Category: News

FEARS and public concern have been allayed this week that a new tourism initiative on Lough Derg would be responsible for scaring away two rare white-tailed sea eagles that have made their home near Mountshannon.

Environmentalists in East Clare had voiced their concern that an air show due to take place in Mountshannon on September 9 next would threaten the rare eagles that are now breeding in Ireland for the first time in more than 100 years.

The eagles were driven to extinction a century ago; the last white- tailed sea eagles to breed here did so in remote coastal areas of Kerry and Mayo back in 1898.

This new breeding pair – a fouryear-old male and three-year-old female – were introduced to Ireland in 2008 and 2009 respectively from the island of Frøya off the west coast of Norway.

They were among 100 birds released in Killarney National Park as part of the reintroduction programme and early last year they made their home in Bushy Island, a thickly vegetated outcrop on Lough Derg, close to Mountshannon.

“People were afraid of what might happen to the eagles because of the air show,” revealed John Harvey of Mountshannon Community Council. “But Dr Alan Mee, who is in charge of the eagles, said he doesn’t think there will be any problem unless the planes fly over the island.

“We had a meeting to address those concerns on Friday night and everyone seems to be happy. We are going to meet with the pilots before the show, so we will know exactly where they will be flying over. Once they stay a kilometre away from the island, it will be okay. They will be flying at 1,500 feet, so we seem to think that everything will go ahead without any problems,” he added.

The air show is being organised by Harbour Flights, the company that has been given permission by Clare and Galway County Councils to operate a sea-plane service on Lough Derg that will include a floating pontoon and slipway at Mountshannon.

“The intention of putting on this activity is to attract people from all locations across Ireland to Lough Derg and introduce them to what we believe is one of Ireland’s best-kept secrets,” says Rose Curtis of Harbour Flights.

“As Lough Derg is the second largest lake in Ireland, it is hoped the air show will attract a large amount of cruiser owners from as far away as the six counties,” she added.

MABS in Ennis has warned that money-lending in the county is a significant problem, a problem that is likely to multiply in the coming weeks.

Denis Corbet said that people seem to turn to moneylenders, the majority of them legal and licensed by the Financial Regulator, to cover the cost of returning to school, as they feel there is no alternative available to them.

“Back to school and the three Cs – Christmas, Communion and Confirmation – put families under the most pressure. As access to credit is a problem for people, money-lending from legal and illegal moneylenders is going to increase,” he said.

The finance advisor warned against people turning to “doorstep credit” at all costs. This form of credit sees the loan agreement made at the person’s home and the repayments collected at the door.

“They are usually high interest rates with short repayments,” he said.

Legally registered moneylenders, many who advertise on television and in newspapers, carry out the majority of these transactions, and they are forcing many people into even more debt, he explained.

“There are legal moneylenders out there but there is no cap on the interest they can charge,” he said.

“Say, for example, you borrow € 100 from a lender and you pay back € 30 at a time over six months. You borrow € 100 from the credit union and pay back € 2.50 over a period of time. Now multiply that into thousands and you get the picture.”

The comparison may seem extreme to make the point but there is no limit on the interest charged so any number can be plucked from thin air.

Mr Corbet said the issue is part of a national social debate that needs to take place.

“Cash loans on the doorstep is just one part of the issue, catalogues and credit sales are also a problem,” he added. “If someone needs money, where do they go?” he asked.

He suggested that people first turn to MABS for assistance.

He maintains that a lot of the issues can be dealt with through some financial education.

In the coming weeks, MABS in Ennis will be producing a campaign to help inform people about the dangers of money-lending.

YOUNG mothers in the county are facing homelessness as cuts to their rental accommodation supplement means they can no longer pay their rent.

In Ennis, a young mother, who recently lost her husband, said that she has to move house as she can no longer pay the rent.

Her rental support has been significantly cut and she cannot make up the difference and meet all her bills.

She told The Clare People that the landlord is not able to reduce the rent cost so she must move.

Finding a new home for her young family on her budget is proving difficult, however.

Making rental payments is not just an issue in the county town.

Cllr Gerry Flynn (Ind) from Shannon said he has been approached by a number of people in a similar situation.

“One was a young mother that just didn’t know what to do.

“The average cost of a three-bedroom house in Shannon is between € 500 and € 550 per week but, in the last number of months, people have been told that they must ask their landlords to bring the rent down to between € 450 and € 475,” he said.

“The landlords cannot bring down the cost because they have mortgages and other charges to pay.”

He said he was approached by a number of people who will not be able to afford their rent and fear homelessness.

The town and county councillor said the housing issue was further compounded as the local authority and HSE is now “totally reliant on the private sector to provide homes as our (the council’s) capital funding was removed.”

He said, “Clare County Council will take house clusters as part of the Rental Accommodation Scheme, but it seems reluctant to take just one house.”

THE loss of two branches of AIB in West Clare will have a devastating affect on local businesses. Kilkee businessman John Nolan said that the closure of the Kilkee branch is another impediment to businesses in the town. As a result of the bank’s closure, business people who carry out their business with AIB will now have to travel to Kilrush every day to lodge cash. He said that there is too much of a risk in leaving money on the premises overnight so they will have to make the 28-kilometre drive daily. A mobile unit muted for the town would not work as different businesses need to lodge cash at different times of the day, he explained. “Personally, I think it is very bad for the town at the moment to see the bank go at a time when other businesses are struggling,” he said. Mr Nolan now fears that the town’s only remaining bank – Bank Of Ireland – will close its branch too, leaving the seaside town without a banking institution. Meanwhile, business people in Kildysart will face a 63kilometre round-trip for their business transactions. Eddie Michaels, owner of Centra, said the town’s people are not very happy about the loss of the bank. “It is a very important service, especially to older people. People feel this is another service taken away. People are generally not happy,” he said. The business man added that he did not believe the mobile bank would be adequate for businesses trying to lodge cash, so business owners would have to travel to Ennis for their banking. “This is another obstacle that we have to get over, and we will have to,” he said optimistically.

TWO branches of AIB in Clare will close in October.

Ironically, both branches will close in West Clare, the homeland of Head of Branch Banking, Denis O’Callaghan.

Late last week, the bank announced that it was closing its branches in Kilkee and Kildysart as it reorganises its branch network.

The Kilkee branch was opened five days a week, servicing the tour- ist town.

It was manned by two staff members from the Kilrush branch compliment, who will now be absorbed again by the main branch.

The Kildysart branch was opened just three days a week and its two staff members will return to work in the main Ennis branch of the bank.

Mary Arthur from AIB Kilkee explained that the changes would come into affect from October 26, when the Kilkee branch will locate to Frances Street in Kilrush.

“I know that you (the customer) may be disappointed to see your branch closing but I want to assure you that we will be making every effort to minimise any disruption and inconvenience to you.

“Staff from your branch will move to Kilrush, transferring all account records, so from your point of view; you will not have to change anything.

All your account numbers, cheque books, direct debits, standing orders, ATM/debit cards and any credit facilities and terms on these facilities will remain exactly the same.

“If you have any questions, just ask one of the team, we will be happy to help,” she said.

Margaret Burns, AIB Kildysart, said that the Kildysart branch would move to Ennis.

Customers’ details will also transfer automatically to Ennis.

“All customers will receive a letter from us.

“If you are a business customer, one of our SME Specialists will be available to help you with all your business banking arrangements,” she said.

THE number of cases of a potentially life-threatening infection has trebled in the region in the last year.

Figures from the HSE show that a 200 per cent increase in the number of VTEC E.coli infections notified in Ireland during the first half of 2012 compared with the same period in 2011. This increase comes on top of continual increased incidence rates since 2005.

In the Mid West region alone Clare, Limerick and North Tipperary – the number of cases reported during the first six months of this year had reached 40.

Concern relating to the increase in infection, especially in rural areas, has resulted in the HSE forming a multi-agency expert group to deal with the outbreak.

The agency is made up of the Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture and Food, the HSE, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, safefood, Teagasc, the Environmental Protection Agency and local authorities and will look at both short term and medium term actions to deal with this problem. Actions will include the roll out of awareness campaigns for the public, farming communities and childcare facilities as well as on-going liaison with these groups.

Dr Patrick O’Sullivan, Director of Public Health, HSE Mid-West explained, “VTEC is a germ that can cause infection if swallowed and usually causes a mild illness. Most people recover completely without any problems.

“However, VTEC produces a toxin that may damage the bowel wall causing severe bloody diarrhoea. In about five to eight per cent of cases, the infection causes a life-threatening complication called haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS).

“In HUS, the red blood cells are destroyed and kidney failure occurs. Up to nine per cent of people who develop HUS following VTEC infection die. HUS is more likely to occur in children aged under five and the elderly.

“Part of this year’s increase is explained by improved sensitivity of laboratory testing methods and most cases have occurred in rural areas,” he said.

More than half the cases of VTEC are in children under the age of five, while 13 cases of VTEC associated HUS.

The public can help prevent the spread of VTEC by carefully washing hands, ensuring well water supplies are chlorinated or ultraviolet treated before using for drinking, preparing food and brushing teeth.

VTEC is killed by heat so meat should be fully cooked.

THE vast majority of people currently engaged in serious criminal activity in Kilrush are either in custody or before the courts, a meeting has heard.

Chief Supt of the Clare Garda Division, John Kerin was speaking at yesterday’s meeting of the Clare Joint Policing Committee where he provided a detailed breakdown of the level of crime that has occurred in Kilrush for the first 29 days of July.

The figures show that were three burglaries, five incidents of criminal damage, 10 public order offences, one fraud offence, 31 thefts, three thefts from vehicles and one theft of a bike.

There were also two offences under the firearms and offensive weap- ons act relating to the seizure of an iron bar and a crossbow.

In addition, Chief Supt Kerin stated that 410 drugs seizures and 114 garda checkpoints were carried out in Kilrush in July.

Acknowledging that there is an issue with drugs in Kilrush, Chief Supt Kerin said these activities are largely restricted to a “hardcore group of 10 people”.

He continued, “Ninety-five per cent of the people involved in crime in Kilrush are either in custody or before the courts.”

He told the meeting that garda numbers in Kilrush had not fallen as much as those in other parts of the county.

“There are a lot of good, young gardaí in Kilrush. It might take a bit of time for them to get the experience but there are definitely more gardaí living in West Clare now than there was when I came here first.”

Referring to recent reports and comments made about crime in Kilrush, Chief Supt Kerin said, “Sometimes we have to be careful about comments we are making. They can impact on tourism and they don’t do justice to the situation on the ground.”

Fine Gael TD for Clare, Deputy Pat Breen told the meeting he was glad that the situation in Kilrush had been clarified.

He said, “Obviously there are incidents from time to time. It’s not nice for someone to find an intruder in their home. But it is confined to a small number of people.”

He praised the work of Supt Gerry Wall and all gardaí in Kilrush.

West Clare councillor Oliver Garry (FG) said crime could not be solved without the input of the local community.

CLARE’S top Garda has told residents of areas plagued by anti-social behaviour to come forward or “shut up” and “suffer the consequences”.

Chief Supt of the Clare Garda Division John Kerin said the gardaí can only act if people who witness antisocial and criminal acts come forward with information.

Residents groups in Ennis and other parts of the county have publicised issues that have arisen in their areas in recent weeks.

However, Chief Supt Kerin queried yesterday why people are not reporting matters directly to gardaí.

“People are ringing the radio but they won’t ring the guards,” he said.

He challenged communities and individuals to “step up to the mark” to help gardaí clamp down on anti-social behaviour.

“They either report it or shut up about it, do nothing and suffer the consequences,” he added.

Chief Supt Kerin said gardaí treat these matters seriously and all reports would be followed up.

He was speaking at yesterday’s meeting of the Clare Joint Police Committee Meeting (JPC) at the headquarters of Clare County Council in Ennis.

His comments come in the wake of a number of recently reported incidences of anti-social behaviour in Ennis.

At a recent meeting of Ennis Town Council, an anonymous letter detailing anti-social behaviour in an Ennis

estate was read out to stunned

members.

There has also been much

focus in recent weeks relat

ing to ongoing concerns in

Kilrush, connected with

moneylending and drugs

in the West Clare town.

CLARE County Council spent a total of € 90,000 in two separate legal battles to remove illegal Traveller encampments from Barefield and Ennis.

The costs were disclosed yesterday by County Manager Tom Coughlan who said changes to primary legislation are urgently required to allow local authorities and the gardaí to deal more effectively and swiftly with illegal encampments.

He told the July meeting of the Clare Joint Policing Committee that it had cost the council € 40,000 to take out an injunction against a group of Travellers in Barefield.

He said the cost of pursuing a similar process against a group of Travellers parked on the Ennis bypass had come to € 50,000.

Mr Coughlan added, “We can’t continue to spend that type of money on moving Travellers on. We don’t have the money to keep doing this.

“Without changes to primary legislation, we will not be able to deal with a very unsatisfactory situation,” he said.

Chief Supt of the Clare Garda Division, John Kerin said gardaí could only move on encampments in certain circumstances.

He suggested that on-the-spot fines could be one way of dealing with the issues.

He added, “But if 30 or 40 caravans are in a place where they are in breach of the law, I don’t have the resources to deal with it. I don’t have a place for 30 caravans. I don’t have a way of bringing them away.”

JPC Chairman Cllr Joe Arkins (FG) said it is now commonly accepted that existing legislation is “deficient”.

He said the council had been forced to engage in a “very expensive game of cat and mouse”.

He added, “Unfortunately, there are a group of people in this country for whom there are no consequences, or that’s at least how it seems.”

Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) said communities in Barefield and Clarecastle are “burned out” from illegal encampments setting up on the side of the road.

Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) said similar problems had arisen in East Clare. He called for changes in legislation to allow for the issuing of on-thespot fines.

Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) said the council and the National Road Authority (NRA) need to pursue offenders. He said, “Not only is it illegal but they are a very serious traffic hazard.”

Cllr Pay Hayes (FF) said communities in Clare feel “under threat” from encampments.

CLARE’S Fine Gael TDs gave assurances that the county council will be reimbursed all of its Local Government funding, but only if it brings its household tax compliance to above “70 or 75 per cent”.

County Clare has the third most compliant taxpayers in the country when it comes to the household charge, yet last week when the county manager went to the council’s bank account he noticed it was almost a quarter of a million euros short.

The Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Phil Hogan had withheld € 243,000 of the General Purpose Grant Allocation of the Local Government Fund for the third quarter of the year.

The council also learnt that its over stretched staff will be taking over the collection of the household charge for this year, a role that is expected to be passed on to Revenue in 2013.

Clare County Manager, Tom Coughlan said that the local authority had not received any database to date from the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) so the authority does not know who has paid or has yet to pay the € 100- plus fines now incurred.

Mr Coughlan explained that when the council balanced its budget for this year, it did not make provision for this unexpected cut to its fund. Cuts had already been made to council spending at the beginning of the year so that it could balance the books, and there is very little “discretionary spending” left, he explained.On Friday last, councillors agreed at a hastily convened meeting that they would continue to spend as per the agreed budget.

They were critical of the minister for taking money out of its annual budget seven months into the year, and argued that any cuts should wait until 2013.

Cllr Christy Curtin (Ind) said, “I do not support any reduction in services. I do not support any financial cutback at this stage of the year. If the minister wants to make changes, he can tell us what he wants us to do in 2013 and we will deal with it then. But to force a reduction in the middle of 2012 when we have our budget passed and we are halfway through the financial year is certainly not acceptable.”

In his address to councillors, Deputy Pat Breen (FG) said the lost € 243,000 would be returned to the council’s coffers. “You will get back what is owed to you before the end of the year. I don’t think the council should worry about that,” he said.

“The money is not being cut, it is being with-held,” added Deputy Carey (FG). “We don’t have to face the cuts if we get the allocation up to 70 to 75 per cent. I got that assurance from Phil Hogan,” he added.

Deputy Breen said the whole purpose was to encourage local authorities to give one last push to get the money. “This money is not a cutback. It is an initiative to collect finances.” he said.

This is an initiative the council must currently face without any direction as to who has paid and who has not.