The issues of social and affordable housing and Ennis 2040 dominated the first of Clare FM’s Local Election debates.
With just over a week to go to polling day on June 7th, candidates are competing for 28 seats across five electoral areas.
The 13 candidates in the Ennis Local Electoral Area have taken part in the first of six debates taking place in the Council Chamber at Áras Contae an Chláir over the coming week.
Listen to the full debate here. Continue reading below…
The Ennis 2040 strategy was the first topic under the spotlight for candidates and unsurprisingly the Abbey Street Development proved to be the greatest bone of contention.
Under the strategy the proposed three-storey mixed use office, retail and café unit would be built over the existing site of 128 parking spaces.
Clare County Council has promised the project will not proceed until alternative town centre parking has been provided.
But Clarecastle Fianna Fáil Councillor Tom O’Callaghan believes the development is not feasible as he claims the office market has collapsed and the loss of parking at Abbey Street will decimate footfall in the town.
According to the preliminary results of the Abbey Street consultation, 60% of respondents do not think Ennis would benefit from having a corporate headquarters in the town centre.
Clarecastle Sinn Féin local election candidate Tommy Guilfoyle believes the DAC is out of touch with the people.
Ennis Fine Gael Councillor Mary Howard believes the county town needs a strategy to progress and secure future investment.
She insists though that current plans seen by the public are not final and that the town’s unique heritage and medieval streetscape will not be affected.
The Social Democrats candidate believes the Ennis 2040 plan is putting the cart before the horse.
Community Development worker Hilary Tonge believes the suitable infrastructure and public transport systems need to be put in place before any strategic projects get underway.
The effectiveness of the recently approved Ennis Data Centre on the Tulla Road which promises to create up to 475 high quality jobs upon completion is also being called into question.
Independent Candidate and Software Engineer, Jacek Kwasny believes the development will not yield the employment predicted and that the space could be put to better use.
There are calls for the site of the former Ennis National Shcool, which is currently proposed as a temporary car park to take a mixed use development instead.
Independent candidate Amanda Major believes the emphasis at riverside car parks should be solely on enhancing public realm.
One candidate believes the Ennis 2040 DAC has chosen the wrong site for its flagship development.
Fianna Fáil’s Antoinette Baker Bashua believes relocating the Abbey Street proposal to the larger Friar’s Walk area would bring major benefits.
Meanwhile, candidates have clashed over the best way to increase supply and bring additional housing on stream in Ennis and its hinterlands.
With over 1,200 households on the social housing list in Ennis this month, boosting the number of available homes in the region has been listed as a top priority for practically all candidates running.
Although Clare County Council’s social housing delivery was down by 41% last year, Fianna Fáil Councillor Clare Colleran-Molloy believes too much emphasis is being placed on social homes.
Vacancy remains an area of concern in the Ennis area but since its introduction, just 13% of successful applications for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant in Clare have been in the county town.
Green Party candidate Brigid Ginnity says bringing derelict buildings back into us as housing is one of her main aims.
Similarly, Clarecastle Fine Gael Councillor Paul Murphy is calling for “above-the-shop” properties to be utilised both within Ennis and in its surrounding villages.
The local electoral area’s youngest candidate, 21-year-old Independent Ruairí Keenan, insists the supply of private long-term rental housing must be increased to bring down the cost of rent for young people struggling to move out of home.
With the amount of short-term lets in Ennis far outweighing the number of homes for rent, Labour’s Seamus Ryan says stricter Government regulation is needed to keep properties in the long-term rental market.
The €13 million Francis Street Housing Scheme, consisting of 39 affordable homes, was due to commence construction in March, but is currently held up by a judicial review and Ennis Municipal District says it’ll be “at least three years before shovels are in the ground”.
Mayor of Ennis and Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat Daly claims it’s “totally wrong” that much-needed developments can be delayed for so long by applications to the High Court.
Clare FM’s local election specials will air on Morning Focus each weekday from 9am, with candidates from the remaining electoral areas taking part in one of six debates over the coming week.
