This article is from page 4 of the 2014-06-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
THE NEWLY elcted chair of the East Clare Municipal District, Joe Cooney (FG) has admitted that councillors will face a major challenge to meet the need of the people living in the newly redrawn constituency.
Cllr Cooney, who was elected after the first count of last months local election with a massive 2,843 first preference votes, also said that making due with the council’s tight budget for works will not be easy.
“My priority is to try and make sure that people in the new Killaloe district get proper representation on Clare County Council. It is a massive big area – from Clonlara back to New Quay, to Whitegate and up to the Galway border.
“It is not going to be easy to make sure that all areas are well covered and people are property looked after and the right services are there in communities and in villages,” he said.
“It wont be easy but it is important that all areas are looked after.
“With funds limited, as they are at the moment, it is also important that everything is kept to a proper standard.”
While all of the councillors elected in the area are based in the eastern section of the constituency, Cllr Cooney insists that they people of North Clare will be represented.
“They do have councillors. There are six councillors nominated to represent that area.
“I will be representing the people up there [North Clare] and if there are any issues there, I will be there,” he said.
“Unfortunately, it is badly balances, there are six councillors in the east side of the area and none in the north side – but it our jobs to represent those people.
“I definitely see that as my job and I will be doing that for the next five years.”
Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) will serve as Cllr Cooney’s deputy for the next 12 months.