Tag Archives: Fianna Fáil

Former Ennis Chamber CEO, Rita McInerney has confirmed her intention to seek a place on the Clare Fianna Fáil ticket to contest the next general election. Ms McInerney, who took a one-year sabbatical from her Ennis Chamber post to complete a masters in politics at University of Limerick, is looking forward to seeking the support of cumman members ahead of the Fianna Fáil Dáil Convention in Clare. The Doonbeg shop owner is facing stiff opposition from a number of candidates, after a Clare Champion survey revealed eight out of the 12 local Fianna Fáil county councillors expressed a preference for running three candidates at the next election. It is expected that Fianna Fáil leader, Micheál Martin, and the party’s national constituency committee will select Clare as one of the battlegrounds for a female candidate, in an effort to meet the national 30% gender quota requirement. Fianna Fáil Deputy Timmy Dooley said he will be putting his name forward for re-election …

MICHAEL ‘Malty’ McDonagh insists that Fianna Fáil in Clare must call a selection convention “immediately” in order to help the party win two seats in the forthcoming general election. He also confirmed that he will be seeking solely a Fianna Fáil nomination and does not now intend standing as an Independent if he is not on the Fianna Fáil ticket. “I believe that the Fianna Fáil convention should be held at the earliest possible date so that we can get ready to visit every house in this county and bring the message that we’re going to be there to work for the people. I think it should be held in a matter of weeks. I’m ready. I will talk to all the Fianna Fáil delegates. I’ve no problem in doing that. I want Fianna Fáil to get ready for a general election in Clare. “My father, Malty McDonagh in Miltown, was a fierce Fianna Fáil activist all his life and …

The Government cannot continue to ignore the voice of the people over the Irish Water shambles, Deputy Timmy Dooley has warned. The Fianna Fáil TD said the Government’s disastrous handling of the set-up of Irish Water has caused considerable public anger. “At the weekend, I along with thousands of people from communities in every part of Clare, marched against the Government’s strategy and delivery on Irish Water. Fianna Fáil has been against the way Irish Water was set-up from the very beginning and the complete lack of debate on its establishment was a disgrace. This, together with the bonus-culture and over €50 million being spend on consultants, led to the huge numbers we saw in Clare protesting over the weekend. “The protests included people against water charges of any sort, but also a sizeable section of people disgusted with how the Government has handled the issue. The complete lack of fairness by not including an ability to pay clause, utter confusion …

OVER €150,000 was spent on campaigning by the 58 candidates who contested the Clare County Council election last May. According to figures obtained by The Clare Champion, the 28 new county councillors spent a total of €87,434, while 30 candidates who did not secure election incurred expenses totalling €66,985, giving a total of €154,419. The newly-elected Mayor of Ennis, Johnny Flynn, topped the list with a figure of €5,204, of which €3,811 came from his own resources and €1,392 was spent by Clare Fine Gael. It included €1,946 on adverstising, €1,464 on election posters and €1,417 on other election promotional literature. He was closely followed by former Ennis Town Councillor, Frankie Neylon, who spent €5,200, which included €2,000 on advertising, €1,000 on publicity and other election material, €500 on transport and another €1,000 on his campaign workers. In reaction to the figures, Sixmilebridge-based Richard Cahill, who spent in the region of €1,000 on his Euro South campaign, has called for …

The State Funeral of former taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader, Albert Reynolds takes place today, Monday. RTÉ will broadcast live coverage on television, radio, online and mobile of the State Funeral. On Saturday, Mr Reynolds lasy in repose at the Mansion House, Dublin before being brought to the Sacred Heart Church in Donnybrook, Dublin. David McCullagh will present special television coverage of the State Funeral, starting at 11.30am on RTÉ One and RTÉ News Now. John Bowman and Mary Kennedy will provide commentary on the funeral mass of the former taoiseach in the Sacred Heart Church in Donnybrook, at which Father Brian D’Arcy will be chief celebrant in the presence of the Archbishop of Dublin and a number of other con-celebrants. The President, Michael D Higgins, An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny and other dignitaries will be in attendance. At approximately 2pm, the funeral cortege will proceed to Shanganagh Cemetery in Shankill, County Dublin where Mr Reynolds will be laid to rest …

Clare Fianna Fáil TD, Timmy Dooley TD has deplored the Government’s failure to make any attempt to replace two support schemes for people with disabilities that were discontinued last year. The Mobility Allowance and the Motorised Transport Grant were closed to new applicants from February 2013. The Government promised last June that these schemes would be replaced. “There was outcry when the Government discontinued these two important supports for people with disabilities were cancelled last year. Almost 400 people in the Mid West are dependent on the Mobility Allowance alone. They are still in limbo as the Government drags its heels on establishing alternative support schemes. It is completely unacceptable that a year later, these people are still waiting,” said Deputy Dooley. “The Government first announced the cancellation of these schemes early last year, describing them as ‘obsolete’. It caused great distress among people with disabilities who depend on such support to maintain a level of independence. The Mobility Allowance …

Seven out of the eight Clare County Councillors elected to the Ennis area will hold the title of mayor over the coming five years, it emerged this week. Fine Gael’s John Crowe, from the Shannon Municipal District, was elected Clare’s first citizen on Friday, after days of negotiations between his party, Fianna Fáil and the technical group made up of independents and the local authority’s only Sinn Féin member. The Sixmilebridge man will be the only Fine Gael mayor of Clare during this council term. However, at Tuesday’s meeting of the Ennis Municipal District, the only municipal area where the title of the chairperson is ‘mayor’, Fine Gael’s Johnny Flynn was elected as Mayor of Ennis. This is due to the fact that Ennis has a population in excess of 20,000. His fellow Ennis councillors, Independent James Breen and Fianna Fáil’s Tom McNamara, will both hold the county’s first-citizen role during this five-year term. The Mayor of Ennis position will …

Clare TD Timmy Dooley has criticised the Government for “unnecessary changes to the LEADER programme”, which he says is underming the sizeable amount of voluntary effort that is involved. “The vast majority of people involved with LEADER companies in Clare and throughout the country have expressed their opposition to Government changes to the programme, which they feel is undermining the considerable community effort involved. For instance, by publishing the expenses and salaries of those employed in LEADER companies, it suggests that the administrative costs are out of kilter with the work that is being done,” the Fianna Fáil deputy said. Deputy Dooley claimed the change of Government policy towards LEADER companies fails to take account of the huge voluntary effort in communities throughout Clare. “In fact, in comparison with every other state entity, the benefit to the local communities far outweighs the costs. The hard work that is done by everyone involved in LEADER companies is being undermined by the …