CLARE’s election candidates will be put through their paces in an entertaining debate held at Hotel Woodstock hosted by The Clare Echo.
Candidates will discuss several issues including Shannon Airport, Ennis Hospital, infrastructure, housing, business, crime, Moneypoint, environment, immigration and tourism. The debate will be split into two halves with two separate groups of candidates being questioned on stage each half.
Part one will feature, Cllr Joe Cooney (FG), Senator Timmy Dooley (FF), Senator Roisin Garvey (GP), Michael Loughrey (IP), Cllr Rita McInerney (FF), Matthew Moroney (IND), Paddy Murphy (IND) and Eddie Punch (IND).
On part two, Leonora Carey (FG), Cathal Crowe TD (FF), Kevin Hassett (IND), Michael Leahy (IFP), Amanda Major (IND), Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF), Tom Nolan (FG) Hilary Tonge (SD) and Violet-Anne Wynne TD (IND).
Apologies were received from June Dillon (AON), Catriona Ni Chatháin (SOC) and Barry O’Donovan (RAB) who will not be in attendance tonight.
Here we have provided a live blog of the event, capturing the key moments and highlight comments of the night.
The Clare Echo is dedicated to providing the public with fair and honest coverage of the electoral campaign. We want to help you make strong and informed decisions.
Part1: Cllr Joe Cooney (FG), Senator Timmy Dooley (FF), Senator Roisin Garvey (GP), Michael Loughrey (IP), Cllr Rita McInerney (FF), Matthew Moroney (IND), Paddy Murphy (IND) and Eddie Punch (IND).
8:05pm: Stuart Holly, editor of The Clare Echo opens the debate welcoming all of the attendees and candidates. Holly begins by thanking Hotel Woodstock and Lally the family for hosting the event tonight. He also thanks the camera men, sound engineers and security present tonight for helping to make this event run so smoothly.
8:07pm: Holly invites a representative from One Bill Utilities, the sponsor of the event, to say a few words
8:10pm: Holly welcomes the host of tonight’s debate; Páraic McMahon head of news and sport at The Clare echo, to the stage to open tonight’s debate.
8:11pm: McMahon opens the debate by asking Cllr Timmy Dooley (FG) about the closure of Ennis A&E
8:20pm: Michael Loughrey (IP) speaks about his belief that there are too many immigrants being let into Ireland. He believes this is a key issue in the housing crisis and that because immigrants are allowed into Ireland that there are not enough opportunities for the Irish People.
8:21pm: An audience member shouts from the crowd at Loughrey (IP): “you’re English”
Loughrey responds with “What? I’m English? I’m Irish , what do you mean mate?”
8:25pm: Garvey (GP) speaking on the same issue of immigration and housing in Ireland points out that only 0.8% of the population of Clare are I Pass citizens, so she disagrees that immigrants coming to Ireland for refuge are the issue for lack of opportunities for the Irish public.
8:27pm: McMahon asks Loughrey (IP) how he feels about Garvey’s comment. Loughrey (IP) responds: “I’m not happy with it at all” He goes on to say that due to the influx of immigrants into the country that “the streets are not safe in Dublin, they aren’t safe in Galway, they are not save in Limerick and Cork. I’ve been there” an audience member shouts to Loughrey (IP) “They aren’t safe wherever you are”
8:30pm: McMahon changes the subject of conversation to regional development in towns
8:45pm: Mathew moroney (IND) feels that there needs to be more investment put into creating modular homes so that the provisions are there the immigrants when they come to Ireland
8:46pm: McMahon asks Rita McInery (FF)about the troubles running a small business, Rita McInerny (FF) says that we are simply not getting the money to build safer route school programmes in the small towns and villages in Clare
8:49pm: Garvey (GP) says that there are these projects in villages such as Doolin and Mooredyke and the main issue is the councillors in the areas without these programmes are not asking for financial help “I asked for it I fought for it, I got it and we want more of it”
8:50pm: Garvey (GP)Msays that the main issue with active travel programmes is that the people on the active travel team are not qualified to control active travel. She believes that they should have hired active travel professionals
8:55pm: An audience question: Brian McCarthy; What are you going to do about Shannon Airport being used by USA aircraft transporting weapons and soldiers to Lebanon?
Timmy Dooley (FF) answers: ” We have made it very clear as a country and as a society that we do not tolerate the transport of weapons in our airspace and when this happens then sanctions should come to bare”
Garvey (GP): “I don’t trust the American Army, I don’t trust the American government.” She would like to implement spot checks on these planes. She believes that if we put effort into developing Shannon airport then we won’t have to depend on American aircraft travelling through Shannon to supply jobs and income to the area.
Murphy (IND): “I believe that what is going in Gaza is a land grab and genocide. I believe that we should be checking every plane that comes through the airport”
9:01pm: McMahon poses a question Garvey (GP) regarding Green party politics. Loughrey (IP) mistakes the question being directed to him and responds saying “sorry I thought you were asking me a question about the Green party Politics. That’s just a load of bolocks”
9:07pm: McMahon quotes former Green Party member Barry O’Donovan saying that he sees that the public can’t engage with what the Green Party is trying to achieve. Garvey (G) says” I think that is disrespectful to the public. She says that “whatever about a green voice we need a good voice”. She has genuine concerns for Clare based on the science of climate change because Clare is the 2nd most vulnerable county in Ireland to flooding. “It’s not about is climate change is real, the climate has changed”
9:13pm: McMahon: Are you the most likely of three FF candidates to be elected to be minister?
McInerney: I would hope so. I have a lot of experience in terms of business and in terms of community.
9:15pm: Dooley (FF): “If we want to have the best shot of having a minister in the county in my view…it’s my view that If FF elect two TD’s on this occasion that we will have a real shot. There’s still no guarantees”
9:16pm: McMahon: Why should Clare go for another independent?
Eddie Punch (IND): “Because this time we have a plan for independent to really work together I have watched the three candidates of FF argue together all night and I am worried.”
9:20pm: McMahon to Conney: “What makes you good enough now to go to the Dáil?”
Cooney (FG): I support the windfarms. We all want to see the offshore. The offshore is vitally important.
McMahon directs Cooney back to the question asked
Cooney (FG): “With the question. My belief is if I’m elected to the Dáil Eireann I can represent the people of this county as I have for the past twenty years. I will do my best. I will do what I can for the people of Clare.
9.25pm: Each candidate gets 60 sec to tell the audience why the public should vote for them.
Interval: During the interval a charity raffle was held.All proceeds will go to Cahercalla Community Hospice
9:48pm: Part 2 is underway
Leonora Carey (FG), Cathal Crowe TD (FF), Kevin Hassett (IND), Michael Leahy (IFP), Amanda Major (IND), Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF), Tom Nolan (FG) Hilary Tonge (SD) and Violet-Anne Wynne TD (IND).
9:50pm: McMahon: “Tom Nolan you have admitted to failing to save Ennis hospital in the past, what’s different this time round?”
Tom Nolan (FG): “It was not for want of trying the first time.” “What is different now is I have aligned myself with a mainstream political party and within FG there is a want to finally restore A& E”
9:59pm: McMahon: Kevin Hasset Can you clarify the difference between a model 3 and model 4 hospital.
Kevin Hasset (IND): “Well a model 4 hospital will have the facility for open heart surgery etc. What we need is a hospital, a service for our tiny tots to come in and see these hospitals and be inspired to become nurses and doctors and keep them here in our hospitals”
10pm: McMahon: Tom Nolan has enough been done to encourage young GPs
Nolan (FG): “The cost of setting a practice is huge and it would put anybody off. We will interview and inspect people coming in to see will they actually stick it out. We should review what is actually given by a GP, it is not good enough.”
“The developing model of so-called A &E which I hate because no one defines it, is that you will be greeted at the door by a professional who says you’re okay, you’re not. And the opposite is what’s happening.”
10:11pm McMahon: “Michael Leahy what is your stance on LGBT supports?”
Michael Leahy (IFP): “A lot of parents are not happy that schools have a pride week, and they are seeing it not just as an education for children but also as a political agenda.“
“We have to put parents back in control of education when it comes to that point”
10:13pm: Cathal Crowe (FF): “In terms of SPHE the transformative change that has come in education is education on consent”
“If they choose they are homosexual there should be support for them”
“Something else I would like to point out is the horrible rhetoric around female athletes who are competing, through the sharing of images on social media and saying that “this is what a real woman looks like”
Kevin Hasset (IND): “It’s going all the way down to babies, It is nothing more than abuse, sheer child abuse”
Donna McGettigan (SF): “It’s about acceptance. These children grow up thinking there is something wrong with them, when there is nothing wrong with them.”
Tom Nolan (FG): “Whats happening in our schools isn’t acceptance it’s directive”
Donna McGettigan (SF) : “You’ll find that a lot of trans children find out that they are in the wrong body at a very young age and they feel like there is something wrong with them. Bringing in education at a young age helps them to learn that there is nothing wrong with them.”
10:26pm: Violet-Anne Whyte is the one candidate on the ballot who would not do an interview with the Clare Echo. McMahon takes this opportunity to ask the candidate some questions he would have liked to ask her during the requested interview.
10:28pm Violet-Anne Whyte (IND) claims she has been placed under scrutiny by the media in her political years and added that Páraic McMahon himself was one of these cases. Páraic makes it clear that at the Clare Echo regardless of who is elected we will continue to hold all political figures accountable.
10:37pm Audience member Question: asks the candidates stance on the Ennis 2040 project in particular the Abbey Street car park
Leonora Carney (FG): I’m not in favour until the parking issue is sorted
Cathal Crowe (FF): I have a nuanced position is very hard to answer
Kevin Hasset (IND): I’m against the development of Abbey st car park
Michael Leahy (IFP): Abbey st is a substantial space and it should be developed as such. Whatever happens with it we can’t lose car parking spaces
Amanda Major (IND): Ennis 2040 is a great initiative, the only thing I’m against is the Abbey Street carpark we need something to keep our children in Ennis
Donna McGettigan (SF): Ennis needs to be brought forward
Tom Nolan (FG): Be very careful about building anything on or near water, it’s not a flood plane per say but it’s a potential one
Hillary Tongue (SD) : I am totally against the Abbey Street car park and anything to do with the post office
Violet-Anne Whyte(IND): It has been pointed out it’s a flood plane area as well, why is a flood plane even being considered for any kind of construction but I would be in support of Parnell.
10:45pm: Cathal Crowe (FF): “Sixmilebridge is now our third largest town and more often not in the west of Clare there is only two gards on and one patrol car and it’s not good enough
10:53pm: When asked who has Michael Leahy (IFP)been talking to know that the garda commissioner is obsessed with his party Michael Leahy (IFP) replied with “well let’s just say I have my sources”
“The minister is going to demand 500 gards to police what we say”
10:55pm A member in the audience shouts “Everything you are doing is unconstitutional”
10:57pm: McMahon asks the candidates if they are in favour of the amalgamation of Tipperary and Clare police departments.
All of the candidates are not in favour of the continued combination of the Tipp and Clare garda amalgamation except Leonora Carey and Tom Nolan
11pm: McMahon: Hillary do the social democrats have plans to help students to have the money to live independently?
tONGUE (SD): “We are going to build 25 thousand rental homes for students and for people saving to afford a home, we hope to build 50 000 affordable homes yearly”
Cathal Crowe interjects (FF) : “Your party’s contribution to housing last year was to protest and to hold 3000 houses.”
Each Candidate gets 60 sec to highlight their main points to the audience.
In closing the Debate Páraic McMahon says: “We entered the election with the goal of making you the most important when it comes to casting your vote on November 29th. There is more information in this week’s paper on each candidate on what they hope to achieve. So we ask you to do two things; before November 29th. Pick up the Clare Echo, read it and on November 29th, vote. But before then subscribe to The Clare Echo support what we do because our election promise is: we’ll continue to keep asking the tough questions and hold the people in power accountable”
Debate Ends
The full debate will be made available within the coming days. Make sure to subscribe to The Clare Echo to get full access to all of our election coverage.
