Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy. Photograph: Joe Buckley
A SITTING COUNCILLOR has described candidates associated with Save Ennis Town as “bananas”.
Speaking on The Electoral Chair’s election debate for the Ennis Municipal District, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) voiced strong criticism of candidates attached to the Save Ennis Town group which are opposed to the developments planned for Abbey Street car park and Parnell Street car park under the Ennis 2040 strategy.
Cllr Colleran Molloy who was on the steering committee which developed the strategy and is currently a board member of Ennis 2040 DAC remarked, “Some of the candidates that are Save Ennis Town are in my opinion bananas because they don’t want to build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything”.
Clare who in currently resides in Ballybeg and along with her husband Tony have in the past fortnight began renovating a derelict property on the Clonroad pointed out that the proposed building for Abbey Street car park will result in the creation of 110 “high value added jobs” located in the heart of Ennis.
Candidates involved with Save Ennis Town include Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF), Bridget Ginnity (GP), Hilary Tonge (SD) while departing Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) is also part of the group along with local retailers and community members.
In a statement to The Clare Echo subsequent to the election debate, Bridget said, “Coming out to protest is not something that comes easily to me or to many people. I prefer to use the formal consultation channels but have been dismayed at the total lack of regard shown by Ennis 2040 DAC to the concerns raised by many of us in the community”.
She added, “Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy referred to objectors as BANANAs (build absolutely nothing near anything anywhere), a term previously used by Kevin Corrigan, Chief Operating Officer of Ennis 2040 DAC . This name calling reflects a lack of respect. We are portrayed as backward people who resist progress. I am a member of the Save Ennis Town group and we have put forward very reasonable concerns yet there has been no serious discussion of these. I want Ennis 2040 to stop spending our money on architects, engineers and public relations, and go back to the drawing board.
