*Cllr Rita McInerney (FF). Photograph: Eamon Ward
WEST CLARE’s first female politician to wear the chain of office as Cathaoirleach in the Municipal District has been hailed for an “unwavering commitment” who “represented the area with distinction”.
A poll-topper in the Kilrush local electoral area last June, Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) followed the fine performance by becoming the first female to serve as Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District.
Her term drew to a close on Friday last when she was succeeded by Ennistymon LEA poll-topper, Cllr Bill Slattery (FG).
Speaking at the West Clare MD AGM, Cllr McInerney said it was “an honour to serve the people of the Kilrush LEA and Ennistymona LEA and to lead the West Clare Municipal District with pride and purpose”.
She outlined, “I have seen significant progress and witnessed an enduring strength of communities whether it was witnessing improvements of roads or projects to enhances our villages and town, every decision was made to progress West Clare”.
Rural regeneration must continue along with the development of tourism products in West and North Clare plus improvements to the road infrastructure along the N65, N67 and N85, the Doonbeg woman said. “We need to deepen partnerships, there is a lot of work done with communities but we need to deepen partnerships with them”.
September’s passing of PJ Kelly (FF) who was a county councillor for fifty years was acknowledged by Rita, “the passing of PJ Kelly, I’d like to mark that and remember PJ and his family, he was a great stalwart, he will continue to be remembered and talked about in this Chamber”.
“Rows are good but we haven’t fallen out completely,” she remarked of the dynamic between elected members of the West Clare MD. The former CEO of Ennis Chamber paid tribute to Cllr Slattery who was her Leas Cathaoirleach for stepping in “particularly during the General Election campaign when I was missing in action at times”. She thanked the local authority staff in the offices in Kilrush, Ennistymon and Ennis along with the various departments, Directors and senior executive officers “who helped all along the way”.
Rita told the AGM, “This year has been a challenging one for me and my family on a personal level, I would thank my other half Karl who has been my lighthouse not just on busy days but the difficult ones. I thank my family for their continued love and patience which has sustained through highs of political life”.
Results are obtained on a local level weekly whether it fixing potholes, raising community issues or securing grant funding, McInerney reminded her colleagues. “The work of a councillor may not always grab headlines but it is the bedrock of local democracy”.
“I look forward to the day when West Clare unites fully behind a candidate and elects a TD to Dáil Éireann,” stated Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG). “You’re a hard act to follow, you have done your community and your family proud,” he added. Cllr Bill Slattery (FG) noted that his predecessor represented the area with “integrity and dignity”.
Party colleague, Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) thanked Rita for her service. “You carried the chain of office with distinction. You had a difficult year but you never once flinched your commitment to your position and to West Clare”.
Twelve months ago, Cllr Joe Killeen (FF) proposed Rita’s election as Cathaoirleach and now he thanked her for working tirelessly for West Clare and North Clare. “I often turned on Clare FM only to hear you raising issues of national and local importance during the past year, you haven’t been one bit shy from saying what you think, you support your ideas which are for the betterment of West Clare and North Clare”. Her experience as a business owner is a help to the County Council, “you based your ideas on experience in business and you represented our area with distinction”.
Noting Rita’s reign was “very historic,” Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) commented, “you were very gracious in your role, you treated us all fairly, we didn’t have many arguments based on how it was managed. You are the only female representative amongst the nine of us”.
Director of Tourism Development, Siobhán McNulty praised Rita’s “unwavering commitment to the role over the last twelve months. No Cathaoirleach had a busier twelve months with an election campaign in the middle of it”.
According to Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) work and energy shown by Rita “was something else. You brought a new dimension to the job, I’ve no doubt we’ll see you in higher office in years to come and I hope we do”.
Attending the meeting online, Cllr Shane Talty (FF) also offered his praise, “you kept open communication with us and pursued common interests of West Clare and North Clare”.
