*Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF), Cllr David Griffin (FF), Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) and Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG). Photograph: Joe Buckley
A DEDICATED social media space for activities within the Shannon Municipal District has been requested by a Sinn Féin councillor.
Politicians place a great deal of emphasis on social media and within the Shannon MD they are no different.
Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) has requested that the Shannon MD have its “own social media space that will keep people up to date with issues and actions that are happening within the MD on a monthly news sheet”.
Acting senior executive officer, Anne Griffin in response to McGettigan’s motion said the Shannon MD will “continue to strategically and actively use various communication channels to highlight the positive work and important issues within the Municipal District and strengthen our strong and open relationships with the media”.
Social media, Clare County Council’s website, television, local print media and radio were the communication channels referenced by Ms Griffin. “Recognising the importance of promoting the positives of the towns, villages and settlements in the Municipal District, as well as the projects carried out between the MD office, elected representatives and communities, the MD office will further collaborate with the communications office to ensure an integrated approach. The monthly management report published on Clare County Council’s website will continue to be vigorously promoted”.
She said the MD will ensure the “positive work” undertaken in the locality be placed “in a more prominent location” on the Council’s website and that a Municipal District newsletter would be produced in the autumn.
Speaking at a meeting of the Shannon MD, Cllr McGettigan said, “if you look at the Clare County Council Facebook page you have to scroll down to find anything about Shannon on it, I’m not trying to be negative on it”. Items relating to the Shannon MD have been “lost” on the Council’s social media because people have to scroll down to find it, she said. “Even the N19 submissions earlier, they said there was very little public consultation feedback on it, people aren’t seeing it”.
Support for the motion was voiced by Cllr Tony Mulcahy (FG). Burst water pipes in Corrib Drive and Fergus Rd were cited as “classic examples” on social media’s use in spreading a message.
Cathaoirleach of the Shannon MD, Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) commented, “When you are on social media on a regular basis people go to your page to find out things so when something like a burst main or an ESB outage they will still come to your page for the information. I don’t know how we can work it, it is not easy to manage it”.
“Maybe work with the local community councils on it, they would have their finger on the pulse on it,” McGettigan suggested.
