This article is from page 85 of the 2008-06-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 85 JPG
THE council chambers in Kilrush witnessed one of its most heated Kil- rush Town Council meetings of the year on Thursday.
More than 30 local business peo- ple packed into the small upstairs chamber to witness the June monthly meeting.
As some councillors spoke, those present coughed loudly in protest, at times drowning out what was be- ing said. Kilrush County Councillor Madeleine Taylor Quinn (FG) was also in attendance in the public gal- a
The contentious motion on the agenda was raised by Cllr McMahon Jones (FG) who asked for a detailed account from the town manager in relation to the acquisition of a site for the new civic offices in Kilrush.
Town Manager Bernadette Kin- sella told the meeting that “normal
professional advice was sought” and €15,000 was spent on valuation, a feasibility study and expert financial advice.
She said that in the mid-1990s five sites were examined and €20,000 was spent on that study.
In the last four to five years, 17 sites were examined and in the last year to year and a half, a feasibility study was carried out on four sites in the town including Park de Plouzane, John Paul Estate and the Cooraclare Road, according to the manager.
She said she did not have anything that equated to a €1.6 million civic office proposal raised by Cllr Mc- Mahon Jones, so she could not com- TneCsunLO) OMG eTeL
“Is that as detailed as that can be?” the councillor asked the manager af- ter she had answered.
Cllr McMahon Jones then asked for a detailed report on the four sites examined in the last year and a half
and a full list of land owned by the council.
“I am very very disappointed by the overall response. We need to be informed. Evasive answers and half answers are not what we are looking for,’ she said.
Cllr Liam O’Looney (FF) asked if the town hall would have to be sold to finance the venture.
“Last year when we could not bal- ance the books and afford €50,000 for the project, it was reduced to €24,000. I have reservations about how we can find €1.4 million. I don’t feel comfortable going forward with this,” he said.
Cllr Deirdre Culligan (Ind) asked if the manager considered acquiring the site under the derelict site act.
“IT don’t know what would have been the benefit, as we would have to pay for valuation and the mar- ket value, and in my experience we could have ended up in arbitration,”
said the manager.
“To suggest that I am withholding information is incorrect. I will give you information when I can. Like any such capital acquisition it will be spread over a number of years,’ she added.
She said she apologised if she mis- understood the motion and further information was required.
Cllr Tom Prenderville (FF) told the meeting that the questions asked by the councillors were legitimate and they were entitled to answers.
‘“T am satisfied that the property on Francis Street should be purchased. I have no problem in proposing a vote of confidence in the managers ability to do this,” he said.
He said the arrival of the areas of- fices to Kilrush put space at a pre- mium.
“If anyone made an argument, it is the people here tonight. We are breaching fire regulation and health
and safety regulations here tonight,” he said.
His comments were greeted with loud coughing from the public gal- a
He then referred to what he de- scribed as threats made to the town manager at a recent chamber of com- merce meeting.
Cllr Marian McMahon Jones asked the manager if Clare County Council had put up €700,000 for the purchase of the former Inis Cathaigh site.
“In principle, probably yes,” said Cllr Prendeville and the coughing began again.
His proposal of a vote of confi- dence in the manager was passed by five councillors to three.
Prior to this, the councillors were also split five to three in adopting the Annual Financial Statement.