Tag Archives: Green Party

ON Sunday the membership of the Green Party will elect a new deputy leader with Inagh’s Senator Róisín Garvey facing off against Dublin TD Neasa Hourigan. With the vote looming, Senator Garvey said she has had a good response from the members she has engaged with. “Lots of people have been supporting me and think that I am well able,” she said on Wednesday. She feels that the Green Party is not communicating its message effectively, and she says she is part of the solution. “A lot of people are looking at the messaging. We have succeeded a lot and delivered a lot as a small party in Government, probably more than any other small party has ever delivered in Government, but we haven’t got the kudos for it, and it wasn’t reflected in the local or the European elections. I bring the opportunity to change the message, being from outside Dublin. “We want to be seen as a party …

EXTENDING the lifeguard season on Clare’s popular beaches will save lives in the future, according to Councillor Liam Grant. The former lifeguard has welcomed Clare County Council’s decision to introduce lifeguard cover for the last two weekends in May at Lahinch, Spanish Point, Kilkee and Fanore. The Green Party Councillor tabled a motion to the local authority in October 2022 highlighting the need to increase the lifeguard cover at “big beaches” to include weekends in May. He also pointed out extending the lifeguard season for Clare’s bathing areas is a great boost for tourism. “Since joining the council I’ve got the lifeguard season extended to include weekdays in June and the last two weekends in May. Clare are the first and only county in the country to do this so I’m happy with the progress so far. “However, when you look at the UK, many of their beaches are lifeguarded from Easter until the end of September. I think that’s …

CLARE Senator Róisín Garvey has said she is “honoured” to take up the role of the Green Party’s leader in the Seanad. The Green Party decided shortly after the formation of the current government to rotate the position of its Seanad leader in tandem with the rotation of the cathaoirleach of the Seanad. The change means that Senator Garvey takes over from Senator Pauline O’Reilly who had served in the position since 2020. She said she is excited to take on the responsibility and will use it to put people’s needs to the fore in the upper chamber, particularly around water quality, nature protection and regional balance. Senator Garvey, the party’s spokesperson for Rural Development and Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said, “It’s a great honour for me to take on the role of Green Party leader in the Seanad. It’s a position I intend to devote myself to over the coming two years and I plan to use it to …

ENNIS is crying out for a town bus and active travel infrastructure, says Clare Green Party Senator Ròisín Garvey. The Inagh-based politician is highlighting traffic congestion while calling on the County Council “to prioritise spending available for active travel funding on better, safer and more cycle lanes, footpaths and pedestrian crossings”. She said, “Even if all cars switched to electric overnight, we would still have the exact same traffic congestion issues. “The only way forward is to focus on reducing car dependency and prioritising active travel infrastructure and a town bus service. “I know from working with children and parents in all the Ennis schools over many years that the will is there to allow children walk and cycle to school, if the proper infrastructure is put in place. “Many of the roads leading into our beautiful town already have the width for such infrastructure and the Department of Transport are offering the funding. “Where there’s a will there’s a …

THE Green Party has selected Bridget Ginnity to be its local area representative for the Ennis electoral area.  Bridget thanked the Clare Greens for the selection, stating, “I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to represent the Green Party for Ennis. Senator Róisín Garvey and Councillor Liam Grant have been doing great work in Clare to make climate, communities and equality a priority and I hope to further their work in Ennis. “Given the current fossil fuel crisis I have a particular interest in renewable energy and energy efficiency. “The Green Party was instrumental in introducing a new Home Energy Upgrade Scheme with grants for everything from timers and attic insulation to full upgrades. Well insulated homes means warmer homes, lower heating bills and reduced carbon emissions. “Locally I will be working hard to improve walking and cycling infrastructure in Ennis as well as public transport routes. We got a taste of the calm that comes from reduced car use …

WHILE the government managed to defeat a Sinn Fein motion looking to stop the introduction of new laws on fuel including a ban on the sale of turf, they remain under fire for the proposals. Plans to ban the sale of turf have been discussed for weeks now but there appears to be little support for the move around Clare, one of the counties where a significant percentage of people use it. Ryan responds that there are 1,300 deaths every year because of air pollution, compares the planned turf sale restrictions to the smoking ban, asks Doherty: 'What number of deaths should we tolerate?' pic.twitter.com/Q8VVxQUQOF — Rónán Duffy (@ronanduffy_) April 28, 2022 Clare TD Michael McNamara said that a degree of realism is missing from the Green Party’s approach to the issue. “The Green Party have correctly identified problems but I think their solutions lack reality. It’s all well and good to increase taxes on things like green diesel, ban …

WHILE Eamon Ryan wanted to stress how aware he is of the importance of farmers in preserving the environment, he would have been left with few illusions about how suspicious farmers are of his party after last week’s meeting. Councillor Pat Burke left little room for doubt where he stood when he addressed the meeting. “I’m a full time farmer and I’m not a fan of the Green Party” He claimed that the party is “very anti-rural” while he stressed the care that himself and many other rural dwellers have taken good care of their environment for many years. Councillor Burke said that he had contacted the office of Minister of State for Land Use & Biodiversity about ash dye back, but hadn’t heard anything at all in return. He also told the Minister that his department has been able to find money for cycle lanes and the likes around Ennis, but hasn’t been able to do anything for a …

GREEN Party Senator Róisín Garvey is calling for multi-faceted approach to the ongoing problem of flooding. The Inagh native introduced a Private Members’ Motion to the upper house to calling for a multi-faceted, catchment-based approach to managing flooding. Senator Garvey introduced the motion, which recommends a multi-faceted response to flood management while maintaining a multi-annual investment programme managed between the OPW and the local authorities. “I’m raising this motion because of what I’ve seen happening first-hand in my own county of Clare over the last few years and across the rest of Ireland,” she told the chamber. “The climate has changed and so has our rain fall in both frequency and ferocity. I am deeply worried about what lies ahead if we don’t take action.” “International best practice demonstrates that catchment-based solutions, using a combination of natural flood management approaches and hard engineering, are the best way forward and cost less than using only hard engineering solutions.” The motion calls for …