New Council begins its term
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| The women members of the new Kildare County Council. |
Thanking the councillors for the honour, Cllr Doyle reflected on a number of past members who had helped her when she was first appointed to the Council. She spoke warmly of deceased members Jim Keane, John O'Neill and Spike Nolan; and also now-deputy Fiona O'Loughlin TD and Fionnuala Dukes.
"They taught me that it was the people closest to the ground who were important, and also the importance of developing friendships," she said. She also described her appreciation for her 'political mentor', Deputy Sean O Fearghaill, who had encouraged her to become a councillor when he left the position with the ending of the dual mandate.
Cllr Doyle said she hoped the new Council would be one of unity, common purpose, collegiality and one that 'gets things done'. She was congratulated on her new role by spokespeople from the various parties and independents.
Cllr Seamie Moore said his nomination and election had come 'very much as a shock' and he was 'deeply humbled and delightfully pleased'. He said that those who had chosen to vote for independents would be immensely proud, and that he would work for the Council and the people 'with dignity and fairness'.
Earlier, outgoing Mayor Rob Power had welcomed the members of the new Council, of whom 18 are first-timers. Before presiding over the election of the new Mayor, he led a minute's silence for the recently deceased former councillor Michael McWey, 'a great man for both the county and for the Fine Gael party'.
Kilcullen's new councillor Tracey O'Dwyer has been appointed to the Local Community and Cultural SPC, the County Joint Policing Committee, and the Local Community Development Committee. She's pictured below with fellow councillor Peggy O'Dwyer and Deputy Martin Heydon.
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