY
of Drimeenagun, Doon Road, Broadford. Late of Ballymcdonnell, Bodyke. Funeral mass onTuesday at 11.30amat St. Patrick’s church, O’Callaghan’s Mills, followed by burial in Killuran Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Peter GRIFFIN
of Cloonlaheen, Mullagh. In his 93rd year. Laid to rest in Mullagh. Donations if desired to the Alzheimers Unit, Saint Joseph’s Hospital, Ennis. May he rest in peace.

Teresa O’NEILL (née Kilmartin)
of 8 Church Drive Clarecastle. Peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family. Laid to rest in Clarehill Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

John SCANLON
of Chicago and late of Cooga, Kildysart and Cloncolman, Lissycasey. Funeral has taken place in Chicago. May he rest in peace.

Elizabeth (Lilly) DONNELLAN
(née Fagan) of 34 ConnollyVillas, Ennis. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Nora McGUANE (née O’Sullivan)
of Letteragh, Kilmaley. In her 96th year. Laid to rest in Kilmaley Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

John QUEALLY
of Drumcliffe, Ennis. In his 96th year. Laid to rest in Drumcliffe Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

James CASEY
of Kilrush Road, Kildysart. Laid to rest in Kildysart. May he rest in peace.

Chrissie O’HALLORAN (née Garvey)
of Ballyliddane, Sixmilebridge, Suddenly. Laid to rest in in Ballysheen Cemetery, Sixmilebridge. May she rest in peace.

Mary KIELY
of 16 Fearnog, Shannon. Late of Tullamore. Laid to rest in in Newlands Cross Crematorium, Dublin. May she rest in peace.

Bernadette MINOGUE
of 6 Station Court, Quin Road, Ennis. Formerly of Glendree, Feakle. Peacefully. Laid to rest inTulla Cemetery. May she rest in peace.

Jack O’DEA
of Ballygannor, Kilfenora. Peacefully, surrounded by his family. Laid to rest in Kilfenora. May he rest in peace.

REPRESENTATIVES from Ireland’s largest provider of addiction treatment services may be forced to appear before Ennis District Court to explain why a Kilrush man has not been admitted to one of it’’s centres.

Cuan Mhuire Bruree, County Limerick have been ordered to send a letter to the court confirming that Martin Burke (30) has applied for a place at the centre.

The order was made by Judge Patrick Durcan at Ennis District Court on Wednesday. He said that if a letter were not forthcoming, he would issue a witness summons to Cuan Mhuire.

Mr Burke (30), with an address at 4 St Senan’s Terrace, Kilrush, previously pleaded guilty to handling stolen property at John Street Kilrush on June 25.

The court previously heard that Mr Burke was found by gardaí rolling a wheelie bin containing a keg of Budweiser down a street in Kilrush. Mr Burke has also admitted to charges of criminal damage, theft and public order.

The court previously heard that on April 29 (2012) the accused damaged the side of a car at Convent Road, Kilrush and then stole a handbag valued at € 20.

The other offences were committed on May 5 (2012) when the accused smashed a window of the Central Pharmacy causing an estimated 200 euros worth of damage.

Mr Burke also pleaded guilty to be ing intoxicated in a public place on the same night. Mr Burke has 82 previous convictions.

In June, Judge Durcan ordered that Mr Burke enter a treatment centre to deal with his alcohol and drug addiction problems.

He had also previously requested a letter from a doctor recommending that Mr Burke enter a residential treatment programme.

On Wednesday, solicitor Fiona Hehir said her client is still on a waiting list for Cuan Mhuire.

She told the court that Mr Burke is clean of drugs but may have to wait another month before gaining a place in Bruree.

She explained that Bruree does not accept doctor’s letters as a form of recommendation.

Ms Hehir said Mr Burke had been in near daily contact with the centre.

Judge Durcan ordered that a letter be sent from Cuan Mhuire confirming that Mr Burke had applied for a place in Bruree.

THERE were five Clare centres awarded in the National Tidy Towns Awards initiative on Monday as the results for the 2012 competition were announced at a gala presentation in the Helix in Dublin.

Ennis, a former winner of the overall national title, led the way for the Banner County as the county capital was named the tidiest large urban centre in Ireland.

The other big winners, along with Ennis, were Ballynacally and Kilrush, who also produced Gold Medal performances, while Mountshannon, which won the overall title back in 1981, captured a Silver Medal, with Bronze going to Kilkee and Tuamgraney.

The results from the competition, which is now in its 54th year and attracted a record entry of 856, were announced by the Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan on Monday. Ennis was marked against strict adjudication criteria and beat off stiff competition from other large urban centres, such as Kilkenny City. It’s the fourth time that Ennis has been designated Ireland’s Tidiest Large Urban Centre, having won the award in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

Meanwhile, Ennis also retained the Clare County Award for the 14th successive year, while it has received its 12th Gold Medal in as many years.

Furthermore, the town was named overall winner of the Gum Litter Task Force National Award, a category in which Newmarket-on-Fergus was also a finalist. Ennis also won the Mid-West Endeavour Award, for which the villages of Connolly, Ballynacally and Mountshannon were also named finalists.

“The standards in County Clare were extremely high again this year and I am delighted to see that our county capital has received national recognition in numerous categories,” said Deputy Mayor of Clare, Cllr Pascal Fitzgerald, who attended the presentation ceremony in Dublin in the absence of Mayor of Clare, Cllr Pat Daly.

“I would like to congratulate all participants from Clare who have done their county proud. There was unprecedented interest in Tidy Towns this year, and I would urge everyone to participate in 2013,” he added.

Thirty-four Clare centres participated in the 2012 competition, the same number as last year, with O’Callaghan’s Mills coming in as a new entry, while Kilmurry did not take part. The only centre to fare worse in 2012 than it did in 2011 was Kilmihil as their overall score dropped from 266 to 265, while the biggest mover was Newmarket-onFergus as their score jumped by 18 from 256 to 274.