FORMER West Clare Fianna Fàil councillor, Cillian Murphy, has left the party to take up a new role working in Deputy Joe Cooney’s office as his Parliamentary Assistant.
Cillian Murphy is looking forward to the challenge of working for the Fine Gael Deputy seven months after his re-lection bid as a Fianna Fáil Councillor was unsuccessful.
“For me, politics is about what you can get done for your community. This is just a different way. If I wasn’t a former Fianna Fáil Councillor, this wouldn’t be a story. That’s politics.
“I see this as a great opportunity to support Joe Cooney, who has given 20 years as a councillor and has now moved into senior hurling. I didn’t have to think about this very long.
“It will be a busy time setting up a new office and putting processes in place. Joe is a newbie and so am I. No doubt we may make a mistake or two along the journey but Joe has a great record of doing the right thing for the right reason and I would like to think I also do.
Mr Murphy confirmed he has resigned from the Fianna Fáil Comhairle Dáil Ceanntair and he will not be renewing his party membership to ensure he remains “apolitical” while working in Deputy Cooney’s office.
“I believe to do this job I can’t be political. I don’t think Joe wants to run an office that has any partisan approach for issues that need to be tackled in the county.
“The door is open for everyone and anyone and our job is to the very best we can to find solutions to problems for the benefit of the county.
“I and other people have been on the record about how heavily our national representation comes from the East Clare side.
“It was a smart move by Joe to pick up the phone to me and ask me to join his team as I bring a West Clare perspective to the office.
“I think people of West Clare will appreciate this.
The former Kilkee councillor and Comhairle Dáil Ceanntair Fianna Fáil treasurer has withdrawn his name from his local Fianna Fáil cumman and will not be renewing his membership. He was a member of Fianna Fáil for five and a half years.
He ran as an independent for Kilkee Town Council in 1999 and for the Green Party in the Town Council and Local Elections in 2004.
“I see politics as a route to delivery for communities. It is all about the result for communities I am representing. Councillors support a good idea in the council and everyone got behind it, regardless of party. Politics is outcome driven,” he said.
Asked would he consider running for Fine Gael in West Clare at the next Local Elections, Mr Murphy replied “I have zero interest in doing anything other than the best I can for Joe.
“I don’t see getting past getting a new office up and running,” he said.
Deputy Cooney said is delighted that Mr Murphty is joining his constituency office team as Parliamentary Assistant.
“He will bring a blend of political knowledge and experience working with local communities to the role that will contribute greatly to the work of my team, which also includes Frances O’Mara and Maureen Cleary in the role of Administrative Assistants.
“I will operate a Constituency Office that is responsive to the needs of everyone in Clare and to achieve this, it is important I have the right people in place to deliver such a service.”
Deputy Cooney said he approached Mr Murphy to join his constituency team as he felt it was important to have someone from West Clare.
“With four deputies elected from East Clare and south and South-East Clare, I felt that having a voice from West Clare in my office was important. I will have to alternate the staff between Ennis and Dublin but at the moment the concentration is on getting the office in Ennis open.
A former council employee, Ms Cleary has previously worked in the authority’s Tourism Department. The Ennis woman is now living in O’Callaghan’s Mills. Her husband, Robbie Madden contested the Fine Gael Selection contest to replace Joe Cooney where he lost out to the successful candidate Councillor Conor Ryan.
Ms O’Mara was involved in running O’Mara’s bookie shops for years. The O’Callaghan’s Mills native is now living in Bodyke.
Once renovation works are completed in the former post office in the Ennis Market, Deputy Cooney hopes it should be ready for use before the end of January.
Deputy Cathal Crowe said he was and continues to be good friends with Mr Murphy who he spoke to on Sunday night and congratulated him on his new job.
“I think it is a smart move by Joe Cooney. Cillian will be a great asset in his office. Away from the Dáil rivalry, there is good co-operation between the staff in deputies’ offices. I look forward to working with Deputy Dooley, Deputy Cooney, Deputy McGettigan and often meet the staff from deputies’ offices at meetings.
“He will be a big loss to Fianna Fáil as he was an outstanding councillor. I don’t know if he makes a return to local politics will it be for Fianna Fàil or Fine Gael.”
Former Local Elections Candidate Joe Woufle expressed surprise with the move considering Mr Murphy came close to retaining his seat for Fianna Fáil in the last Local Elections and was also party treasurer at local level.
Mr Woulfe acknowledged that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are creating a new political history by working together in government rather than being on opposite sides.
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.