This article is from page 6 of the 2008-10-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
through the Freedom Of Information Act show that one of the options considered by the Elec-
toral Boundary Committee was to increase the Scarriff area to a five Seater.
This would have been achieved by adding the areas of Clareabbey, Doo- ra, Quin, Clooney, Spancilhil and Kiltraghtis from the Ennis area and transferring Killuran and Carrow- baun to the Killaloe electoral area.
Under this arrangement, Ennis and Ennistymon would have lost a seat
each and Killaloe would have gained VORorcoe Meelilanelee
However, the Committee opted to abolish the Scarriff area as its terms of reference ‘no longer permit three seater electoral areas save in very ex- ceptional circumstances’. It has now been merged into the Killaloe area with the Shannon electoral area also gaining a Seat.
Ennis has been divided into two
separate areas and increased the number of seats by two with Kilrush and Ennistymon losing out.
The committee decided that split- ting the town offered the best solu- tion as it “respects the reality that Ennis continues to be a strong focal point for its hinterland to the east and west”.
One of two Fianna Fail councillors in the Scariff area, Cllr Pat Hayes
said he didn’t wish to focus on the ‘what if?’ scenario and preferred to concentrate on the reality of Scarriff now being included in the Killaloe electoral area.
Confirming that he will be putting his name forward for the local elec- tions, he said it was important there was a high turnout in rural areas in order for local councillors to be re- NDA oLe