Shannon Town Council Meeting Minutes February 2005

COMHAIRLE BHAILE NA SIONNA
(Shannon Town Council)

Minutes of the February monthly meeting of the Shannon Town Council held in the Shannon Town Hall on Tuesday February 1st 2005.

Councillor Greg Duff, Méara Bhaile, presided.
Present were Councillors McCarthy, Lambert, Flynn, McKee, McLoughlin, Mulcahy, Hillery and McMahon.

In attendance : Mr. Ger Dollard - Town Manager and Tomás Mac Cormaic - Town Clerk.

1/02/’05 Minutes of January Monthly Meeting.

Proposed by Cllr. Flynn, seconded by Cllr. McCarthy and resolved;
“that the minutes of the January monthly meeting of the Shannon Town Council held in the Shannon Town Hall at 6.30 p.m. on Tuesday January 4th 2005, having been circulated, be adopted and signed by the Méara Bhaile.”

2/02/’05 Correspondence.

1. A letter from McFadden Funfairs seeking the use of the area behind Tir na nÓg Playground for a Funfair was read and noted. The Council does not consider this area to be a suitable location for a Funfair. The Town Clerk would communicate this information to McFaddens and suggest that they seek a Funfair location from one of the other land owners in the vicinity of Shannon.
2. A letter from Carrick on Suir Town Council relating to the process of recycling used by Recycling Companies was read and noted. It was agreed that this matter be referred to Clare County Council.
3. An invitation from the President of the Elizabeth, New Jersey Emerald Society for Shannon Town Council to be represented at the Elizabeth St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday March 13th was read and noted. It was proposed by Cllr. McCarthy, seconded by Cllr. Hillery and resolved ; “that the Méara Bhaile and the Town Clerk attend this parade.”

3/02/’05 Annual Financial Statement.

It was proposed by Cllr. Lambert, seconded by Cllr. Hillery and resolved;
“that it be noted that the Annual Financial Statement of Income and Expenditure for the Shannon Town Council for the year ended December 31st 2004 has been completed.”

4/02/’05 Report from Area Council Meeting.

Following a request from the Shannon Town Council, the Shannon Electoral Area Councillors agreed that the agenda for Area Council meetings would be circulated, prior to the meeting, to members of the Shannon Town Council and the Méara Bhaile would give a verbal report to the Town Councillors on matters discussed at the Area Council meetings relevant to the town of Shannon. Replies to the Area Council Meetings would also be available on the Shannon Wedsite.

The Méara Bhaile brought to the attention of the Councillors the problems caused by bonfires during the period around Halloween. There are far too many bonfires, most of which are unsupervised. Residents have been using the bonfires as a method of disposing many items, some of them toxic such as old car tyres and old mattresses. The cost to Clare County Council for cleaning up after the bonfires came to €12,467.84, money which could be put to much better use. Matters such as flooding, sewerage, footpaths and speed limits were discussed and information on these is available on the website.

5/02/’05 Reports from M.P.C. Chairpersons.

Cllr. McMahon reporting on the M.P.C. with responsibility for Industry, Tourism and Development reported that this committee are actively investigating the possibility of starting a Voluntary Social Housing Scheme.
This committee also proposes to produce a regular newsletter on council activities, aims and achievements.

Cllr. McLoughlin, Chairman of the M.P.C. with responsibility for Environmental and Community Affairs reported that Cathal Dillon the Youth Offices has been drafted on to this committee. Preparations are well advanced for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade which will start from Wolfe Tones G.A.A. Club Car Park at 2.00 p.m. and finish at the Town Centre. An area has been agreed with Sky Court for the Reviewing Stand.

6/02/’05 Surface Car Parking.

Proposed by Cllr. Hillery and seconded by Cllr. Mulcahy (who declared he was only seconding the motion for discussion purposes) at the January meeting but deferred to this meeting for final consideration;
“that Shannon Town Council would initiate legislation for the immediate introduction of Disc Parking in specific areas of Shannon Town.”

Cllr. Hillery withdrew this motion and instead proposed
“that in anticipation of the future need for public car parking spaces in the vicinity of the Town Centre, a study be carried out as to the possibility of providing these spaces, including the cost factor, and a report be submitted to the May meeting of the Council.”
This was seconded by Cllr. Lambert and resolved .

7/02/’05 Bye Laws to Limit Areas for Bonfires.

Proposed by Cllr. McCarthy, seconded by Cllr. Hillery and resolved;
“that Shannon Town Council introduce Bye Laws which will allow for the permitting and designation of specific areas for bonfires.”

8/02/’05 Footpath from Aidan Park to the Bus Stop near Oakwood Arms Hotel.

Proposed by Cllr. Hillery and Cllr. Flynn, seconded by Cllr. McMahon and resolved;
“that the upgrading of the footpath serving Aidan Park to the Bus Stop on Bothar Mór (vicinity of Oakwood Arms Hotel) be undertaken immediately as this footpath is in a dangerous condition and that a program of cleaning all footpaths in Shannon be initiated due to their dangerous and slippery condition which could lead to an accident.”

9/02/’05 Residential Car Parking Spaces.

Proposed by Cllr. Flynn, seconded by Cllr. McCarthy and resolved;
“that Shannon Town Council request an update from Clare County Council as to what progress has been made in providing car-parking spaces for residents of Shannon who were overlooked under the management regime of Shannon Development.”

10/02/’05 Drumgeely Playground Area.

Proposed by Cllr. McLoughlin, seconded by Cllr. McCarthy and resolved;
“that Clare County Council revamp the old playground and all the area around the Park Hall to ensure safety for people walking, for children and for accessories of people with disabilities.”

11/02/’05 Refurbishment of Rented Accommodation.

Proposed by Cllr. Lambert, seconded by Cllr. McCarthy and resolved;
“that Clare County Council provide an update on the progress to date in refurbishing rented accommodation including the units handed over from Shannon Development Co.”
The Manager replying to this motion said that the windows and doors in the old County Council Housing Stock have been taken care of and the heating systems are currently being death with. Contracts will be issued in the immediate future for repairs and replacements to housing stock inherited from Shannon Development Co. The refurbishment of the Flats and Apartments inherited from Shannon Development Company is currently with the design team.

12/02/’05 Automatic External Defibrillator Scheme.

Proposed by Cllr. McKee, seconded by Cllr. Lambert and resolved;
“that Clare County Council be asked to support a pilot project in Shannon for a community based ‘First Responder’ A.E.D.(Automatic External Defibrillator) Scheme.

13/02/’05 Public Lights in Free Zone.

Proposed by Cllr. McCarthy, seconded by Cllr. Hillery and resolved;
“that Shannon Town Council request Shannon Development to repair all the public lights in the Free Zone and put in place a system that will ensure that when lights fail the problem will be rectified immediately in the interest of safety.”

14/02/’05 Exploitation of Migrants in Private Homes.

Proposed by Cllr. Duff, seconded by Cllr. Lambert and resolved;
“following the publication by the “Migrants Rights Centre” of their report ‘Private Homes - A Public Concern’ Shannon Town Council call on the government to set up a special section, with an increase in the staff, at the Labour Inspectorate to investigate exploitation in the private home.”

15/02/’05 Town Market

Proposed by Cllr. Lambert, seconded by Cllr. Hillery and resolved;
“that Shannon Town Council examine the feasibility of establishing a market in Shannon.”
In regard to this, an email had been received from Michael Gleeson of EIRI Corca Baiscin who has plans to set up a Farmers Market in Shannon this Spring. While the Council’s idea of a market would not be confined to farm products they would welcome a discussion with Mr. Gleeson on a town market which would include items made by local crafts-persons.”.

16/02/’05 Shannon Doc Service.

Proposed by Cllr. McLoughlin, seconded by Cllr. Mulcahy and resolved;
“that Shannon Town Council write to the Health Authority asking them to consider extending the Shannon Doc Service in Shannon in order to facilitate the people of Shannon who have to travel to Ennis for the present Shannon Doc Service.”

17/02/’05 Speed Limits at Schools.

Proposed by Cllr. McKee, seconded by Cllr. McCarthy and resolved;
“that Shannon Town Council support the call for lower speed limits at all schools.”

18/02/’05 Social Welfare Service.

Proposed by Cllr. McMahon, seconded by Cllr. Flynn and resolved;
“that the Department of Social Welfare provide facilities in Shannon for people to register for Social Welfare payments and to ensure that people expected to sign-on on a regular basis can continue to do so in Shannion.

19/02/’05 Road Through Town Centre via Seán Lemass Library.

Proposed by Cllr. McMahon, seconded by Cllr. McCarthy and resolved”
that the status and responsibility for the upkeep of the road through the Town Centre, via the Library, be outlined to Shannon Town Council.”
The Town Manager confirmed that this road is the responsibility of the Town Centre Company.

Sínithe ag Tomás Mac Cormaic __________Ar an 8/2/05
Cléireach an Bhaile