This article is from page 9 of the 2006-09-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 9 JPG
CLARE County Council’s much trumpeted three-week long trip to one of Australia’s best known wine-growing regions suffered a blow yesterday when deputy mayor, Cllr Brian Meaney (GP), ruled himself out.
Last December, Cllr Flan Garvey (FF) announced details of the trip to Clare Valley between February and March next year. The only council expenditure would be on sending the Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
As it turned out, Cllr Garvey assumed the role of mayor in July and will be leading the Clare delegation.
However, Cllr Meaney yesterday ruled himself out of the trip. His decision will not come as a surprise, because has voiced concern over overseas council trips in the past.
“I don’t believe that the trip would benefit me or any of my constituents. It is also an election year. That is why I have made the decision not to go,” he said.
However, Cllr Garvey yesterday expressed optimism that the trip will be a major success.
Clare County Council has been twinned with the local council in the Clare Valley since 1986 and delegations from the Clare Valley are regular visitors to Co Clare. The twinning arose from a State visit by Dr Paddy Hillery, then President of Ireland to Australia in 1985.
The council is to shortly seek tenders from travel agents and Cllr Garvey said that “it is make your mind up time for councillors as to whether they wish to go on the trip”.
Cllr Garvey expressed hope that members of the Clare business, education and tourism community would join the council to form a Clare ‘trade mission’ that would also visit Sydney and Melbourne.
He was also hopeful that representatives from Spanish Point and Inagh, who have been involved in building links between the two areas, would go as well.
Cllr Garvey briefed councillors on the trip at their December meeting in Shannon. He said at the time: “I don’t know how many are going to come. Councillors have got to pay for themselves, but the mayor and deputy mayor are being paid for.”
He said the trip “won’t cost the council a penny, except for gifts to present to their counterparts in Australia”.
Three years ago, the then mayor, Patrick O’Gorman (FF) joined with the County Manager, Alec Fleming and their wives on a 12,000 mile round trip to the Clare Valley in Australia, costing €10,000.