*Cllr Rita McInerney in Ennistymon.
EXPERIENCE of running a small business and offering a voice for West and North Clare in the Dáil is the pitch of Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) in advance of polling day on Friday.
On a fresh Tuesday morning in Ennistymon, Rita remains energetic as the end of a hectic campaign nears.
Currently chair of the playground committee in Doonbeg, ironically as she lands in Ennistymon her party colleague Cllr Shane Talty (FF) is meeting acting senior executive officer John Corry and senior engineer Tony Neville on trying to locate a similar facility for the North Clare town.
“I tore strips off Sinn Féin,” one female business owner tells Rita as she arrives in the door, “I told Sinn Féin they are not incentivising people to work”. The difficulties in securing staff is prompting this woman to fly an individual back from another continent to work with her for Christmas. “The current system is not incentivising young people to work but they are well able to get their lips done. It is depressing for young people not to work”.
Rita explains, “I am approaching this from a small business perspective because I know the pressure they are under”. She added that it not good for the mental health of young people to not be working, “we need to bring them along and let them see the value in work”.
Comments of Michael O’Leary which poked fun at the amount of teachers in the Dáil come up on the canvass, “I get what Michael O’Leary, we need business people in the Dáil because it is a business to the country”.
Solar panel grants are not proving to be an option for businesses in Ennistymon. “The whole of Ennistymon is in the wrong direction for solar panels,” revealed one business owner.
A man is seated in his car and he rolls down the window when she walks by, he reveals that he is awaiting a call from his oncologist and he didn’t want to be in his house when he receives the phone. The ease at which he informs Rita of his health status and worries show that she is a trusted figure among men and women of all ages.
As they walk past Boylesports, an employee is taking a quick smoking break. “Don’t tell me the odds,” comments Rita, “If I canvass you will it change odds”.
West Clare needs a voice in the Dáil, remarks one member of staff who said that health is a big issue. Members of McInerney’s team say she needs to be in the Dáil to influence greater change for the area.
Standing on the street is one woman who asks Rita what does she do, “I own a retail grocery store which has twelve people employed full-time. I’m a councillor which is supposed to be a part-time job then a TD would be full time job, I like to keep busy”. Her pitch prompts the woman to commit to give McInerney the vote.
At the next business, Rita outlines, “I’m approaching it from a small business and community background, it is so important to keep small businesses alive. I’m bringing life experience to this”.
Her literature is studied by the owner of the next store, as he scans the photograph he says “nice picture”, Rita quips, “that is before the campaign started, we could do a before and after photo”.
“Someone is trying to take you away,” a canvasser remarks to Rita after one of her posters has been moved down on one pole.
Presence of 2025 diaries in one store is “scary” as Rita realises we’re now approaching the end of November, a sign if any that the enduring campaign has also flown by.
Addressing staff in this store, she said, “I want to represent Clare particularly North-West Clare, we need a geographical spread, the number one issue is the health service”. The need for mental health supports is flagged with the Doonbeg woman who swiftly responds, “we only spend 6% of health budget on mental health when the recommended average is 12%”.
This prompts one female worker to say, “start screaming for us” and Rita replies, “I want to fight for what we deserve”.
Visitors to the Cliffs of Moher are growing but the benefit for surrounding communities is not increasing, one public explains. According to Rita, the decision of accommodation providers to house migrants “shows the tourism system isn’t working in the county if it is more profitable for them to put migrants into accommodation than use for tourists”.
Parking and Blake’s Corner stand as the “biggest issue” for businesses in Ennistymon. “they keep kicking them up and down”.
Rita’s involvement in the Information Age Park is recalled by one female employee. “I got my start there and started working with businesses then I moved across to Ennis Chamber of Commerce where I was for 13 years, then took over mother’s shop. I know what is required from the small business perspective,” she responded.
Passion exists among small business owners, Rita says while expressing her desire to provide them with a voice in the Dáil. One such owner outlines, “to be fair our biggest issue is parking and Blake’s Corner, they really need to be sorted, it’s the infrastructure here that is just a disaster”. On a more countywide scale, the hospital “is the biggest priority”.
Grants made available were “a drop in the ocean” according to one business owner. “Small businesses were offered grants, big businesses were given a write-off”. She said they have been unable to keep employees because costs are rising too much. Visit Clare’s lack of promotion of Ennistymon is also criticised, “this town gets no promotion. People find the town by accident”.
Issus in nearby Ennis are also put to Cllr McInerney who admitted that she believes the planned Supermac’s Plaza is in the wrong location and that Ennis 2040 is “causing a lot of consternation”. She said the town bus service should have been in place before public realm works commenced and that the decision to scrap plans for a multi-storey car park on the Temple Gate “have turned a lot of people off” Ennis 2040.
A birthday tea party for former councilor Flan Garvey (FF) in The Cheese Press is slightly interrupted. Rita enters Garvey territory but is given a warm welcome. 81 year old Flan predicts to The Clare Echo a seat for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael with two seats up for grabs for others including his daughter Roisin (GP) and Sinn Féin.
For Rita, there will be the parties of all parties if her appeal to be a voice for small businesses, West and North Clare comes to reality.
