Category: News

THE cost of the unprecedented run of storms which battered the Clare coast over the past five weeks has grown to a massive € 36.8 million according to new estimates published yesterday by Clare County Council.

This means that more than € 12 million worth of damage was inflicted on the county over the past two weeks – with the giant sea swell and high winds of the St Brigid’s Day storm causing the lion’s share of this new damage.

This, coupled with the € 24 million worth of damage cause during the storm in early January, has left Clare County County with the possibility of a large hole in its budget should central government fail to make sufficient money available.

It was also revealed at last night’s meeting of Clare County Council that the local authority has already spent € 750,000 of its own money on repairs and clean-up operations to date.

County Manager Tom Coughlan admitted yesterday that the local authority has no budget for this € 750,000, admitting that the council was spending money that it did not have.

The council’s Corporate Policy Group (CPG) met before yesterday’s main council meeting and compiled a letter for the Government which stated that the council couldn’t, in good conscience, continue to spend money on repairs without central government giving firm details of the funding that will be made available. The most expensive storm damage was recorded in Lahinch where the council estimates that € 6.064 million will be required to fix damage done to the promenade and surround areas. The cost of repairs at Cloughaninchy in Quilty is now estimated at € 4.716, with the bulk of this going towards the re-construction of more than two kilometres of sea armour. There was also significant damage at Kilbaha in West Clare (€ 3.498 million) and New Quay in north Clare (€ 3.449 million) where roads and sea walls have been destroyed. Other badly damaged areas include Carrowmore (€ 1.628 million), White Strand/Doonmore (€ 1.550 million), Clahane in Liscannor (€ 1.487 million), Kilcredaun Irish College (€ 1.226 million), Carrowdotia, Moneypoint (€ 1.115 million), Doolin (€ 1.025 million) and Liscannor itself (€ 1.011 million). Serious questions have also been raised as to what agency or agencies are responsible for coastal defenses. There are 14 different agencies which have some interest in coastal and river flood defenses. “Until there is some clarity as to who is responsible for these areas this is going to be a very difficult project. We are all talking about providing leadership, but we cannot lead unless we know where we are going,” said county manager Tom Coughlan. “There are a lot of agencies involved, but there is no clarity who is responsible. We need a co-ordinated approach and that has to be led by Government. This is something that is outside the scope of Clare County Council.”

JUST over € 91,000 was paid out to eight of the nine members of Ennis Town Council last year.

The payments were made up of expenses, wages, and the cost of attending conferences and seminars, with the two councillors who served as mayor for six months each during the year accruing the largest payments.

Current mayor Cllr Mary Coote Ryan (FG) and former mayor Cllr Peter Considine (FF) received € 17,166 each.

The sum included the councillors’ taxable salary of € 8,362 as well as mayoral allowance of € 5,750. Cllr Considine’s expenses also included a trip to Charleston, USA, while mayor.

All town councillors are entitled to the taxable salary, with the exception of those who also serve on Clare County Council – Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind), Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) and Cllr Brain Meaney (FF).

The deputy mayors also receive a deputy mayoral allowance of € 2,625 for the six months of the year they serve. In 2013 that payment went to Cllr Brennan and Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind).

Members of Ennis Town Council are also entitled to claim for 50 per cent of vouched mobile phone costs, as well as the cost of a mobile phone and other “IT equipment” and office costs such as printing.

Cllr Flynn was the only councillor not to receive any payment from Ennis Town Council as he did not claim any expenses. He also refused to claim expenses as a member of Clare County Council, receiving only his Clare County Council salary.

When it came to attending town council meetings, including specialised committee meetings, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) was top of the class, having been to 23 meetings.

Two thirds of the councillors however had a full attendance rate for the monthly town council meetings with everyone in attendance at the budget meeting.

THE first step towards what could the formation of the first ever Women’s Shed initiative in Ireland will be taken in Ennis on Thursday.

A meeting will take place at the offices of Clare Women’s Network at the Clonroad business park on February 13, 12 noon.

The proposal to develop a Women’s Shed in Ennis was put forward by local women Paula McNamara and Mary Howard.

It is similar to the Men’s Shed initiative – an international movement that provides opportunities for male volunteers to participate in voluntary community projects e.g planting housing estate green areas with native trees, shrubs and flowers. The ethos of the Men’s Shed is that men talk better shoulder-to-shoulder rather than face-to-face, this activity has many benefits – companionship, nonalcohol social outlet, mental health benefits, and skill development and enhancement.

The Ennis Men’s Shed is based at Centrepoint, Orchard Lane, Ennis. Paula McNamara says the success of the Men’s Shed was the inspiration for the Women’s Shed.

She explained, “We would be swapping skills teaching each other woodwork, crafts, computer, but mainly it’s an excuse to get out of the house, meet other women, and make friends. In this day and age it’s very easy to feel isolated when you become a mum, finish school, if you’re out of work, if your friends have emigrated or if you’ve retired it’s very easy to feel cut off, so the hope is that women of all ages all backgrounds would come together and work projects to help the community and hopefully have fun and make friend in the process”.

She added, “The women’s shed would be using the same facilities as the Ennis Men’s Shed at different days and times. The aim is to promote social interaction and aim to increase the quality of life and help out in the community. Our first meeting is next week and we should be ready to launch the Women’s Shed mid-March and we will be one of the world’s first Women’s Sheds running alongside a men’s shed. The women’s shed would be run on the same principles as the Men’s Sheds as non-profit organisations, to advise and improve the overall well being of all women”.

It is thought this would be the first Women’s Shed in Ireland. Mary Howard, a Fine Gael member of Ennis Town Council, said, “I am delighted to be asked to come on board as an advocate and facilitator with both the Ennis Men’s Shed and the upcoming Ennis Women’s Shed Project. There is a huge need for both of these facilities. The men who have set up the Ennis Men’s Shed are absolute gentlemen who have the most infectious enthusiasm and the biggest hearts. I am thrilled to be on board.”

“WILL the Euro survive?” was one of numerous conferences, foreign trips and “fact finding missions” attended by members of Ennis Town Council during 2013 that cost the tax payer a total of € 18,000 last year.

As many as six councillors – two thirds of the council – went to Langfeld in Germany as part of a town twinning investigation trip in May at a cost of more than € 5,000 to the council coffers.

Three councillors returned in October for the twinning ceremony Mayor Cllr Mary Coote-Ryan (FG), Cllr Mary Howard (FG) and Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) at a further cost of € 2,275.

Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) returned to the German town alone in September as part of a sporting and culture trip. The “sporting councillor” also attended the FAI Stakeholders Conference at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

The three-day “Will the Euro survive?” conference in Letterkenny, County Donegal, was attended by town mayor Coote-Ryan at a total cost of € 727.58.

In the course of the year the councillor, who was mayor from July to December attended three conferences, two trips to Langfeld in Germany – one as part of a twinning investigation trip and one for a ceremony, and fact-finding trips to markets in County Limerick, Dublin and Mayo.

Three other councillors – Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind), Cllr Guilfoyle (Ind) and Cllr Peter Considine (FF) – also went on the market fact finding mission.

Among the other foreign trips was the six-day St Patrick’s Day trip to New York, undertaken by Cllr Brian Meaney (FF) at a cost of € 2,242.38 and a trip to Charleston by the then mayor Cllr Considine for the dedication of an Irish memorial. This cost € 1,830. Cllr Considine also attended three other conferences around Ireland during the year.

A MAN who was part of a gang who terrorised an elderly man during a burglary at his home in West Clare has avoided a driving ban.

Noel Garry (20), with a former address at Tullycrine, Kilrush appeared at Ennis District Court on Friday where he pleaded guilty to four road traffic offences.

He admitted having on insurance, no NCT cert and no driver’s license when he was stopped by Garda Eoin O’Donoghue at the Tulla Road, Ennis on September 3, 2013.

Asked by Judge Patrick Durcan if there was anything unusual about the offence, Garda O’Donoghue said there wasn’t.

Mr Garry has one previous conviction under the road traffic act.

Defence solicitor Fiona Hehir said her client bought the car because he lived in a rural area at the time.

She told the court Mr Garry had just purchased the vehicle when he was stopped by the guards.

She said Mr Garry, who suffered from ADHD, fully cooperated with gardaí.

She urged the court not to disqualify her client from holding a driver’s license. She said Mr Garry was a young man who had never had the opportunity to drive.

Judge Durcan fined Mr Garry € 250 for having no driver’s license; € 100 for having not NCT and € 250 for having no insurance.

He said he was not disqualifying the accused from driving for work related reasons.

Mr Garry is currently in custody awaiting sentence for his role in a robbery at the home of a 68 year-old man in Cree on February 25, 2012.

He was one of four people who stole € 3000 from Michael McMahon whose home was targeted in a similar robbery just four days previ- ously.

Mr Garry pleaded guilty to robbery and evidence in the case was heard at Ennis Circuit Criminal Court in January.

The court heard that after the second robbery on February 25, a terrified Mr McMahon gathered his belongings and cycled 30 miles from his home to St Joseph’s nursing home in Ennis.

He had been threatened that his house would be burned down if he contacted gardaí, the court heard.

Mr Garry was one of three men who pleaded guilty. They are due to be sentenced on March 3.

KILKEE Town Council proved to be the most frugal and least expensive in the county in 2013, with its councillors claiming just under € 32,000 in salaries and expenses.

The total bill came in at 31,971.21, € 19,342 shy of Shannon.

It was also over € 40,000 less than Kilrush, which unlike Kilkee is a planning authority, and cost over € 59,000 less than Ennis.

As with all the other local authori- ties, the top earner was the mayor, with Cllr Paddy Collins (FG) who took the chair in June claiming € 4,840.19. Unlike other council’s the mayor in Kilkee does not get a second allowance.

All Kilkee town councillors are entitled to and claimed a taxable salary of € 2,266.88, with an annual allowance of € 1,018 for attending statutory meetings.

As many as five members of Kilkee Town Council did not claim travel expenses for conferences or seminars or any allowance for their mobile phone bills. They received the minimum € 3,284.88 salary and meeting allowance.

Three other councillors claimed mobile phone bill allowance, but did not attend conferences.

The current mayor, Cllr Collins, instead represented the council outside of the town in 2013.

Cllr Collins attended six separate meetings in conference at a total cost of € 1,255.31.

Kilkee Town Council, like Ennis, Kilrush and Shannon is to be abolished this year.

A WELL-KNOWN family business in Ennis was targeted by criminals on two occasions over the weekend.

Thieves stole a number of items after breaking into Guerin’s Shop in the Cornmarket area of the town in the early hours of Friday morning at last.

The burglary occurred sometime between 6pm on Thursday, January 30, and 7.30am on Friday, January 31.

It is thought an axe or other heavy implement was used to smash a hole in the front door.

A number of Gael Linn one euro lottery tickets, an amount of various brand cigarettes were all that was taken.

Temporary repairs were carried out on the door but the premises was again targeted just two nights later.

Between 3am and 6am on Monday, morning another attempt was made to gain entry to the shop by trying to force open the front door.

No entry was gained and nothing was stolen on this occasion.

A crow bar may have been used to prize loose a board covering the damage from the previous break in. It is thought the perpetrators may have been watching the shop in the days leading up the burglary.

It is believed they are from the Ennis area. Investigating gardaí are studying CCTV footage of the area and are following a definite line of inquiry.

They are urging anyone who may have seen anything on the nights in question to contact them at Ennis Garda Station.

Guerin’s has operated as a familyrun grocery shop in the Cornmarket area of the town since 1968/69.

It re-opened six years ago and has previously been the target of breakins.

Shop owner Clodagh Guerin said the latest incidents had a big impact on the family.

“It’s not just the financial cost of the damage caused and the things that were stolen, it’s the psychological cost also.

“You’re wondering is this going to happen again?” she said.

The building is the location for ‘The Stone Outside Dan Murphy’s Door’ – a well-known Clare.

GAY and lesbian people in Clare are seven times more likely to attempt suicide compared to heterosexual people in the county. That is according to Gay Switchboard Ireland, who believe that young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people in Clare are more likely to suffer from depression, consider self harm or ever even suicide.

A total of 27 calls from Clare were logged by the Gay Switchboard last year. The real number of Clare people using the service is likely to be much higher however, as only a fraction of callers give a county of origin.

According to Eddie McGuinness, organiser of The Outing gay and lesbian matchmaking festival which took place in Lisdoonvarna this year, more openness around LGBT issues is still needed to reverse this trend, especially in rural areas.

“It is a shocking statistic but it is the reality and we have to face up to that. I think families, individuals and friends need to get better at talking about issues like this – not just about your sexuality but all the different things that can get at a person,” he said.

Thousands of LGBT flocked to Lisdoonvarna last September for the first Outing festival – which was part of the traditional Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival.

According to Eddie, events like that can prompt discussion – especially in more rural areas where open lesbian and gay couples are less common.

“I think it was a great event and something that has already had a di- rect impact.

“We received a letter after the festival from a mother who had actually read about The Outing in The Clare People . She read the story to her family and told them that ‘Clare has come of age’. She used those words,” continued Eddie.

“Two weeks later her son came out to that mother and told her that he was gay. And it was the Outing and the coverage of it that made that possible. That is a success right there.”

Gay Switchboard Ireland is open seven days a week on 01 8721055.

CLARE County Council is considering installing security cameras at a graveyard near Ennis to combat mounting problems with crime and anti-social behaviour.

It follows a spate of incidents at Drumcliff graveyard in recent months. There have been a number of thefts from cars parked at the cemetery.

There have been reports of antisocial and intimidating behaviour by large groups attending the graveyard.

The area has also been the scene of violent incidents between feuding members of the Traveller community.

In a separate incident last November, Gardaí investigated a complaint of damage to a baby’s grave.

Ennis woman Christine Quinn discovered damage to the grave of her late son Patrick.

“I was devastated when I saw what happened and so was my husband, absolutely devastated. It breaks my heart. Who would do such a thing?”

At the time, the mother of three called on the council to install cameras in the area to prevent future in- cidents.

The January meeting of Ennis Town Council heard allegations of aggressive and intimidating behaviour by people visiting Drumcliff.

Cllr Mary Howard told the meeting she witnessed a group of people “drinking and being aggressive” in Drumcliff on Christmas day.

Clare County Council has confirmedit is considering installing CCVT near the cemetery.

The issues at Drumcliff were raised yesterday at the February meeting of Ennis Town Council.

In a motion, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) called on the local authority to look at the feasibility of placing CCTV at Drumcliff graveyard.

Cllr Howard said that while a number of thefts have been reported from vehicles at Drumcliff, a high number have gone unreported.

“You often meet people up there (Drumcliff ) who are upset because a window was smashed or something has been stolen from a car,” she said.

She said she feels CCTV is the only way to address the problems. Cllr Brian Meaney (FF) said Drumcliff had been the location of violent incidents between feuding Traveller families while graves had been dam- aged in other incidents.

“It’s a pity but I think we have to put it [CCTV] in,” he added.

Administrative officer Betty Devanny confirmed Clare County Council is examining the feasibility of temporary installation of CCTV at specific locations at Drumcliff cemetery.

“This is necessary to combat the ongoing issues in relation to theft from vehicles in the car park, antisocial behaviour and illegal dumping”, she added.

Public lighting is also being considered in the car park area of Drumcliff.

A YOUNG Kilbaha couple were forced to flee their home with their six-month-old baby as their house was flooded by waves from the Atlantic.

The West Clare village was once again engulfed by a storm and high tides, just weeks after a similar force of nature did € 3.4 million worth of damage.

Two houses and two homes were flooded in the village at the weekend, in a storm described as “more dramatic” than the previous one.

This time homes did not escape the flooding, with the water reaching above the bay window in one house.

Two days later and the local people are still suffering as a consequence of the weather.

Local woman Ailish Connolly explained that it will take sometime for things to return to normal.

Roads remain impassable and concerns have been expressed that emergency vehicles would have difficulty reaching the communities of Kilbaha, Ross and Fodra.

Water continues to run off the land into Fodra Bay, which in turn is flooding the local roads.

“Kilbaha is effectively an island. The only way to get through the village is with a four by four,” said Ms Connolly.

“The Ross road is out and even worse than before.”

Even the work carried out by Clare County Council during the last storm has been washed away.

This interim work included backs of rocks and interlocking concrete boulders.

While the playground survived the worst of the storm this time, the memorial to the Five Pilots was completely destroyed.

“There is so much more damage done this time. The last time it was directed at one area but now it is spaced out,” she said.