by badminme | Mar 2, 2020 | Members News, PPN News, SPC for Physical Development
Reps report on 19th February 2020 Physical Development SPC – Aisling Wheeler
Representative Name
Aisling Wheeler
Were you asked to raise any issues on behalf of Clare PPN members at this meeting?
Yes- query why building new Data Centres is a priority for Clare Co. Council
Main topics discussed at the meeting:
LSMATS transport strategy
List any decisions made at the meeting:
I don’t think any concrete decisions on anything were made
Do you require any action to be taken by Clare PPN staff as a result of this meeting?
I’d like to have more info on what power the Council has to impose conditions on planning applications- especially in regard to the proposed Data Centre(s) – by what mechanism could the Council make planning permission contingent on the Centre producing its own energy from renewable resources?
by badminme | Mar 2, 2020 | Members News, PPN News, SPC for Physical Development
Reps report on the 19th February 2020 Physical Development Committee SPC – James Giller
Were you asked to raise any issues on behalf of Clare PPN members at this meeting?
Yes, I was asked to raise the issue that Clare PPN was listed as a stakeholder in advance consultations on the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy, but we were not properly consulted.
Main topics discussed at the meeting:
There was a presentation about the Limerick-Shannon Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy (LSMATS,) which highlighted some of Clare County Council’s main concerns and provided an approximate schedule until public consultation is opened. The Limerick North Distributor Road (LNDR) and an Economic Strategic Development Zone are priorities for Clare County Council. The Council has also provided input on bus services between Shannon, Ennis, and Limerick; development of the western rail corridor (Limerick to Sligo,) and a rail link to Shannon; and cycling facilities around Shannon Airport and Industrial Areas, as well as for residents in Clare in areas close to the city. The following were presented as “Other Key Issues:” – Climate change: reduce car trips, manage traffic, increase mass transit – Transport provision to 3rd level educational institutions – Electric vehicle infrastructure – Traffic noise reduction: reduce speeds, improve road surfaces – Transport provision to Bunratty After receiving a draft on February 21, the Council should return comments to NTA and Jacobs/Systra by March 6. Another draft is to be received by the Council on March 13, then public consultation will begin after March 20. There wa a presentation on a relatively new emergency weather warning system developed on behalf of the Council. Cyril Feeney spoke about a document recently published by the LGMA and CCMA: “Climate Change, Global Issue Local Leadership.”
List any decisions made at the meeting:
Carmel Kirby said she would give the PPN an email address to submit comments on the LSMATS to the NTA.
Do you require any action to be taken by Clare PPN staff as a result of this meeting?
Yes, follow up with Carmel Kirby to access the draft LSMATS, if possible, and receive the email address to send comments to the NTA. It would be good to schedule a meeting of representatives to draft our submission ASAP.
by badminme | Feb 27, 2020 | Members News, PPN News, SPC for Physical Development
A report on local government responses to climate change
The following report was issued to the Physical Development SPC of Clare County Council on 19th February 2020
Climate Change – Global Issue, Local Leadership
by badminme | Oct 14, 2019 | Members News, PPN News, SPC for Physical Development
Your Physical Development SPC representatives
The following Clare PPN representatives were ratified at the Clare PPN plenary meeting on 8th October 2019. We would like to offer our congratulations to them and look forward to working together to represent the interest of the people of County Clare.
Padraic Hayes – Social Inclusion Representative
Padraic graduated with a Masters in Marketing from Limerick Institute of Technology and has worked since then in the area of administration and finance. His real passion however lies in advocacy and he is the current Chairperson of the Clare Leader Forum, which is an independent group of people with disabilities who work to create a voice on disability issues in Clare. Padraic has helped the Forum grow from strength to strength and with his support the Clare Leader Forum has now become one of the key cross-disability representative groups in Clare. At a national level Padraic has also continued to promote the rights of people with disabilities through his work with the Center for Independent Living and more specifically through his role on the Value for Money (Transforming Lives) committee
Aishling Wheeler – Environmental Representative
Aisling is a teacher, perma-culturist, parent and climate activist. She is chairperson of Kilfenora Tidy Towns Committee. She has been involved in many environmental campaigns over the years and is currently working voluntarily with Futureproof Clare and Extinction Rebellion Ireland to raise awareness of the Climate Crisis and prepare our communities for the future.
James Giller – Environmental Representative
James Giller is a First Class Honours graduate of Computer Science from UCC and holds a Master of Engineering from Osaka University, Japan, specialising in robotics. He applies his knowledge of information technology, especially in autonomous systems, to research and engage with relevant environmental and socioeconomic issues such as industrial automation; autonomous, connected and electric vehicles; and data centres and other IT infrastructure. James has excellent communication skills as well as experience as a representative in the UCC Student Council, where he was awarded Best New Speaker. He has hosted a number of public talks on the climate and biodiversity crisis in Ennis and given interviews on the occasion of a number of rallies and other events to both local and national media. He has also contributed to submissions on past Draft Litter Management and Climate Change Adaptation Plans from Clare County Council. James is involved in a campaign to help Ennis businesses achieve low/zero-waste.
Damon Matthew Wise Âû – Community and Voluntary Representative
The CEO/National Secretary of NCPD. He has represented people with disabilities and environmental issues at local, county, national and international levels, including to the United Nations. Damon also serves as a secretariat member for Clare PPN and as part of Federation Trust worked with community and voluntary groups to assit them with incorporation.
by badminme | Oct 7, 2019 | Current, Members News, PPN News, SPC for Economic Development, SPC for Physical Development, SPC for Rural Development, SPC for Social Development
Introducing Clare PPN’s nominees for seats on Clare PPN’s Strategic Policy Committees 2019- 2024
Following the local elections in May 2019 Clare County Council’s Strategic Policy Committees had to be reconstituted as per the legislation. These Strategic Policy Committees or ‘SPCs’ for short advise Clare County Council on policies and decisions. By having seats available to outside interests they help to bring in expertise and experience from the community and voluntary, farming, trade union and business sectors. Clare PPN member groups have the role of nominating and electing all the representatives from the Community and Voluntary, Environmental and Social Inclusion sector in Clare who will sit on these committees.
On September 17th following the adoption of the ‘Draft Scheme for Strategic Policy Committees’ by Clare County Council, Clare PPN circulated a call for nominations to all its member groups for the seats we had been allocated on all four strategic policy committees. We received in total 11 nominations for the 11 available seats accross our three colleges. Although this was excellent – the nominations were not exactly aligned with the seats available; in two cases we had two nominees for one seat and none for another. Following discussions with those nominated for those particular seats we were able to reallocate the nominees to ensure that each seat had the proper number of nominees from each college. Following that we are able to announce that the following people are Clare PPNs nominees for seats on the SPCs. They will be put before our member groups for ratification at our plenary meeting on October 9th (7pm Clare PPN offices, Clonroad Business Park, Clonroad, Ennis) and following that will be sent to Clare County Council.
Economic Development SPC
Elaine Dalton – Social Inclusion Representative
Elaine D’Alton is the Project Coordinator of the NCCWN – Clare Women’s Network. Elaine is a feminist with a strong commitment to inclusion, human rights and ensuring the voices of women are brought to the forefront of decision making and their lived experiences are included and considered when structural, political and social policy development is being determined.
Emma Karran – Environmental Representative
Emma Karran is English born and has lived in Doonbeg with her family for four years. Her engagement in topics of local concern began when she became a member of the environmental group Futureproof Clare and joined the protest against the proposed LNG terminal in the Shannon estuary.
A mother herself and with links to the communities in south west Clare through her work, she wants to commit herself to deeper active involvement in the future health and well-being of the people of Clare and its land through being on the Strategic Policy Committee for Economic Development
Rural Development SPC
Annie Wise – Environment College Representative
Anny Wise is nominated by An Taisce Clare branch and was born in Antwerp Belgium in 1942. She moved to Northern Ireland in 1985 and then to Shannon in 1990. She has three degrees and studied in Sussex, Antwerp and NUIGalway. Her latest master is in Rural Development which she completed in 2006. She was first nominated to an SPC in 2006 by the Environmental Pillar and served since having been elected to represent the environment by the PPN. The SPCs she served on were were involved in transport, planning and land use.
Eugene Crimmins – Community and Voluntary Representative
Eugene is a founding member of Newmarket Village Centre Text Alert. He is a committee member and former Chair of Newmarket on Fergus Tidy Towns. A former County Arts Officer, Eugene has a long established record of community development, including having served as a board member of Obair Environmental Development Association and Clare PPN Secretariat.
Jean O’Keefe – Social Inclusion College
Jean is a Youth Work Manager with Clare Youth Service and manages The Junction Youth and Community Building. Clare Youth Service had its beginnings in 1969 when it was established as the Clare Regional Youth Council. Over the years it has changed and developed to become a leader in the field of Youth Services. It is affiliated to Youth Work Ireland (t/a NYF). The aim of Clare Youth Service is to assist the holistic development of young people and those who work with them so that they are enabled to participate fully in society in a way which respects the equal worth of all.
Physical Development SPC
Padraic Hayes – Social Inclusion Representative
Padraic graduated with a Masters in Marketing from Limerick Institute of Technology and has worked since then in the area of administration and finance. His real passion however lies in advocacy and he is the current Chairperson of the Clare Leader Forum, which is an independent group of people with disabilities who work to create a voice on disability issues in Clare. Padraic has helped the Forum grow from strength to strength and with his support the Clare Leader Forum has now become one of the key cross-disability representative groups in Clare. At a national level Padraic has also continued to promote the rights of people with disabilities through his work with the Center for Independent Living and more specifically through his role on the Value for Money (Transforming Lives) committee
Aishling Wheeler – Environmental Representative
Aisling is a teacher, perma-culturist, parent and climate activist. She is chairperson of Kilfenora Tidy Towns Committee. She has been involved in many environmental campaigns over the years and is currently working voluntarily with Futureproof Clare and Extinction Rebellion Ireland to raise awareness of the Climate Crisis and prepare our communities for the future.
James Giller – Environmental Representative
James Giller is a First Class Honours graduate of Computer Science from UCC and holds a Master of Engineering from Osaka University, Japan, specialising in robotics. He applies his knowledge of information technology, especially in autonomous systems, to research and engage with relevant environmental and socioeconomic issues such as industrial automation; autonomous, connected and electric vehicles; and data centres and other IT infrastructure. James has excellent communication skills as well as experience as a representative in the UCC Student Council, where he was awarded Best New Speaker. He has hosted a number of public talks on the climate and biodiversity crisis in Ennis and given interviews on the occasion of a number of rallies and other events to both local and national media. He has also contributed to submissions on past Draft Litter Management and Climate Change Adaptation Plans from Clare County Council. James is involved in a campaign to help Ennis businesses achieve low/zero-waste.
Damon Matthew Wise Âû – Community and Voluntary Representative
The CEO/National Secretary of NCPD. He has represented people with disabilities and environmental issues at local, county, national and international levels, including to the United Nations. Damon also serves as a secretariat member for Clare PPN and as part of Federation Trust worked with community and voluntary groups to assit them with incorporation.
Social Development SPC
Trudy Leyden – Community and Voluntary Representative
Trudy has a long interest in Social and Cultural policy. She has a Masters of Arts in Politics and has qualifications in Cultural Studies and Literature and has trained with the Clare Adult Basic Education Services and worked as an After School Homework Tutor with the Clare Local Development Company. Trudy is involved in volunteering with many organisations. She has been a Brownie Leader with the reformed Ennis Brownie Branch. She was a volunteer with the Fleadh Committee in both 2016 and 2017. She is the current Secretary with the Quin Community Text Alert Service
Noel Kearney – Social Inclusion Representative
Noel is currently serving as secretary for Clare Leader Forum. He is active in a variety of community groups and is involved with mental health organisation Shine and with Clare Local Mental Health Forum. He organises discos and social events for people with disabilities and in his spare time he loves collecting records, reading, music, and is a big fan of films.
by badminme | Sep 17, 2019 | Members News, PPN News, SPC for Economic Development, SPC for Physical Development, SPC for Rural Development, SPC for Social Development
Tuesday 17th September 2019
Call for nominations for Social Inclusion College representatives. Closing date 30th September 2019 5pm.
As some of you will be aware Clare PPN has a number of representative seats on Clare County Council’s Strategic Policy Committees. (SPCS) Following the local elections held in May 2019, it is now necessary for us to hold elections to select representatives to hold these seats. This page deals only with the seats available to our Social Inclusion College member groups of Clare PPN.
What is a Strategic Policy Committee?
The task of each SPC is to assist and advise the Council in the formulation, development and review of policy in a certain thematic area. Each SPC consists of a elected Councillors as well as Business, Farming, Trade Union and Community Interests. Clare PPN is responsible for the nominations and support of all the Community and Voluntary Sector seats. There are currently four separate SPCs organised in Clare County Council. They are as follows:
- Physical Development SPC – with responsibility for Climate Change, Transportation, Water and Waste Water, Fire and Major Emergency Management.
- Economic Development SPC – responsible for Economic Development, Planning and Enterprise, Biodiversity
- Rural Development SPC – responsible for Rural development, Community, Tourism, Broadband, Digital Information and Communications Strategy
- Social Development SPC – with responsibility for Housing, Arts and Culture, Sports and Recreation.
We are seeking nominations for one Social Inclusion representative for each of the above SPCS (4 x vacancies)
Who can make Nominations?
Every current Social Inclusion College member group of Clare PPN can nominate one person for each of the three representative positions. Once all nominees have been received on September 30th Clare PPN will circulate their details and hold online elections in which all environmental member groups will be invited to vote.
Who can be Nominated?
Any person who is in a Social Inclusion College member group of Clare PPN can be nominated for these positions with the following exceptions
- Currently serving elected representatives may not be nominated.
- Anyone who has contested elections in the last year may not be nominated.
- Those who have declared their intention to stand for general or local election can not be nominated.
- If someone is nominated and later decides to contest an election they will have to vacate their seat.
- Any individual can only hold one SPC seat.
What’s involved in being a representative on an SPC for Clare PPN?
The successful candidates will be required attend four SPC meetings per year on behalf of all the Social Inclusion member groups in Clare PPN (plus a brief pre-meeting on the same day at Clare PPN), four Clare PPN plenary meetings per year and the occasional pillar group meeting and or training event. Feedback after each SPC meeting will also be required. Clare PPN will provide support for anyone who decides to take on these positions and travel expenses will be covered by Clare County Council and Clare PPN.
How do you Nominate Candidates?
NB: Please ensure that your group has re-registered in 2019 (you will have received emails to assist this process in the last few weeks). If you have any queries or need further assistance please email admin@clareppn.ie
• Member groups from the Social Inclusion College of Clare PPN can nominate one candidate per representative position. If you are not sure which pillar your group belongs to please contact: admin@clareppn.ie
• A candidate can only be the nominee for ONE representative position on ONE SPC – in the case that a person is nominated for more than one SPC we will contact them to ask them to select one which they wish to stand for.
• The candidate’s permission must be secured before they are nominated
• A fully completed form (see link below) with a clear photo and a short biography of the nominees (up to 200 words) must be submitted to admin@clareppn.ie
Nomination Form Social Inclusion Pillar
• Nominations must be received by 5pm, Monday 30th September 2019 after this date we will contact all members with the full list of candidates and ask for their votes.
Please make sure you do nominate and then vote in these elections- we want to be sure our member groups are fully involved in selecting who they want to represent them on these three SPCs. Please get in touch if any of the above confuses you or if you need any help. You can get us on 087-1617375 or admin@clareppn,ie
Representative Name
