Newly-Elected Councillors Set Out Their Stall For Clare – Clare FM

The new and existing councillors elected to Clare County Council for the next five years having been setting out their out stall.

After a dramatic weekend of highs and lows at the Ennis count centre, six new councillors and 22 existing and former public representatives will take seats in Arás Contae An Chláir.

The first full council meeting of the new term will take place on July 10th, with councillors and the new Mayor to be formally ratified at an AGM later this month.

Co-opted to the council after Cooraclare Bill Chamber’s retirement last November, Fianna Fáil Doonbeg Cllr Rita McInerney topped the poll in West Clare, with 1,340 first preference votes.

She says improving healthcare services must be to top priority for the new council term.

You can listen to the full interview below.

Fine Gael’s Joe Garrihy retained his seat in the Ennistymon Local Electoral Area, with the election of former Cllr, Lahinch’s Bill Slattery, seeing the party double its representation in the region.

Migration was among the biggest election topics in North Clare, with Ukrainian arrivals currently comprising 12.5% of the region’s population.

Cllr Garrihy says host communities and the new arrivals need to see a fully resourced and fair transition plan for the future.

You can listen to the full interview below.

Ennis Fine Gael Councillor Mary Howard was elected on the second count and will now enter her third council term.

But there was despair for three sitting councillors on the night, with Lahinch Green Party Cllr Liam Grant, Kilkee Fianna Fáil Cllr Cillian Murphy and Sixmilebridge Independent Cllr PJ Ryan losing out.

Cllr Howard says local politics can be devastating.

Mayor of Ennis, Pat Daly topped the poll in his municipal district, amassing well over 1,700 votes and was elected on the first count.

The Fianna Fáil Councillor as a prominent member of the Save Ennis Town movement says a compromise must be reached on the Abbey Street Development.

Antoinette Baker Bashua was the surprise story in Ennis, and was the last from the party added to the ticket back in December.

Elected on count 7, the Hermitage woman says increasing affordable housing will be among her chief objectives.