This article is from page 9 of the 2007-08-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 9 JPG
AFTER three hours of heated discus- sion, Clare County Council adopted two compromise motions on the Shannon crisis following an emer- gency meeting of the local authority last night.
The emergency meeting had threat- ened to boil over into party bicker- ing, as a number of possible motions were discussed by Government and opposition councillors.
A number of motions, including one calling for a vote of no-confi- dence in the Minister for Transport proposed by Joe Arkins (FG) and another calling for a 24-hour, two- person council vigil to be set up at Shannon Airport proposed by Colm Wiley (FF), were rejected in favour of an all-party compromise.
The council adopted a motion stat- ing that Clare County Council would remind the Minister for Transport of his reponsibility to the development to the west of Ireland and the bal- anced development of the country as a whole.
A second motion called on the Minister for Transport, the Minister for Finance and the Taoiseach to take immediate action to resolve the situ- ation in Shannon.
County Manager, Alex Fleming, emphasised the negative impact that a loss of business rates due to the Air Lingus pull out would have on the lo-
cal authority.
“Unlike most counties, this county really depends on the commercial rate base.
“Any impact on this will impact seriousely on the rate base in the county,” he said.
‘“T have invested very heavily on the assumption that things are coming together with connectivity. Our ex- pectation is that connectivity would increase, the fact that it might de- crease is a real surprise.”
Fleming also called on the council- lor to continue an approach of soli- darity and progress with a ‘simple and actionable objective’.
All 32 council members are also to spend a half-day in Shannon Airport, to show solidarity with the workers of Shannon and coincide with the visit of Air Lingus Chief Executive, Dermot Mannion later this week.
Meanwhile, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP), confirmed to the council that party leader and Minister for the Environment, John Gormly, would be travelling to Ennis on Thursday to meet with a council delegation on the subject.
North Clare Cllr, Martin Conway (FG), also told the council that he iS organising a meeting of all Fine Gael councillors in Clare, Limerick, Kerry and Tipperary to take place in Shannon later in the week and discuss a joint proposal to be put to party leader, Enda Kenny.