Tag Archives: Ennis Town Council

Ennis councillor Johnny Flynn (FG) has made the surprise announcement he is to leave the political arena and will not contest the local election in June. “Coming up to an election, all politicians have to consider their position and with the election looming I had to consider it, and decided to give other candidates an opportunity.” He contacted his fellow councillors to tell them his decision over the weekend. And now he has made the announcement, many members of the public have thanked him for his service over the last after 20 years. “It is all about the constituents rather than the politicians really,” he said. Councillor Flynn has been interested in, and involved with environmental issues over his tenure at Clare County Council, and said there is “satisfaction” in leaving after the recent Clare Climate Action Plan 2024 – 2029 was adopted. “I am delighted with the final plan,” he said highlighting that the work done over the last …

AIR pollution in Ennis has been described as “dangerously high” with levels of particulate matter associated with burning solid fuels more than seven times higher than Shanghai in recent days. Community group Better Ennis are among those voicing concerns about the “health hazard Ennis residents and visitors are exposed to”, while during one evening a UCC professor took to social media urging Ennis residents not to go outside. Green Party Senator Roísín Garvey says, “People are afraid to go for a walk in the evening because of the quality of the air.” Ennis Fine Gael Councillor Johnny Flynn is seeking a report on air quality in Ennis from Clare County Council to be included in the monthly management report, and is reiterating calls for an Ennis Clean Air Strategy. “Short term poor air quality events or spikes have very significant adverse health impacts, they result in significant  spikes in hospital admissions for up to two days after such events,” he stated. A …

ENNIS Town Council could be set for a return. Clare County Council CEO Pat Dowling told a meeting of Ennis councillors that in discussions taking place around the possible reintroduction of some local authority structures, “Ennis is most definitely being earmarked”. He was speaking at a meeting to consider the budgetary plan for the Ennis Municipal District. He outlined that the county capital’s position in the national planning framework strategy and its size strengthen Ennis’ position for a return of a local authority structure. Fianna Fáil has been pushing for the return of the local authorities, introducing a bill to that effect earlier this year. Town councils were abolished in June 2014 when the Local Government Reform Act was implemented in a move that drew much criticism. Meanwhile, it was also agreed at the meeting that the Ennis Municipal District would have €274,400 of discretionary funding to spend. Mr Dowling stated, “The general municipal allocation for 2017 for the Ennis …

DEFENSE and Air Attache with the US Embassy in Dublin, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Martin will lay a wreath at a memorial honouring the men and women killed in service in South-East Asia, including the Viet Nam War, when it is officially unveiled in Ennis on Remembrance Day next week. The memorial will be launched on Friday, November 11, in Monastery Park and has been designed by Rory Breslin. Also in attendance for the unveiling will be representatives of the American Legion in Ireland providing a bugler and US and Irish flags for the ceremony, representatives from Clare County Council, US Viet Nam veterans and other officials. The memorial includes a list of those who served and lost their lives, along with the inscription, which read, “This memorial is dedicated to the Irish men and Irish women who served with allied forces in South-East Asia during the period 1964 through 1975.” Below the names are the words, “We express our heartfelt …

The outgoing chief executive of Clare County Council said he believes large towns should have their own municipal council. As he leaves the position after completion of his seven-year term, Tom Coughlan said he had not enjoyed implementing certain aspects of the Reform of Local Government Act 2014, adding that it was with “some regret” he had to oversee the abolition of Ennis Town Council. “I served as Ennis town manager for over 10 years and I got to see what Ennis Town Council achieved and what it could achieve,” he told The Clare Champion, citing Glór, Lees Road, housing developments, Ennis Leisure Centre as well as the upgrading of O’Connell Street. The Ennis resident believes the county town is big enough to justify having its own local authority, with a population of 25,360 in the 2011 Census. “The town council played an important role in the town and when it was abolished, of course I did have reservations about …

AN Ennis councillor has appealed to the Environment Minister to intervene in the water charges row. Mayor Johnny Flynn has written to Minister Alan Kelly, asking for Government intervention to increase water allowances for everyone, for an ability to pay clause in contracts, for the age limit of 18 to be increased to 21 for non-working children living at home, attending training or third level, and for fairer prices for supply and repairs. He has also asked the minister to ensure that a new Irish Water Board immediately carry out a review of pay and conditions, particularly of its senior staff in what is a serious loss making business, a cost benefit analysis of specialist consultants/contractors costs reported in connection with the set up of Irish Water, a review of reported costs of repairs to consumers with possibly an option of spreading the cost over a multi annual period. The Ennis councillor has also called for a customer charter and …

By Dan Danaher SIR Winston Churchill is credited with summing up the value of democracy. “Democracy is the worst form of government, except all the others that have been tried,” the former British Prime Minister stated. Environment Minister Phil Hogan bit the bullet and introduced several controversial changes as set out in the Government’s Action Programme for Effective Local Government, following a succession of reports on local government reform. However, when Clare people pick up the phone to ring their local councilllor for assistance to resolve a personal difficulty after the May 23 elections, they could find that Minister Hogan’s new local goverrment structures have put consistituents last for the most important aspect of every local councillor’s work – public representation. The number of councillors in Clare will be slashed from 68 to 28 following the abolition of four town councils in Ennis, Shannon, Kilrush and Kilkee. This will result in a total loss of 36 town councillors and the …

THE reality of local government reform will hit home in County Clare this Tuesday when Ennis Town Council, Kilkee Town Council and Shannon Town Council meet for the last time. The final meeting of Kilrush Town Council takes place on Thursday night. The meetings will recall the contributions which members of the respective councils made to their local communities over the decades, as well as the improvements which the authorities brought to the towns. The councils will also be able to look back at how the local authorities acted as a springboard to national politics for many members.