Tag Archives: Pat McMahon

IF there was an Olympics for operating in slow motion Irish Water would win the gold medal every time, Councillor Pat McMahon told Tuesday’s meeting of Shannon Municipal District Councillors. The veteran Fianna Fáil man sought an update on the planned upgrade to the waste water treatment plant in Newmarket, which he said is vital to the delivery of housing in the area. A written response from the Council’s Senior Executive Engineer stated that there has been little progress for months. “The planning application for the Newmarket on Fergus waste water treatment plant upgrade project was submitted to Clare County Council by Uisce Éireann in February 2023. The response to a further information request is to be submitted to Clare County Council by Uisce Éireann in mid July 2023. Subject to a grant of planning permission and the completion of a tender and contract award process, it is anticipated that construction will commence in 2024 for completion in 2026.” The …

SHANNON Airport Group is to be asked to consider extending the free 15-minute access to the car park at the airport. At last week’s meeting of Shannon Municipal District, Councillor Pat McMahon said that while first of all the Airport should be thanked for the free access, there are problems with it, especially in the evenings. A motion he put before the meeting asked that Shannon Airport Group “consider providing additional free short-term parking for pick-up or drop-off of passengers as the current 15 minute free park is not sufficient”. Councillor McMahon said that at the moment people park up at the roadside on the way in, as they don’t want to go in too early and face the €3 charge if they are inside for longer than a quarter of an hour. The Fianna Fáil councillor said that it can be “quite dangerous”, with people parked at the side of the road on the way towards the car park …

COUNCILLOR Pat McMahon has been elected as the new Cathaoirleach of the Shannon Municipal District. The veteran Newmarket representative was proposed by Councillor PJ Ryan and seconded by Councillor John Crowe this afternoon. There were no other nominees and he was elected unopposed. Councillor Ryan said that he possesses “vast knowledge and experience” and will perform well in the role, while Councillor Crowe described him as a “great character” while noting he is the second most long-serving councillor in Clare. Councillor Crowe was unanimously elected as Leas Cathaoirleach.

THE US army’s continuing use of Shannon Airport should be encouraged, according to Clare County Council. In the past, thousands of people have protested against the US transiting through the airport but, last Friday, members of the local authority passed a motion, proposed by Councillor Pat McMahon, that “In view of the substantial threats posed by Brexit and the uncertainty surrounding immigration and the pre-clearance facility at Shannon Airport, that this council reaffirms its support for American military transiting the airport”. Introducing the motion, the veteran Newmarket councillor said, “Since I was seven or eight-years-old, military aircraft have been going through Shannon and I don’t think anything has changed”. He described the US as “a friendly nation” and while he was in disagreement with those who have protested against the US military use of Shannon, he said he fully recognises their right to do so and that protests have been carried out in the right manner. Councillor McMahon’s motion mentioned …

TRAIN services between Limerick and Ennis are likely to be disrupted for some time. Councillor Pat McMahon, who inspected flooding on the railway line on Tuesday, said that at one point, close to Mooghaun Bridge, the entire track is flooded for a distance of about 150 metres. Councillor McMahon said that the area in question is notoriously prone to flooding and predicted it would take a minimum of three weeks to dry out. Flooding in the area has disrupted train services on numerous occasions over the years, but Councillor McMahon said that the will to solve the problem has been lacking. “Nothing has happened. There has been lots of reports and lots of deputations, but the bottom line is, nothing has happened.”

FIANNA Fáil have selected four candidates to stand in the Shannon Electoral Area in next year’s local elections. Sitting councillors Pat McMahon (Newmarket-on-Fergus) and Cathal Crowe (Meelick) will be joined by former mayor of Clare Pat O’Gorman (Cratloe) and Louise Roche McNamara (Shannon). The newly defined electoral area is set to be the most competitive in Clare with eight outgoing councillors fighting for just six seats. The youngest county councillor in the country when he was elected in 2004, Cathal Crowe is hoping to retain his seat for the second time. While four candidates are standing, he feels Fianna Fáil can at best hope to win three seats. “At a minimum I’d hope we’d hold our two seats, but I believe we can gain a third seat. Four would be incredible, but I don’t think that’s realistic.” The re-drawn boundaries, which have brought him into the Shannon area, won’t do him any harm, he believes. “I’m happy with it, but …