Forum on Crisis in Clare Tourism
Issued : Saturday 24 April, 2010
Labour Forum to find solutions to the Tourism Crisis in Clare.
Tourism in the Shannon Region was down 27% in 2009. There has been a further significant drop in the first quarter of this year. All around us we can see the severe impact this is having on small businesses and on rural communities in the Clare area and nowhere more so than in North Clare. The Clare Labour Women's group have a number of members employed in tourism. As a result they are very aware of the crisis affecting the sector, how helpless many women feel in the face of the meltdown of their livelihoods and how bleak the future looks for those women. Repercussions are being felt both directly and indirectly; existing statistics do not adequately reflect the negative impact on the area.
Ally Carr, Chairwoman of the North Clare Branch of the Labour Party, has invited Clare woman, Mary Upton TD, the Labour Party spokesperson on Tourism, to come to a consultation meeting in the Falls Hotel in Ennistymon on 24th April at 11.30 am. This event is aimed at giving women working in tourism, agriculture, and all those living in rural communities the opportunity to air their views on the current crisis. There will also be some information about grants available for projects and how to apply for them.
Everyone is welcome to come to this consultation event and contribute their ideas on ways of responding to the present situation so that the Clare area can move forward to a better future. Mary Upton wants to hear what people in Clare have to say so that she can incorporate their ideas and suggestions into the strategy being developed for tourism at national and at European level.
There will be speakers from a variety of organisations at the meeting representing rural women, agriculture and tourism. Mary Nagle, who lives and farms in North Clare, will speak about Rural Community Life and Catherine Dunne will speak on Women in Politics. There will be plenty of opportunity for discussion in small groups so that everyone will have the chance to contribute their comments and suggestions.
Ally Carr, who is employed in tourism, has built up the North Clare Branch of the Labour Party into the fastest growing branch in the country. She is supported in this forum by the Clare Labour Women's group including Muireann Neylon, Jo Walsh and Fidelma Hawes. The Clare Labour Party, at constituency level, has put forward a motion to Party Conference in Galway the 16/17/18th of April committing the Labour Party to ensuring that there is a return to regular scheduled passenger flights into Shannon Airport as the airport is at the core of economic development in the Shannon region.
For more information contact:
Ally Carr, North Clare Party Chairwoman: allymcarr@gmail.com 0876624003
Muireann Neylon, Clare Labour Women's Officer: muireannneylon@hotmail.com 0872777972
Seamus Ryan, Constituency Secretary: clarelabourparty@gmail.com 0879697981
