Minutes of Ennis Municipal District Annual General Meeting 2025

Minutes of Ennis Municipal District Annual General Meeting  2025

Location: Held in the Council Chamber, Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis, Co. Clare and via MS Teams

On:      Thursday 26^th June 2025

Time: 4:00pm

Present:

Councillors attending:

Councillor C. Colleran-Molloy (Cathaoirleach), Councillor T. Guilfoyle, Councillor T. O’Callaghan, Councillor P. Daly, Councillor P. Murphy, Councillor M. Howard, Councillor A. Baker Bashua.

 

Officials attending in person:

Carmel Kirby, Director of Services

Sean Lenihan, Senior Engineer,

Paddy Tiernan, Acting Senior Executive Engineer,

Niamh O’Connor, Administrative Officer and Meetings Administrator,

Lily McInerney, Staff Officer, minutes.

 

Apologies:

None.

 

 

Presiding

The outgoing Mayor of Ennis, Cllr. C. Colleran Molloy, opened the meeting welcoming all to the AGM for the Municipal District of Ennis. She acknowledged those attending in the public gallery and gave special recognition to former colleague, Councillor and TD James Breen. She acknowledged Deputy Joe Cooney, Cllr Joe Garrihy, Cllr Gabriel Keating, former Town Councillor and former Mayor of Ennis Mary Coote-Ryan, former Councillor Cillian Murphy.

 

Cllr. Colleran Molloy firstly acknowledged the incredible honour of having been elected Mayor 3 times within 11 years.

 

She highlighted some achievements during her Mayoral term.

 

• The screening of the All-Ireland Hurling Final in the Fair Green, and the subsequent Homecoming which accommodated a crowd of 30,000.

 

• Bestowing Mayoral Award and honour to 2 individuals in the armed forces, Major General Adrian O’Murchú, who had given many years of service in the UN, and to Fr. Paschal Hanrahan, who had been Head Chaplain of the Irish Defence forces serving in many departments overseas.

 

• Switching on of the Christmas Lights in Ennis with Clare Senior Hurling Manager Brian Lohan and Captain Tony Kelly.

 

• St. Patrick’s Day parade in Ennis with Blackie O’Connell, promoter of our town in traditional music and dance, and Dr Maire Finn, who has done so much to promote healthcare for men as well as women.

 

• The unveiling of the newly named bridge on the Lahinch Road, from “Victoria Bridge” to “The Mike McTigue Bridge”. She acknowledged Members and the public for engaging in the democratic process required for place name changing.

 

Clare highlighted extreme weather events which had seen the Town and County crews, as well as the multiple stakeholders, join forces in dealing with Storm Bert, Storm Dara and the now infamous Storm Eowyn, the latter requiring a 3-week cleanup programme.

 

The outgoing Mayor acknowledged Cllr Howard for her endeavours in getting all Members together to take to the river for a kayaking experience, which served to showcase a unique viewpoint of our great town and to welcome this outdoor activity.

 

The outgoing Mayor acknowledged the completion of the Ballybeg walking route which is now fully lit and pedestrian-friendly all year round. She hailed this as a hugely successful project completed by Ennis M.D.

 

She made reference to ;

 

• the long-awaited launch of the NTA supported Ennis Bus Service.   This service will exist long after we have moved on and Ennis will have a service north-south and east-west.

 

• the public realm works at a cost of €12m which will be completed on schedule in October 2025.       She acknowledged that people had been discommoded during the construction, and she looked forward to the roll out of a paint scheme which would benefit all concerned.

 

• the public consultation for the Local Transport Plan

 

Clare thanked her colleagues for their support and cooperation during the year, with a special thanks to Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua who had stepped up to Deputy on her first year of term as an elected representative, and she had excelled in the role. Cllr Colleran Molloy presented Cllr Baker Bashua with a bunch of flowers as a mark of gratitude.

 

All Members acknowledged and thanked outgoing Mayor Clare Colleran Molloy on her achievements and dedication throughout the year, her ability to strike a balance in maintaining positivity whilst always understanding and advocating for those who faced difficulties.

 

 

Director of Services, Carmel Kirby, thanked Cllr Colleran Molloy for her term of office, that it was an honour to see the delivery on all the aforementioned projects which involved huge commitment over the year. She praised the foresight of Ennis Members in supporting the outdoor screening for the All-Ireland Hurling Final, followed by the Homecoming which truly showcased Ennis at its best and was a high point of the year. She was delighted to see the Tidy Towns volunteers in the public gallery and she acknowledged their vital contribution to the upkeep of every corner of the district, and this is heralded by the rankings in the latest IBAL results.

 

She added that Cllr Colleran Molloy had always worked in the best interest of the town, her attention to detail, balanced approach and good judgement had been instrumental in her success. She congratulated Cllr O’Callaghan, Cllr. Guilfoyle and Cllr Baker Bashua on completion of their first year as elected representatives.

 

 

Item 1: Election of the Mayor/Cathaoirleach

Ar moladh Cllr. P. Murphy, cuidithe ag Cllr. P. Daly agus glacadh leis,

 

“That Cllr. Mary Howard is Mayor of the Municipal District of Ennis for the next 12 months”.

 

Cllr Murphy praised Cllr Howard’s activism in her community.

 

Cllr Daly spoke of Cllr Howard’s many roles on various committees and congratulated her.

 

As there were no other nominations for the position of Mayor, following Cllr. M. Howard’s acceptance of the position, Cllr. C. Colleran Molloy declared Cllr. M. Howard Mayor of the Municipal District of Ennis for the next year. The Mayoral Chain of Office was presented to Cllr. M. Howard by Cllr. C. Colleran Molloy.

 

 

Newly elected Mayor Cllr Mary Howard addressed her fellow Councillors and the executive and all of her friends and colleagues attending in the public gallery.

 

Mary spoke of the incredible privilege for her to be elected Mayor of Ennis and she described her friends in the public gallery as “her tribe”, some of whom she had known since childhood.

 

Mayor Howard described how she was deeply humbled, not about the formality of the Chain, but about the power of representation where no citizen gets forgotten by those who serve. As an advocate for the community, she is passionately committed to ensuring every voice is heard. She promised to advocate for young people so they are enabled to build their lives and bring their energy and ideas to the fore. She spoke to those marginalised, those bearing the brunt of the housing crisis, or any person who feels left behind, she would use every platform to address their issues of concern.

To the business community, Mayor Howard would not allow bureaucracy to get in the way of innovation.

 

As Mayor, Mary continued, she would represent Ennis with dignity and will ensure interests are understood. She will host Mayoral receptions to those in the community that truly deserve recognition for their contribution.

She promised to do her utmost to promote business, tourism and all channels that serve to further the promotion of Ennis.

 

Mayor Howard concluded that she will engage in real conversations, not formal. “Some of the best insights come from kitchen tables!”. And to recall the wisdom of older generations, “Ní neart go cur le chéile!” - only through the collective can we build the community we want, and she would wear the Chain of Office as a constant reminder of the obligation that has been entrusted to her.

 

 

 

Members warmly congratulated Cllr Howard and wished her the best of luck in her term as Mayor. Members hailed Cllr Howard’s ability to lead the team for a shared positive outcome for the Ennis Municipal District and she had the skills and tools at hand to ensure all Members’s views are taken forward.

 

Cllr Garrihy congratulated Cllr Howard, having grown up close to the Howard family in Lisdoonvarna and that the Howard name was deeply respected in that part of the County and which he added Mary carried with class and dignity.

 

Sean Lenihan, Senior Engineer, also congratulated Cllr Howard, having always observed her passion for Ennis and beyond, and he would look forward to working with her.

 

Item 2: Election of Deputy Mayor/Leas Chathaoirleach

 

Ar moladh Cllr. T. O’Callaghan, cuidithe ag Cllr. A. Baker Bashua, agus glacadh leis,

 

“That Cllr. Pat Daly is Deputy Mayor of the Municipal District of Ennis for the next 12 months”.

 

As there were no other nominations for the position of Deputy Mayor and following Cllr. Pat Daly’s acceptance of the position, Cllr. M. Howard declared Cllr. Pat Daly, Deputy Mayor of the Municipal District of Ennis for the next 12 months.

 

Mayor Howard and all members present wished Cllr. Pat Daly every success for her year as Deputy Mayor of Ennis.

 

 

Item 3: Approve Allowance for Mayor

 

Ar moladh Cllr. C. Colleran Molloy, cuidithe ag Cllr. P. Murphy, agus glacadh leis,

 

“That the allowance of €12,000 for the role of Mayor be approved.”

 

 

Item 4: Consideration of Standing Orders

No amendment has been proposed to the existing Standing Orders.

 

Ar moladh Cllr. C. Colleran Molloy, cuidithe ag Cllr. A. Baker Bashua, agus glacadh leis,

 

“That the Standing Orders be approved by Ennis Municipal District for 2025.”

 

 

Conclusion

 

The Meeting ended at 4:50 p.m.

Signed: ____________________________ Riarthóir Cruinnithe

Signed: _____________________________ Cathaoirleach

Date:                  _____________________________

Page last reviewed: 08/07/25

Content managed by: Ennis Municipal District

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