Chambers to step down after 32 years

Chambers to step down after 32 years


Councillor blames division of Newport in boundary redrawing for his decision

Anton McNulty

AFTER months of speculation, Newport Fianna Fáil councillor, Frank Chambers, has decided to retire from politics at the end of the current term – ending a 32-year reign on Mayo County Council.
Speculation had been mounting for months regarding Cllr Chambers’ future, after the Electoral Area Commission announced last year that they were redrawing the local council area boundaries and moving his stronghold of Newport East from Westport into the Belmullet Electoral Area. Cllr Chambers had been nominated by the Fianna Fáil party to run in the next election on June 5, but if he was to contest the election he would not have been unable to vote for himself because of the boundary changes.
Cllr Chambers announced his decision not to run at the Michael Kilroy Fianna Fáil Cumann meeting last week and, speaking to The Mayo News yesterday (Monday), he said his decision was down to personal reasons and the ‘disgraceful’ decision to divide Newport town.
“I have been involved in politics for 40 years and it has been a big part of my life and I have always put politics above a lot of other things in my life. I decided to step down out of personal and family reasons and the rejigging of the constituency played a big part in it. Newport will be divided by the Black Oak River into two electoral areas and the decision to do so by the commission was disgraceful. Newport has always been represented and I hope someone from the town does decide to stand but it will be tough whatever side they run on,” he said.
An auctioneer and businessman by profession, Cllr Chambers was first elected to Mayo County Council in 1977 and retained his seat in every local election since. He served for a term as Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council from 2003-2004 and served on a number of council committees.
As well as serving on the Council, he is also a member of Mayo VEC, a member of the Board of Management of St Patrick’s College, Lacken Cross, Chairman of Newport and District Development Company and a member of the Board of South West Mayo Leader Company.
He was nominated to Seanad Éireann by former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and served from 1997 to 2002. He contested the 2002 General Election and was narrowly defeated following a serious road accident five days prior to polling day. He also unsuccessfully contested the 2007 General Election.
His fellow Fianna Fáil councillor Tim Quinn, who served with Cllr Chambers throughout his tenure, said the news of his retirement was like hearing of the death of a friend and called it ‘the end of an era’. He told The Mayo News that Cllr Chambers was a very sincere and forthright politician and he was sad to hear of his retirement.
“I have been sitting beside him in the Council chamber since it opened and am sad to hear of his retirement. I had a good relationship with Frank over the years, both in political and social life. He is a very sincere and genuine politician who spoke his mind and was never constrained by what the party thought. He was forthright and his experience will be missed in the chamber,” he said.
Cllr Chambers thanked all his supporters who canvassed for him over the years and paid tribute to his wife Phil and children, Francis, Lisa, Sarah and Richard, for their ongoing support. He said that while he was proud of his achievements as a councillor, his major regret was the loss of a second level school for Newport.
Cllr Chambers said he would continue to support and canvass for whoever is selected as the Fianna Fáil candidate in Westport and added that he would canvass for Cllr Blackie Gavin who will be running for Fianna Fáil in the Castlebar Electoral Area.