This article is from page 3 of the 2007-08-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
FURTHER questionmarks were placed over the future of Council- lor Brian Meaney within the Green Party, arising from the Shannon Aer Lingus crisis yesterday.
Last Thursday, Cllr Meaney met with Green Party leader, John Gorm- ley at the Temple Gate Hotel to out- line the concerns of the region over the Aer Lingus decision to end the Shannon-Heathrow service.
Cllr Meaney was accompanied
at the meeting by Chairman of the Shannon Regional Tourism Board, Michael Houlihan, Cllr Madeleine Taylor Quinn (FG) and tourism rep- resentatives, Michael Vaughan and Mary Gleason.
Prior to the meeting, Cllr Meaney confirmed that he was considering his future in the Green Party.
“If the Green Party is complicit in a Government decision that un- dermines the economic stability of the west, I will be unable to remain a member of the Green Party,” said
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In a letter to Minister Gormley prior to the meeting, Cllr Meaney said, “I have been a loyal, hard-work- ing, founding member of the Green Party here in Clare. I have stood for the Greens at every election in Clare since 1997.
“IT have no difficulty in supporting the Green Party in Government im- plementing hard but necessary deci- sions. I cannot support a non-inter- ventionist policy by a Government of decisions that tear the heart out of
services that promote employment and act as a counter measure to runa- way development in the east.”
Speaking yesterday, Cllr Meaney said, “Everything 1s still at issue. I am not making any further statement on that matter. I will wait and see what happens in January.”
Cllr Meaney said that he was not happy with the lip service Clare Government TDs are paying on the issue. “I am also not happy that with the establishment of the high level departmental committee.
“It is straight from