Tag Archives: Councillor Alan O’Callaghan

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 …

FIANNA FÁIL members of the Killaloe Municipal District are leading calls for consultation with grassroots on the nature of the next government, saying the party “must not for the sake of power, ignore the membership”. In a joint statement, Councillors Alan O’Callaghan, Pat Hayes and Tony O’Brien have urged members across the country to make their views known, and called for a postal ballot on a Programme for Government. All three councillors have also expressed their preference for an interim government of national unity rather than a coalition with Fine Gael and a third party. “Normally, under party rules, an Árd Fheis would be held and postal vote shouldn’t be a major problem,” said Councillor O’Callaghan. “There has been mention of talks over the phone with HQ and Comhairle Dáil Ceanntairs, but our preference would be a vote. HQ have no bother writing to us when they want church gate collections organised and membership paid for.” He expressed the view …

IMPROVEMENT works and safety measures are to be considered and put in place to slow down traffic at Kilkishen National School, after a petition was submitted to members of the Killaloe Municipal District. Councillor Alan O’Callaghan called on Clare County Council to carry out works at the school to slow traffic, in the interest of the health and safety of children. At last week’s meeting of the municipal district, a petition with approximately 80 signatures was handed in on behalf of locals who were confirming these concerns. Responding, Hugh McGrath, senior executive engineer, said, “It is accepted that there are safety concerns at this location relating to traffic in the vicinity of the school. We are to carry out improvement works to the road surface at this location in the coming months.” In advance of the works, Mr McGrath said the local authority will give consideration to any measures that may improve road safety at this location in consultation with …