Laois Independents criticise party politics in Cathaoirleach election
The election of the new Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council has sparked some frustration among Independent councillors.
Fianna Fáil Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald was elected as Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council at the council’s AGM on Monday, June 29, with Fine Gael Cllr Paddy Buggy elected as Leas-Cathaoirleach.
Each municipal district has also selected new chairs in recent weeks. The outgoing Laois County Council Cathaoirleach, Cllr Barry Walsh was selected to chair the Portlaoise MD.
Cllr Ollie Clooney was elected as Cathaoirleach for the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick MD and Cllr Ben Brennan was chosen as the chair for the Graiguecullen/Portarlington MD.
However, there was some criticism by local councillors who felt that the role of chairperson for the council and the Portlaoise MD was being controlled by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
Independent councillors for Portlaoise, Cllr Tommy Mulligan, Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley and Cllr Marie Tuohy criticised the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael majority.
Although congratulating Cllr Walsh on his election as Cathaoirleach, Cllr Mulligan said: “Barry, I congratulate you on a personal level, but I just don’t enjoy the way you do politics. I really thought that getting elected meant we get to work as a team, I didn’t expect all the gamesmanship. I really don’t agree with this control at all costs.”
Cllr Dwane Stanley had been proposed by Cllr Tommy Mulligan for the position, supported by Cllr Marie Tuohy. Cllr Dwane Stanley then proposed Cllr Tuohy, however she was beaten by Cllr Fitzgerald.
There were similar sentiments from some Independent councillors at the Laois County Council AGM.
Cllr Aisling Moran told the council that as a technical group, they would not oppose the nomination of Cllr Fitzgerald as there would be “no point.”
“I wish you well Catherine but I do think it’s something we are going to have to have a conversation about,” said Cllr Moran at the AGM.
“Democracy means the people’s choice and power resting in the people. And if this was done the way it should be done, you would have had the five highest elected councillors as the five Cathaoirleachs.”
The Graiguecullen councillor noted that the five highest elected councillors in the last local election were Cllr Conor Bergin, Cllr Ben Brennan, Cllr Aidan Mullins, Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley and Cllr Paschal McEvoy.
She pointed out that over the five years, two councillors will have been Cathaoirleach three times.
“I do believe that something should be done about how we handle this going forward. It's brought up at every MD and council AGM. Going forward if it's something we can have a discussion about it,” Cllr Moran said.
The Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael councillors rejected Cllr Moran’s comments, with Fianna Fáil Cllr McEvoy arguing that such remarks were “absolutely crazy.”
He insisted that the decision was about numbers and “that’s democracy.”
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme