*Councillors in the Killaloe MD. Photograph: Eamon Ward
PROVIDING suitable and viable housing “for the next generation” must continue to be a focus of all elected members in Clare, the outgoing Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe Municipal District has said.
Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) became Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe MD in January in what was a tense meeting with Fine Gael duo Cllr Pat Burke (FG) and Cllr Conor Ryan (FG) outmuscled in their attempt to hold onto the chains following Joe Cooney’s TD (FG) election to the Dáil which created the vacancy.
Though Hayes may have had the shortest stint of all Cathaoirligh in the county, he delivered the longest speech when it came to the AGM.
Addressing Friday’s AGM from the €4.3m Inis Cealtra visitor centre, Cllr Hayes stated, “it is hard to believe we’re having a public meeting in The Old Rectory. It is a unique occasion, we’re very thankful to be here for the opening week of the new Inis Cealtra experience, from walking around and walking in here, there’s an amazement and sense of occasion and looking out at the vista, we’ll never get a nicer view out the window for a meeting or having the cup of coffee”.
He praised the “vision” of Clare County Council to acquire what was a residential property to transform into the visitor centre. “We’re really blessed to be here for this special occasion, I wish everyone associated with this all the best going forward”.
Reflecting on his term in the chair, the Maghera native noted, “My term has been a short-lived occasion, five or six months flies by, when we sat down after the local election last year the key things we looked at were our own Municipal District which were a review of our work strategy and a plan for our Municipal District that document sets out fifteen key principles, we’re moving towards achieving a lot of them at this stage. That work is going very well and we have plans to progress a lot more”.
For the Killaloe MD to have completed a socio-economic profile was “unique, we went and produced key stats and facts, showing growth and decline. That is the backbone of our Municipal District,” he commented. “The cohesiveness of our MD shows the importance of these documents for this period of the Council, this is the template and is the document we will work from and it allows applications from different headings,” Hayes added.
Congratulations were voiced to Deputy Cooney on his election to the Dáil. “We’re delighted to have himself, Timmy Dooley and Cathal (Crowe) from this side of the county and we hope they will deliver for this side of the county”.
Both of the Council’s applications for the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund were on projects within the Killaloe MD. Cllr Hayes said they are expecting details on their applications from the Department of Rural and Community Development this month.
Hope was voiced by Cllr Hayes that plans for Greenways and Blueways in East Clare would proceed along with a mountain bike feasibility study.
Housing must be front and centre in plans for the Council, he said. “A lack of suitable and viable housing for next generation is one of the things we’ve highlighted. That has to be a key focus”.
Dynamic between elected members in East Clare is the envy of the county, he maintained. “I would like to thank my fellow councillors for their engagement and for working together, we might have skirmishes now and again but we are the envy of the county where we work together as a team to deliver across the Municipal District”. He said they were one of the first area MDs to take “a lead role” by passing a part eight application for Bodyke.
It was unique for the Killaloe MD to be home to the last three Mayors of Clare namely Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF), Deputy Cooney and Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF), Hayes observed to which O’Callaghan interjected, “now we’ve the Chief Executive” referencing Gordon Daly’s home in Tuamgraney. “You stole my thunder, we don’t need the mayor now,” Hayes responded.
Roads require more funding, Cllr Hayes added. “There’s perception that we do little enough at times but there’s huge delivery here”. He congratulated Ann Reynolds on her appointment as Director of Service for Rural Development, “, we’re blessed with the team here ably led by Brian, Declan, Olivia and Deirdre”.
Cllr O’Brien stated following the address, “you’ve covered everything”. Reynolds thanked Cllr Hayes for the welcome he offered since taking up the post. “When you go reeling in the year in a Municipal District or a local authority you get shocked on the amount of work covered in the year,” Cllr O’Callaghan maintained.
Senior planner, Brian McCarthy thanked Cllr Hayes for his “dedication and commitment to the people of East Clare. Your vision for elected members in collaboration to make the best use of all the functions is all for the betterment of East Clare”.
