Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune visited Co. Limerick recently with local TD Patrick O’Donovan as part of her program of work in the constituency. The constituency of Ireland South covers the six counties of Munster together with Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Wicklow and Deirdre Clune used the visit to discuss with Patrick O’Donovan the ways in which she can keep in touch with the people in Co. Limerick given the massive size of the Ireland South Euro Constituency.
During her visit Deirdre Clune visited Dromcollogher, Newcastle West and Foynes with Patrick O’Donovan and afterwards they agreed similar visits to South and East Limerick over the coming months. Deirdre Clune is the only Irish MEP sitting on the European Parliament Transport Committee, and she used the visit to discuss issues of interest to Limerick with Patrick O’Donovan, who is the only Limerick TD to sit on the Oireachtas Transport Committee.
Patrick O’Donovan said that the visit was very beneficial saying “We discussed a number of issues including healthcare, care of the elderly and job creation and retention. Deirdre was anxious to understand the importance of the development of Foynes Port to the region and the country as a strategic piece of national infrastructure here in Limerick. Foynes is the only Tier 1 port on the west of Ireland and because of its deep water there is huge potential for the port with the proposals that the Shannon Foynes Port Company have developed. Deirdre was given a full presentation by the Port of their development plans and listened to the potential of the existing rail line together with the national road network in Co. Limerick. She was interested in particular in the study which is under way to link Foynes to the rest of the national road network, which has been funded by the Government through the NRA and shows how important the port is viewed by Government.”
Patrick O’Donovan said he would be arranging further visits by Fine Gael MEP’s to Limerick in the coming months. “Fine Gael is part of the largest group in the European Parliament, the European Peoples Party, and as more and more decisions are being made by MEP’s which effects the lives of people here in Limerick, it is very important that our Fine Gael representatives can work with us on the issues that will make an impact here in Limerick.”