Voting pact denies Sinn Féin control of council as Tully is named new chairman

New Louth County Council chairman Cllr Oliver Tully

Despite being the largest party on Louth County Council, a voting pact has denied Sinn Féin control of the new council.

In a vote at the first meeting of the council this morning, Fine Gael’s Oliver Tully was named the new chairman of the local authority, defeating Sinn Féin’s Tomás Sharkey by 17 votes to 10.

Every member of the council bar those in Sinn Féin opted to vote for Cllr Tully, although independents Maeve Yore and Jim Tenanty opted to abstain from the vote.

Sinn Féin’s Jennifer Green tweeted about the matter moments ago, saying: “Sinn Féin proposes to use the d’hondt system for Chairs & Vice’s in LCC and it was refused to be discussed.”

She followed the tweet with the hashtag “greedy coalitions” before later adding “Cronyism and greed won the day… Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Labour, Greens, Independents refuse to discuss fairness & equality in Louth CoCo.”

Cllr Sharkey added on Facebook: “Breaking News in Louth County Council: Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Labour, Greens and 2 Independents refuse Inclusion and create a Cutback Alliance. Sinn Féin is largest party and is the only opposition.”

Cllr Tully, a retired schoolteacher from Drogheda, has been a member of Louth County Council since 1991 and was chairman previously from 2011-2012.

Meanwhile, Green Party councillor Marianne Butler was named vice chair, defeating Sinn Féin’s Cllr Edel Corrigan by 18 votes to 10 with Cllr Tenanty the only one to abstain from voting on this occasion.

Marianne Butler of the Green Party is the new vice chair

New look Louth County Council to meet for the first time this morning

The offices of Louth County Council

The first meeting of the new Louth County Council will take place later today.

This will be the first gathering of the local authority since the recent local elections and the abolition of the town and borough councils.

At the meeting the first chairperson of the new look council is expected to be decided.

The new council is made up of the following:

Dundalk South (7) – Tomás Sharkey (Sinn Féin), Declan Breathnach (Fianna Fáil), Maeve Anna Yore (Independent), Kevin Meenan (Sinn Féin), Jennifer Green (Sinn Féin), Maria Doyle (Fine Gael), Marianne Butler (Green Party).

Dundalk Carlingford (6) – Edel Corrigan (Sinn Féin), Peter Savage (Fianna Fáil), Jim Loughran (Sinn Féin), John McGahon (Fine Gael), Mark Dearey (Green Party), Conor Keelan (Fianna Fáil).

Ardee (6) – Pearse McGeough (Sinn Féin), Colm Markey (Fine Gael), Liam Reilly (Fianna Fáil), Tom Cunningham (Sinn Féin), Dolores Minogue (Fine Gael), Jim Tenanty (Independent).

Drogheda (10) – Imelda Munster (Sinn Féin), Paul Bell (Labour Party), Alan Cassidy (Sinn Féin), Tommy Byrne (Fianna Fáil), Kenneth Flood (Sinn Féin), Frank Godfrey (Independent), Kevin Callan (Fine Gael), Oliver Tully (Fine Gael), Richie Culhane (Fine Gael), Pio Martin Smith (Labour Party).

Future of Dundalk Women’s Aid officially secured

The future of Dundalk Women’s Aid was officially secured yesterday evening after the centre’s Council of Management signed a new Service Level Agreement, which will allow them to receive funding of €50,000 per year from Louth Local Authorities

The funding had been agreed by Louth County Council and Dundalk Town Council earlier this month but was only officially signed off on yesterday – 32 days before the refuge was due to close.

Dundalk Women’s Aid had announced that they had no option but to close their doors on Friday June 27^th because of cutbacks in funding.

However, having survived that scare they are now looking forward to a bright future of helping women.

The Council of Management released the following statement yesterday welcoming the funding and thanking all those who had supported them over the last few difficult weeks.

The statement read: “We received the signed and sealed Service Level Agreement from Louth Local Authority for €50000 per annum today. We are delighted to announce that we will NOT be closing our much needed refuge on the 27th of June 2014.

“We want to extend our deep gratitude for the overwhelming support that has brought us to where we are today. Thanks to all of you who followed, liked, shared and retweeted. To those who wrote to us and in support of us to challenge the decision to allocate a maximum of €20000 for the running costs of our refuge.

“Thanks to all of the media in Louth, Cavan and Monaghan and to our local media for keeping the conversation going, in particular Michael Reade and his team at LMFM, Marissa and Edel and the team at Dundalk FM. Thanks to our local newspapers for their continued coverage, in particular Olivia Ryan who has been reporting on the story since last year.

“Thanks to our local representatives who understood the gravity of the situation, organised emergency meetings of Louth County Council and Dundalk Town Council unanimously voted no confidence in the National Directive, undertaking to petition central government and allocating €15000 from each council as an emergency support.

“Thanks to our public representatives for their invaluable support, particularly Councillor Edel Corrigan, Councillor Tomás Sharkey and Senator Mary Moran who have been supporting us since we first raised awareness of this pending crisis in July 2013.

“On behalf of the women and children who are currently using our refuge and for those who will now continue to have refuge in the future, we thank you and invite you to join us as we move forward.

“We will be hosting an open information evening on the 5th of June. For further information please contact 042 9333245.”

As well as that open evening, a fundraiser for Dundalk Women’s Aid will take place in The Spirit Store this Sunday evening from 5pm until late.

The fundraiser will feature performances from the likes of Redtwelve, Manifesto, Sophie Coyle, Jinx Lennon, Kirkface Killah, DJ Conan’s Disco and more.

Admission is €5, which is the minimum donation on the day, but all amounts above this are most welcome.

Tenanty claims final seat on Louth County Council

Jim Tenanty

Jim Tenanty held off the challenge of fellow independent Hugh Conlon to take the last seat on the new Louth County Council following yesterday evening’s recount at the Redeemer in Dundalk.

Just 23 votes had separated the pair in the Ardee electoral area on Sunday night, leading to Conlon calling for a recount.

However, it failed to change the outcome, with Tenanty holding on to take his seat on the new local authority.

That leaves things as follows:

The party breakdown reads as

• Sinn Féin – 10 seats
• Fine Gael – 7 seats
• Fianna Fáil – 5 seats
• Labour Party – 2 seats
• Green Party – 2 seats
• Independents – 3 seats

Meanwhile, the new council is made up of the following:

Dundalk South (7) – Tomás Sharkey (Sinn Féin), Declan Breathnach (Fianna Fáil), Maeve Anna Yore (Independent), Kevin Meenan (Sinn Féin), Jennifer Green (Sinn Féin), Maria Doyle (Fine Gael), Marianne Butler (Green Party).

Dundalk Carlingford (6) – Edel Corrigan (Sinn Féin), Peter Savage (Fianna Fáil), Jim Loughran (Sinn Féin), John McGahon (Fine Gael), Mark Dearey (Green Party), Conor Keelan (Fianna Fáil).

Ardee (6) – Pearse McGeough (Sinn Féin), Colm Markey (Fine Gael), Liam Reilly (Fianna Fáil), Tom Cunningham (Sinn Féin), Dolores Minogue (Fine Gael), Jim Tenanty (Independent).

Drogheda (10) – Imelda Munster (Sinn Féin), Paul Bell (Labour Party), Alan Cassidy (Sinn Féin), Tommy Byrne (Fianna Fáil), Kenneth Flood (Sinn Féin), Frank Godfrey (Independent), Kevin Callan (Fine Gael), Oliver Tully (Fine Gael), Richie Culhane (Fine Gael), Pio Martin Smith (Labour Party).

Drama at count centre as Keelan pips Quigley to final seat by just four votes

Some of the victorious Sinn Féin team at the count centre on Saturday with party leader and local TD Gerry Adams. From left: Edel Corrigan, Pearse McGeough, Gerry Adams, Imelda Munster, Tomás Sharkey, Jennifer Green, Tom Cunningham and Alan Cassidy

Conor Keelan won the final seat in Dundalk Carlingford by just four votes from JJ Quigley

There was drama at the local election count in the Redeemer last night after a recount was ordered to decide who took the last seat available in the Dundalk-Carlingford constituency.

In the end history repeated itself as Fianna Fáil’s Conor Keelan saw off competition from Sinn Féin’s JJ Quigley to take the final seat by just four votes – the same margin that independent councillor Alan Grehan pipped Fianna Fáil’s Donal Lynch by following a similar recount five years ago.

Initially there had been just two votes separating the pair before the recount but it failed to change the outcome.

The failure of Quigley to get elected was the one downside to what was an otherwise fantastic weekend for Sinn Féin, who saw 10 of their 11 candidates elected, with poll toppers in each of the four electoral areas.

As is always the case in elections, there were casualties with established councillors such as Eamonn O’Boyle, Jim Ryan, Jim Lennon, Finnan McCoy, Martin Murnaghan, Linus English, Michael O’Dowd, Sean Bellew and Oliver Morgan all losing seats.

For the first time there is the possibility also of a husband and wife team on the council with Sinn Féin’s Jennifer Green elected in Dundalk South, while her fiancé Alan Cassidy was elected in Drogheda.

Sinn Féin aside, the big winners included independent Maeve Anna Yore and Fine Gael’s John McGahon and Maria Doyle, who secured seats on their debut elections.

It was also a good weekend for the Green Party, with both Mark Dearey and Marianne Butler retaining their status.

The only remaining seat still to be decided is in Ardee, where a recount will take place this morning at 10am at the request of Hugh Conlon, who lost out on the final seat to fellow independent Jim Tenanty by just 23 votes.

The party breakdown look as follows:

• Sinn Féin – 10 seats
• Fine Gael – 7 seats
• Fianna Fáil – 5 seats
• Labour Party – 2 seats
• Green Party – 2 seats
• Independents – 3 seats

There will also be a record number of women representatives, with seven female councillors elected.

As things stand the new County Council will look as follows:

Dundalk South (7) – Tomás Sharkey (Sinn Féin), Declan Breathnach (Fianna Fáil), Maeve Anna Yore (Independent), Kevin Meenan (Sinn Féin), Jennifer Green (Sinn Féin), Maria Doyle (Fine Gael), Marianne Butler (Green Party).

Dundalk Carlingford (6) – Edel Corrigan (Sinn Féin), Peter Savage (Fianna Fáil), Jim Loughran (Sinn Féin), John McGahon (Fine Gael), Mark Dearey (Green Party), Conor Keelan (Fianna Fáil).

Ardee (6) – Pearse McGeough (Sinn Féin), Colm Markey (Fine Gael), Liam Reilly (Fianna Fáil), Tom Cunningham (Sinn Féin), Dolores Minogue (Fine Gael), Jim Tenanty/Hugh D Conlon (Independent).

Drogheda (10) – Imelda Munster (Sinn Féin), Paul Bell (Labour Party), Alan Cassidy (Sinn Féin), Tommy Byrne (Fianna Fáil), Kenneth Flood (Sinn Féin), Frank Godfrey (Independent), Kevin Callan (Fine Gael), Oliver Tully (Fine Gael), Richie Culhane (Fine Gael), Pio Martin Smith (Labour Party).

Full results for each electoral area are also available on the Louth County Council website – Dundalk Carlingford, Dundalk South, Ardee, Drogheda.

Sinn Féin the big winners in local election polling

Cllr Tomás Sharkey has retained his seat

It looks set to be a memorable local election campaign for Sinn Féin with the party on course to get all 11 candidates throughout Louth elected to the new County Council.

Amongst those already elected are Sinn Féin pair Tomás Sharkey and Edel Corrigan and outgoing county council chairman Declan Breathnach.

Independent Maeve Yore looks set to get elected in her first campaign also while those losing their seats include the last chairman of Dundalk Town Council, Eamonn O’Boyle, and fellow independent Ollie Morgan.

The results after the first vote in Dundalk South were as follows:

• SF Sharkey 1805 ELECTED
• FF Breatnach 1364 ELECTED
• IND Yore 1228
• SF Meenan 1082
• SF Green 992
• GN Butler 777
• FG Doyle 637
• FF Egan 585
• IND Bellew 473
• FG English 405
• IND O’Neill 375
• FG Malone 352
• IND Morgan 114
• Fitzsimons 109
• IND O’Boyle 304

The results after the first vote in Dundalk Carlingford were:

• Edel Corrigan (Sinn Fein) votes 1564 ELECTED
• Peter Savage (Fianna Fail) 1239
• Jim Loughran (Sinn Fein) 1256
• JJ Quigley (Sinn Fein) 777
• John McGahon (Fine Gael) 763
• Conor Keelan (Fianna Fail) 737
• Mark Dearey (Green Party) 717
• Colin Goss (Fine Gael) 736
• Sean Kelly (Fianna Fail) 530
• Jim Ryan (Independent) 538
• Martin Murnaghan (Fine Gael) 380
• Eamonn O’Boyle (Independent) 301
• Syd Smith (PBP) 98
• Luke Martin (Independent) 99
• Sylwia Jakubas (Independent) 71

Counting continues this morning in the Redeemer Family Resource Centre with transfers set to be made to determine who secures the remaining seats.

Corrigan hits out at ‘junket culture’

Cllr Edel Corrigan

Louth County Councillor Edel Corrigan has hit out at the ‘junket culture’ which is prevalent in councils across Ireland.

The Sinn Féin candidate for the Dundalk Carlingford area criticised the practice both locally and nationally and in a statement issued earlier today even broke the figures down for her own area.

She said: “Fine Gael councillors Martin Murnaghan, who was co-opted in 2010, and Terry Brennan, who stood down at that time, claimed €6,482.71 between them on junkets.”

Cllr Corrigan said: “This is public money and these junkets are needless trips and courses where you are put up in the best of hotels. Fine Gael weren’t the worst offenders it should be said.

“Independent candidate Jim Ryan racked up a shocking €13,156.88, which is greater than all the other councillors in the area combined.

“In addition to these ‘junkets’, councillors who chair a Strategic Policies Committee (SPC), which meet only four times per year, can get an annual tax-free payment of €6,000.”

Cllr Corrigan went on to say: “Sinn Féin have consistently spoken out on the issue of ‘junkets’ and I have previously proposed that the four chairs of the SPCs no longer accept their €6,000 tax free payment as it is an insult to those who continue to suffer at the hands of the current Government’s austerity measures. This money could be put to better use.”

Councillor Edel Corrigan is asking that “all councillors elected on May 23^rd put a stop once and for all to this ‘junket culture’ and start giving people value for money.”

Corrigan welcomes funding for work in Saltown

Saltown

Cllr Edel Corrigan has welcomed the news that funding has been approved to complete essential works in the Saltown estate in Dundalk.

The estate, near Fatima, is classified as unfinished but will now have work carried out on it to make it more presentable.

Speaking today, the Sinn Féin councillor said: “Louth County Council applied for this funding in February under the Unfinished Housing Development Special Resolution Fund and I am delighted that it has been approved. We should see parts of the estate resurfaced and essential works carried out.

“These one-time dream homes that in the past were in high demand have now turned into victims of the building boom bust where residents have had to suffer due to poor planning and development and sections of the unfinished phases of the development.”

Cllr Corrigan acknowledged that “the residents have worked hard together to improve the area and to have the bonds released to have the development finished. Hopefully this funding will go some way to achieving that. Works should be completed by the end of November.”

The Dundalk/Carlingford local election candidate said: “Everyone has the right to live in a decent, clean and peaceful environment. These people have been left in a building site so I am delighted that this money is coming and warmly welcome it.”

Corrigan hits out at local authority over lack of urgency in relation to Dundalk Women’s Aid closure

Cllr Edel Corrigan

Local Sinn Féin councillor Edel Corrigan has hit out at the local authority for failing to take action in relation to the impending closure of the Dundalk Women’s Aid refuge.

Earlier this month both Dundalk Town Council and Louth County Council representatives voted through a proposal to donate €15,000 each to the refuge to keep it open until December 31^st.

However, both councils also agreed to petition central government to overturn the cuts which had let to Dundalk Women’s Aid threatening to close from June. A letter was sent to Minister of State Jan O’Sullivan to seek approval for the funding to be given over to Dundalk Women’s Aid but speaking at Monday’s county council meeting, Cllr Corrigan accused the authority of failing to grasp the urgency of the matter.

She told LMFM: “I’m extremely disappointed by the lack of developments since the special meeting we held.”

Cllr Corrigan said a letter on the matter had only been sent last Thursday or Friday despite the special meetings having taken place weeks earlier.

Adams welcomes funding from councils for Dundalk Women’s Aid

Local TD Gerry Adams has welcomed the decision by Louth County Council and Dundalk Town Council to provide €15,000 each to Dundalk Women’s Aid “in order to remove the immediate threat of closure.”

The Sinn Féin president praised his council colleagues, and in particular Cllr Edel Corrigan and Cllr Jennifer Green who “each presented a motion to their respective councils condemning the funding cuts to the refuge and demanding a reversal of those cuts.”

Commeting on the matter, Deputy Adams said: “The decisions by the two councils are very welcome but they are not the answer to the problem of funding for Dundalk Women’s Refuge and other refuges across the state.

“Women’s Aid Dundalk is in the frontline of helping victims of domestic violence. It provides a 24/7 service. Last year the demand on its services were such that it was unable to accommodate 293 requests for refuge. One consequence of this is that Drogheda Women’s Refuge which has limited space will now have to cope with victims from Louth, Cavan and Monaghan.

“The loss of the Dundalk service will leave hundreds of women and children vulnerable to continued domestic violence.

“The reality is that services and support for women and children experiencing abuse in the home is at an all-time low as a result of government cutbacks. The decision by the two Louth Councils has provided an opportunity to campaign to reverse current government policy and I would urge all county Louth representatives, but especially government TDs and Seanadóirí, to use their influence to secure government funding for Dundalk Women’s Aid,” he said.