This article is from page 7 of the 2007-09-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 7 JPG
TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern could lose more than nine county coun- cillors in Clare less than two years ahead of the local elections.
Clare County Councillor Richard Nagle is chairman of the Clare tour- ism forum and one of the nine gov- ernment party county councillors contemplating leaving their parties if the government fails to ensure con- nectivity between Shannon and Lon- don-Heathrow.
Aware of the implications the 1s- sue has on his tourism brief and the economy of the western region, Cllr Nagle said, “I would have to strongly consider my position if that were to happen.”
The north Clare councillor was not alone in his sentiment.
Green Party councillor Brian Meaney has already informed party leader John Gormley of his intention to step down if the Government does not fight to acquire or retain the re- quired slots into London Heathrow.
Cllr Bernard Hanrahan was one of three councillors who did not want to give a definite yes to the answer, opt- ing for probably instead.
He said he would “probably resign” but under serious consideration.
“I would have to seriously consider it. | can’t fight from the outside. I can only fight from the inside.”
Cllr Bill Chamber said, “There is no point in leaving the Fianna Fail party. I am not in the Dail.”
If the councillors were to uphold their promise that Fianna Fail will be sending, at most, seven sitting county councillors on the hustings in 2009.
Even among those that gave a nega- tive answer to