No power-sharing

No party power-sharing for vice-chair role

Anna-Marie Flynn

THE election of the County Council Leas-Chathaoirleach was met with opposition by Fianna Fáil at the authority’s annual general meeting yesterday (Monday).
Party whip, Cllr Pat McHugh, described the decision of Fine Gael, who hold the majority, to retain the position of the vice-chairperson within the ranks of their party by electing Cllr Tom Connolly to the position as ‘regrettable’.
At yesterday’s AGM, Cllr Joe Mellett became the fifth consecutive Fine Gael chairperson, in a move that has seen Fine Gael members also elected as Leas-Chathaoirligh during the life of this council. Prior to this, it was the practice for the majority party to hold the position of Chair and open the vice role to nominations from opposing parties.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr McHugh said: “It is regrettable that the majority party did not return the magnanimity of this side of the house over the last five years in offering us even the Leas-Chathaoirleach job,” he said, before adding, “But we are where we are.”
He said it was not the intention of the party to nominate any candidate as it would be a ‘futile exercise’ and quoted George Bush by saying, “The math just doesn’t add up.”
However, Cllr McHugh said he was confident that ‘it will be a different story’ after the next local elections in 2009. 
Independent councillor Harry Walsh said that if he is re-elected in next year’s election he will ‘most certainly support’ the sharing agreement that once existed between both sides of the house. “I have to agree with Cllr McHugh and I would definitely support the agreement and it will be put back in place if I have anything to do with it.”
He said he also hoped that some day there might even be an Independent representative elected as the first citizen of the county.
Fine Gael whip Cllr Paddy McGuinness said it was a matter he ‘did not intend going into’ but responded to the initial comments made by Cllr McHugh by stating: “We do not agree with your forecast. We worked hard here for the last four years with ingenuity and leadership and the public will respect us for that and we will come back in enhanced numbers. As the most senior member of the house on this side, Cllr John Cribbin will no doubt be the next Cathaoirleach.”
Cllr Tom Connolly was elevated to the role of vice-chairperson, second in command to Cllr Joe Mellett as Cathaoirleach, when he was proposed by Cllr Paddy McGuinness and seconded by Cllr John Cribbin.