Chambers Ireland’s shortlist for the Excellence in Local Government Awards 2016 has been announced today (Thursday, 4 August) and Shannon Chamber is delighted to note that Clare County Council is included among the twenty-three local authorities shortlisted over sixteen categories.

Commenting on the announcement, Shannon Chamber chief executive Helen Downes said: “Shortlisted in the Supporting Tourism category for its involvement in and support for the Ennis Book Club Festival demonstrates the Council’s commitment to showcasing County Clare as a vibrant tourism destination for themed initiatives of this nature. Entering these awards and reaching the final listings is a great commendation for everyone involved in the Book Club Festival, which is going from strength to strength.

“With Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2016 just a week away, in which Clare County Council will be heavily involved, and with the newly appointed CEO, Pat Dowling, set to take up his position in September, we anticipate seeing the Council enter,  be shortlisted, and win many more awards of this nature. Shannon Chamber welcomes Pat Dowling to Clare and looks forward to working with him and his team in the months and years ahead.

“It is important to recognise the continued hard work of local authorities across Ireland despite the many challenges they have faced in recent years. The shortlist highlights the varied local projects undertaken across Ireland and these Awards are an important annual showcase for the dedication and commitment within local authorities to support the community and the local area.”

The Excellence in Local Government Awards are held in association with the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. The winners will be announced at the 13^th annual awards ceremony on 24th November at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Northwood, Santry, Dublin.   Awards will be presented for excellence in sixteen different categories and one local authority will be awarded the overall award and named Local Authority of the Year 2016.

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Notes to Editor

Complete Shortlist for ELG Awards 2016

Supporting Active Communities

• Fingal County Council – Fingal Age Friendly Town – Skerries
• Limerick City & County Council – Team Limerick Clean Up
• Meath County Council – Unity Centre, Windtown
• South Dublin County Council – The Community Initiative Fund

Best Practice in Citizen Engagement

• Cork City Council – Cork City Council’s Choice Based Letting Scheme
• Kildare County Council – Celbridge Integrated Services Programme
• Mayo County Council – Mayo Day
• South Dublin County Council – Annual Service Delivery Plan – “Where Your Money Goes”

Health & Wellbeing

• Cork City Council – Sensory Workshops for Health & Wellbeing
• Kildare County Council – Athy Community Addiction Response
• South Dublin County Council – HI South Dublin Healthy County

Supporting Tourism

• Carlow County Council – Carlow Food Tourism Project
• Clare County Council – Ennis Book Club Festival
• Cork County Council – Fortress Spike Island – Phase 1
• South Dublin County Council – Dublin Mountains Partnership

Promoting Economic Development

• Cork County Council – Beacon Retail Programme
• Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council – The CoCo Markets
• Limerick City & County Council – Innovate Limerick
• Mayo County Council – Mayo – The Connected County
• Offaly County Council – The Junction Business Innovation Centre

Local Authority Innovation

• Cork City Council – Cork City Council’s Litter Fine System
• Fingal County Council – Fingal Online Consultation Portal
• Kilkenny County Council – Consult.Kilkenny.ie
• Limerick City & County Council – HAP Shared Services Centre
• Monaghan County Council – Lifetime Dog Licence with free Microchipping and Registration
• South Dublin County Council – Building the Lean Six Sigma Organisation

Sustainable Environment

• Cork County Council – Implementation of ISO 5001 standard in Cork County Council
• Dublin City Council – Think Energy: Home Energy Saving Kit
• Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council – Biodiversity in Action
• South Dublin County Council – Social Credit Scheme

Best Library Service

• Galway County Council – Rebirth and Reimagining  – Ballinasloe Library: A Community Focus for a New Generation
• Offaly County Council – Open Libraries
• South Dublin County Council – South Dublin Libraries Heritage Publications and Bookstore
• Wexford County Council -Wexford Mobile Library Service – Literacy at the heart of Rural Communities

Sustaining the Arts

• Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council – dlr Performing Arts Award
• Fingal County Council – The Lucky Penny 1916 Literature Project and Exhibition
• Kildare County Council – 1916 Sackville Street Art Project

Joint Local Authority Initiative

• Donegal County Council- North West of the Island of Ireland – A Strategic Model for Regional Development Growth
• Dublin City Council – Smart Dublin
• Sligo County Council – Boosting regional enterprise, tourism and economic activities through overseas and transatlantic linkages

Festival of the Year

• Cork County Council – A Taste of West Cork Food Festival
• Fingal County Council – Dublin Bay Prawn Festival 2016
• Louth County Council – Drogheda Arts Festival
• Mayo County Council – Battle for the Lake Kite and Music Festival – Achill Island

Outstanding Customer Service

• Cork City Council – Cork Cashes Out
• Fingal county Council – Fingal Customer Care Unit
• Limerick City & County Council – Implementation of Customer Services Centres
• Tipperary County Council – Integrated Customer Services Centre

Enhancing the Urban Environment

• Cork County Council – Clonakilty Urban Design Masterplan
• Dublin City Council – Kilmainham Civic Space
• Fingal County Council – “Keeping it Green” An Open Space Strategy for Fingal – Large Scale Bulb Planting in Civic Areas
• Meath County Council – Ashbourne Main Street Refurbishment Scheme

Heritage and Built Environment

• Cavan County Council – The 1916 Exhibition and Experience
• Fingal County Council – Swords Castle: Digging History
• Kildare County Council – John Devoy – The Greatest of Fenians

Disability Services Provision

• Fingal County Council – Adapted Physical Activity – Sports for All
• Kerry County Council – Kerry Library Toys & Sensory Resources Service
• South Dublin county Council – Learn to Cycle
• Wexford County Council – Wexford County Council Beach Wheelchair Initiative

Commemorations & Centenaries

• Carlow County Council – Carlow Ireland 2016 “Reflections from a Light Box”
• Dublin City Council – Dublin Remembers 1916 – 2016: Is Cuimhin Linn
• Fingal County Council – Fingal 2016 Centenary Programme
• Kildare County Council – 1916 Sackville Street Art Project
• Meath County Council – Battle of Ashbourne State Ceremony and Commemorative Event
• Monaghan County Council – From a Whisper to a Roar – Exploring the Untold Story of Monaghan
• South Dublin County – Commemorative plaza with pedestrian and cycle entrance to Pearse Museum and St. Enda’s Park, Grange Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16
• Wexford County Council – County Wexford 1916 Centenary Commemorative Programme