Tag Archives: lorraine higgins

By Nicola Corless As the final week of canvassing begins for Elections 2014, we take a look at the local candidates in the Loughrea Electoral Area Eight seats are up for grabs in the Loughrea Electoral Area, which extends from Kinvara to Kiltullagh and on to Kilreekill, Abbeygormacan, Derrrew, Kilquan and Tiranascragh. Thirteen candidates are in the running in the constituency, to represent an electorate of 37,416. In 2009, the total electorate was just shy of 31,000 for the then seven-seat constituency. Since the boundary change, Athenry has moved into the Oranmore-Athenry area and, with it, sitting Councillor in the Loughrea Electoral Area, Fine Gael’s Peter Feeney. Fine Gael is running four candidates in the new electoral area, including three sitting councillors, Michael ‘Moegie’ Maher, Loughrea; Jimmy McClearn, Killimor and Bridie Willers, Ardrahan. Joe Byrne from Kinvara is a first-time candidate but with strong family ties to the party. Fianna Fáil has put forward three candidates: Shane Donnellan from Loughrea; …

CONTRACTS for the construction of the Gort to Tuam motorway are being finalised this week. There were indications that the contracts could be signed this Thursday but this has not been confirmed by the National Roads Authority, who will be signing the contracts with the Public Private Partnership Company. NRA spokesperson, Sean O’Neill said he “expects the signing of the contracts to take place in the coming weeks”. The project is valued at €550 million and will extend the M18 motorway from Shannon to Tuam. Local Fianna Fáil councillor, Gerry Finnerty said he wants to see the contracts signed as quickly as possible and is hopeful local people will be employed on the project. “People want to know what is going on with this and people want to get working. People here want the contract signed so that the work could be advertised and contractors be taken on. We have a lot of lorry drivers, machine drivers and so on, …

SENATOR Lorraine Higgins has called for the provision of free car parking in Gort and other South and East Galway towns in the lead-up to Christmas to help boost town centre trade. The Labour senator has also urged Galway County Council to provide a public car park in Kinvara to tackle its ongoing problem with a lack of parking. “People are moving past towns like Athenry, Loughrea, Gort and Portumna to shop. Why not have free parking in the towns from now until Christmas, in order to give a much-needed shot in the arm for those businesses. I am proposing this as a potential way to give them a boost before Christmas,” she said. “If we are to make a difference to town centres, particularly if we are to protect our small shops, then free parking is exactly the kind of measure that needs to be introduced in the run-up to Christmas,” Senator Higgins added. According to the Athenry woman, …