CLLRS Michael Shannon (FF) and Tom O’Callaghan (FF) gave their support to joining a working group to implement the Local Economic and Community Plan 2024-2030 in a recent council meeting.
The Fianna Fáil duo were seconded to the position by Lahinch native cllr Bill Slattery (FG).
In a meeting at Clare County Council headquarters in Ennis, Administrative Officer Brendan Boyce made a presentation on progress of the Local Economic and Community Plan 2024-2030 so far, where he urged two elected representatives to join the programme’s working group.
Described by the local authority as “a crucial plan designed to enhance the well-being and quality of life for everyone in County Clare”, the 2024-2030 LECP was first unveiled under the tenure of now TD Joe Cooney (FG) when he acted as Cathaoirleach.
Speaking at the time, the O’Callaghan’s Mills man commented “The objectives and actions contained within will guide economic and community development in the county and act as a key reference document for all publicly funded bodies and groups operating in County Clare that will be working collaboratively for the benefit of County Clare”.
The plan stresses the importance of providing future community funding within the county. The LECP also emphasises several actions on “the areas of housing, transport, health and well-being, diversification, mentorships, sustainable livelihoods, local food production, valuing care work, protecting and restoring biodiversity, social enterprises, and community wealth building”, according to the local authority.
Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Boyce noted that a lot had changed since the 2024 general election and subsequent new programme for government. At the urging of that day’s chairman, cllr Pat Daly (FF), party colleagues Michael Shannon and Tom O’Callaghan agreed to join the plan’s working group following a brief presentation by Mr Boyce.
Director of Planning, Economic, Rural and Community Development, Jason Murphy, supported the decision and stressed the importance of the plan for the future development of the county.
“The LECP sits directly under the County Development Plan in terms of hierarchy. We’re learning all the time about how we can be more cohesive and more smart in terms of our policies and striking that balance so that we’re not setting ourselves up for failure”, the Clonlara man said.
“From the LCDC perspective, we do build houses, we build roads but the building block comes out of our LCDC. What we have found is that when these structures become critical for us is when we have a crisis”, he added before going on to reference the county’s response to Covid and the arrival of large numbers of Ukrainian refugees.
After pledging to work as part of the group to implement the LECP, cllr Shannon made reference to a series of articles in a number of national papers that reported birth rates had fallen in Ireland by 18% in a decade.
The Quilty man suggested that this should be a focus of the plan going forward for Clare, stating that “New birth rates in Ireland have dropped 18% in the last ten years, its clearly to be attributed to lack of housing. The population is growing but the birth rate is falling. We need to address this as a priority nationally and as a county”.
