History made as Cllrs Emer Kelly and Valerie Duffy become new Athlone MD chair and vice-chair
Cllr Valerie Duffy and Cllr Emer Kelly were selected as the new Leas Cathaoirleach and Cathaoirleach respectively at Tuesday's Athlone MD A.G.M..
History was made in the council chamber today (Tuesday) as Independent councillor Emer Kelly and Fine Gael councillor Valerie Duffy became the first female Cathaoirleach and Leas Cathaoirleach of Athlone Municipal District.
At the MD's annual general meeting this afternoon, Cllr Kelly was proposed and seconded for the position of chair by outgoing Cathaoirleach Cllr Dominick Connolly and his Fine Gael colleague, Cllr Valerie Duffy.
Cllr Duffy was proposed and seconded for the vice-chair by Cllr Connolly and Independent councillor Laurence Fallon.
Cllr Connolly thanked his fellow councillors, county council staff and the media for their support during his tenure.
In her opening statement as the new Athlone MD Cathaoirleach, Cllr Kelly said it was a “tremendous honour” to be selected for the role and thanked Cllr Connolly for his smooth running of proceedings over his term as chair.
Key schemes she highlighted as areas of focus for her tenure were the ongoing safety improvement works on the N61, the Hodson Bay tourism project and the “Putting the Heart into Monksland” regeneration project.
Cllr Kelly also welcomed the introduction of the new MicroFund which she said would “empower smaller communities.” A total of €25,000 is set to be made available under this funding to the Ballyforan Area Transition Team for the development of the Claremount House Site.
Additionally, the new Cathaoirleach also looked forward to strengthening relationships with Westmeath and Galway County Councils.
