Tag Archives: TD

DEPUTY Michael Harty has confirmed that he favours allowing abortion in certain circumstances but not in the latter stages of pregnancy. In an interview with The Clare Champion, Dr Harty said as much as possible needs to be done around education and provision of contraception to ensure that women are not left in what he called an “unenviable position”. He said, “I am male and I will never have to consider having an abortion and I think that’s an important factor, when males are speaking about this issue. “We don’t know what the wording of the referendum is going to be so it’s difficult to comment on how one will vote, when one doesn’t know the wording of what legislation is proposed to define the circumstances under which termination of pregnancy is going to be allowed. We have to wait for that, before we can make a definitive decision on how to vote.” While Dr Harty favours allowing terminations in …

PLANNING approval for a controversial Cooraclare mast, linked to claims by recently elected TD, Dr Michael Harty of serious problems with his own internet connection, is now on hold. An Bord Pleanála has been asked to take a fresh look at Clare County Council’s decision to grant Brian Sexton of Clare Broadband planning permission to retain a broadband mast at Cloonreddan, Cooraclare. One of the original objectors, Angela Collins, has lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanála. In a letter to the council on July 20 last, Dr Harty and his wife, Geraldine, a registered nurse, expressed a number of personal objections. They stated it was disappointing that a letter sent by the council concerning this unauthorised development was met by defiance and, instead of removing it, the owner/operator chose to develop it further instead. “Our Vodafone service has been severely limited since this mast was erected. Several telephone calls to the service provider have resulted in no improvement. “As …

Residents on the outskirts of Clonlara, who have been left marooned by rising flood waters, have urged Agriculture Minister not to forget them ahead of Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. Minister Coveney visited some residents in a flat bottom boat with the help of the Irish Defence Forces early on Sunday morning. The Cork Deputy, who was the first government representative to visit the devastated community, since it began to flood nearly a month ago, spoke to householders,  who are cut off from their homes due to the flooding of a local access road. Standing with the minister in the river of water surrounding her home, resident, Lisa Griffin asked the minister to save the community from the regular incidence of flooding, which first started in 1995. When the ESB-operated Parteen Weir reaches capacity, the company releases excess volumes of water, which in turn results in Springfield and the wider Clonlara area becoming flooded. “If you are going to protect Athlone you are going …

CLARE TD Michael McNamara has launched a scathing attack on his party’s front bench saying that  all but one of them need to go as soon as possible. While the rivalry between Eamon Gilmore and Joan Burton has been simmering for at least three years now, he feels that neither of them should hold the leadership of the party. Speaking to The Champion tonight, he said that it’s time for a huge clear out. “If we remain in Government I think there’s a case to be made for Brendan Howlin given his portfolio but for the rest, everyone’s time comes, mine will come too.” He says that Labour must heed the election results and not dismiss them as part of a normal electoral cycle. “We have to listen to the people and it’s not just a mid term thing, there’s a lot of disillusionment about promises that were broken. ” While he acknowledged that Labour would probably have suffered from …