By Dan Walsh at Wexford County Council May meeting
Five dedicated members of Wexford County Council who by their own decision will not be declared candidates in the Local Elections on June 7th attended their final meeting at Council Chamber, County Hall today (Monday) where tributes were paid for loyal local authority service to retiring Cllrs Kathleen Codd-Nolan, Jim Moore, John Hegarty, Maura Bell and Diarmuid Devereux.
Cathaoirleach Cllr John Fleming reminded the members that this was the final meeting before the election, and he paid tribute to all the members and officials and everyone who contributed to the council over the past five years and this included the ‘famous five’ who are not seeking re-election.
Chief Executive Eddie Taaffe expressed thanks to the members not running again and he applauded their hard work and courtesy and wished them well “not so much retirement, but in the next phase of your lives.”
The annual general meeting of Wexford County Council takes place on Friday, June 21st where new members will form the next chapter in the evolution of Wexford County Council.
BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES; Cllr Kathleen Codd-Nolan, a Fine Gael representative from Ballycarney and member of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, created her own place in local authority history when she became the first woman to serve a full term as Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council and she also served as Leas-Cathaoirleach in 2013-’13. First elected in 2004.
Cllr Jim Moore from Kilmore and a former Mayor of Wexford has 20 years’ experience in public service and as a Fine Gael member served as a member of Kilmore Quay Development Association for many years, is a former CEO of the National Parent’s Council Post Primary Group, served as Chairman of WWETB and is currently Cathaoirleach of Rosslare Municipal District.
Cllr John Hegarty from Kilanerin played senior football with Wexford and was a Fine Gael member of Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District where he served a term as Cathaoirleach. He is Deputy Principal of Wexford CBS and is serving this third term on the local authority and now lives in the Wexford Borough District. He is currently Mayor of Wexford.
Cllr Maura Bell is a member of The Labour Party and served a term as Mayor of Wexford, only the third woman in history to hold the honour. Elected in 2019, Cllr Bell was involved in the tourism industry and for almost 20 years held the post of Manager at the Irish National Heritage Park.
Cllr Diarmuid Devereux has served one term as a Fine Gael member in the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District. A former Wexford County GAA Board Chairman, voluntary CEO of Gorey Chamber of Commerce and 26 years’ service with Telecom Éireann are amongst his accomplishments.
WexfordLocal.com 