This article is from page 12 of the 2013-02-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
TAOISEACH Enda Kenny and Minister for the Environment and Local Government Phil Hogan are not wanted in Ennis to officially launch the groundbreaking ‘Ennis Town Hub Framework’ document that has been drafted by Ennis Town Council in conjunction with the University of Limerick.
This move was heralded at the monthly meeting of Ennis Town Council on Monday when the fourtime Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Michael Guilfoyle, railed against giving the Taoiseach and his frontline minister a platform in the county town, while at the same time they’re putting legislation through the Dáil to disband town councils.
“I can honestly say that to have a Taoiseach down here, who tells his own TDs what way to think and what way to vote, troubles me,” said Cllr Michael Guilfoyle in rallying support against have the Taoiseach launch the Ennis Town Council blueprint.
“To have a Taoiseach down here, who to me doesn’t have his finger on the pulse, is wrong. To bring down the Taoiseach and to hear him take the credit – a Taoiseach that’s trying to put us out and not give a voice for the people of the country and this town, I’d be against this motion. I’d support this motion if you take out the Taoiseach and the Minister for the Environment,” he added.
Cllr Guilfoyle was supported by Cllr Paul O’Shea (Ind) and Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind), who proposed that the Mayor of Ennis launch the plan at a date later this month.
“It was commissioned by Ennis Town Council and it was paid for by Ennis Town Council and the mayor should launch it,” said Cllr Brennan.
Following the intervention of the Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Peter Considine, who said he “didn’t wish to insult the office of Taoiseach”, it was agreed that both the Taoiseach and Minister for the Environment would be invited to attend the launch, but not to perform at the launch which is being timed to coincide with the 400th year anniversary of the formation of the borough of Ennis.