ELECTION CAMPAIGNS can be prickly but it didn’t stop one candidate from getting acquainted with nature and completing an animal rescue on the canvass.
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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Excitement in the campaign race in Clare has gone up dial with details revealed of The Electoral Chair: Election Debate which will be hosted by The Clare Echo at Hotel Woodstock on November 21st. It will be one of the only events during the campaign to see candidates questioned in front of a live audience.
Tickets for The Electoral Chair: Election Debate are available HERE.
On day six of the campaign, there was the first instance of an animal rescue. Outgoing TD, Cathal Crowe (FF) asked for votes in South Clare while he also freed a hedgehog back to the wild. “I rescued a little hedgehog in Shannon Banks tonight, he was gone in under a parked car and has now been brought down to the safety of the bushes and vegetation closer to the river bank”. Earlier in the day, he canvassed homes in North Clare alongside former Minister Tony Killeen (FF) and Cllr Joe Killeen (FF), “they have been giving me great help in recent weeks” and also met an IFA delegation.
His party colleagues, Senator Timmy Dooley (FF) and Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) signed their nomination papers at Ennis Courthouse, while in the county town Cllr McInerney took the opportunity to call to the newly opened de Valera library which she said is “named after the legendary Fianna Fáil man”.
Also to submit their nomination papers were Cllr Joe Cooney (FG) and Leonora Carey (FG). Ennis was the focus of both of their canvasses.
Preparation continued for Paddy Murphy (IND) on his latest video as he conducts a primarily online campaign. A traffic blackspot in North Clare is understood to be the focus of his next release.
Familiar ground was covered by Dr Tom Nolan (FG) who was in Kilrush where he has had GP practice for over forty years.
Senator Roisin Garvey (GP) was in Cusack Park attending the Cumann na mBunscoil finals while she also completed a canvass of Miltown Malbay in the evening.
June Dillon (AON) was in Lissycasey where she spoke of the need to improve rural services and to try tackle social isolation. Familiar faces helped Kevin Hassett (IND) as he added further posters in Cree and Mullagh.
Violet Anne Wynne (IND) welcomed Stephen Walsh of the Clare IFA to her constituency office for a brief meeting. “I have stood in the Dáil and called the rollout of the ACRES Scheme a shambles and I stand by that”.
Talk of a strong Sinn Féin influence in Shannon was the subject of a front page story on The Clare Champion by Owen Ryan. Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) is among their volunteers.
Housing, childcare and anti-social behaviour were among the topics covered on Morning Focus as Clare FM held their latest mini-election debate where Hilary Tonge (SD) featured along with Dooley and Murphy.
Also appearing on the ballot paper in Clare on November 29th are Michael Leahy (IFP), Michael Loughrey (IP), Amanda Major (IND), Matthew Moroney (IND), Catriona Ni Chatháin (SOC) and Eddie Punch (II).
