*Pat Dowling.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling is to retire from the role next month.
Dowling’s exit had been expected but was confirmed in correspondence issued to the Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) on Monday morning. His retirement will become effective from December 31st.
Appointed to post in June 2016 on a seven year term, the Knockaderry native arrived in Áras Contae an Chláir in September 2016 as Chief Executive and has since November 2016 lived in Kilkee with his wife Rose. The sixty one year old is a father of six.
In March 2023, he informed the Department of Local Government and the Public Appointments Service that he wished to avail of the option of a three year extension to his seven year appointment. Twenty months on, he has announced he is to retire from the role. It means his first and last jobs were based in Co Clare, having started his career as a Youth Worker with Clare Diocesan Youth Service, now Clare Youth Service and concluding it as Chief Executive of Clare County Council.
“It has been my privilege to serve the Council and the county for almost eight and a half years and it is my earnest hope that I have made a positive contribution to the reputation and standing of the organisation and the county. Working with Clare County Council has represented the pinnacle of my career and I thank all the members, present and former for their support and co-operation during that time. I look forward to observing the exploits of Clare County Council from my home in West Clare and I wish you all well for the future,” he said in correspondence of elected members of the Council on Monday morning.
Glowing tributes were made by county councillors at Monday’s meeting of the Council where he also received a standing ovation.
Before moving to Clare, Pat was Deputy Chief Executive for Limerick City and County Council with responsibility for Social Development, whilst there he was assigned the task of managing the merger of the former Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council and in charting a new operating model in arriving at a unified authority for Limerick.
His first role in local government was in 1999 when he joined the Limerick Corporation, previously he worked with Clare Youth Service, National Youth Council of Ireland, Macra na Feirme and rural development with Kildare Leader Company.
In 1983, he graduated with a degree in European Studies from the National Institute for Higher Education which is now the University of Limerick and during his time there was placed on co-op at the United Nations in New York and lived at the time with his older brother Michael who is now the President and Chief Executive Officer of Northwell Health. His second placement while in university was in the European Parliament. He received a bronze medal for exceptional achievement when graduating.
As Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat oversaw the transfer of the Shannon Heritage tourism sites to the local authority which he previously described as “one of the biggest risks” in the 125 year history of the Council. He was involved in the multi-million euro redevelopment of the Vandeleur Walled Garden and Visitor Centre in Kilrush, the most significant tourism project to be undertaken in East Clare with the development Inis Cealtra visitor centre. On two occasions during his tenure, Clare County Council was named local authority of the year.
He was also to the fore in Lahinch’s hosting of the 2019 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open serving as a major success. He led the adaptation of the Council’s management structure which included the roll-out of the first rural development directorate of any Council in Ireland. Dowling played a key role in multiple successful announcements for the county worth millions of euros.
Also under Dowling’s watch, the County Council has voted to implement the highest charge of local property tax on a consistent basis. He has always stressed the importance of the Council maintaining a balanced budget and noted his pride at the local authority never recording a deficit during his tenure. He previously issued promises that issues at Blake’s Corner would be solved during his term as Chief Executive and has been a central figure in the creation of the Ennis 2040 Designated Active Company (DAC).
