On Wednesday’s Morning Focus with John Cooke the new Mayors of the towns of Shannon and Ennis gave their reaction to becoming their respective town’s first Citizens after some political argument last night
Fine Gael Councillor Mary Coote Ryan has become the last Mayor of Ennis – her fourth time to take the chair at Ennis Town Council
Fine Gael Councillor Mary Howard withdrew her name from the contest at last night’s AGM in Drumbiggle saying she wanted no trouble after claims from a fellow party councillor that a dominant group was controlling the council
The new Mayor Mary Coote Ryan – who’s also a member of Fine Gael – rejected these suggestions but went on to vote outside her party for Deputy Mayor saying she had to back Frankie Neylon instead of Councillor Howard
Afterwards John spoke to Councillors Coote-Ryan and Neylon – and started by asking the new Mayor about her election.
In Shannon, a Fine Gael Councillor broke ranks with a power sharing pact in its final year to give his support to Labour Councillor Greg Duff instead of Independent Councillor Patricia McCarthy as agreed
Councillor Duff will serve as Shannon’s Mayor for the last year of Town Council’s with Fine Gael’s Vincent Coleman as his deputy
John spoke with Mayor of Shannon Greg Duff to ask his aims for the year ahead.
Patricia McCarthy, Independent Shannon Councillor expressed her disappointment at having been let down by a pact that should have ensured her election as Mayor
Fine Gael Councillor Mike Fleming broke ranks with a power sharing pact in it’s final year to give his support to Labour Councillor Greg Duff instead of Councillor McCarthy as agreed
Former Mayor of Shannon Mike Fleming also spoke with John and admitted he broke promises as part of a power sharing pact which resulted in Labour’s Greg Duff being elected as Cathaoirleach instead of Independent Patricia McCarthy
In 2009 Clr Flemming signed up to an agreement with his fellow party colleagues and Clr McCarthy to support each other in a mayoral vote but last night decided not to follow through on it for the final election
He voted against his party colleagues at last night’s Annual General Meeting.
Parents of children with special will march through the streets of Ennis today demanding no further cuts to resource teaching hours and an increase in the level of SNA positions in local schools
Though the Education Minister announced a u-turn on a proposed 10% cut to resource teaching, and insists there’s be no cut in Special Needs Assitants, parents said it was still important to send out a message to government that vulnerable children should recevie maximum supports.
Parents Catherine Burke from Lissycasey, Eileen Downes and Eimear Horan joined John in studio ahead of the march.
Paul Wolfe of Clare Citizens’ Information Service was in studio to answer listeners’ queries regarding social welfare, consumer and employment law.
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