IT’S not an entirely new concept but the debate around Shannon Development, Shannon Airport Authority and the Shannon Foynes Port Company all singing from the same hymn sheet has been given new impetus.

Coming on the back of recommendations in the report from the Denis Brosnan-chaired Mid-West Task Force, Clare political figures have given their blessing to a proposal that the three key institutions should work in closer harmony, overseen by a single board or authority to be appointed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation.
It would be innovative indeed, should the department get the agencies to work closer together and avoid unnecessary overlap or waste of valuable resources in terms of finance and manpower, as each strives to revive the Mid-West’s economy.
Minister Batt O’Keeffe, rather than wielding the big stick, has asked the agencies to engage in discussions with a view to the establishment of a parent body under which they would interact.
Minister for Defence, Tony Killeen believes this is a good approach while his Fianna Fáil colleague Timmy Dooley favours adopting the CIE model where the parent company has overall control over three independently run companies, Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann and Dublin Bus.
Both Fine Gael deputies, Pat Breen and Joe Carey, are broadly supportive, saying it is a matter of something new having to be done to reverse the economic decline. In particular, they are far from happy with the current situation at Shannon Airport and hold to the view that the €10 travel tax is doing untold damage to the airline industry.
Minister O’Keeffe’s  proposal has considerable merit in these recessionary times and draws attention to the need to fully exploit the infrastructural assets of the region. A port on the south bank of the Shannon Estuary, promoted along with an international airport on the northern side, would open up opportunities to grow passenger and cargo traffic at a time when Shannon certainly needs some hope to cling to.
With a big emphasis on Shannon Airport in Clare, the importance of Shannon Foynes Port to the economy of the Mid-West is often overlooked.  The port company is, in fact, Ireland’s largest bulk port operation.
On Friday, September 24 the port company will host the Irish Ports Association’s annual conference, which will help set out a roadmap for how Irish ports will play a leading role in an export-led economic recovery. Noel Dempsey, Minister for Transport, as well as Conor Murphy Minister for Regional Development Northern Ireland, will attend the conference. This year’s event is one of the most critical for decades given the importance of Irish ports in helping to drive Ireland out of the severe downturn, according to port company chief executive, Pat Keating
“The conference theme is Ports policy for an export led recovery and when you take it that 98% of volume and 80% of value of all goods that are exported out of Ireland travel by sea, then it is easy understand just why our ports will be so important,” he said.
As we look towards finding ways of clawing our way out of the recession, all well-founded proposals from political, business or any other sources must be given careful consideration. Minister O’Keeffe, at the very least, has County Clare and the Mid-West on his mind.

Community endeavour rewarded

THE results of the National Tidy Towns Awards provide strong evidence that community spirit is alive and well in County Clare.
While all credit and congratulations must go to the small community of Tallanstown in County Louth on achieving the ultimate accolade as Ireland’s Tidiest Town, the time and effort involved is replicated in towns and villages across the country.  So it is in County Clare where the level of effort is reflected in the fact that quite a number of Tidy Towns committees came tantalising close to the 308 points garnered by Tallanstown.
A winner of the overall award in 2005, Ennis, with 305 points, took the Mid-West regional award and the County Clare award, along with a gold medal in the large town category. Kilrush, with 300 points, also struck gold its category.
In the village category, it was silver for Ballynacally with 302 points, while Mountshannon topped the bronze medallist. Several other awards and commendations have also come Clare’s way.
Climbing up the points ladder in the Tidy Towns competition is a very difficult process, something that doesn’t just happen overnight. It is the result of dedication and teamwork within communities. A small core group drives some campaigns while others have wider support, thereby spreading the workload. In many centres, local authorities and local employment schemes play an important part in the Tidy Towns process.
The high achievers in Clare are leading by example in showing what it takes to make a big impression. It starts on the approach roads where trees and flowerbeds can set the tone. Then the public areas, streets, greens or parks, have to be kept spic and span. That’s for the committee to oversee. However, it’s down to individual responsibility when it comes to maintaining shops and houses, whether they are private or local authority. It’s the sum of the many parts that judges consider in totting up the marks.
Tidy Towns provides a yardstick by which to measure community endeavour and County Clare certainly stands up well to scrutiny.