Category: News

IRISH industries can play their part in beating the recession by actively going out into the marketplace and bringing foreign direct investment into the country.

This call for companies to become proactive and do work normally left to the Industrial Development Authority or Enterprise Ireland has been sounded out this week by Clare businessman Edmund Jennings, managing director of the Cregg Group that has secured 170 new jobs for Clare with Zagg’s decision to locate in the Shannon Free Zone.

Mr Jennings’ company took the lead for industry in the region by bringing Zagg to Ireland, a major boost to the mid-west economy that he says can be a business model for industry in the region going forward.

“We recruited Leonard Kiely and sent him over to America to see if he could recruit more business for us,” Mr Jennings told The Clare People this week. “He went into Best Buy and noticed that a portion of the shop had been allocated to this company called Zagg. We contacted Zagg and told them what we did. It so happened that they had a plan to establish a presence in Europe. They had been looking at either going to France, Germany or Holland, but decided to come to Ireland,” he added.

Now, Mr Jennings has urged other companies to follow the lead of the Cregg Group. “There is huge potential there, for companies who don’t want to set up a manufacturing company in their own right but who will go into partnership with a company in Ireland.

“The opportunity is there for companies to go out and try and source companies that might find themselves in the situation that Zagg were in – a company with some sales in Europe who want to expand.

“Irish companies should consider that rather than try and compete against fellow companies in Ireland for the small amount of logistics business that’s there. They should look overseas at the possibility of offering services to US companies and Asian companies who want to get product into Europe,” he added.

THE ESB has lodged an appeal against one element of Ennis Town Council’s decision to retain a 24-metre high communications mast at St Flannan’s Drive, Ennis.

Last month, the council granted permission to retain the freestanding monopole type communications structure, carrying antennae and communication dishes, within a 2.4m high palisade compound.

The council also granted permission to attach additional antennae and communication dishes to allow for future third party co-location at ESB’s existing Cahercalla 38kV substation, St Flannan’s Drive, Cahercalla More, Ennis.

An Bord Pleanála previously granted permission for the mast in 2006, which was the subject of intense opposition from local residents and a judicial review.

In granting permission to the ESB, the council imposed a number of conditions.

In their decision, the council state, “This permission shall be valid for a period of five years from the date of the final grant. On expiry of that period the mast shall be removed and the site reinstated unless its continued use or a revised structure is allowed by reason of a future planning permission.”

The council also says that “In the event of the proposed and antennae becoming obsolete and being de- commissioned, the developers shall at their own expense, remove the mast and antennae and return the site to its original condition.”

The decision was also granted on the basis that “The developer shall provide and make available, on reasonable terms, the proposed mast for the provision of mobile telecommunications antennae of third party licensed mobile telecommunications operators.”

In total the decision was granted subject to six conditions. The council adds that “Within two months of the final grant of retention permission the developer shall pay a contribution of € 6,293 to Ennis Town Council (Planning Authority) in respect of public infrastructure and facilities benefiting the development.”

An ESB spokesperson confirmed yesterday that ESB telecoms had lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanála against “one condition attached to the grant”.

She added that the ESB was not appealing the “overall substance” of the council’s decision. A decision on the appeal is due in August.

THE 170 new jobs announced by the Cregg Group and Zagg in the Shannon Free Zone could be just the tip of the iceberg – says Managing Director Zagg International Brian S Packer.

According to Mr Packer, who was in Clare to officially announce the deal on Friday, the total Shannon based workforce from the deal could exceed 300 before the end of 2015.

Mr Packer, who is the overseeing the company’s expansion in the European, Middle Eastern and African market, had credited Ireland’s under threat 12.5 per cent corporation tax as one of the key reason for going forward with the Shannon investment.

“There are many reasons why we picked Shannon, but Ireland’s com- petitive corporation tax rate definitely sealed the deal for us,” he said.

“We will be manufacturing, shipping, marketing and selling our products from this base [in Shannon] and will be creating job opportunities, both directly and indirectly, over the next few years as we have at our US headquarters for Zagg.

“While we will be recruiting for a number of key positions, the majority of jobs will be created indirectly, as Zagg International will create a good number of jobs through our partnerships and key vendors such as Cregg.

“In total we expect over 300 jobs to be created over the next four years.”

Based in Utah Zagg Incorporated manufacture and distributing protective coverings for small handheld electrical such as i-pods and mobile phones.

The company had a revenue of more than $60 million in 2010 and it is hoped that this major expansion, which will be coordinated from their new European Headquarters in Shannon, could double that figure.

Zagg’s Shannon facility will carry out the sales and marketing as well as product design and administrative activities for the new expansion.

The partnership with the Cregg Group will the Clare company carry out all the manufacturing, assembly, packaging and logistics work for the expansion.

Two of Zaggs flagship products – invisibleSHIELD and ZAGGskins – will be produced by Cregg in Shannon. Cregg will also be responsible for the distribution of the full range of Zagg products in Ireland and Europe.

AHEAD of a walk aimed at promoting greater awareness of suicide, an Ennis-based businessman has spoken openly of his brother’s death from suicide.

‘Darkness into Light’, a walk organised by Pieta House, will take place in Ennis on May 7. The 5km walk will start at 4.30am and follow a route through a forest trail in Lees Road sports and amenity park.

Pieta House provides therapy and counselling services at five centres around Ireland, including Mungret, Limerick.

Speaking at the walk’s launch in Ennis last Tuesday Joan Freeman CEO of Pieta House, explained, “It starts at half four in Lees Road and just as you are coming over the finish line the dawn is breaking. It’s a really symbolic walk which symbolises what we do at Pieta House which is bringing people from darkness into light.”

Tom McEvoy, a coordinator for Pieta House in Clare, became involved with the organisation after the death of his brother Adrian (28) in 2007. Mr McEvoy, his wife and three children moved to Ennis in 2002.

Tom explained that the family were in the process of building a house in Roslevan when Adrian moved home from Australia.

He said, “He’s a very talented joiner, carpenter. Ultimately I asked him would he mind joining me for the build process. He was delighted to take part in that.”

In July 2007, Tom and his family left Ennis for a diving holiday of Inishbofin, County Mayo. “We left a list for Adrian to work away with it on our new house, which we hadn’t moved into at the time. He ended up wanting to stay there and do the work and we were delighted with that. I texted him a few times during the week and didn’t get a reply which wasn’t really unusual,” he said.

When the family returned home, Tom was still unable to make contact with his brother.

“I went to see a match on the telly with my brother-in-law. The Dubs were playing at the time. I got a call from my wife that she had had a visit from An Garda Síochana to say that they were after finding a person and she wanted me to come home.

“I went and identified him and said how sorry I was that this had happened to him and that ultimately we wanted the best of him.”

Tom said that what happened to his brother is typical of many suicides. “We have numerous experiences like that in our community of young people showing an outward sign that they are okay and everything’s fine but ultimately they are in bits and they are in a very dark place,” he added.

Tom said that until the country learns to face the trauma of suicide, “we’re going to end up in the same boat this time next year and so on and so forth”.

AN 18-year-old woman involved in what gardaí described as a “nasty assault” at Ennis courthouse last year has been told by a judge to stay out of trouble.

Rosanne Joyce (18) with an address at Dún na hInse, Ennis, appeared at a sitting of Ennis District Court on Wednesday on charges of assault and shoplifting.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court that the assault had occurred just outside the courtroom when the defendant attacked a woman who had just given evidence against her brother.

Inspector Kennedy said Gardaí were forced to intervene, adding, “It was quite a nasty incident.”

Solicitor for the accused, Tara Godfrey said her client was very young and impressionable and had reacted to an allegation about her family.

Referring to the charge of shoplifting, Ms Godfrey said her client had been in the company of two other people at Dunnes Stores when clothes to the value of € 46 were taken.

Ms Godfrey said her client had pleaded guilty to shoplifting and that the probation services had previously highlighted the difficulties facing her client and her family.

The court was told that the woman had a number of previous convictions, including several for theft.

Judge Timothy Lucey said that the woman “seems full of good intentions but the facts contradict this”.

Responding to Judge Lucey’s question about whether she understood that she faced going to jail if she continued her current pattern of behaviour, the woman replied “yeah”.

Judge Lucey said he was enforcing the probation act “primarily because of her age”.

He told the woman that she was “starting with a clean slate” and advised her to stay out of trouble.

THE Doonbeg Drama Group secured a massive seven nominations at this weekend’s All Ireland Drama Finals in Wexford but sadly were unable to bring any awards home to the Banner County.

Their production of the comedy ‘Say Cheese’ attracted 600 people to the Wexford Opera House and was described by the organisers as the audiences’ favourite. To gain seven nomination was a triumph for the group – considering that comedies rarely feature in the All Ireland Final and receive very few nominations and overall awards.

“The crowds loved it – they said that it was the only laugh that they had all week long. We managed to attract 600 people into the Opera House to watch the show which was second highest number for any show throughout the All Ireland,” said John Igoe of the Doonbeg Drama Group.

“We had a lot of nominations, which was a achievement in itself, but unfortunately we didn’t win any overall awards. To get to the final at all was an achievement but then to go down so well with the audience was great – we were definitely the people’s favourite.

“Very few drama groups will take on a comedy and fewer still will get as far as the All Ireland Final with a comedy. There is a feeling out there that adjudicators don’t really vote for comedies – but the audience certainly do love it.

“But it was great to see people laughing down there this week. We got a great response to the show and that is the main thing.”

Nominated from the Doonbeg Drama Group were Mary J Egan for best actress, Ann-Marie Doyle for best supporting actress and the scholarship award, Helena Keane for best supporting actress, Mark May for best actor, Michael McInerney and Peter Smith for best lighting and the backstage team for the best set award.

This achievement comes just weeks after the Doonbeg Drama Festival celebrated its 50th year entertaining the people of Clare.

A FATHER-OF-TWO, charged with the murder of a woman in North Clare last month, has made his second appearance in court.

Colm Deely (39), of School Road, Ballyvaughan, appeared before Ennistymon District Court, sitting in Kilrush, on Wednesday. He is charged with the murder of Deirdre McCarthy (43), whose body was found on Fanore beach on March 31 last.

She was last seen alive on Sunday, March 27, and was reported missing the following day after she failed to turn up to meet a friend.

Mr Deely was brought before Ennis District Court last Thursday week, charged with murdering Ms McCarthy on March 28 last. He was remanded in custody to reappear in court last Wednesday.

Inspector John Galvin applied to Wednesday’s court to have the accused remanded in custody for a further fortnight. Defence solicitor Gearóid Geraghty did not object. Judge Joseph Mangan granted the application and remanded Mr Deely in custody to appear again in court on April 27.

The court heard previously that when charged, Mr Deely said, “I’m very sorry for what happened”.

The court was told the accused is a part-time Fás worker employed three days a week. Free legal aid was granted at the initial court hearing.

EFFORTS to reintroduce the Golden Eagle into Ireland will be supported by two days of dedicated fundraising at the Burren Birds of Prey Centre in Ballyvaughan later this week.

The fundraising and awareness campaign will take place at the centre, which is located at the Aillwee Caves, with the organisers hoping to raise more than € 3,500 to help fund the ongoing efforts to reintroduce the spectacular bird into Ireland.

The centre is hoping to raise the money to fund the purchase of a satellite pack, which provides much needed data on the movements of the Golden Eagles which have been reintroduced into Ireland.

All money raised will be donated to the Golden Eagle Trust, who will use the satellite pack to monitor the movements of White Tailed Sea Eagles, which they have just reintroduced into the Kerry National Park.

“We were very privileged last year at the centre to welcome one of the released white tails to join our own resident Sea Eagle, Sika, during her flying display,” said Barbara Faulkner of the Aillwee Cave.

“Albeit a coincidence, this is exactly what the aims of the reintroduction programme are and the satellite packs will enhance these aims even further. It is hoped, by raising awareness about the effectiveness of these satellite packs, that we can reach our target over the coming months.”

The two days of activity will take place from noon to 5pm this Thursday and Friday, April 21 and 22. Activities over the two days will include informative talks given on the Golden Eagle Trust Reintroduction Programme and the Raptor Tracking Efforts, while the Irish Hawking Club will be on hand with information on the history of falconry in Ireland.

There will also be a number of activities for children, including face painting, parrot peg and nest box making. There will be two artisan woodland workers in residence to help and guide visitors through the intricacies of woodwork while flying displays will be at 12 noon, 2pm and 4pm.

A JUDGE has described the theft of heating oil from homes and businesses as a “particularly mean crime” and one that is on the rise.

Judge Timothy Lucey made the comments at Ennis District Court last Wednesday where he imposed a three-month suspended sentence on a 19-year-old man.

Stefan Coustrain, with an address at Ashline, Shanaway Road, Ennis, pleaded guilty to his involvement in the taking of € 872 worth of heating oil from a crèche near French Court, Clon Road, on February 14 (2011).

The oil was recovered by Gardaí at the scene. Garda Ross Garvey told the court that at around 2am on the night in question, Gardaí received a report of two men acting suspiciously in French Court.

He said that when Gardaí arrived, they observed two men hiding in bushes. He added that there was a “very strong smell of kerosene” off the men’s clothes. Gardaí subsequent- ly discovered six five-gallon drums of oil concealed in the bushes. The court also heard that a pipe leading from the tank had been damaged.

Detective Garda Paul Crowley, who examined the tank, told the court that the process of removing the oil “would’ve happened several times”.

The court heard that the accused, who has two previous convictions but none for theft, made a full admission to taking the oil.

Inspector Tom Kennedy explained that the other man involved in the incident had yet to appear before the court.

Solicitor for Mr Coustrain, Tara Godfrey, told the court that her client, a trainee chef, had been led to the location by another man. She said her client had not profited from the incident and that all drums have been recovered.

Ms Godfrey added that the man had received quite a “bad shock” from his run in with the law.

“Having had a brush with the dark side, he doesn’t want to go down that road,” she said.

Judge Lucey said that if oil had been spilled on the ground as it was being taken from the tank, then the defendant could have been liable for thousands of euros worth of damage.

Garda Crowley told the court that there had been “little or no spillage on the ground”. He added that the tank had been filled on the previous Friday.

Referring to the involvement of another man, Judge Lucey said that Mr Coustrain “knows what is going and should be coming cleaner”.

He said the theft of home heating oil is a “particularly mean crime” and one that is on the increase. He said people who commit this type of crime must understand that they face a potential jail sentence for doing so. He added, “This is something that must stop. It is a popular crime.”

He imposed a three-month suspended sentence and ordered Mr Coustrain to pay € 500 in compensation to the injured party.

AN EAST Clare man has received a suspended sentence after engaging in abusive behaviour towards gardaí in Ennis last year.

Keith Quigley (22) of Callaghy, Tuamgraney, pleaded guilty at Ennis District Court on Friday to engaging with abusive or insulting behaviour towards gardaí in Ennis town centre on September 20, 2010.

The court was told that on the night in question gardaí were called to Francis Street following a report of a “public order situation involving a number of people”.

Mr Quigley was not involved in the public order incident, the court heard.

Inspector Tom Kennedy told the court Mr Quigley was told by gardaí to leave the area but only moved a short distance away.

When Mr Quigley failed to leave, Inspector Kennedy said, Gardaí arrested him.

Solicitor for the accused Tara Godfrey told the court that her client was a 22-year-old single man. She ex – plained that her client lived 30 miles from Ennis and that on the night he had been waiting in Francis Street with some friends for a taxi home.

Ms Godfrey said an incident occurred that her client had no part in. She said her client accepted that he should have moved away when told to do so by gardaí.

“It was largely a misunderstand – ing,” she added.

The court was told that the man had previously been fined for a public order offence.

Judge Joseph Mangan passed down a two-month sentence, suspended on the condition that the man forthwith enters a bond to keep the peace and to be of good behaviour.

He also imposed a fine of € 500.