Carina Holmes

Community & Voluntary College Representative to the LCDC

Carina is an active member of Delgany Community Council (DCC) and Wicklow Planning Alliance (WPA) and has lived in the Greystones area for close to 18 years.    She is also an active member of the Public Participation Network (PPN) and sits on the PPN Secretariat.   Ciara has a good understanding and insight into the challenges faced by the community and voluntary sectors, which, compared with other EU countries, are in Ireland the backbone of the delivery of social and community services and voluntary facilities and sports amenities.   Carina believes these sectors need to be fully supported with enhanced financial supports and that her representation on the LCDC, which is a budgetary and financial committee, could help provide greater funding for the wonderful community and voluntary services, facilities and sports amenities throughout Wicklow.   Carina has also become increasingly involved in and concerned about the substantial and imminent threats to the natural and built environment, in particular, the detrimental impact that climate change is having on wildlife habitats, water resources, air quality, biodiversity and woodlands/forests, and the need to preserve and protect both the environment and built heritage – the great work done by tidy towns, community and marine groups needs to be fully recognised and supported.  She am keen to contribute to the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) in Wicklow having worked for over 30 years as an economist on national economic, financial and fiscal policies in both the Central Bank of Ireland and H.M. Treasury in London.    It is Carina’s belief that the best policy results and actions are always achieved when the legitimate interests of all stakeholders, in particular, those in the community and in voluntary groups are incorporated and reflected in policies, actions and financial support.  This inclusion and funding helps to build long-term trust and enables greater buy-in and respect among all stakeholders.