New Cathaoirleach pledges to “fight for rural Ireland”
The newly-elected Cathaoirleach of the Athlone Municipal District of Roscommon County Council has pledged to “fight for rural Ireland” and support development in rural towns and villages that will “entice young people to work and live in our areas.”
Independent Cllr Emer Kelly from Ballyforan, became one of the youngest councillors in the country when she was co-opted onto Roscommon County Council in April 2021 at just 21 years of age to fill the vacany created when Cllr Ivan Connaughton resigned his seat.
She was elected to the position of Cathaoirleach at the AGM of the municipal district yesterday (Monday) when she defeated the only other nominee for the position and fellow Independent Cllr, Donal Kilduff, by four votes to two.
Cllr Kelly succeeds outgoing Cathaoirleach, Fine Gael councillor, John Naughten.
In what was a clean sweep for the Independents, the new Leas Cathaoirleach of the municipal district is Independent Cllr Laurence Fallon who defeated the other nominee and fellow Independent Cllr Tony Ward by four votes to two.
In her acceptance speech after her election as the new Cathaoirleach, Cllr Kelly acknowledged that, while “growing investment” in the South Roscommon area in recent years and a “significant improvement” in relations with fellow councillors in Westmeath and Galway had helped to progress many worthwhile projects, a number of problems remain.
Chief among the outstanding issues that need to be resolved, according to Cllr Kelly, are safety concerns on the N61 and the ongoing crisis at Lough Funshinagh. “I can say with confidence that I, along with all councillors in our area, will continue to demand solutions for these issues” she said “hopefully we will see some progress or clarity sooner rather than later.”
In pledging to continue to fight for rural Ireland, Cllr Kelly said she would work towards maintaining and advancing existing services to ensure “no further closures, encourage business development, promote accessibility for all, advocate for fairer planning laws and regulations and support development in our towns and villages that will entice young people to wor and live in our areas.”
Cllr Kelly, who is an occupational therapist, is the eldest of Dermot and Ann Marie Kelly's seven children, and grew up on the family farm in Ballyforan. Her father, Dermot, contested the 2009 local elections for Fine Gael in the South Roscommon area.