*Cllr Joe Cooney (FG). Photograph: Tom Micks
CLLR JOE Cooney (FG) has changed his mind and is now going forward to contest the General Election in Co Clare.
Senior political figures including Taoiseach Simon Harris (FG) were among those to successfully urge the O’Callaghans Mills man to reconsider his initial decision. Having opted last week not to enter the race, Cooney confirmed to The Clare Echo on Sunday night that he will now appear on the ballot paper
Fine Gael have now gone from one candidate to three in the space of ten hours with Dr Tom Nolan (FG) and Cooney joining first-time candidate Leonora Carey (FG) on the ticket for the party. Joe was added following a meeting of Fine Gael’s Executive Council on Sunday evening.
An elected member of Clare County Council since 2004, Cooney has delivered poll-topping performances at a local level in 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024 where he was elected on the first count. This June he received 2,819 first preferences in the Killaloe Municipal District, up on the 2,697 he received in 2019 and the 2,790 of 2009 but it didn’t eclipse his personal best of 2,843 in 2014. Such is his ability to hoover up votes, he has been dubbed ‘the dyson’ by pundits on The Electoral Chair, a tag which has stuck.
A former Mayor of Clare, Cllr Cooney explained why he changed his mind. “Having considered contesting the General Election in recent weeks and on foot of representations from people across the county and following discussions with Taoiseach Simon Harris urging me to put my name forward, I have decided that now is the right time for me to do so. Ahead of making a decision to put my name forward, I have consulted at length with family, friends and supporters to ensure I was in a position to give 100pc to my campaign and my tenure as a TD should I be elected.
“As a longstanding member of Clare County Council and proud Clare man, I am honoured to contest this election and to receive the opportunity to potentially represent my county in Dáil Éireann. If I say I will do something, I will do it. I am deeply committed to our communities, and my dedication to serving the people of Clare is central to everything I do,” the former Chairman of Clare GAA stated.
Housing, health services, rural communities, infrastructure, tourism and Shannon Airport were listed as key issues by Cllr Cooney. “The outgoing Government has invested hugely in largely rural constituencies like Clare but, understandably, there is much work to do whether that be in further improving our local health services, increasing housing stock levels, supporting our tourism and hospitality sector or investing in vital infrastructure”.
A reopening of Ennis’ A&E is needed, he said. “I fully support the restoration of Ennis A&E which is needed to cater for County Clare’s growing population and health needs, while increasing capacity in our community hospitals is required to alleviate ongoing overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick. Investment in locally delivered mental health services also is a priority to reduce waiting times for those most in need”.
On housing, he said, “Increasing the supply of high-quality affordable and social homes across Clare is key to addressing accommodation shortfalls in the county. Our planning legislation must support those wishing to build homes in rural Clare as such developments bring vibrancy to the communities in which they are located. I also support bringing derelict buildings in our towns and villages back into use to reduce the pressure on the rental market.
“I will be a strong advocate for agriculture and rural communities in Dáil Éireann. I am acutely aware of the challenges faced by farm families and of the importance of the agricultural sector for our county. The Government’s environmental ambition must be matched by delivering the necessary supports to farmers. As someone who has lived in rural Clare all my life, I will seek increased investment in vital community, transport and environmental infrastructure.”
In terms of his support for the local tourism sector, Cllr Cooney stated, “Our tourism SMEs are critically important for the local economy and for creating and sustaining employment across the county. The existing accommodation shortage is unsustainable for the tourism and hospitality sector and must be redressed along with the requirement to retain existing supports and introduce new measures that reduce the operating costs for operators.”
He continued, “A thriving Shannon Airport drives multinational investment, generates employment and encourages tourists to stay in Clare. I will work with government to ensure our National Aviation Policy positions and supports the airport as a key strategic asset for balanced regional development in the West of Ireland.”
Cllr Cooney also expressed his support for creating new opportunities “for our young people to engage in sports and recreation activities by delivering investment in existing and new infrastructure in communities throughout County Clare. Strong communities are built on collaboration, trust, hard work and the understanding that every citizen’s voice must be heard and supported. If elected, I pledge to always listen, engage, and act on everyone’s behalf as I have done throughout my 21-year political career,” he added.
