ELDERLY LADY'S PURSE SNATCHED IN SUPERMARKET

An 82 year old Athlone lady was recovering this week after losing a very substantial quantity of cash when her purse was snatched in a well known local supermarket.

The woman's son told the Observer that she had left her bag open for a brief few moments in the store while she leaned down to pick up a packet of pancakes.

He said a young woman had leaned over near her, and when she later went to pay for her goods, she discovered that her purse was missing.

The elderly lady had a substantial quantity of cash in her bag at the time because she had just drawn down her pension for the month.

Her son said the Gardai had been called. He said he had got in touch with the Manager of the Store to inquire if the incident or the young woman had been recorded on security camera.

The son said he had been shocked when the Manager told him there wasn't any tape in the camera.

The woman's house keys were also in the snatched purse, along with a number of personal mementoes of great sentimental value.

She had to get the locks to her house changed that very evening.

According to her son, he was annoyed when he heard that his mother had to pay for the groceries she had chosen.

"She's been going there since the place opened," he pointed out.

He said his mother was "very very shocked" from her ordeal, but was recovering.

The case has highlighted the need for people to be as vigilant in shops as they would be on the street, and to try and avoid carrying large quantities of cash around with them.

McFADDEN CALLS FOR PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS AT NORTHGATE ST., THE CRESCENT AND BOWER SCHOOL

At the recent monthly meeting of Athlone Town Council, Cllr Nicky McFadden urged the Council to put pedestrian crossings in place at Northgate St., The Crescent and the Bower Secondary School, so as to avoid a fatality.

She was told by official reply that a pedestrian crossing had been installed on the Dr Dobbs side of Northgate St. in 2005. It said provision of a further crossing at the junction of Custume Place and Northgate St. would be considered in the context of the one way traffic scheme for the town centre.

The reply said the provision of pedestrian facilities at the Bower School was being examined by traffic engineers on behalf of the Sainte Union. It was envisaged that they would put forward proposals.

Cllr McFadden said that, regarding Northgate St., she was thinking of a pedestrian crossing between Dillon's Shoe Shop and the Bank on the opposite side, which was near where most people crossed the road.

The Dr Dobbs pedestrian crossing was too far back, she said.

Cllr McFadden said she thought the other crossing near Custume Place would be a long time coming.

Regarding the Crescent, Cllr McFadden reminded the Council that there were two schools in the vicinity.

The proposed Railway Field development would be far too late in coming, she said. Pedestrian crossings should be put in immediately and could then be amended whenever the Railway Field Road came along.

She said she didn't accept the length of time suggested by the Town Clerk, John Walsh.

Cllr Austin Berry said he supported Cllr McFadden. He said he knew how difficult it was to cross roads such as Northgate St.

"Cars don't slow down, even when the lights are red," he said.

NAUGHTEN ASKS IF CALLOWS LANDOWNERS WILL BE COMPENSATED

In the Dail recently, Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche, if payment would issue to landowners in the Shannon Callows as a result of special protection measures for designated species of birds on their lands.

The question of how much compensation should be paid has been the subject of a protracted dispute between landowners and the Department of the Environment.

In a written reply, Minister Dick Roche said his Department would compensate farmers for all "proven costs incurred or losses sustained as a result of complying with the management requirements of the Shannon Callows Special Protection Scheme."

Minister Roche said that where standard rates of payment could be agreed, these would be available to farmers as an alternative to individual costings.

"The Corncrake Grant Scheme funded by my Department with payment based on a one year agreement will continue to be available in 2006 before being replaced under the new arrangements," said the Minister.

GOVERNMENT CLOSE TO GOAL OF UPGRADING ALL RURAL WATER SCHEMES - CALLANAN

Fianna Fail East Galway TD Joe Callanan welcomed almost 20 Million euro in investment on the upgrading of rural water schemes in East Galway, pointing out that the figure was 12 times higher than that spent in 1997.

Deputy Callanan said he echoed Minister Dick Roche's words that he was "confident that we have broken the back of the problem."

He said the 2006 allocations removed any financial impediment on progress towards full compliance with EU drinking water standards in Co. Galway.

Deputy Callanan described the 19.2 Million euro capital programme in East Galway for 2006 as the most ambitious and challenging yet.

He said the main target of the 2006 work programme was to accelerate the delivery of improved water supplies to rural households connected to group schemes with sub-standard sources.

Deputy Callanan said funding was being given this year for the completion of new group water scheme treatment and disinfection plants, with water treatment plants serving households in Galway to be advanced through planning.

Deputy Callanan said up to half of these plants would start construction in 2006, while deficient group water schemes would be taken into public charge by County Councils.

"I hope this will further increase the quality of life in rural Galway and will boost the water quality so that the entire county is EU compliant," said Deputy Callanan.

NEW SCHEME OF PRIORITIES ON COUNCIL TENANT BEHAVIOUR

Athlone Town Council has produced a new housing forum work plan, which lists a scheme of priorities governing the circumstances under which Council tenants can be evicted for bad behaviour.

The Council's Housing Officer, Mr Billy Coughlan, told Cllrs that the Council had had to identify a list of priorities which would govern best practice in the area. Drugs had been placed as the highest priority; other instances of anti-social behaviour also figured highly as reasons which might lead to the removal of a tenant from a Council house.

Issues such as littering, rubbish and bad maintenance of a dwelling had been assigned a lower priority on the list. Mr Coughlan said the document was being put forward on a county wide basis, so it would also govern Westmeath County Council houses.

Mayor Kieran Molloy said he would certainly support the adoption of the document. He said a lot of good work had been done, and residents' association and the Gardai were very involved in drawing up the proposals.

"There certainly are cost implications for the Council, but it's all very worthwhile."

Cllr Kevin Boxer Moran seconded the proposal.

Cllr Nicky McFadden said she would support the document but didn't agree with the assigning of a low priority to rubbish and maintenance. Something had to be done about these issues, she said.

Cllr Egbert Moran said matters such as drug offences were the concern of the law, not the Council. "I see where the Council's coming from," he said, "but basically, it's a law and order issue."

Mayor Molloy said the Gardai were represented on the relevant Task Force, and had had a lot of discussion with residents' groups.

Cllr Egbert Moran said that at the end of the day, the Council would be calling on the Gardai to deal with law and order situations.

Mayor Molloy said the Council also had a responsibility to deal with anti-social behaviour. "We'll be threatening tenants with eviction," he said.

The Town Clerk, Mr John Walsh, said Council policy on these issues had to be carried out in association with other relevant agencies.

Mr Coughlan said the Council was responsible for the tenants it put into its houses. They had to deal with anti-social behaviour in terms of the tenancies of houses. "That's what we mean by anti-social behaviour," he said.

Mr Coughlan said the ultimate repercussion for any tenant of a local authority was eviction, and the Council was in court the following day in relation to two separate cases.

He said he agreed with Cllr McFadden that issues of rubbish and maintenance were very important.

He said that once the new Housing Liaison Officer was appointed, the Council would be visiting every house annually to carry out a cursory inspection.

"We're just saying it's a lower priority than the first four points on the document," he said.

He said it was planned to produce a training programme for tenants before they went into new houses.

Cllr Ray Lennon asked where the tenants involved in the court cases the following day would end up if they were evicted. He asked if they would end up back on the Council lists.

Mr Coughlan said people evicted by the Council were not entitled to Council accommodation.

However, he said, the Council did not leave anybody out on the street. "We provide accommodation. It might not be what they want, but we don't leave children out on the street."

Mr Coughlan said the Council would welcome extra support from the other agencies involved in providing housing.

Cllr Austin Berry had concerns in the area of the tenant training course. He wondered if tenants would be expected to carry out electrical or plumbing repairs.

"A person who wasn't well up on these things could cause a lot of damage if they're not done properly," he said.

Mr Coughlan said the purpose of the training course was to encourage tenants to carry out minor repairs.

Carrying out any electrical work would be discouraged, and the Council had a 24 hour response to deal with electrical problems.

In the area of plumbing, they had a 24 hour response for the fixing of leaks. He said the Council would expect people to fix a tap or to mend a catch that had fallen off a window, "but if they don't, it's not the end of the world."

HOGAN ADDRESSES SF ARD FHEIS ON IRISH LANGUAGE

At the recent Ard Fheis of Sinn Fein, held in the RDS, Dublin, Athlone Cllr and general election candidate Paul Hogan spoke against the abolition of the Irish language as a compulsory Leaving Cert subject.

Cllr Hogan attacked Fine Gael proposals to reform the teaching of Irish, saying that these would not be in the interests of promoting the language.

"If Fine Gael wants to abolish the teaching of the language, that's their prerogative and they are entitled to that view," he said.

He added that in the interests of promoting the language, the present Government should initiate an all Ireland approach to maximise the use of Irish and make it attractive to every citizen.

"It is heartening to see local groups in Westmeath taking innovative measures to increase their use of the language," he said.

"Local youth groups, which will hold their meetings through the medium of Irish, are in the process of being set up."

Cllr Hogan added "I envisage a day when more and more Irish youth clubs, 'Battle of the Bands' and other youth organisations will converse through our native tongue."

INDISCRIMINATE DUMPING NEAR MICK McQUAID'S BRIDGE

At the recent monthly meeting of Athlone Town Council, Mayor Kieran Molloy called on Waterways Ireland to secure the entry to the Canal and River from Mick McQuaid's Bridge on the West Side, so as to prevent illegal dumping.

He was told that the Council would write to Waterways Ireland.

Mayor Molloy said a barrier placed at the Bridge had been knocked, and since then wholesale dumping had been going on in the area.

The Town Clerk, Mr John Walsh, suggested contacting the Regional Fisheries Board on the issue, since they had put a road into the area.

Cllr Kevin Boxer Moran said he had spoken to the OPW on the matter, and been told that the land in question belonged to the Town Council.

He suggested that rather then writing, the Council should put its own gate up in the area.

Mayor Molloy said the Town Clerk had shown him the maps of the area, which clearly showed who owned the lands.

Cllr Moran said he agreed with the Town Clerk.