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Carn Council HQ saved
06.07.10
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by Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen Independent
INISHOWEN County Councillors are hailing a ‘great
moment for Inishowen’ after they were assured NO
services will be removed from Carn Public Services
Centre.
At a meeting in Lifford last week, local councillors
refused to back a proposal by County Manager Michael
McLoone to move to the next phase of a
centralisation plan, which could have seen planning,
community and enterprise services revert back to
Lifford from Carn.
As tensions rose Labour councillor Martin Farren
stood up angrily and said he wanted clarification
from the County Manager and senior management staff
that all services currently in Carn would remain
there in future.
When Farren did not receive a satisfactory answer to
his question he persisted; demanding a response on
the future of the Carn Public Services Centre.
Sinn Fein councillor Padraig MacLochlainn called for
an immediate adjournment. Inishowen councillors then
met the County Manager in his office, where heated
debate culminated in assurances that all services
will remain in Carn. |
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“We eventually received
a firm commitment from the County Manager and the
Management team that services in Carn will now
remain in Carn. I am very happy with the outcome,”
Cllr. Farren said.
“The Carn centre is a beautiful building and the
staff there provide an excellent service to the
people of Inishowen. |
I don’t want to see any
more job losses, in fact Carn should become a
flagship for public services. I am only an ordinary
councillor but I am doing my very best on this
issue.”
Cllr. MacLochlainn, who yesterday became the new
Deputy Mayor of Donegal, said local councillors were
not going to stand by and watch services be taken
away from Inishowen.
“We are open to change and we realise that the
council must be run efficiently but we are not
prepared to let services, which we fought hard for,
be removed from Carn,” he said.
“A shadow hanging over the Carn the Carn Public
Services has been lifted and I now want to see it
strengthened rather than weakened.”
Local Fianna Fail councillor Charlie McConalogue
said it was great news for Inishowen and Carn.
“We have received the strongest possible assurance
that all current services will remain in Carn. The
local public centre provides invaluable services and
it is critical that they stay here. This is an issue
that all local councillors are united upon and we
will continue to work together to get the best deal
for Inishowen,” he said. |
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