LIFE after Joe Cooney (FG) TD in the Killaloe Municipal District saw tensions rise be- tween Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael councillors in East Clare.
At Wednesday morning’s meeting of the Killaloe MD in Scariff, Fine Gael members were left fuming after they ended up losing the position of Cathaoirleach.
Following the local elections in June, Cooney was elected Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe MD but his subse- quent election to Dáil Éireann created a vacancy.
O’Callaghans Mills native Conor Ryan (FG) was co-opted to Clare County Council in December to take Cooney’s seat on the local authority. However both he and Cllr Pat Burke (FG) were unsuccessful in their attempts to get Ryan into the Chair of the Killaloe MD.
Outgoing Leas-Cathaoirleach of the Killaloe MD, Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) was proposed and seconded as Cathao- irleach by his party colleagues Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF) and Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF).
Cllr Burke then proposed Cllr Ryan for the role but he did not receive a seconder thus ensuring Hayes’ appointment. Cllr Burke expressed his an- noyance at the meeting with the lack of engagement with Fianna Fáil on the matter, he was of the belief that Fine Gael should have retained the role.
Cooney’s predecessor as Chair, Cllr O’Brien said he was upset with comments from Cllr Burke who was “politicising positions” instead of co-operating. Cllr O’Cal- laghan said he wanted all councillors to get along.
Burke was proposed as Leas Cathaoirleach by Cllr Ryan, this was seconded by Cllr Hayes.
While last month’s co-option of Cllr Ryan to the Council along with Cllr James Ryan (SF) was a low-key affair, “True Blue” comments from Cllr Burke and Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) were understood to have caused annoyance among the Soldiers of Destiny.
