€48k raised in Clare for FF

Fianna Fáil supporters in Clare provided the highest contribution in the country to the party, totalling more than €48,000 in church gate collections and ticket sales last year.

 

Despite the political meltdown in the 2011 General Election, which resulted in the loss of 58 Dáil seats, a deep-rooted loyalty among party supporters and members remains in the county.

This is illustrated by the fact the party raised €16,860 in church gate collections and €31,250 in the national draw. This ensured the Clare constituency easily topped the poll as the best net contributor to the party coffers nationwide.

In fact, Clare Fianna Fáil treasurer Mary O’Dwyer was presented with an award for the party’s church gate collection last year, while Marion Coughlan-Flynn accepted an award on behalf of the Clare organisation for the national draw ticket sales for central party funds.

Clare also has the highest number of cumman in the country, with 90 branches in the county. The 74th Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis took place last weekend at the RDS, where over 4,000 delegates from across the country attended, with around 100 members travelling from Clare.

While there was some media controversy surrounding the use of the iconic World War II picture of US marines raising the Stars and Stripes on Iwo Jima, illustrated on the cover of the current edition of Cuisla, the members’ internal magazine, Clare raised the Banner significantly at the weekend’s activities.

“The event was a tremendous success, with the party undertaking its internal elections through the mechanism of one member, one vote for the first time in its history,” said Clare Constituency delegate Gerry Reidy from Ennistymon.

“The large attendance deliberated on many key issues including the economy, education, enterprise, agriculture and health. Members are now at the core of party decisions. Key internal decisions were taken on the election of future party leaders and Fianna Fáil’s process to enter possible future coalition governments” he added.

The theme of the Árd Fheis was ‘A Fairer Way to Recovery’ and focused on tackling the mortgage crisis, protecting community services, supporting rural Ireland and ending socially regressive cuts that are damaging recovery.

There was overwhelming support last year for plans to change how the party does its business, which was seen in practice with hundreds of motions voted on by delegates under the one member, one vote system, including one giving party membership a say in any future programmes for government.

There were several motions put forward from the Clare organisation. Among them, the Kilnamona Cumann had a motion passed by the Árd Fheis calling for a ban on the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing in search of shale gas, until it is proven to be absolutely safe, with no negative environmental impact. Both Eoin Neylon and Garrett Greene addressed the Árd Fheis to speak in support of the ban.

Mr Neylon challenged many of the engineering assumptions presented in support of the practice.

Mr Greene made the point that licensing the practice in a location like West Clare, where there are believed to be rich reserves of shale gas, would render land in the area worthless.