Category: News

FIANNA Fáil will hold its first convention for next year’s Local Elections on Friday night in Shannon.

The delegates will be asked to select their candidates from the nominees that will go before convention.

A directive from head office will have to be issued as to how many candidates will be selected to contest the six-seat constituency.

What is expected to be a hotly-contested Ennis convention will take place in the Auburn Lodge Hotel on December 2, with an estimated 10 people expected to be nominated in this eight-seat constituency.

Nominations for each area close up to a week before convention, so an exact figure is not yet known.

The convention for the Killaloe area is on in the Old Courthouse in Tulla on December 6, while the West Clare area convention will take place on December 9 in the Armada Hotel in Spanish Point.

The West Clare area is the only convention likely to be divided into two district conventions as it is made up of the old Kilrush and Ennistymon electoral areas.

THERE are almost half the number of dogs entering the pound now as there was five years ago, and significantly less being put down thanks to voluntary re-homing schemes, an organised dog spaying system in the county and the use of social media.

That is according to Clare dog warden Frankie Coote, who said that approximately 1,200 dogs went through the pound last year compared to more than 2,000 half a decade ago.

He said Ennis dog pound gets a lot of help from a number of animal charities such as Rover Rescue in Ennis and Mandy Ellis in Kilkee who have taken hundreds of dogs between them to be re-housed abroad, usually Britain.

Shena Twist from North Clare has also taken dogs and re-housed them at home and abroad as well as providing the ISPAC with advice on donkeys and horses.

“If we lose their help we would go back to the bad old times,” he said.

He added that the local ISPCA have also re-housed dogs through a Facebook drive.

“It is very important to realise that not every dog that comes into Ennis Dog Pound is re-houseable,” he said.

He said that some dogs that come to the pound do so because they are very old and their owners have no way of disposing of them.

“There are approximately 100 dogs every year that are dangerous. They would have attacked livestock or people.

“We also find dogs on a regular basis that we have no history for so it would be very hard to put them in homes when we don’t know how they react with children for example.”

Mr Coote said that the ISPCA does not deal with horses and the control of horses is overseen by Clare County Council and the Gardaí.

A HOAX emergency call that sparked a major search operation around Ennis last week is now the subject of a criminal investigation.

The River Fergus was the focus of the two-hour search after a call was received of a person entering the water in the Woodquay area of the town.

A number of services including the Gardaí, Kilkee Coast Guard, Doolin Coast Guard, Clare Fire Services and the Health Services Executive (HSE) attended the search while Clare Civil Defence were on standby.

No one was recovered from the water and there were no definite sightings of a person in the river. Gardaí had not received any report of a missing person.

Emergency services were already stretched having earlier attended the scene of an accident in Ennis where a van crashed through the front entrance of a shop.

Gardaí are now investigating the call after receiving a complaint from the Clare Fire Services.

Inspector Tom Kennedy confirmed Gardaí are looking into the matter. “Hoax calls can sometimes be about chimney fires or things like that but it is very unusual to get one to say that a person has jumped into the river. This involved all the emergency services. The Civil Defence were on standby. It was very dangerous.”

A coast guard helicopter was on the scene within 20 minutes. The search was coordinated by gardaí and involved up to 30 coast guard officers, 14 fire services personnel, paramedics and advanced paramedics.

Coast guard helicopter call outs cost an estimated € 5,000 an hour while the estimated cost of fire services involvement on the night runs to almost € 2,000.

The coast guard were tasked with the call at 9.10pm and the search was stood down following extensive consultation at 11pm.

Chief fire officer for Clare, Adrian Kelly described the hoax call as “madness”.

“The cost is one thing but the more important thing is safety,” he added.

Head of Clare Civil Defence Liam Griffin said the presence of so many people around the river on a night when weather conditions were poor made the situation more dangerous.

“It’s unheard of that you’d have that many people in the town on a Wednesday night. There is an inherent danger in having that many people around water.

“We have no issue responding to any emergency call but situations like this put severe strain on the emergency services,” explained Martony Vaughan, Officer in Charge of Kilkee Coast Guard.

THE Cliffs of Moher is on target to record its largest even number of visitors in 2013, with a prospect of breaking the one million barrier now a realistic possibility.

A surge in individual visitors in late summer has seen the North Clare tourist site surpass all predictions made for tourism numbers this year. The Cliffs of Moher Visitors Experience had already recorded a sizable year-on-year increase in the number of tour groups visiting in 2013, and the recent surge of individual tourists has pushed the visitors numbers into record territory.

According to Katherine Webster of the Cliffs of Moher Visitors Experience, the increase has been largely driven by tourists from America and mainland Europe.

“At this stage I can confirm that the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience is on target to exceed our record figure of 940,000 visitors which was reached in 2007, the year the new visitor centre opened,” she told The Clare People yesterday.

“Visitor numbers to the end of October are up by 9 percent on the same period last year. Group tours are ahead by 14 per cent and individual visitors by 4 percent.

“We’ve seen strong growth out of the North American and German markets with other continental European markets also performing well. The impact of the Gathering has definitely been noticeable.

“Our Family Names of County Clare project has been very popular with local visitors from Clare and has also evoked a great response from overseas visitors. The Clare Family Names exhibit will be retained and further names will be added in 2014.”

The increase in individual tourist numbers in particular is a welcome boost for the Clare tourism industry. The Cliffs of Moher are seen as a barometer to the overall health of tourism in Clare, with the the individual visitor number being key as group tours are more likely to base their holiday in Dublin and Galway, rather than in Burren itself.

THE number of instances of ash dieback in Clare has more than doubled over the last six months with Clare trees now the third most infected in Ireland.

According to figures obtained from the Department of Agriculture, a total of seven positive cases of ash dieback, or Chalara fraxinea, have been recorded in Clare so far this year – up from just three cases in May.

There is currently no information available as to the exact nature and location of these outbreaks, which could be isolated trees in hedgerows or large plantations that could involve the culling of dozens or hundreds of trees.

Coincidentally, strong hurling counties have, to date, been hit hardest by ash die back. The last three All Ireland hurling champions – Clare, Kilkenny and Tipperary – have the three highest instances of ash die back in Ireland.

The Department of Agriculture has declined to give exact details of the location of infected trees in Clare and other counties. This follows confusion earlier this year when the department appeared to release contradictory information about the location of infected trees in Clare.

The March of this year, the Department of Agriculture confirmed that there were two infected areas in Clare – one each in Lisdoonvarna and Scariff. However, two months later, the department released updated information which showed that there were then three infected sites in Clare; in Lisdoonvarna, Newmarket on Fergus and Clarecastle. The Clare People contacted the department in May in relation to the status of the Scariff outbreak but did not receive a response. Indeed, no further update on the spread of the disease was released by the department until earlier this month.

In the most recent update, the department has declined to give any information about the location of the infected trees within each county – and they have not given any information about the nature of each outbreak.

This is in contrast to the department’s handling of the situation earlier this year.

“There are now three confirmed findings in County Clare. One is a private forest plantation, one is in a private garden and the other, latest finding, is roadside planting. The private garden tree has been cleared and destroyed and the other two sites are under eradication,” said a department spokesperson in May.

THE owner of a shop in Ennis that was the scene of a bizarre accident last week has said it is a “miracle” no one was killed.

Barry Lynch said Lynch’s Centra was like a “bomb scene” after a van crashed through the front door on Wednesday night.

A number of shoppers were in the store when a white van driven by an elderly man reversed through the main entrance of the busy Gort Road store at around 8.25pm.

It is thought the accident may have occurred due to a clutch fault causing the van to jerk suddenly backwards to the horror of staff and members of the public.

The van had been parked in a space directly opposite the front entrance of the shop. Gardaí, Clare Fire Services and paramedics were on the scene within minutes. Five people were treated for minor injuries at nearby Ennis General Hospital.

The car is being examined by Garda investigators but it is not thought that charges will be brought against the driver.

Shop owner Barry Lynch praised the response of staff and the emergency services to the accident.

“All I can say is that is a miracle that no one was killed. The shop had been very busy but it had quitened down a small bit but there was still around six people at the tills,” he explained.

Mr Lynch continued, “There was a lot of people coming and going and there would have been people, including children, who would have walked directly behind the van before this happened.

“It was like a bomb scene, there was so much glass and shelves everywhere. But credit to the staff. They rolled up their sleeves and got the place cleaned up and we were up and running again by 11.30. But the bottom line is that we’re just so relieved that no one was killed.”

Lynch’s wasn’t the only shop in Ennis unexpectedly damaged by a car on Wednesday night.

Emergency services were also called to the Applegreen Petrol station and shop at Captain Mac’s cross near St Flannan’s College at around 11.30pm after a car smashed into the front window. Gardaí arrested a 37year-old man on suspicion of drink driving. He is due to appear before Ennis District Court on November 27.

A MOTHER has called for security cameras to be installed at Dumcliffe graveyard after the grave of her infant son was interfered with.

Ennis woman Christine Quinn says she was “shocked” to discover damage to corner of the headstone on the grave of her dead son Patrick Quinn.

Baby Patrick was born stillborn. He would have celebrated his third birthday on December 12.

Ms Quinn believes the damage was caused sometime between 7pm on Wednesday, November 13, and 5pm on Thursday, November 14.

However she thinks the grave may have been vandalised over a number of weeks.

“We have these angels which are glued down to the grave and they were getting knocked down. I thought it was the wind but now I’m not so sure,” she said.

“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?”

The mother of three believes there should be greater security around the graveyard.

“I’d like to see CCTV around there. I was onto the council [Clare County Council]. At least whoever does things like that would be caught,” she added.

A Garda spokesman confirmed on Friday that gardaí in Ennis are investigating the complaint and have inspected the grave for damage.

Clare County Council last night said it had received a

a report of vandalism in section D of the graveyard.

The Council said it recently appointed a registrar who is a regular prescence in the graveyard.

It said CCTV is not being considered at this time but that gates are locked to assist in deterrring anti-social behaviour.

“We will continue to monitor any issues with the burial ground” added a spokesman.

MILTOWN Malbay has brought national honours to the county as the West Clare town has the been named one of the principal winners in this year’s IPB Pride of Place Competition in association with Co-operation Ireland.

More than 400 people from all over the island of Ireland travelled to Derry to attend the 11th annual awards ceremony on Saturday.

Miltown Malbay brings Clare its first success in the competition since the Clare Crusaders Children’s Clinic received an award under the Community Health Initiative category in 2011.

The town beat off stiff competition from all over the country to be crowned overall winners of Population Category three. Miltown Malbay Tidy Towns Committee members were presented with a crystal decorative memento and € 1,000.

Pride of Place, which is run by Cooperation Ireland in conjunction with local authorities north and south of the border, was first piloted in the summer of 2003.

The all-island initiative recognises and celebrates the vital contributions that community partnerships make to society, including promoting social cohesion, involvement in planning, the promotion of heritage, and environmental awareness.

Miltown Malbay Tidy Towns Committee spokesperson Sean Lenihan said, “Like many other small towns throughout Clare we have lots of diverse groups, associations and organisations, but what sets us apart is that when required, all sectors of the community work together and act as one. We are very aware that everybody has something to offer and we recognise the skills, inputs and competencies that different people have and utilise them accordingly to ensure that all visitors leave with fond memories and a willingness to return.”

Mayor of Clare Cllr Joe Arkins said Miltown Malbay’s success “is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when people come together for the benefit of their local community.

“This competition focuses on local communities, both north and south of the border, coming together to shape, change and enjoy all that is good about their area. I am sure that Clare’s other participants in this year competition, Mountshannon Community Council and An Sean Dún Residents Association in Roslevan will have also enjoyed the opportunity to network, exchange ideas and learn from others.”

Nicola Cullinan, Pride of Place Coordinator, Community and Tourism Directorate with Clare County Council added, “Pride of Place is a great way to acknowledge the hard work and selfless endeavour undertaken by communities from all over the island of Ireland. It is an opportunity to celebrate the vital contribution that community groups make to society and it demonstrates what local groups can achieve. Clare County Council is delighted to have played its part in supporting local partici

ALMOST 500 horses and dogs have been put down in the county so far this year by animal welfare services, a number that far exceeds figures for central London.

As many as 452 dogs were euthanised by the ISPCC acting for Clare County Council, with 37 horses also put down during 2013 to date.

This is an average of 11 animals every week and more than one a day.

According to Anne Haugh, Director of Services, Environment and Water Services, as many as 962 dogs and horses were impounded by agencies acting on behalf of Clare County Council.

The majority of the animals impounded or surrendered were dogs, with 915 canines taken in.

Of these 452 were re-homed including 148 who were re-claimed by owners.

As many as 47 horses were impounded by the authorities in Clare this year, with 10 released back to their owners.

A total of 37 horses were put down however.

“In the case of dog control, the council has an agreement with the ISPCA to carry out all of the coun cil’s functions, other than the taking of prosecutions or the making of Bye Laws under the 1986 Control of Dogs Act,” explained Ms Haugh.

She was responding to questions from East Clare county councillor Cathal Crowe (FF), who said the number of animals destroyed each year pointed to fundamental flaws in dog control laws.

“In all of the metropolitan London area, which has two local authorities and a population of eight million people, 320 dogs were euthanised last year,” he said adding that the figure for County Clare far exceeds that.

A GOVERNMENT agency has been accused of intimidating Clare County Council staff in their own homes at night prior to bringing charges against the local authority.

The claim was made by county solicitor John Shaw in a report relating to two cases taken by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) against the local authority in the Circuit Criminal Court.

Mr Shaw said the charges arose out of an incident where it was considered necessary to continue supplying water to the town of Ennis, despite there being a problem with treating the water.

He said the problem was notified to the environmental watchdog, the EPA, as well as a proposal to rectify the issue.

“Notwithstanding the notification to the EPA, charges were subsequently brought in a manner which was to say the least, untypical of a state body.

“Council staff were approached late in the evening in their homes and intimidated into giving statements,” he said.

The county solicitor was then notified of this behaviour and arrangements made that all other statements would be made in the presence of the county solicitor.

Soon after charges were brought by the EPA under the European Communities (Drinking Water) No.2 Regulations 2007.

“The approach of the EPA in relation to this prosecution was, to say the least, high handed,” pointed out the solicitor from Michael Houlihan and Partners.

The council’s defence team mounted a defence against the case, which was adjourned three times in the circuit court.

“During the course of adjournment, the Circuit Court judge commented with regard to one public authority prosecuting another and questioned the value to the public in proceeding in this way,” explained Mr Shaw.

The DPP, and by extension the EPA, entered a “nolle prosequi” on September 24, meaning no case was to be answered.

Mr Shaw argued this should have been done much sooner or a case not brought at all as “a valid defence” would have been raised by the council.

Clare county manager Tom Coughlan was also vocal on the cost of this case, and another similar case, to the public purse.

The second case in Mr Shaw’s report referred to 20 indictable charges brought by the EPA against Clare County Council relating to the odour from Ballyduff beg Landfill site in Inagh.

Mr Coughlan explained, “Of the 20 indictable charges, 19 were ultimately struck out.

“The maximum penalty on each of these counts was € 15 million per charge.

“The council was fined € 5,000 in respect of one charge on which it pleaded guilty.

“The EPA sought costs and the council agreed to make an ex-gratis payment of € 3,700 towards the EPA’s cost.

“The council has expended considerable financial and human resources in preparing a defence against 20 indictable charges.

“Those scarce resources could have been expended on delivering and improving services for the people of the county,” said the county manager.

He added while he was satisfied with the council’s defence in relation to Ballyduff beg, he was acutely aware of the significant additional costs, which would be incurred in the event of the 20 charges going to a full hearing.

“In the circumstances, and mindful of the potential waste of public money, the council pleaded guilty to one charge in relation to Ballyduffbeg,” he said.

Mr Coughlan said he was also aware that both the EPA and the DPP must also have incurred huge costs and had agreement been reached at an early stage the cost to the taxpayer would have been significantly less.

Mr Coughlan was also critical of the EPA’s treatment of his staff while investigating the Ennis Water issue, claiming that as well as sending an investigation team to their homes at night, the agency also “commandeered an office in Áras an Contae to conduct interrogations of council staff ”.

“This had a serious impact on staff, particularly having regard to the fact that the EPA were seeking to identify individuals to possibly pursue criminal proceedings,” he said.

Concluding his report, Mr Shaw said the prosecution was particularly annoying as it was without merit and the investigations that were conducted were in a manner that was utterly unacceptable.

“Assurances have been received from the EPA to the effect that such conduct would not be repeated.”

As the report reached The Clare People late last night, the paper was unable to contact the EPA for comment at this time.