Clare’s four newly elected TDs are making their way to Leinster House today to take up their seats as part of the 31st Dail.
Fine Gael’s Pat Breen and Joe Carey return to the Dail chamber, but this time as government representatives along with Labour’s Michael McNamara who’s preparing for his first day in the Dail and Fianna Fail’s Timmy Dooley who’ll be rejoining his much reduced party – now on the opposition benches.
It’s the first time in over 10 years that County Clare will have three government representatives as part of the Fine Gael/Labour Coalition, but it’s unlikely there’ll be any cabinet position for the county this time round.
Meanwhile, a former Clare TD and recent general election candidate is asking the county’s new Dail representatives to stick to their word on the future of Ennis General Hospital.
It follows assurances given by Fine Gael’s Joe Carey and Labour’s Michael Mc Namara who told Clare FM that the new coalition partners will secure the future of Clare’s County Hospital and will stall reconfiguration for a review of services in the mid-west.
Independent Ennis West Councillor James Breen was unsuccessful in the General Election, but as a long term member of the Ennis General Hospital Development Committee, he’s welcomed the promises made by Clare’s new government TDs.
