This article is from page 6 of the 2012-03-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
HE MAY be just 37 years old but Clare’s newly elected member to Fianna Fáil’s national executive considers himself among the older members of a new-look Committee of Twenty.
Ennis man Garrett Greene was one of the 20 that were elected to the Ard Chomhairle at the Ard Fheis this weekend, which represents a huge change in the age demographic of the party.
Eight of those elected were in the 20 to 30 age group, with many more in their 30s.
This new blood has given Mr Greene great hope for a party that was decimated last year at the General Election.
In the run up to the hotly contested election, the former local election candidate travelled the length and breadth of the country campaigning.
“It was a great opportunity to listen. While it is important for a candidate to bring his message, it is also important to listen,” he said.
“At party meetings nationwide, I was struck by the pain and hurt felt by grassroots members at how neighbours, friends and communities that had lost trust in Fianna Fáil. We must regain that trust by once again becoming a party of values and vision, underpinned by sound and practical policy,” he said.
Mr Greene, who was elected to the Committee of Twenty on the first count, said he felt that the weekend’s Ard Fheis addressed a lot of those issues.
It was a weekend when the mem- bership reclaimed the party, be said.
He said he hopes the new members will help to build a party that is policy-driven and that will be better connected to the members.
The Committee of Twenty work on a voluntary basis with no expenses for the good of the membership, he said.
Asked if he now has plans for elected office, he said he would first have to wait to see what the Minister for Environment and Local Government, Phil Hogan, will decide about the shape of local authorities.
While he would like to contest an election again, this son of a former councillor said it would also depend on his personal circumstances at the time.
Having graduated with an honours law degree last year, Mr Greene is now taking time out to consider undertaking a PhD or studying to become a barrister at Kings Inn.
He also has a BA Public Administration from the University of Limerick.
The Ennis man currently works with a private management consultancy firm, having previously worked in the area of public administration with the Competition Authority and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
A member of Fianna Fáil since he was 15, he was a founding member of UL Ógra Con Colbert Cumann in 1993 and is currently vice chairperson of Clare CDC.