Tag Archives: councillors

THE Ennis Municipal District is to motor ahead with exploring suitable locations for the development of overnight parking for motor-homes near the town centre. Both Ballyalla and Ballybeg lakes have been flagged as potentially suitable sites for the venture which, if it goes ahead, is expected to result in an economic boost. Mayor of Ennis, Councillor Paul Murphy has led the calls for the facility saying holidaymakers don’t just want to visit seaside locations. He pointed out that the ‘staycation’ market needs to be targeted “particularly in these current times as foreign travel will not be very prevalent for the foreseeable future.” He outlined that the main requirements are a chemical toilet discharge point, regular wastewater discharge and running water. “The fees recouped would be year round and a facility like this would bring additional business to Ennis. Similar facilities currently exist in Cobh and Bantry and have proven to be a great success.” Eamon O’Dea, Senior Executive Engineer replied, …

CLARE County Council saved more than €400,000, as a result of the abolition of three town councils and the reduction of 40 councillors since the local elections last May. Councillor Johnny Flynn had called for a report from head of finance, Niall Barrett, on savings following the abolition of the three town councils and the reduction in numbers from 68 to 28 councillors, since the mid-2014 elections. He also asked what reductions to Clare and Ennis town rates can be expected in 2016, as a result of these and other associated efficiencies that were predicted to be achieved, following the 2014 Local Government Reform package. According to Mr Barrett, payments to councillors in 2013 were €1,266,000; in 2014, €1,063,000, and this year, the cost is expected to be €858,000 – the first full year that the council is operating as a single entity – a saving of €408,000. Mr Barrett added that it should also be noted that the Local …

ENNIS councillors have backed a motion calling on Clare County Council to introduce a rent waiver scheme that would give traders who set up business, in premises that are vacant for more than two years, a 75% rate cut in year one, a 50% rate cut in year two and a 25% rate cut in year three. Councillor Tom McNamara called for a three-year commitment by the council on rates and for the council to put pressure on landlords to “do something to get the town back in action”. He said such schemes had been successful elsewhere and asked his fellow local councillors to push it strongly at council level. Councillor Pat Daly supported the proposal and said it would be better to see some money being collected and would help to sustain new developing retail units. Councillor Mary Howard said she agreed with the spirit of the motion and called on landlords to look at their rents for new …

POLLING was relatively slow at Waterpark House in Ennis late this morning. One retired gentleman said that Sinn Féín’s Liadh Ní Riada was getting his number one in the European election. He said that in his opinion voting is crucial and that it will be his first time voting Sinn Féin. “Always and ever I voted, my background would have been Fianna Fáil but I’ve changed my voting pattern in the last few elections. I voted Fine Gael in the last election and I can’t see myself voting for them ever again.” He has been very unimpressed by the Government and said that the performance of Labour has been very poor. “Their default position in any argument is ‘sure look at the mess we were left with’. They created voting fodder out of the middle classes, the Guards, the nurses, people like that, for Sinn Féin.” Nuala Rice also said it’s important that everyone with a vote uses it. “Of …

LEGAL costs which could be more than €500,000 for Ennis Town Council’s defence of two High Court challenges to national legislation are “significant cause for concern” for the local authority. In 2013 Ennis Town Council were involved in two separate cases as a defendant. One case related to the Ennis Casual Trading Bylaws 2011, representing a challenge to the Casual Trading Act 1995 and in particular the status of casual trading on market rights. The council incurred legal costs of €147,000 in relation to this matter. Currently, the council is involved in a separate High Court case regarding the deregulation of the taxi regime. A number of sample cases are being heard in relation to this, including one involving Ennis. The legal costs relating to this are estimated to be in the region of between €300,000 and €450,000. Concern about the cost of the legal battles in defending national legislation to the local authority was outlined at this week’s meeting …