This article is from page 8 of the 2006-03-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
AN independent member of Clare County Council said yesterday that it was a “mistake” that vital Council business had been postponed due to the Mayor’s St Patrick’s Day visit to the US.
Councillor Christy Curtin (Ind) made his comment after the council confirmed that Councillor Patrick Keane (FF) and Director of Service, Ger Dollard, would be spending eight days in the US as part of the annual St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
The council was unable to put a cost on the trip, however, previous St Patrick’s Day visits have cost over €10,000.
A council spokesman said, “They will be travelling for a maximum of eight days and they will be attending a number of parades and meeting a number of business contacts while in New York.
To facilitate the trip, the council’s statutory monthly meeting will not be held on March 27. Ordinarily, monthly meetings are held on the second Monday of each month.
The spokesman said that the adjournment of the meeting had the full support of the council.
Cllr Curtin said, “I think that it is a mistake that the council should postpone its business on account of the mayor and a senior official not present.
“Surely, as deputy mayor, Councillor Sonny Scanlan should have been asked to deputise and the manager is still around.
“There needs to be continuity in how the council conducts its business”.
However, independent councillor, Patricia McCarthy said, “The annual trip to New York is very important in keeping up links with the Clare and Irish community in the US.
“It is unfortunate that there is a delay in holding the council’s March meeting.
“But I don’t believe that there is anything urgent that needs attention.
“It is not easy to find dates for meetings and not having the Council meeting on the second Monday doesn’t mean that there are no other meetings going on.”