Tag Archives: Councillor Alan O’Callaghan

CLARITY has once again been sought over the use of CCTV to convict those involved in illegal dumping, in light of concerns raised the Data Protection Commissioner about remotely-operated cameras. A question was tabled at the November meeting of the local authority by Councillor Alan O’Callaghan, asking whether or not footage could be used in prosecutions. The Fianna Fáil member noted that the issue had come up at the most recent meeting of the Joint Policing Committee (JPC). He said he had been “taken aback” by the advice given there. “It seems that the Data Protection Commissioner has highlighted issues,” he said, “however, we all watch programs where Gardaí make appeals for dashcam footage. It’s very frustrating. We are trying to battle dumping and littering issues across Clare.” Councillor O’Callaghan noted that his party colleague Councillor Cillian Murphy had drawn his attention to an article reporting that 64 littering fines were issued in Tipperary thanks to the use of CCTV …

ACCESS to those with disabilities to one of East Clare most popular amenity areas needs to be improved, in the view of members of the Killaloe Municipal District committee. There was strong support for measures to improve access to Two Mile Gate Lakeside Amenity Park, following a motion tabled by Killaloe-based Councillor Tony O’Brien. Located a few kilometres outside the town at Ballycuggeran, it is a designated Blue Flag bathing area and has seen record visitor numbers over the summer months. “As things stand currently, people with disabilities are unable to access the amenity park and improving the infrastructure is essential,” the Fianna Fáil member said. “The park is a fantastic facility on the eastern shore of Lough Derg. It’s a major tourist attraction and very popular. It’s necessary that everyone should be able to access it.” Councillor O’Brien welcomed the response from the executive of the council which said the authority had applied for Clár funding to carry out accessibility …

JOINED up thinking between agencies including the local authority, the ESB and Eir, as owners of the phone infrastructure network, has been called for in the wake of Storm Ellen in East Clare. Addressing the most recent meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District, Councillor Pat Burke said the storm had had a far more serious impact on East Clare than had been forecast. “If you were in Ennis, Quin or Tulla,” he said, “you’d hardly have noticed that there had been a storm. But, there was an awful lot of damage in areas around Scariff, Mountshannon and Whitegate.” The Fine Gael member commended the work of council crews, the fire service and local farmers and landowners. “Local people were out helping with chain saws and tractors to open a number of roads,” he said. “We’re very grateful to them and there was a very coordinated approach taken between themselves and the council and the ESB.” In relation to the extensive …

CLARE County Councillors have decided to adopt a Local Property Tax (LPT) at 15% above the standard rate for next year, despite an appeal from one councillor to reduce this charge. Last year, councillors agreed to increase the LPT 15% above the standard rate and this was retained again this year without a vote following a meeting in Glór on Monday. However, councillors have warned the General Municipal Allocation (GMA) must be retained at this same level to support community projects this year, which could prove to be extremely difficult for the local authority following a huge decline in its income stream due to the devastating impact of Covid-19. Councillor Donna McGettigan proposed the council should reduce the LPT rate in view of the uncertain times facing householders some of whom were in mortgage arrears. Her proposal was not seconded or supported by any other councillor. The need to increase the GMA considering the key role it plays in the …

A ROAD safety assessment for the village of Quin is being sought, after numerous concerns were flagged by local councillors. The matter was raised at the most recent meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District Committee by Councillor Alan O’Callaghan, who tabled a motion calling for the assessment to be carried out. The Fianna Fáil member noted that Quin has been brought back under the remit of the Killaloe Municipal District since the boundary changes came into effect this year. “When Quin was in the Ennis District, there was a draft plan for traffic and I would like to see if that can now be progressed under our remit,” he told the meeting. The Kilmurry native acknowledged the work done already in the village in terms of pedestrian access and safety. “Lots of good work has been done around the area of Quin Abbey and the bridge,” he said. “There are a number of outstanding matters and there is a very …

THERE has been a very significant increase in the level of illegal dumping around Clare and unauthorised Limerick waste collectors are dumping tonnes of rubbish here, the recent Clare County Council meeting heard. A number of the members brought motions before the meeting on the theme of illegal dumping, including Councillor Alan O’Callaghan, who said that in Limerick City it is estimated that 25 unauthorised collectors operate.  “They are coming to East Clare and South-East Clare with tonnes of rubbish, not bags,” he observed. Where people are fined for illegal dumping, their details should be published on the council’s website, he said. While GDPR has been put forward as a reason for CCTV cameras not being in place to combat illegal dumping, he said that it should be used. Councillor Joe Cooney described the current situation as “outrageous, disgraceful and embarrassing”. He also called for the use of CCTV and with so many unlicensed operators operating nearby, he said the …

THREE Clare Fianna Fáil Councillors Alan O’Callaghan and Tony O’Brien have broken ranks with the party by publicly backing a no vote against the proposed Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Green Party coalition. Another party colleague, Councillor Pat O’Gorman is “edging towards a no vote” before ballot papers are sent out to about 750 members of the local Comhairle Dáil Ceanntair, who must return it before the deadline of June 25. Councillor O’Callaghan has also been appointed as one of the spokespersons for a new national campaign called “Fairer Future”, which is encouraging other FF members to vote against entering into government with Fine Gael. Describing itself as a “grassroots campaign of proud FF members”, this group contains more than 50 councillors from 14 counties who are actively campaigning with hundreds of other party members to defeat the new Programme for Government (PfG) negotiated by the three parties. In an interview with the Clare Champion, Councillor O’Callaghan stated that he …

GROWING unease about the proposed coalition of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party has been expressed in a survey of local FF councillors. Councillor P J Kelly claimed the most patriotic duty at this point in time is to “ensure that Sinn Féin doesn’t take over any future government”. “I am in favour a national government. This idea of letting Sinn Féin be the total opposition, we will end up with Sinn Féin in government down the road and any foreign investor in this country would be gone in a few days. The Lissycasey Councillor said a lot of grassroots members viewed the Confidence and Supply agreement, which Fianna Fáil entered into with Fine Gael in the last government, as “bad judgement” and felt the latest coalition option would also be “bad judgement”. “I have been speaking to Fine Gael representatives who have broadly the same view who feel we are just one step closer to amalgamation. In …