*Photograph: Joe Buckley
A BIG ELECTION announcement is in the offing in what could be a memorable occasion during the campaign.
Ballot Beats is The Clare Echo’s daily General Election (GE24) update where we will have observations on the campaign and see how issues of the day are impacting on candidates in Clare.
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Whispers are rife that a notable announcement will be made on Thursday regarding the General Election in Clare.
It’s taken until day five for the first shots to be fired by a Clare candidate with Leonora Carey (FG) slamming Fianna Fáil’s election manifesto promise to lift the passenger cap at Dublin Airport as a betrayal to Shannon Airport which is also serving as a dig at the party’s spokesperson on aviation and tourism, none other than outgoing TD, Cathal Crowe (FF) who was canvassing in West Clare.
Ennis was the focus for Dr Tom Nolan (FG) for the second day in a row, he pledged, “if elected on November 29, one of my key priorities is to restore the A&E department to Ennis Hospital”. He was joined by Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG).
Media appearances are increasing for some of the nineteen candidates in the field across Clare. Senator Roisin Garvey (GP) debated infrastructure on Newstalk’s The Hard Shoulder with Kieran Cuddihy while Senator Timmy Dooley was among the panellists for a discussion on climate for RTÉ’s The Late Debate.
It was day two of Clare FM’s smaller debates on Morning Focus where childcare, housing and education were among the talking points. Senator Garvey and June Dillon (AON) were in studio while Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) dialled in from Scariff where he took a small reprieve from chairing a meeting of the Killaloe Municipal District.
Elected members of the Killaoe MD wished their colleague well towards the end of the meeting as Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) remarked he could be returning to join them as an Oireachtas member by the time of their next meeting in January. During his canvass of Corofin, Cooney was joined by Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) who said, “I have not met a harder worker or more genuine person than Joe Cooney”.
Surmising on the outcome, East Clare representatives suggested that it will be two seats each for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael but they questioned whether three candidates in East or South-East Clare could all be elected in the one campaign. Hoping to go against that prediction is Hilary Tonge (SD) who was in Tulla.
A “very interesting” Traveller culture workshop was attended by Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) on Wednesday morning before switching her attention to a canvass in Ennis.
Road infrastructure is cropping up as an issue on the canvass for Cllr Rita McInerney (FF).
Fresh from getting the backing of 2020 candidate Joseph Woulfe (IND), Matthew Moroney (IND) has another former election candidate in his corner. 2019 local election candidate, Joe Floyd (IND) from Tulla is also lending a helping hand to the Broadford man. Woulfe is also offering his support to Kevin Hassett (IND).
“Get me in to get them out” is the slogan of Michael Loughrey (NA). Outgoing TD, Violet-Anne Wynne (IND) caught up on the most recent episode of The Electoral Chair and compiled some of the positive comments about her time in Dáil Éireann.
Also appearing on the ballot paper in Clare are Michael Leahy (IFP), Amanda Major (IND), Paddy Murphy (IND), Catriona Ni Chatháin (SOC) and Eddie Punch (II).
