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Clare County Council named Local Authority of the Year

25 November 2022

Clare County Council has been named Local Authority of the Year 2022 at the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards.

Clare County Council was also named overall winner in the ‘Festival of the Year’ and ‘Sustaining the Arts’ award categories.

The Excellence in Local Government Awards are held in conjunction with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and showcase best practice in local government. The awards recognise the skills, hard work, innovation and enthusiasm within local government that can often go unrecognised.

Now in their 19th year, the awards were presented at a ceremony in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, Dublin, on Thursday night (24th November, 2022).

Clare County Council was named winner of the overall Local Authority of the Year Award for its commitment to serving the community and for raising the area’s profile nationally as a stand-out destination.

The other winning Council initiatives at the Excellence in Local Government Awards were:

  • Festival of the Year Award – Ennis Mela Festival, which saw over 50 performers from countries worldwide perform alongside local diverse communities from Clare in March; and
  • Sustaining the Arts Award – House! Open Air Aerial Dance Spectacle with Fidget Feet, a dance spectacle that was commissioned by Clare County Council and premiered in Ennis in April.

Councillor Tony O’Brien, Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, said: “Winning the best Local Authority in Ireland in 2022 is an acknowledgement of the commitment and hard work of the staff and elected members of Clare County Council, who work in partnership to serve the people of Clare. Being named Local Authority of the Year is a real honour. I would like to commend everyone involved in achieving this prestigious award.”

Pat Dowling, Chief Executive of Clare County Council, said: “As a progressive local authority our purpose and vision is to be responsive and agile while leading the development of our county.

“Engagement and collaboration is fundamental to the work of Clare County Council, and I would like to acknowledge the valuable input and participation of our communities, partners and stakeholders across the range of our initiatives and activities.

“The challenges in recent years have been far-reaching and ever-changing. The Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine have had a global and local impact like nothing that has gone before. I would like to commend the staff and elected members of Clare County Council for their innovation, adaptability and determination to respond to these events and to deliver services with real social impact.

“We have a structure in Clare County Council which puts sustainable communities at our heart. Our communities will remain at the centre of everything we do to ensure our county continues to develop as a place to live, work and visit,” added Mr Dowling.

Five other Clare County Council initiatives were nominated for an Excellence in Local Government Award:

  • Age Friendly Initiative – The accreditation of Ennis as an Age-Friendly town
  • Climate Change – Renewal of site protection and conservation infrastructure at Fanore Beach
  • Enhancing the Urban Environment – Ennis Public Realm Enhancement: Parnell Street, Laneways and Bow-ways
  • Initiative through Municipal Districts – Shannon In Bloom
  • Promoting Economic Development – Tech Disrupt 4.0.

 

Clare County Council previously was named Local Authority of the Year in 2018.

Visit www.chambers.ie for more on the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards.

Captions:

(1):

Pictured at the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards, where Clare County Council was named Local Authority of the Year 2022, were (l-r): Minister of State with responsibility for Planning and Local Government, Peter Burke TD; Pat Dowling, Chief Executive, Clare County Council; Cllr Tony O’Brien, Cathaoirleach, Clare County Council; Fiona Candon, President, Chambers Ireland; and Ian Talbot, Chief Executive, Chambers Ireland.

 

(2):

Pictured at the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards, where Clare County Council was named Local Authority of the Year 2022, were (l-r): Minister of State with responsibility for Planning and Local Government, Peter Burke TD; Anne Haugh, Director of Social Development, Clare County Council; Leonard Cleary, Director of Rural Development, Clare County Council; Carmel Kirby, Director of Physical Development, Clare County Council; Cllr Michael Begley, Cathaoirleach, Shannon Municipal District; Fiona Candon, President, Chambers Ireland; Pat Dowling, Chief Executive, Clare County Council; Cllr Alan O’Callaghan, Cathaoirleach, Killaloe Municipal District; Cllr Tony O’Brien, Cathaoirleach, Clare County Council; Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy, Mayor, Ennis Municipal District; Noeleen Fitzgerald, Director of Finance and Support Services, Clare County Council; Cllr Shane Talty, Cathaoirleach, West Clare Municipal District; and Ian Talbot, Chief Executive, Chambers Ireland

Page last reviewed: 25/11/22

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