Advancing the Southern Distributor Road, to finalise the Development Plan and to develop within the town a confidence and self determination in facing the future were the main items on the agenda of the new Cathaoirleach of Athy Town Council at last nights meeting. Cllr Richard Daly(FG) was proposed by Cllr Mary O’ Sullivan and Cllr Mark Dalton and vowed to prioritise a number of issues over the year.
Cllr Daly singled out the business community as a vital element in the future development of the town. “It is true that Athy has suffered like the rest of Ireland in the economic downturn. The business and retail community have suffered severely and we see long standing businesses experiencing exceptional hardship and contraction In times like this it is vitally that there is a vibrant, active and comprehensive business organisation. The Town Council will give every support and engage with a coordinated business community and encourages all in business to join forces and develop for the future. Never has there been more need for a single voice to harness the energy and potential of our retail and business sector, to promote the town as a good place to do business to help develop a good retail strategy and to support each other in stringent economic times”
He continued “In term of the role of Athy Town Council I want to reaffirm its role as the single democratic publicly elected body charged with responsibility for the management and running of the town of Athy. Under the direction of the Cathaoirleach and members of theTown Council and under the management of the Town Manager Joe Boland and Town Clerk Brian O’Gorman Athy Town Council must make decisions on water, transport, housing and much more. It must also compile a Town Plan which becomes the roadmap for all future development in our town. While the decisions which we make do not always receive universal appeal it is the duty of each of us to act in an informed and responsible manner without fear or favour and devoid of all personal gain. The role which we must play in advancing this towns economic recovery will bear fruit in the years ahead. As we enter the chamber the time has come for us to put our party allegiances aside and adopt a unified patriotic approach in the best interest of the citizen.
I welcome the recent announcement of €300, 00 towards our Traffic Management Plan and the water scheme which begins in July and will provide improved supply to the Carlow road area.
I acknowledge the important role played by the media in the development of our town and I ask for their continued support over the coming year. Both print and radio have an important reporting and investigative role and are the monitors and watchdogs for the community. They also have an important community building role and local radio and the local papers bear a heavy responsibility in portraying what is best in our society. It is important that we highlight the good and the positive, that we create role models and leaders and that we inform the public of events. In our open and transparent council I will gladly work with the media in portraying what is best in Athy and earnestly ask for their support in the months ahead.
As we advance into 2011 Athy Town Council must make full use of the advances in ICT making what we do more efficient and visible to the community. I congratulate the steps taken in recent years with many of the application forms, minutes etc available through our web page. In the coming weeks we can expect the council chamber to be internet friendly so that we can work better and smarter.
Hand in hand with ICT efficiencies I would like to see more efficiency in the conduct of meetings of which we will have many over the coming months as we adopt our Development Plan. I ask members to comply with Standing orders, be brief, prepared and to the point. We will be judged by the quality of our work rather than the amount of time we spend in the chamber.
Athys future is in its own hands. For too long we have bemoaned the fact that we are a neglected part of Kildare while at the same time our representatives at county level have repeatedly punched above their weight. Around this table I pay credit to Cllr Mark Dalton (outgoing councillor), Cllr Mark Wall who with myself have and do fight for delivery of services and projects for the town. The Swimming pool. The water abstraction plant, the heritage centre, the proposed primary care centre, the education campus. The community arts centre, the enterprise centre and the Southern Distributor Road are some of the examples of Town and county councillors working together and delivering for Athy. We have the greatest location and the greatest potential within the county and it is up the community at large to play its part to create employment.. We are unlikely to see a major employer coming to the town in the near future but each of us can attract and develop a tourist industry which can provide real employment in the current climate. Positive attitude and community participation can literally transform the town.
This work has already begun by the many local volunteers who organise sporting events, tidy towns, community groups, festivals. In the year of the volunteer it is appropriate that we play tribute to those who actively make this a better place to live and attract visitors and business to our town. The thousands who attend the Triathy, the ploughing Championship, the Bluegrass, Shackleton, County Show and sporting events are our future. Throughout the summer our river is getting busier with swimmers and floaters and boaters and fishermen. We need to cater for these and ensure that they have a positive experience and return again. We need to keep our town tidy and every residents group and individual can play their part. Every point gained in our tidy towns competition is a positive step towards developing a future industry. We have been chosen for SHINE and BRAND but before we can get our visitors to think this is a good town we must believe that it is a good town.
Mar a duirt Uachtarain na Stait Aontaithe nuair a thainig se go hEireann “Is feidir linn” and this must also be our battle cry.
I would like to again thank my proposer Cllr Mary O’ Sullivan and my seconder Cllr Mark Dalton and I would like to take the opportunity to thank my family Celine, Ricky and Olivia whose family life often bears the burden of public life. I extend that thanks to the families of all of the councillors here whose partners and families are owed the very same debt of thanks and who allow us to represent our community. In thanking people I also include the deceased members of Athy Town Council particularly those who recently departed. Athy Town Council will remember those members specifically later this year.
Our task for the coming year is to finalise our Development Plan, to advance the Southern Distributor Road and to develop within the town a confidence and self determination in facing the future. I and leas Cathaoirleach Mark Wall will be available to business and community groups on your behalf throughout the year. The past has been given to us but the future is our hands for the making. Together let’s make that a good future for Athy.”
Cllr Mark Wall was elected leas Cathaoirleach
ENDS
