Clare town councils should be recognised, says new mayor

AN appropriate civic ceremony marking the contribution of four town councils to their communities should be hosted by Clare County Council before the next local elections, according to the county’s new First Citizen.

Councillor Joe Arkins, who was elected as the new Mayor of Clare without a vote at the annual general meeting on Friday, acknowledged the abolition of Ennis, Shannon, Kilrush and Kilkee Town Councils would leave a void, which he doesn’t totally support.

The first Ruan resident to become mayor proposed the roll of honour in the foyer of Aras an Chláir should pay tribute to all town councillors who have served as elected representatives many on a totally voluntary basis.

He stressed the reform of local government, which will provide one single administrative authority for Clare, should provide boundaries not for the electoral needs of any councillor but should be fit for the purpose of the communities they served.

Acknowledging the ­integration of Town Council services at county council level represents a major challenge for the 2014 council, he pointed out management teams are ­working through the amalgamation of services, including planning, housing, financial services, traffic management and IT systems in the run up to the replacement of town councils in 2014 by the municipal districts.

He plans to visit as many communities as possible during his term as mayor and to champion districts, which are bringing about positive change at local level by giving recognition to their achievements.

He became the fourth Fine Gael Mayor of Clare following in the footsteps of Madeleine Taylor-Quinn in 2003, Tony Mulcahy in 2009 and the first party representative, Micheál Brennan in 1920.

It is believed the election of the new mayor and deputy mayor, John Crowe, was the first occasion in modern times where two Fine Gael representatives were elected to two of the top posts in the council.

In his wide-ranging address, he stressed, in addition to providing the basic public services, the council must also lay the groundwork for sustainable employment and enrich social, cultural and economic development.

He said it is vital the council was defined not by the recession but how the authority responded to its challenges.

“Clare people have a tremendous community spirit and resilience. Clare is blessed with talented people in public service, business, farming, the arts and, particularly, in the community and the voluntary sector.

“There is no greater honour for a Clare citizen than to be elected mayor and I respect and appreciate the responsibilities of this office.

“I have been involved in political activity of one sort or another all my life. I have been driven by a desire to see and to help bring about a better community.

“Councillors all want a safe and prosperous county for our children and future generations and we are all elected to work together to achieve this,” he said.

Proposing Councillor Arkins for the position of Mayor, Councillor Tony Mulqueen recalled his great-grandfather, John Arkins, was a member of the first council in 1899 and 100 years later, the Ruan resident followed in his footsteps by winning a seat for the first time on the local authority in 1999.

Councillor Mulqueen expressed confidence the new mayor would uphold the traditions of the past while rising to the challenges of the future.

Seconding the proposal, Councillor PJ Kelly (FF) predicted the new mayor would be honest and fair and represent the county very well.

County manager Tom Coughlan pledged to work in partnership with the new mayor and predicted he would have a very busy year as the council enters a period of transition providing one administrative body in the county, despite a major reduction in resources.

The former psychiatric nurse and part-time farmer served on the Mid-Western Health Board and was SIPTU branch secretary for the Clare Health Service Branch for 15 years.

He has toured the United Kingdom on two occasions with The Rambling House as Fear an Ti, entertaining the audience with songs and yarns.

Born in Clonroad, Ennis to Madeline and Johnny Arkins, he has two brothers. Married to Concepta, who is from Galway, they have two children, Eimear and Conor.

Meanwhile, the promotion of Shannon Airport and the Shannon Free Zone have been identified as key priorities by the new Deputy Mayor of Clare, Councillor John Crowe.

First elected to the council in 1999, he takes over from outgoing Deputy Mayor, Councillor Pascal Fitzgerald, who was praised for representing the county with distinction when he deputised for the outgoing mayor.

Councillor Crowe, who employs about 30 people in his Sixmilebridge supermarket, struck a chord with the business community during his address. He was proposed by his Fine Gael colleague, Councillor Joe Cooney and seconded by Independent Councillor, Patricia McCarthy.

“As a Sixmilebridge man and a businessman in the town, I am aware of the importance of sustaining local communities, industry, investment and a thriving Shannon Airport.

“As a local representative and deputy mayor, I look forward to working with my fellow elected members and council management in promoting Shannon Airport and the Free Zone and showcasing County Clare as an attractive location for investment.

“Now, more than ever, we must work together for the benefit of those whom we serve, “ he said.