Mayo County Council chief executive again hits back at criticism for living in Galway

THE top official on Mayo County Council has again rebuked criticism for living in Co Galway. 

Kevin Kelly accused the Fine Gael council whip of ‘the same rhetoric’ after he again expressed misgivings over Mr Kelly not residing in Mayo. 

Cllr Peter Flynn also expressed concern about newly co-opted councillor Deirdre Lawless and Tom Gilligan, the council’s Director of Services for Housing and Roads, who do not reside in Mayo. 

Cllr Flynn made similar remarks last year during the May meeting of Mayo County Council. Mr Kelly countered by accusing the Westport-based councillor of launching a personal attack on him. 

Cllr Flynn made similar remarks again at last Wednesday’s special meeting of Mayo County Council, saying that council officials and councillors should reside in Mayo.

“If this was a business, you certainly wouldn’t want your leadership sitting in other parts of the organisation. You’d want them close to the shop floor, you’d want them meeting the customers, and you’d want that interaction on a day-to-day basis. And having our key people living in another county is not good. It really is not good,” said Cllr Flynn. 

Mr Kelly responded by accusing the Fine Gael councillor of ‘outdated thinking that hasn’t kept up with the reality of modern life’. 

“We have a new council, we have a new year, but we have the same rhetoric,” Mr Kelly said.

The former Galway County Council Chief Executive argued that someone’s place of abode was ‘not an indicator of commitment to the job or the ability to deliver’ in the era of remote working. 

“I know that every decision I make is in the best interest of Mayo and Mayo County Council and if I think if everyone did the same I think things would be much better. But I think this continuing harping about where people live is unnecessary and unhelpful in the context of us all trying to do the best job we can for Mayo and the people of Mayo,” added Mr Kelly.