The need to streamline bureaucracy for the provision of new sewerage treatment facilities in rural parts of Clare such as Broadford and Cooraclare was highlighted by Deputy Joe Cooney in his first meeting with An Taoiseach Simon Harris.
In an interview with The Clare Champion, Deputy Cooney revealed the Fine Gael leader has pledged to examine new ways to try and fast-track the provision of new wastewater treatment facilities in rural areas.
If more investment needs to be allocated to Uisce Éireann to develop more wastewater treatment facilities in rural areas, Deputy Cooney stressed this needs to be looked at.
“In the past, we were told if water charges came in money would be used to improve and provide new wastewater treatment plants. That is not the case now so other options need to be looked at.
“It is frustrating for places like O’Callaghan’s Mills, Bodyke, Ogonnelloe and Flagmount who are trying to keep small shops and businesses going but unfortunately because of the lack of new housing developments we are seeing businesses closing down,” he said.
Over the coming months, Deputy Cooney hopes to raise some of his key Election priorities in the Dáil such as more affordable housing, Ennis Hospital, childcare and infrastructure in rural parts of the county, which he described as a “disaster” at the moment.
“There are 51 settlements in Clare without adequate wastewater treatment facilities, which is not good enough. This needs to be addressed in the near future. We all know this isn’t going to happen overnight, it is going to take time but we need to lay a good foundation to build on that in the future.
“Housing development could take place in rural villages if they had proper wastewater treatment facilities. A lot of these communities have good national schools, community halls, GAA and soccer facilities, but they can’t build houses because they don’t have the required vital infrastructure.
Last year, Deputy Cooney attended a meeting between Clare County Council officials and members of the Broadford Action Group who were told it could take up to five years before a new sewerage scheme was completed in the village, which the former councillor acknowledged was “crazy”.
The first sitting of the 34th Dáil on December 18 got underway at 10.30am and didn’t conclude until after 6.30pm.
His first impression of the Dáil is the fact there is a big difference between Clare County Council and the premier house in the Oireachtas.
“There are 28 councillors in Clare County Council who work with the executive. There are 174 TDs in the Dáil, which has increased from 160. It will be interesting depending on the formation of the next Government and where ministers are appointed.
“It will be important that we have ministers in the Mid-West region and hopefully in the Clare area for the good of our county and the Mid-West region. I would like to see a better spread of ministers throughout the country.
“It is important we have more ministers from the Munster region and West of Ireland for rural Ireland. A lot has been achieved over the last few years, but a lot still needs to be done. It is important to have a say at the Cabinet table to get more funding for rural parts of the country,” he said.
Dáil Clerk, Peter Finnerty read out the names of Timmy Dooley, Joe Cooney, Donna McGettigan and Cathal Crowe as the new Clare deputies who were elected with 170 others.
Independent Wexford Deputy Verona Murphy was elected as the new Ceann Comhairle. While Sinn Féin proposed and seconded Mary Lou McDonald as the next Taoiseach, she was decisively defeated.
The date for the resumption of the Dáil on January 22 was agreed following another vote.
Deputy Cooney travelled to Dublin the night before to attend a Fine Gael parliamentary meeting.
Having returned to Clare, Deputy Cooney met various groups to discuss a variety of issues in the week leading up to Christmas.
The Killaloe Municipal District poll-topper described his first Fine Gael parliamentary meeting as a new and good experience.
“The big discussion point at the moment is the formation of the next Government. A lot happened the week after the General Election. Different groupings sat down to discuss the formation of the next Government. Then we had Christmas and now the New Year is coming in.
“It is important to get it right and get a good Government in place and the next Government think of rural Ireland and the Mid-West region as well as the Dublin catchment area so the whole country is given consideration,” he said.
Deputy Cooney is sharing office space in the Dáil as outgoing deputies are still clearing out their offices. This includes 18 Fine Gael deputies who didn’t seek re-election.
However, the O’Callaghan’s Mills public representative expects to be allocated a new Dáil office early in the New Year.
While the former Fine Gael councillor is examining the possibility of using the former Post Office building at the Market as a constituency office in Ennis, no final decision has been made yet and he confirmed this may take another week or two.
Asked if he would be running constituency clinics, Deputy Cooney said he is considering holding clinics throughout the county but wants to set up his constituency office first.
“It is important to meet people in different parts of the county and see what people’s concerns are so we can hear what we need to take back to Government so we can deliver for the county,” he concluded.
East Clare correspondent, Dan Danaher is a journalism graduate of Rathmines and UL. He has won numerous awards for special investigations on health, justice, environment, and reports on news, agriculture, disability, mental health and community.