The outgoing Chief Executive of Clare County Council is “satisfied” the local authority will be pressing the reset button on Ennis 2040 plans early in the new year.
Pat Dowling is retiring from the role later this month, following eight and a half years.
A native of Knockaderry, West Limerick, Pat Dowling has resided in Kilkee since his appointment to the post of Chief Executive of Clare County Council in September 2016.
Prior to this, he was Deputy Chief Executive of Limerick City and County Council, during which time he was charged to oversee the merger of the two local authorities and was also responsible for areas including housing and regeneration programmes in the Limerick City area.
Dowling, who’s turning 63 in the New Year, is also Chair of the Age Friendly Alliances and Chair of the Age Friendly National Advisory Group and is active across a number of other national committees including the Local Government Management Agency.
He previously worked with Clare Youth Service, National Youth Council of Ireland, Macra na Feirme and Kildare LEADER Programme.
Appointed for an initial seven-year term with Clare County Council, Dowling restructured the organisation from the outset, introducing the five Directorates of Economic, Social, Pysical, Rural and Tourism, which are key pillars that drive the organisation at executive and political level.
He’s also overseen significant developments such as the Ennis 2040 plan, the Shannon Town Centre Masterplan and the acquisition of Shannon Heritage sites from the Shannon Airport Group.
Speaking as part of a wide-ranging interview on Clare FM’s Morning Focus, Pat Dowling says one of his key jobs as Chief Executive is to set out the future ambition for the county town.
The Ennis 2040 plan hasn’t been without controversy though, with concerns raised over parking, consumer footfall, vacancy, loss of civic and amenity space, loss of age-friendly space and anti-social behaviour, but the outgoing CEO is reassuring that the local authority is listening.
Pat Dowling says he’s satisfied the Council will be pressing the re-set button on the Ennis 2040 plan in the first quarter of next year and that will deal with all these concerns in the best way possible.
But he insists the local authority is not stopping its plan to make Ennis the best town in Munster to live, work and shop in.
Pat Dowling will retire from his role later this month following eight and a half years, with Carmel Kirby serving as temporary Chief Executive, effective from January 1st and Sean Lennihan serving as Acting Director of Service, Economic Development.
The process to fill the new permanent Chief Executive post will be undertaken by the Public Appointments Service.
Reflecting on his term, Pat Dowling says the actions taken by the local authority following the commission of the Mother and Baby Homes report stands out to him as the Council fulfilling it’s duty of care.
While, more generally, he believes the culture that now exists within the Council across all sections of public service will be one of his lasting memories.
You can listen to the full interview here:
