Weir says timing is right to step aside from the Council

Former Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Cllr Seamus Weir, says that the timing is right not to contest the Local Election in June and to step away after 25 years as a councillor.

The Knockmore-based Independent councillor announced his decision not to seek reelection in the Ballina Municipal District in this June's Local Election.

Cllr Weir was first elected to Mayo County Council as a Fine Gael candidate in 1999 and has been reelected at every Local Election since.

Speaking to The Mayo News, Cllr Weir said that he has been giving his decision a lot of thought over the last number of months and after much deliberation he has decided the time is right to bow out.

“I have been a councillor for the last 25 years and I have put a lot of thought into this decision and it wasn't an easy one to make. I am healthy and feel like I can do another term but it is like sport and you have to know when is the right time to bow out. I feel this is a good time to finish up while I am still at the top,” he said.

The 71-year-old twice had the honour of wearing the chain as the Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, firstly in 2007 when he was still a member of Fine Gael and secondly as an Independent in 2022.

He fell out with the Fine Gael party over the erection of pylons in the north of the county and left the party before the 2014 local elections. Despite this he was reelected as an Independent in 2014 and again in 2019.

Cllr Weir, who played senior football for his club Knockmore and with the Mayo team, admitted that leaving the party was a difficult decision but he felt he had to do it because he could not change its policy on the pylons.

“I still have friends in Fine Gael but it was the policy which I did not agree with. At the time there were issues which I felt strongly about and I could see that people locally were upset. As it happened we succeeded in the pylons not going ahead and we achieved what we set out to do and that is to have the cables underground,” he said.

Cllr Weir said he is proud of his 25 years in Mayo County Council and that he feels he gained confidence in his role and became a better public representative over time. He added that he was very proud to represent Mayo during both his terms as Cathaoirleach.

Having served the 'Parish of Backs' for 25 years he believes that it is important the Knockmore area is represented on the Council.

“The reason I am announcing my decision to not run now is to give someone else the opportunity to go forward. There is still plenty of time for someone to put their name forward and it cannot be said they did not have enough time. Having someone locally representing the parish is important and I think it is big enough to be represented,” he added.