This article is from page 3 of the 2008-08-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 3 JPG
A NUMBER of newly formed com- munity groups are likely to have a large say in the outcome of next year’s local elections, with cam- paigns starting in Ennistymon and OTM em dN icrel.e
Tonight will see the first official committee meeting of the Ennisty- mon District Community Organisa- tion (EDCO), which has attracted more than 400 people to three pub- lic meetings in the area over the last four weeks.
This committee, which contains a
number of high profile locals includ- ing retired Garda Sergeant Michael Gallery, formed as a result of local dissatisfaction with the develop- ment of the town in recent times.
“The amount of people attend- ing the meeting reflects that the public has serious concern over the way that Ennistymon is being managed,” said EDCO chairman, Patrick Clarke.
‘People have expressed their views and the strong feeling out there is that there is a real lack of amenities in the town.
“We will be putting out monthly
statements so that the local people can monitor our progress while we will be lobbying everyone up to the TD’s to make sure we are heard.
“The local people will know ex- actly what is going on and we will be lobbying everyone we can. There is a real feeling that we are being left behind here.”
The EDCO have denied that they plan to run a candidate in next year’s local election and said that they will decide at tonight’s committee meet- ing how best to move forward.
Meanwhile, in Kilrush, local busi- ness people are considering running
a candidate for the local election.
There are currently members of Kilrush Chamber of Commerce on Kilrush Town Council, with Coun- cillors Deirdre Culligan (Ind), Liam Looney (FF) and Marian McMahon Jones (FG) members of both bod- toe
It is believed that business people in the town are considering putting forward a candidate for the county council and town council election.
The west Clare capital already has two sitting county councillors, Mayor of Clare Cllr Madeleine Taylor Quinn (FG) and Cllr Tom
Prenderville (FF).
Talks of a business candidate emerged following the purchase of the site of the Inis Cathaigh hotel on Francis Street for the new civic offices in the town.
Local businesses feared that rates would be increased to cover the cost of the multi-million euro project.
Those being considered as the “business” candidate are not neces- sarily members of the local cham- ber of commerce, but they could put even more pressure on an elec- toral area that is already to lose one councillor.