By Dan Walsh at the annual general meeting of Wexford County Council
Cllr Pip Breen, outgoing Cathaoirleach of the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District, was elected the 127th Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council at the annual general meeting held in the Council Chamber at County Hall, Wexford, this afternoon. Independent Cllr Ger Carthy, of Rosslare Municipal District was elected to the position of Leas-Cathaoirleach, a position he also held in 2023.
Outgoing Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Cllr John Fleming presided over the election of Cathaoirleach. Cllr Breen was proposed by Cllr Donal Kenny and seconded by Cllr Oliver Walsh; Cllr Pat Barden was proposed by Cllr Paddy Kavanagh and seconded by Cllr Marty Murphy; and Cllr Tom Forde was proposed by Cllr Jim Codd and seconded by Cllr Aoife Rose O’Brien. Cllr Barden was eliminated and in the final contest between Cllr Breen and Cllr Forde, 21 of the 34 elected members favoured Breen and he was duly elected.
In his maiden address as Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, Cllr Breen said; “I wish to thank the people who voted for me also those who didn’t – this is a democracy we live in. I welcome all new elected members here today and sympathise those who lost their seat. Going forward from today, I want this Chamber to be productive. I want it to work, Iknow all the staff here that I’ve worked with throughout the years. I have great faith in them and their commitment to Wexford. I want the same commitment from everyone in this chamber as well. You will have it 100% from me. I’m here for Co. Wexford, I wear the jersey and I am for the betterment of the County and everybody in it. We are all here for the right reason and I hope we will have a productive year.”
Born in Boolavogue, but now resident at Curraduff, Killenagh, Cllr Pip Breen is a member of the Fianna Fáil Party, was first elected to Wexford County Council in 2014, was re-elected in the 2019 local election and is the outgoing Cathaoirleach of Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Council.
Proposed by Cllr Frank Staples and seconded by Cllr Jim Codd, Cllr Ger Carthy was elected unopposed to the position of Leas-Cathaoirleach.
Chief Executive Eddie Taaffe added his support and congratulations but pointed out that the new Council has eight new members – and two are returning following previous experiences on the Council, Cllrs Paddy Kavanagh and John Dwyer – and he added that the officials look forward to working with the new Council members in the year ahead.
Female members remain at six out of the 34 councillors – same as the outgoing Council- but there are two new names in the chamber, Cllr Catherine Biddy Walsh and Cllr Aoife Rose O’Brien.
Attendance included Minister James Browne, Deputies Paul Kehoe and Johnny Mythen and Senator Malcolm Byrne and proud members of Cllr Breen’s family.
The composition of Wexford County Council following the recent local elections is as follows; WEXFORD Borough District (7 seats); Tom Forde (Sinn Féin); Leonard Kelly (Non-Party); Garry Laffan (Fianna Fáil); George Lawlor (The Labour Party); Raymond Shannon (Non-Party), Robbie Staples (Fine Gael) and Catherine Biddy Walsh (The Labour Party).
ENNISCORTHY Municipal District (6 seats); Aidan Browne (Fianna Fáil); Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael): Pat Kehoe (Fine Gael); Barbara-Anne Murphy (Fianna Fáil); John O’Rourke (Non-Party) and Jackser Owens (Non-Party).
NEW ROSS Municipal District (6 seats); Pat Barden (Non-Party); John Dwyer (Non-Party); John Fleming (Fianna Fáil); Bridín Murphy (Fine Gael); Marty Murphy (Non-Party) and Michael Sheehan (Fianna Fáil).
GOREY Municipal District (6 seats); Nicky Boland (Non-Party); Anthony Donohoe (Fine Gael); Donal Kenny (Fianna Fáil); Darragh McDonald (Fine Gael); Fionntáin Ó Súilleabháin (Sinn Féin) and Joe Sullivan (Fianna Fáil).
KILMUCKRIDGE Municipal District (4 seats); Pip Breen (Fianna Fáil); Mary Farrell (Non-Party); Paddy Kavanagh (Non-Party) and Oliver Walsh (Fine Gael).
ROSSLARE Municipal District; (5 seats); Ger Carthy (Non-Party); Jim Codd (Aontú); Lisa McDonald (Fianna Fáil); Aoife Rose O’Brien (Sinn Féin) and Frank Staples (Fine Gael).
WexfordLocal.com 