The Mayor of Clare is calling on her Fianna Fáil colleagues to back the Programme for Government, saying that being negative will get her party, the county and the country nowhere.
Clare Colleran Molloy is one of eight Fianna Fáil Councillors in this county who will be voting in favour of the Programme for Government, but those who are voting against it say many party members aren’t happy with the proposals.
A Clare FM survey of Clare’s Fianna Fáil Councillors has found that while the majority are in favour of the Programme for Government, there is still a split among the members.
Eight have said they will vote yes, namely Pat Daly, Joe Killeen, Shane Talty, Cillian Murphy, Clare Colleran Molloy, Pat McMahon, Pj Kelly and Pat Hayes.
Councillors Hayes, Kelly and Daly are among those who have spoken of having reservations about it, while Councillor Colleran Molloy admits the document is aspirational and that implementing it will be difficult
But today she said there are wins for Fianna Fáil, and for Clare, in the Programme for Government.
Two of Clare’s Fianna Fáil Councillors are undecided – Bill Chambers and Mark Nestor, but the Ennis representative says he’s leaning towards a No vote and is disappointed about the lack of support the Irish language.
The remaining three Councillors Tony O’Brien, Pat O’Gorman and Alan O’Callaghan say they’ll vote no.
Councillor O’Callaghan, who is one of the leading figures within a Fianna Fáil movement that is lobbying for a No vote, believes the Midwest will lose out under the current deal, and hit out at what he called Micheál Martin’s “ego” in leading the party into government.
He says the deal is light on detail, has no plan to deal with issues at Shannon Airport and Moneypoint in particular, and expects Fianna Fáil members will express their disappointment in this ballot.
Michael Glynn, Clare FM, first for local news.
Elsewhere, those away from the three parties involved have been giving a mixed response to the Programme for Government
Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara, who could be asked to support the government, today expressed reservations.
Michael McNamara said today that he would have preferred to see more items on the programme that would benefit Clare and the MidWest.
The Scarriff TD told Clare FM that the focus of this programme seems to be on Dublin in terms of infrastructure, particularly in the area of aviation.
While still leaving the door open to potentially support the government, and insisting he won’t make a decision until and unless party members give it their backing, he says urgent attention is required on a range of issues.
On the environment, the deal sees planned increases to the carbon tax, a reduction in emissions, and a commitment to ban the importation of fracked gas.
This scuttles the planned Shannon LNG Terminal Project in North Kerry.
Lisdoonvarna based environmentalist and People Before Profit Candidate in the last general election, Theresa O’Donoghue, says she trusts the Greens will try and enact these plans, but doesn’t believe they will be allowed.
An Clár as Gaeilge meanwhile has expressed disappointment with what they see as a shortfall in support for the Irish language within the programme for government.
Spokesman Donal O’Loinsigh says the points within the plan are too vague, and wants a commitment to supporting the Teanga at a local level.
Gavin Grace, Clare FM, first for local news.
