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European election candidate, Ciaran Mullooly, has hit out at the unfair treatment of farmers when it comes to water quality. The Independent Ireland candidate and former RTE journalist, Ciaran Mullooly, who is running in the five-seat Midlands North-West constituency, which spans fifteen counties, says he fully recognises the challenges farmers are facing in this regard. “Farmers are experiencing difficulties with climate change regulations coming from Europe and in relation to derogation and water quality issues,” Mullooly said. “These are of major significance and will have a huge impact on the economic well-being of both farmers and rural communities across the country.  “But while nobody denies that water quality is essential for everyone, and should be a priority, the majority of the scrutiny for water quality falls on to the agriculture sector. It is the sector that comes in for most criticism,” Mullooly said, “and this is very frustrating for framers. There are many other contributors to water quality in Ireland, and they don’t seem to face the same level of scrutiny.
“Local authority sewage treatment works, for example, contribute millions of gallons of treated water, but these were never designed for the volumes going through them with the increase in population of the towns they serve, and they are not able to cope. It is widely believed that many of these may be discharging large quantities of untreated, or incorrectly treated sewage or water into the countryside. This is going to have major impact on everyone. When the water is discharged from these sewage treatment plants, it is monitored at rivers and watercourses. If it fails to meet the required standard, the spotlight comes immediately back on farmers. This is unfair and must be addressed. “Industry too, is a major contributor to effluent discharge. “In both of these cases, there is a corporate body responsible. They have staff and management in abundance. Yet they aren’t always successful in their management of discharges from their plants, and these plants haven’t been upgraded to meet new demand. In the case of agriculture, most farmers are sole traders. It is down to an individual farmer. Yet when it comes to blame, the farmer is the easy target. “When there is a problem, everyone looks to farmers, and the penalties are levied on them. “I fully recognise the difficulties farmers are facing, meeting the requirements of new legislation. Farmers must be given the time and the technology to improve their practices to meet the changing and challenging times, but they cannot and should not be blamed for something they are not responsible for.” Mullooly has been involved in community development as a volunteer and administrator for over 30 years, delivering projects as part of a team, in areas such as tidy towns, social inclusion and sports and recreation.
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A European election candidate has called for the provision of a 'special bridging finance fund' exclusively for community projects, to assist them to apply for state and EU funding. Mr Mullooly was speaking on a visit to SCCUL Enterprise Centre in Ballybane, and said that social enterprises around the country are doing work on the ground, that the government should be doing: “Groups of volunteers are operating community facilities, cleaning up towns, providing meals on wheels and other social services. They give their time and expertise freely. They deserve to have the job of work they are doing made that little but easier." The solution
Independent Ireland candidate and former RTE journalist, Ciaran Mullooly, said that the requirement to fully fund grant applications by community groups, before they can draw down the money, is making it difficult, and in some cases, practically impossible, for valuable community projects to succeed. Mullooly has been involved in community development as a volunteer and administrator for over 30 years, delivering projects as part of a team, in areas such as tidy towns, social inclusion and sports and recreation. “There are many worthwhile projects which never get off the ground,” Mr Mullooly said, continuing: “Because the applicant group of volunteers doesn't have the money to fully pay for the project, in advance, which is a requirement of most grants. If they had the money, they wouldn’t need the grant in the first place.” "The grant process is cumbersome and requires that any monies applied for, have had to be spent, before the grant can be paid. This is putting an unreasonable burden on these volunteers,” Mullooly said. continuing: “State and EU grants such as LEADER, and Sports Capital Grants, not only require that the money be paid up front, but only part of it is recoverable. Where can these groups of volunteers reasonably get access to the type of funds required?” Mr Mullooly is proposing that a fund be established which would be exclusively available to social enterprise groups, at low interest rates. He said that a survey carried out by IPSOS MRBI after the Covid pandemic, confirmed that up to one million people, a fifth of the population, was engaged in unpaid voluntary activity in Ireland, supporting and assisting those in the vulnerable sector. “This will recognise the significant personal contribution made by the voluntary sector to the economic development of the country, and the huge personal commitment to caring for the aged and unwell within the community, and the regeneration of rural communities,” Mullooly said. “Independent Ireland will completely review the existing procedures for the claim process for grants for CLGs, Co-ops and other entities. With the assistance of the European Commission and the parliament, we will introduce changes to make the process easier. Campaign tour Last week, Mr Mullooly visited the wonderful volunteers and service users at SCCUL Enterprise Centre in Galway where he engaged with the local community and heard their concerns. No stranger to the highways and byways of the regions, the former Midlands Correspondent for RTE is touring the sprawling fifteen county Midlands-North West constituency, and is encouraging local groups to get in contact with him: "I'm a community worker and have been for most of my life. I understand the challenges community groups face but I am interested in hearing from various groups around the country who would like to highlight their concerns to me. If groups want advice or guidance, visit ciaranmullooly.com and get in contact." "Special provision will also be made for agencies such as the Western Development Commission to oversee the bridging finance facility. Any group with two years’ audited accounts, and in good standing, should have access to these funds. The fund would only need to be established once, because loans would be repaid directly by the funder when the grants were eventually drawn down, and this money would then be available to subsequent applicant groups. This would play a huge role in rural and urban regeneration and ensure more balanced regional development. Fitzmaurice endorsement Mr Mullooly is contesting the five-seat, fifteen-county, Midlands–North-West constituency in the European elections. He has spent the three years since his retirement from RTE (where he was Midlands Correspondent) working in the community sector. He is running, he says, for the Independent Ireland Party after an invitation from Roscommon-Galway TD, Michael Fitzmaurice. “We have a job of work to do, to support the community development and farming sectors where they are challenged by new legislation coming from Europe, and Ciaran Mullooly has the vast necessary experience to do it,” Fitzmaurice said, “that’s why I am asking the electorate to give Ciaran their number one vote in the European Parliament Elections on June 7th throughout the West, Midlands and North-West.” Notes to the editor: Photo Captions 8507 CENTER USERS CM Independent European Parliament Election candidate Ciaran Mullooly meeting service users at SCCUL Centre Ballybane, county Galway. Back (left to right): Alice Waring and Margaret Spellman. Front: Ann Spellman and Joanne Laffey the centre manager. 8514 CENTRE USERS 2 Independent Ireland candidate Ciaran Mullooly meets local resident Charles Cooley, at the SCCUL Centre Ballybane, County Galway 8519 ENTERPRISE CENTRE CM Election candidate Ciaran Mullooly chats with Joanne Laffey, the manager of the SCCUL Centre Ballybane, county Galway about the challenges facing the community and voluntary sector. 240428 Ciaran Mullooly BGR = Profile Ciaran Mullooly, MEP candidate, Midlands-North West Audio-04-27-2024-17-44-44 (1).mp3 Audio: Ciaran Mullooly, MEP candidate, Midlands-North West speaking about his proposal Following a day of speculation on Friday, former RTE Midlands Correspondent Ciaran Mullooly has confirmed he will be a candidate for June's European Parliament Elections in the Midlands-North West constituency. The constituency which spans 15 counties from Donegal to Kildare and across to Galway is the geographically largest constituency. With the return of Laois and Offaly to the constituency following their movement to the South constituency in 2019, Midlands-North West will be electing 5 MEPs in June up from 4 in 2019. Announcement Speaking on Saturday, Mullooly said: "I am delighted to announce that I will be a candidate for Independent Ireland in the upcoming European elections, and my goal is to take a seat in the Midlands-North West constituency so that I can bring into focus the laundry list of issues which need to be highlighted in the European Parliament. For the past 30 years, Mullooly has been deeply committed to rural Ireland, be it as a broadcaster at local and national levels or through his extensive involvement in a wide range of community development initiatives across the Midlands: "These projects focused on disability support, tourism promotion, sports & recreation, suicide prevention and many more issues that are near and dear to people of Rural Ireland. "As RTE Midlands Correspondent, I witnessed the growing frustration of rural communities. Rural Ireland has been grossly neglected and I am prepared to stand up and shout stop, to quote another man from the world of journalism – the great rural champion, John Healy. Rural focus Mullooly emphasized his appreciation of the challenges facing Rural Ireland: "I am putting myself before the electorate on June 7th because I want to play my part in bringing about badly needed, long-overdue, positive change. "I have worked with voluntary committees to help set up key projects such as the first Pieta House Centre in the Midlands in Athlone, the QUAD Youth Centre in Roscommon town and the Lions Clubs of Ireland’s Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training programme across 14 counties. So, I am acutely aware of the many public policy issues which are making life tougher for hardworking volunteers in every corner of the country. "From my time working closely with disability advocacy groups and spearheading rural tourism projects, I've seen firsthand the challenges and triumphs of rural life. I step into the political arena with a clear mission: to be an effective voice for rural communities and to strongly and unapologetically represent their interests at a European level. Noting that some 70% of the legislation going through Leinster House has its origins at a European level, Mullooly criticised some of the unrealistic targets and proposed restrictions being set in Europe: "Restrictions on farming practices, ever-increasing rural isolation, changes to land use policy, and decisions made at an EU level that are making it harder to roll-out infrastructure and housing projects here at home are beyond a crisis point. "The traditional means of employment across towns and villages in the Midlands-North West constituency are all under threat. I would go so far as to say that the threat from new EU and state policies has never been greater. We need to meet it head-on and deliver a team of MEPs who will push back on EU over-reach and advocate effectively for rural interests. Joining Independent Ireland According to Mullooly, the decision to join Independent Ireland was an easy one for him to make: "The party’s focus on local issues, grassroots activism and tangible solutions to real problems resonates with my values and convictions. Together, we will work tirelessly to ensure that the concerns of rural Ireland are not just heard but acted upon. "Those who know me know that I am not a shrinking violet. When Michael Fitzmaurice TD, invited me to join Independent Ireland, I made it clear I would not be a mouthpiece for anything or anyone. My sole concern was a truly progressive plan for the regeneration of our rural communities, an ambition I know Michael shares and has shared over his time in activism and politics. "We have agreed on a clear strategy for progress in urban and rural settings, with the cooperation of party members, the region’s fantastic voluntary sector and the progressive new communities dotted all over the constituency. "Now is the time for change. Now is the time for the communities of rural Ireland to reclaim their power and shape their individual and collective destinies. I am confident I can win a seat in the European Parliament and continue to work to deliver for the people of this constituency. Endorsement Welcoming Mr Mullooly to Independent Ireland, the Party's TD for Roscommon-Galway, Michael Fitzmaurice has given a full-throated endorsement for the former broadcaster: "Ciaran is a straight shooter and a hard worker. He is a formidable candidate to represent the people of Midlands-North West. Continuing his praise for his new party colleague, Deputy Fitzmaurice, who had been widely expected to announce a run in Midlands-North West himself, said: "Mullooly is our candidate for Europe. His dedication to and understanding of the challenges facing rural communities make him a uniquely qualified candidate. "I have first-hand experience of just how dogged Ciaran is when he working to achieve a goal for his community. He leaves no stone unturned and in having assisted him with some projects in recent years, such as the Lough Ree Access For All project, I can say this for certain, if Mullooly is on the job, the job will get done. "Common sense is a rare thing in politics these days, and I have every faith that Ciaran will deliver a seat in Europe for the Party of Common Sense, in June. Independent Ireland Leader, Michael Collins TD, said he was "delighted" to welcome Ciaran to the party he founded with Limerick TD, Richard O'Donoghue, late last year: "Ciaran is a true community man, he's spent a lifetime working to build up his community and the wider fortunes of rural areas across the Midlands. General Secretary of Independent Ireland, Richard O'Donoghue, TD for Limerick County, also welcomed Mr Mullooly to the Party's European ticket, saying: "It's volunteers and community workers like Ciaran who are the lifeblood of our communities. Ciaran has done more over the last 30 years in voluntary and community organising roles than most MEPs would do in a thousand terms in Europe. I do not doubt that he will continue to do so, and as an MEP for Midlands-North West will deliver more for his constituency than any other candidate. Fully focused Since retiring from RTE in 2021, Mullooly has worked with Roscommon LEADER Partnership and most recently Longford Tourism, two roles which have seen him play a key role in the community engagement and roll-out of the EU Just Transition Funding which has been put in place to support Bord Na Móna and ESB Networks transition away from peat extraction across the Midlands: "I've chosen to take leave from my role in tourism promotion in Co Longford for the next number of weeks to fully commit myself to this campaign. It's a move I make secure in the knowledge that the work we do now will lay the foundations for a brighter future for the Midlands and the North-West. "It is vital that the electorate of Rural Ireland stands up and is heard. I will be a strong presence in Brussels on CAP issues, nitrates legislation, disability issues, infrastructure & housing and the next EU Just Transition Fund to support Bord Na Móna and ESB workers and communities who feel abandoned by the state. Together, we can regenerate Rural Ireland and we will start by putting people first! |
About Ciaran Mullooly
Native of: Lanesborough, Co Longford ArchivesCategories |
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