WHILE Clare TD Michael McNamara has backed Eamon Gilmore to continue as leader of the Labour party, he feels the party’s ageing front bench needs to be shaken up. He has predicted that Labour will do well in the local elections in the Banner County, where, he says, their campaign is being well received. Regarding the leadership of the party, which has long been the subject of debate and which was questioned again this week by European election candidate, Phil Prendergast, Mr McNamara said a change of leader wouldn’t make any lasting difference. “If you changed the leader, I’m sure you would get a bounce for a while, until the next leader had to make unpopular decisions and then you’re back to where you were.” While he isn’t backing a change of leader, he does feel Labour has to make changes. “I don’t see an alternative to him (Gilmore) presenting itself at the moment and I don’t see an alternative …
Read More »Labour and Sinn Féin add candidates for Ennis elections
THE Labour Party and Sinn Féin have added further candidates to the upcoming local elections. The Labour Party have decided to run a second candidate, Dermot Hayes, in Ennis area. Seamus Ryan was already selected by the party. According to the party, they have been getting a positive response on the canvas and believe there is a good opportunity for two candidates to be elected to Clare County Council. Dermot Hayes comes from Kells, Corofin from a family of 13 children. He attended Ennis Community College and, as a mature student, studied Community Development in Galway and Maynooth Universities. He has lived in Ennis since 1974, is married to Marian and they have two teenage daughters. He worked in Belvedere Carpets, Studio Eyewear and Interton Electronics and more recently in a number of community and voluntary organisations, including The Disabled People of Clare, Clare Supported Employment and People With Disabilities in Ireland. Dermot has been unemployed on three occasions and …
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