“Having heard all of this you may choose to look the other way but you can never again say that you did not know.” William Wilberforce. (1759 – 1833) TEN years ago this month, the invasion of Iraq was launched. Millions protested all over the world.   They were ignored. Shannon Airport gained a lucrative revenue stream through facilitating the increase in military traffic. Thousands of American people, young and old, passed through the duty free on their way to fight, die, maim and kill on the orders of their government with the permission of ours. Protestation with regard to the moral implications of such facilitation were laughed off by the Irish Government of the time. Fianna Fáil was the main custodian of power so this is hardly surprising, given that party’s somnambulism in the moral aspects of financial acquisition. Late last week, Amnesty International published a report detailing what has gone on in that distant Gulf state since the …

LAST Thursday’s Clare Federation of People with Special Needs AGM heard a presentation that outlined how self-advocacy would benefit people with intellectual disabilities. The report was compiled by service users Joe McGrath (Scariff), chairperson of the Independent National Advocacy Platform and Ger Minogue (Miltown Malbay), along with service professionals Rob Hopkins and Marie Woulfe. “If people depend on an organisation to do your advocating for you, you’re going to end up depending on an individual to start sorting some of your requirements,” Mr McGrath explained. “If people can speak independently and speak on their own behalf, they will go farther but we also have to keep in mind the people who are not so lucky to be able to advocate for themselves,” he added. Joe feels working in the community helps people with intellectual disabilities to meaningfully integrate. He works with Seedsavers in Scariff. “If you’re out working in the community and you’re holding down a job, the job gives …

The most recent figures from the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI) show that approximately 3,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in Ireland every year, with 78 of those being in Clare. The positive news is that survivorship figures are improving with 93% of men surviving five years post diagnosis. This year, in keeping with its ethos of making cancer less frightening by enlightening, the Marie Keating Foundation’s Get Men Talking health campaign will put particular emphasis on survivorship and how men can go on to live full and whole lives following cancer diagnosis and treatment. Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Lillian McGovern, CEO of the foundation, said, “The incidence of prostate cancer in Ireland is similar to that of breast cancer but the breast cancer issue definitely seems to garner more attention. “Through our Men’s Health Month, we at the foundation hope to help to remedy that.“By catching the disease early, you give yourself more treatment …

Minister of State for Tourism, Michael Ring, has said that tourism in Clare would be a natural beneficiary if Irish people continue to take more breaks at home. The minister was launching Fáilte Ireland’s new home holiday campaign in Dublin. The campaign emphasises the variety of festivals and events taking place both in Clare and around the country during 2013, the year of The Gathering. The new home holiday campaign incorporates an animated series of TV ads, radio and print promotion. The national tourism development agency also rolled out a revamped and upgraded Discover Ireland App to accompany an initiative providing free Wi-Fi in tourist information offices around the country. “With visitors from all over the world coming to Ireland this year for The Gathering, there’s every reason for Irish people themselves to stay around and join in with the festivities,” Minister Ring said.“Over the last few years, the tourism sector has served up improved value while maintaining great quality. …

Fianna Fáil’s Justice spokesperson has called for reforms in the free legal aid system and sentencing laws to address re-offenders taking advantage of the free legal aid scheme and inconsistencies in judicial sentences.Deputy Niall Collins explained to the large gathering at the Auburn Lodge Hotel, Ennis, a meeting similar to others across the country, that the free legal aid system was something that frustrates and “exercises people a lot”. Deputy Collins outlined the average budget for the free legal aid scheme is in the region of €50 million, which comes out of the taxpayers’ pocket.“We have a lot of issues of re-offenders availing of the free legal aid system and they seem to be availing of it on a repetitive basis. A lot of people are evading the payment of fines, when you quiz the powers-that-be they tell them that they don’t have the wherewithal to deduct the fines from source, or a contribution towards free legal aid. But the …

Clare’s chief superintendent has revealed there is €5.2m less being spent on gardaí in Clare over the last five-year period. Chief Supt John Kerin said he calculated Clare’s garda budget recently and outlined that €5.2m less was being spent on salaries, overtime budgets and travel subsistence in the county over a five-year period. He said in light of the reduced budget the garda’s achievements in the area of crime reduction were “very good”, with a 33% drop across the 11 broad categories of crime in the same five-year period.  “Despite the popular perception that burglaries are up, they are down 163 over the last five years, or 31%, having said that, there were 364 break ins last year which is on average one a day. Thefts are down 304 crimes but there was still 1,119 thefts in Clare last year, an average of three or four per day. Criminal damage was down 407 but there was still 517. I do …

A claim that extending the Western Rail Corridor to Tuam would cost €20 million less than previously thought was refuted by Iarnród Éireann this week. A spokesperson for the company said the revised projection is not for the original Tuam to Athenry project but a “lesser scheme”.A West on Track spokesman said the group is confident the project would now be included as part of the next national public transport programme as it represented good value for money and would provide a major infrastructural and economic boost for the Tuam-Galway area.“Our understanding is that there is a strong business case for this extension of the Galway commuter rail zone,” adding that there are no plans to turn the Athenry to Claremorris section into a walking route.“The outgoing CEO of Iarnród Éireann, Dick Fearn, told West on Track recently that a greenway would be ‘entirely incompatible’ with any proposed future development of the rail route either for freight or passenger traffic.”“In …

CANADIAN Jessica Ernst gave a presentation entitled Fracking Community at the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis last week. The meeting was attended by a large audience of people from all over Clare.