Tag Archives: Fianna Fáil

DEPUTY Timmy Dooley has said that Fine Gael have tried to employ smear tactics, following news stories this week about Lisa Chambers casting votes in the Dáil while sitting in his seat. The Clare TD has said that what happened was entirely in keeping with custom in Leinster House. “There was a practice over time where people didn’t sit in their own seats and that’s the case across the house. My view is they are just targeting Lisa on this and it’s unfair.” He added, “So many people have accepted that they did it and said that they did it. That has tightened up and that has changed, so people have to be in their designated seats now before the vote can take place. There doesn’t seem to be any complaint against me, it’s an effort to target Lisa Chambers, which I think is unfair.”# The fact that footage of the Dáil was brought into the debate was also unfair, …

Clare Fianna Fàil TD Timmy Dooley has been temporarily removed from his party’s front bench, along with party colleague, Niall Collins. Last Thursday Deputy Collins voted six times in Dàil Èireann on Deputy Dooley’s behalf. The Ceann Comhairle has asked for a report on the issue.

Councillor Cathal Crowe will fly to the top table in Clare County Council tomorrow afternoon when he is elected as the its next first citizen after councillors hammered out a new power-sharing deal. There were fears that the 15-year power-sharing pact, which was in operation since 2004 was coming to an end after Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Independent Technical Alliance failed to agree on a new deal earlier this week. However, intensive talks late on Wednesday night broke the logjam and ensured power-sharing will continue for another five years. Councillor Cathal Crowe is delighted to get the opportunity to succeed Councillor Michael Begley as Clare County Council chairman at the local authority’s annual general meeting on Friday afternoon. “I feel hugely honoured and excited to be at the cusp of taking on this important leadership role and I promise to give it 110%,” he said. Councillor Crowe’s elevation as the next council chairman is a timely boost for …

A MEMBER of Clare County Council left her car, which is covered in her own election branding, parked in a one hour zone in the centre of Ennis from before 10am until after 6pm last Friday. Fianna Fáil Councillor Clare Colleran Molloy’s vehicle was parked in a prominent position, right in front of Ennis Cathedral, for the day. It is an area with heavy footfall and the vehicle would have been seen by many passing pedestrians and motorists on what was a fine and sunny day. However, the car was also seen by local business people, who rely on a turnover of vehicles, which the one hour turnaround time helps with, and there was some annoyance from them. One who contacted The Clare Champion said that it was very inappropriate for a member of the council, a body which is charged with implementing the parking regulations in Ennis, to flout those regulations. Speaking to The Clare Champion on Tuesday, Councillor …

CLARE has voted by a significant majority to remove the crime of blasphemy from its constitution. As expected, Clare voters endorsed this move with 61.88% voting in favour and 38.114 voting against. The total electorate was 83,044 and the total poll was 41,766. There were 755 spoilt votes leaving a total valid poll of 41,021. The blasphemy referendum, which was held alongside the presidential election is the latest sign of the weakening of religious conservatism in the country. The last prosecution for blasphemy in Ireland was in 1855, but three years ago gardaí investigated comments made by Stephen Fry on television in which the comedian described God as “capricious”, “mean-minded”, and an “utter maniac”. The investigation, which was initiated following a complaint made in Ennis Garda Station was later dropped after gardai decided insufficient numbers of people had been outraged. Ireland voted to allow same-sex marriage in 2015, and nearly two-thirds of Irish voters backed the repeal of the country’s …

The death occurred last night (Wednesday) of Mr Colm Wiley of Bodyke, former Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council. A popular figure in his parish and throughout the county, Mr Wiley was a Fianna Fáil representative on the council for 30 years. Some years back, he was honoured at a special function in Mountshannon attended by the then Taoiseach Brian Cowen. During his time as a member of Clare County Council, he held a number of positions, including as chairman of the council itself from 1994 to 1995. During his time in the council, Mr Wiley he saw 16 councillors pass on the chain of office and worked with five county managers. He started out with Fianna Fáil while working in Dublin in 1959, where he attended meetings at the party’s Dublin South Central branch at a time when the then Taoiseach Seán Lemass was also a member. Mr Wiley went to England for work before returning to Ennis to contest …

THE 100th anniversary of the election of Éamon de Valera at the 1917 East Clare By-Election will be marked by a series of commemorative events in Ennis later this month. Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and Síle de Valera, grand-daughter of de Valera and former Clare TD, will attend the events planned for Saturday, July 22. The commemorative events will take place at the Old Ground Hotel at 2pm and will include lectures from noted historians, music by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éíreann and a photographic and election memorabilia exhibition. Deputy Martin will make an address to the audience. Following the activities in the hotel, a full dress parade, led by a brass band, will march, led by Micheál Martin and Síle DeValera, from the Old Ground Hotel to the O’Connell Monument – the site of some of Éamon de Valera’s most famous speeches. At the O’Connell monument, there will be a re-enactment of the announcement of the election of de Valera, …

Poll-topp er in the last local elections, Councillor Cathal Crowe is seriously considering contesting the next general election following the unexpected transfer of almost 6,000 voters into the Clare constituency. A new report published by the Constituency Commission recommends that the high variance in the constituency be addressed by the transfer of 5,994 people from the electoral division of Ballyglass in Limerick City to Clare. This will restore the breach of the county boundary for the next general election. The last deputy from the area was Patrick Brennan from Meelick, who was elected for Cumman na nGael in the 1920s. Councillor Crowe revealed to The Clare Champion that he will discuss the possibility of seeking a coveted place on the Fianna Fáil general election ticket with his family and political supporters over the coming days. “I would love to be a TD for Clare. I would love a chance to win a place on the Fianna Fáil ticket for the …