Tag Archives: county council

CLARE County Council are encouraging people to show their support for the See Change ‘Green Ribbon’ campaign to end mental health stigma and discrimination. See Change is an organisation dedicated to ending mental health stigma. Its national Green Ribbon campaign runs throughout the month of September and aims to get as many people as possible talking about mental health to help end stigma and discrimination. According to See Change: “By wearing the Green Ribbon – an international symbol for mental health awareness – you show you are committed to influencing positive change. You don’t need to be an expert to start talking about mental health or have all the answers. Sometimes the most helpful thing you can do is to let someone know you are there for them and simply listen. Let people know you are open to having a conversation by wearing the Green Ribbon.” Stigma is a significant problem for people who experience mental health conditions and has …

THROUGHOUT the recession all Clare County Council meetings heard stories about the complete absence of funds, but with the country coming out of Covid, things are very different. At Tuesday’s Shannon Municipal District meeting, Director of Services Liam Conneally said that at the moment “a plethora of grants are being fired at us at the moment”. He said that the “Government are trying to assist businesses, trying to assist community groups, trying to assist local authorities.” One thing he said he was disappointed about was that other Municipal Districts were doing better at accessing supports than the Shannon area, but he said this could be addressed. Mr Conneally said that there are some very good reasons to be positive about the economy at the moment. “A lot of new job creation goes unannounced. Another 20 or 30 or 40 or 50 jobs that would be added to a company, they mightn’t want it announced but it is happening. There is …

SUSAN Crawford is to replace Róisín Garvey as the Green Party’s representative on Clare County Council. A former college lecturer and two time Fulbright award winner, she has run an independent autism consultancy in recent times. She is a native of Inagh, as is Ms Garvey, but has lived in Miltown Malbay for many years. Earlier in 2020 she was named Clare person of the year, having completed a 2,500km walk, run and cycle along the Wild Atlantic Way from Kinsale to Donegal in a bid to build awareness around autism and to promote Ireland as “autism active and autism aware”. She only recently joined the Green Party, but has been involved in campaigning for Ms Garvey in the past. She was selected by party members, defeating Ennistymon’s Sophie Pigott in a vote. Owen Ryan

AN emotional Mary Howard was this afternoon elected Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, while her Fine Gael colleague Pat Burke was elected Leas Cathaoirleach. Both positions are essentially ceremonial, with the Cathaoirleach expected to represent the Council at a wide variety of events, while also chairing meetings of the local authority, while the Leas Cathaoirleach will deputise for her over the coming year. Councillor Howard said she was hugely honoured with her election. “To represent my county and its citiens is a lifelong dream and to be here now is humbling, exhilarating and a wonderful privilege,”she told this afternoon’s council meeting. She was very emotional as she paid tribute to the impact her late parents had upon her. “My late parents were firm believers in hard work as well as family, community, public service, playing ones part and contributing to ones home place,” said the Ennis woman, Councillor Burke said he believed it was the first time ever Fine Gael …

SHANNON’S Donna McGettigan is likely to replace the late Mike McKee on Clare County Council. This week Ms McGettigan confirmed she is interested in taking up the role and it is understood that the local party are also set to support her. Ms McGettigan actually ran in the Ennis Municipal District for last year’s local elections, despite the fact that she was living in Shannon. In the coming days, invitations will be sent out to Sinn Féin members in the area who would be eligible to take on the role. Following this, there is likely to be a selection convention towards the end of the month. Speaking this week, Ms McGettigan confirmed she would be looking to fill the seat. “Mike himself would have asked me before he passed if I would put myself forward. Gary Fitzgibbon was interviewed about it and a lot of people afterwards would have suggested myself. As I walk through the Town Centre I’m always …

THE death of County Councillor Mike McKee has been announced today. Councillor McKee won a seat on Clare County Council for Sinn Féin in each of the last two local elections. He was also a fixture on Shannon Town Council and previously the Shannon Town Commissioners for many years. Councillor McKee was set to stand for Sinn Féin in the next general election, but had withdrawn from the race after becoming unwell. Despite being noticeably ill he still made the effort to attend the recent opening of the redeveloped Shannon Town Park and even managed to go to a Municipal District meeting the same day. In his early life Councillor McKee’s family left Belfast under threat from loyalists, relocating to Omagh and then coming to Shannon, in the 19770s. He is survived by his wife Eileen, son David, daughter Janet and two granchildren. Funeral arrangements have yet to be confirmed.

YOUR local council will be taking more of your money, as your representatives have opted to increase property tax in Clare by the maximum amount possible. On Monday, councillors increased the property tax by 15%, meaning they will extract the greatest amount of money possible from Clare householders. Have no doubt, the hit you face would be even greater but it was not legally possible to charge more. Bizarrely, some of those advocating raising the tax said that they were in favour of doing so, as the money collected would be spent in this county. As if the money being demanded from Clare householders was going to be sent elsewhere otherwise; as if the decision will not leave Clare consumers with less to spend in their local villages and towns. Perhaps the most irritating thing about Monday’s decision to increase the property tax is the detached attitude displayed. Only an idiot would disagree with Councillor Ann Norton when she said …

IN a first for any local authority, Clare County Council, together with The Clare Champion, will conduct a full live video broadcast of a local election count. The Clare Champion and Clare County Council are partnering up to produce this fully programmed live streaming broadcast, ensuring the public are kept up to date on events as they unfold from the count centre. Counting for the 2019 Local Elections will begin at Treacy’s West County Hotel on Saturday morning and continue into Sunday, after the county goes to the polls on Friday. Clare Champion editor Peter O’Connell said he is conscious that the way the general public consume news is changing and that, as a media organisation, it is important to adapt to meet that demand. “The print edition of The Clare Champion will always take priority for us but the way in which people consume media has altered radically and we want to ensure that we are at the forefront …