The Clare People Archive

WHILE Kilrush Town Council may have invested € 350,000 in the future of the Kilrush Sports Complex during its dying days, Clare County Council must now get permission from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to spend the money.

Weeks before it was disbanded, the town council ring fenced funding for the next development phase of the project.

Phase one, which includes the best astro turf surface in the county and meets FIFA standards, is to be officially opened in the coming weeks and the local community is anxious that the next phase begins soon.

Before Kilrush Town Council was abolished the members adopted a resolution in April, 2014 to ring fence funding of € 200,000 for the development of future phases of Kilrush Sports Complex and in May, 2014, a further € 150,000 was set aside as part of the adoption of the 2013 Annual Financial Statement.

It was also agreed that Clare County Council would co-finance any development of Kilrush Sports Complex.

It is now understood that, in accordance with a Department circular (03/2009), it is necessary to obtain its approval for any capital expenditure.

John Corry, Meetings Administrator, West Clare Municipal District and former Kilrush Town Clerk, explained; “It would therefore be necessary for Clare County Council to seek such approval from the department in order to spend capital resources on any future phases of development at Kilrush Sports Complex. It would also be necessary for Clare County Council to plan for any capital resources which it would be investing in Kilrush Sports Complex and same would need to be discussed in the context of Budget preparations for 2015.”

In the last months a state of the art 75 metre by 38 metre astro turf pitch together with fencing, flood lighting and CCTV has been constructed as part of phase one of the facility on the Cooraclare Road.

The pitch was constructed at a cost of € 309,000. Kilrush Town Council provided € 190,000 towards the cost of this pitch.

Clare County Council is providing € 60,000 with € 59,000 being funded by a Sport Nation grant secured from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and Irish Public Bodies. Kilrush Town Council also funded the cost of the purchase of goals for the facility, the cost of professional fees incurred in designing the complex and the cost of upgrade works to the running track at Gallery Park. It has also recently been agreed by the Management Committee of Kilrush Sports Complex to carry out improvement works to Gallery Park Pitch at a cost of € 20,000 plus VAT.

The next phase of development proposed is the upgrading of the grass pitch on lands leased from the Department of Education.

CLARE county councillors cannot vote to reduce the Local Property Tax (LPT) until after a budget report is prepared and brought before them.

Council officials have just two weeks to complete a draft budget that previously took two months.

Delayed direction on its expenditure from central government and a requirement by Revenue to know its decision by the end of the month has put the council under sever pressure.

Council CEO Tom Coughlan said the final decision on increasing or decreasing the property tax will remain with the council members.

Former mayor of Clare, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) said that people “need to be aware that our property tax will be leaving the county.

“There is a feeling that Clare has a surplus and we can now give money back. The reality is the people of Clare are going to subsidise the people of other cities and counties. If we reduce it by 15 per cent what are the implications?” he asked.

Cllr Richard Nagle (FF) said that the reduction might just be between € 30 to € 40 per household but that is significant in many homes.

“€ 50 to € 100 is a lot to people out there because they just do not have it,” he told last evening’s meeting of the council.

Cllr Cathal Crowe (FF) asked that the county manager instruct the county solicitor to challenge the breakdown of the taxation in the courts.

ONE fifth of Clare homeowners’ property tax is leaving the county to pay for services in other cities and counties.

More than half of the Local Property Tax (LPT) paid by Clare households is going back to the National Government, with 20 per cent of it being used to fund less financially effective councils across the country.

Irate members of the council last evening claimed they were being penalised for being “the good boys in the class” as it managed last year on the third lowest payout from central government funds nationally.

It emerged in a circular from central government to the council as late as last Friday, that 34 per cent of the Local Property Tax Fund will be used for funding roads and housing, a fund previously provided by central government from motor tax and other grants, and separate from the local government fund.

In essence from the € 10.4 million it is expected to collect in property tax, Clare County Council will be left with just € 4.7 million for essential council services.

Of that just € 2 million can be used at the council’s own descretion for services such as hedge cutting or taking housing estates in charge.

If the members vote to reduce this tax by 15 per cent, as they are allowed to do so, this figure will be reduced by a further € 1. 56 million.

According to the circular directed by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and seen by The Clare People , “Based on its surplus position when expected 2015 LPT receipts are compared to GPG Allocations 2014, Clare County Council will be not be in receipt of equalisation funding in 2015.

“Part of the surplus up to the equivalent of 20 per cent of total expected LPT income (or the full amount of the surplus if that is less than 20 per cent) can be used as discretionary income by local authorities for whatever purposes they wish as part of their normal budgetary process,” the letter stated.

“The remainder of the surplus, if any, will then be available to the local authority to fund vital services in the social housing and roads areas thereby replacing Central Government funding for some of these services.”

The funding of social housing and roads was not understood to be among the services covered by the LPT as they were not previously covered by the Local Government Fund.

Cllr Tom McNamara (FF) asked if the people of Clare were now to receive a 10 per cent reduction in their motor taxation costs to compensate for the money going to roads.

Each year Clare motorists pay € 30 million in motor taxation through the offices in Clare County Council. Of the money collected just 8.5 per cent of it is spent in Clare.

LPT funding collected in Clare will now also go towards road works.

THE absence of facilities for wheelchair users at the home of Clare GAA will come under microscope at a meeting in Ennis today.

Clare County Council is being asked to write to the Clare County Board to highlight a lack of suitable wheelchair facilities at Cusack Park.

The request comes from independent councillor Ann Norton in the form of a motion to the September meeting of the Ennis Municipal District Committee.

Cllr Norton, who is also the manager of the Barefield based Clare Crusader’s Clinic for children with special needs, is urging the council to write to the county board, “in relation to the lack of wheelchair accessible toilets and the current wheelchair viewing area in Cusack Park Ennis”.

Cllr Norton identifies a number of areas the council should focus in its letter to the GAA.

She queries why there is no wheelchair accessible toilet facilities in the grounds and if the current wheelchair viewing area is up the required health and safety standards.

Cllr Norton also wants the county board to outline proposals for bringing the current “deficiencies in basic facilities up to an acceptable standard- including a provision for a weather protected and adequate viewing are of the pitch – not hindered by fencing”.

She asks that a structure be put in place to ensure “wheelchair users have a genuine formal access to avail of match tickets and parking permits to games both within the county and the country.

“The current system is not acceptable – especially as there is no wheelchair access to Clare GAA headquarters in Clareabbey Clarecastle when applying for tickets,” Ms Norton added.

KILRUSH has been named Ireland’s Tidiest Small Town in this year’s SuperValu National TidyTowns competition.

After seven years of receiving gold medals the town took the ultimate prize in its category and was one of just four towns that could have won the competition outright.

Kilrush was marked against strict adjudication criteria and beat off stiff competition from scores of other small towns throughout Ireland.

Other competition winners included Kilkenny City (Tidiest Large Urban Centre and overall winner), Clonegal, Carlow (Tidiest Village) and Westport, Mayo (Tidiest Large Town).

Speaking following ceremony at The Helix, Mayor of Clare Councillor John Crowe (FG) said the award success was a tribute to the local community in Kilrush and the work they had carried out to improve the appearance of the town.

“Key to Kilrush’s progress in the TidyTowns competition has been the partnership approach that it been adopted locally. There is a broad range of groups and organisations now involved in promoting and enhancing the appearance of the town including the local TidyTowns Committee, TUS scheme participants, staff from Clare County Council, the local business sector, and the people of the town and surrounding areas.”

“I would like to particularly acknowledge Kilrush TidyTowns Committee which has worked tirelessly and selflessly to improve the appearance of Kilrush. The volunteers have toiled throughout the year in various public areas to create and maintain flowerbeds, keeps streets tidy, cut grass and pick up litter. This award further enhances the status of Kilrush as a growing and prosperous town and as an attractive visitor destination,” the Cathaoirleach stated.

Kilrush received 316 points out of a maximum of 450, just four points less than the overall winner and four points ahead of Ennis which is a prevous overall winner.

In its report to Kilrush TidyTowns Committee, the Tidy Towns adjudicators said, “We have to say that our visit to Kilrush will be remembered as one of the highlights in our experience of adjudication over the years. This is because Kilrush itself is a lovely town, and most importantly its people have obviously appreciated that, have striven to retain its character, and continue to improve and move forward in many ways. We consider that you have all the enthusiasm to progress further, based on a solid achievement to date, and we look forward to following your progress in future years.”

There was further success for Clare today when Ennis joined Kilrush in being awarded a Gold Medal.

Meanwhile, Mountshannon received a Silver Medal with Ballynacally, Kilkee and Tuamgraney securing Bronze Medals. Kilrush, Mountshannon and Ennis picked up County Awards, Newmarket-onFergus won the Midwest Endeavour Award, and Ennis was named the overall winner of the Gum Litter Taskforce Award for Large Towns.

Tom Coughlan, Chief Executive of Clare County Council said Clare’s performance in the TidyTowns competition is particularly significant considering the extremely high standards set by the TidyTowns adjudication panel this year.

“TidyTowns helps to improve the visual appearance of Clare towns and villages, while it also acts as a springboard for local communities and the business sector to promote their local areas as a visitor destination. Clare County Council, through its support for Clare participants in the competition and through the funding allocated under the Public Area Enhancement Scheme, is delighted to see that the standards achieved were extremely high this year which is a tribute to everyone involved.”

GARDAÍ have warned that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated in Ennis on Wednesday night when large crowds of young people are expected in the town for a teenage disco.

Extra gardaí will be on duty throughout the town to make sure the event passes off without incident. The annual disco to celebrate the results of the junior cert takes place in the Queens Hotel on Wednesday, September 10, from 7.30 to 10.30pm.

The event is confined to students between 14 and 17 years of age and gardaí say that appropriate attire would be appreciated on the night.

They have issued advice to parents and transport operators ahead of the event.

A LOCAL man who advocates for one of the country’s largest suicide prevention services has paid tribute to the generosity of Clare people.

Tom McEvoy said support given by people in the Banner County is a key reason why Pieta House has been able to expand its services in the West and throughout Ireland.

“Clare people are unbelievable at supporting Pieta,” he said.

Mr McEvoy continued, “We had a great darts night there recently in the Grove Bar in Roslevan, run by Kieran Reidy. I’d like to publicly thank him very much for doing that for his huge efforts. It was huge success. There was nearly € 2,300 raised. For Pieta, that will go straight into therapeutic hours in Limerick. They are helping fellow Clare people down the line.”

Mr McEvoy said the support shown by Clare people to helping Pieta House provide support and coun seling to services to vulnerable people.

“The vision for Pieta is that we are looking to have a Pieta House within 100km of every person in the country. We opened four new centres last year: Roscrea, Cork, Galway, Tuam and Castleisland,” he said.

“That opened a huge part of the country to Pieta. What we are after now is to cover the North West, Donegal. We’re actually calling to people up there. I’m doing a lot of work up there. We’re also talking actively in Waterford where those areas are devoid of any help that we can offer. We’re planning to have those centres up and running. They are fantastic goals and achievable because of the community following we have.”

Mr McEvoy was speaking as new figures show a 44 per cent rise in the number of Clare people that sought help from the Pieta House centre in Limerick during the first six months of 2014, compared to the same period last year. He said greater awareness of suicide and the issues around is enabling more and more people to come forward to seek help for their problems.

“That can be down to people’s confidence and confidentiality. There can be a sense of pride as well; sometimes they wish to remain anonymous in the area where they come. We’re obviously trying to lift the stigma of suicide. Hopefully in time to come people will attend from the localities along with the surrounding areas,” he said.

Pieta House provides a professional, one-to-one therapeutic service for those who are experiencing suicidal ideation or engaging in self-harm.

IT HAS been billed in the national media as the Irish celebrity wedding of the year, but the people of Kilrush were not allowed into their own church during the cermony.

One hundred plus people gathered in Kilrush to see Xposé presenter and former model Glinda Gilson marry Rob McNaughton on Saturday afternoon.

The group of onlookers were just as interested in the guests as they were the blushing bride.

While there was excitement as the celebrity guests gathered, some local people were annoyed that they were not permitted to enter their own parish church by private security guards during the wedding.

Two men wearing black suits and earpieces were on hand to stop photographers and locals stepping inside the gates.

However those gathered made the most of the celeb spotting.

A firm favourite among a group of women that gathered outside St Senan’s Church in Kilrush was X-Factor judge Louis Walsh.

The Mayo man posed happily with his west Clare fans ahead of the nuptials of the 33-year-old television presenter to her partner of three years, Dublin businessman Mr McNaughton.

Wearing an ivory € 10,000 Vera Wang dress with a sweetheartshaped bodice and layers of silk, Ms Gilson was 36 minutes late for the ceremony.

The local crowd were happy enough to wait however spotting celebrities such as Boyzone member and actor Keith Duffy and his wife Lisa, actor Liam Cunningham, models Alison Canavan and Gail Kaneswaran, model and actress Vivienne Connolly, TV presenter Louise Loughman, and celebrity chef Dylan McGrath arriving at the church.

The Xposé presenter finally arrived and posed for photographs inside a car before stepping out to cheers and whistles

The happy couple and guests later travelled to Donald Trump’s Doonbeg resort for their reception.

Ms Gilson is not the first celebrity to be married in Clare in recent times.

Last December, Sterephonics lead singer Kelly Jones wed MTV Journalist Jakki Healy in the same church and also held their reception at Doonbeg.

Meanwhile, in August 2009, Andrea Corr married Brett Desmond in Miltown Malbay. They also had their reception in Doonbeg.

ELDERLY people in West Clare are living in fear of robberies, so much so that one pensioner has taken to sleeping by day so that he is awake by night.

Older people who live alone have become even more fearful following the robbery of a pensioner in his own home in Kilmhil two week ago.

During the malicious attack, the man was tied up by his assailants.

The incident occurred just 20 months after a spate of attacks and robberies of older people in rural West Clare area.

Clare county councillor Ian Lynch (Ind) says more Gardaí visible in these areas would allay a lot of fears and give a life back to people who are now prisoners in their own homes.

The Kilrush-based councillor has hit out at government decisions to close rural Garda stations and poli cies that have resulted in a significant reduction in the number of gardaí.

Cllr Lynch described the decision to close rural stations as “premature, wreckless and showed blatant disregard for rural Ireland”.

“Long before the decision was made we had been warning the then Minister, Alan Shatter, that any reduction in force numbers and closure of local rural stations would have detrimental consequences for the most vulnerable in our rural societies.

“Despite our pleads he went ahead and cut resources and stations, going completely against proven international research which proves that drop in policing numbers sees an increase in crime,” said the new councillor.

“It’s quite evident that this research was correct and now our elderly pensioners are living in fear. The situation has become so worrying that one pensioner has taken to sleeping by day to stay awake by night in fear and to protect his property.

“Our gardaí on the ground are doing a tremendous job and their detection rate is increasing two fold, but this recent crime has shown us that criminals are adopting and are well aware that Garda resources have been stretched. They are now committing malicious crimes in broad daylight because they know the chances of a patrol been in the are slim,” he said.

“Minister Shatter promised in March to replenish rural Garda stations with new mobile Garda offices, a step that would give piece of mind to the most vulnerable. In October he slashed those hopes and cancelled the tender.”

THE SALE of the year in the county has since become the bargain of the year as it emerged that flamboyant US billionaire Donald Trump paid € 6.5 million less for the Greg Norman designed golf course and resort in Doonbeg.

According to the filings with the Companies Office the Trump organization paid just € 8.7m for the luxurious Doonbeg golf resort.

It was previous suspected that the resort had been sold for € 15 million in February to Mr Trump by receivers for the property.

A report filed by the receivers David Hughes and Luke Charleton of accounting firm Ernst and Young – showed that the proceeds from the sale of the exclusive golf destination amounted to slightly more than € 8.7 million.

The property had been developed at an initial cost of € 28m at the turn of the century. It opened in 2002 and is West Clare’s largest employer.

When he arrived in Clare to view his acquisition last May, Mr Trump promised a further € 45 million investment, hundreds more jobs and the extension of the hotel and golf course at Trump International Golf Links and Hotel Ireland.

The sale to Mr Trump included the five-star hotel lodge, seven unsold suites and the Greg Norman-designed golf course.

The sale didn’t include a number of luxury suites that had been sold to investors during the boom and leased back to the hotel.

They bought those suites as investments, expecting to generate annual rental income and capital appreciation.

Approximately 47 suites had been sold to investors at prices ranging between € 1.2m and € 1.8m.

The major investment into the West Clare resort begins shortly when the hotel and golf course will close for the winter season.

As part of the investment, much of the golf course is being redesigned and Donald Trump himself has recently spent time in Doonbeg walking the course with renowned golf course designer Doctor Martin Hawtree.

The highly regarded British-based Hawtree can already boast redesign work on the nearby Lahinch championship course as well as Portmarnock in Dublin and British Open venue Royal Birkdale.