Fine Gael, Labour power share to remain in place

There has been much debate about the current status of the 'Mullingar Accord' - the Labour and Fine Gael general election pact forged in Mullingar two years ago - but in Westmeath, it appears to be alive and well, with the two parties closing out a rejuvenated Fianna Fáil in delegating top positions on local councils.On Monday night of this week, Fine Gael"s Ruth Illingworth was elected chairperson of Mullingar Town Council, and in a first for the town body, a second woman, Labour"s Cllr. Detty Cornally, was named as Leas-Cathaoirleach.The Westmeath Examiner has learned that on Friday next, at the AGM of Westmeath County Council, a similar FG-Labour power sharing deal will be in place, with Mullingar West"s Cllr. Fintan Cooney the likely candidate to become the second Fine Gael chairman in as many years.Labour"s Cllr. Denis Leonard (Kinnegad), who was elected to the Council for the first time on June 6, is said to be in pole position for the role of Leas-Cathaoirleach.Chairs of area committees, strategic policy committees and joint policing committees will be decided at meetings over the coming weeks and months, and it is likely that Fianna Fáil - which gained 36 percent of the local election vote - will land some important roles on those bodies.Labour, meanwhile, looks set to retain control of Westmeath VEC chair for the next five years.At Monday night"s Mullingar Town Council AGM, Fine Gael and Labour took the lion"s share of the positions, with Cllr. Ruth Illingworth chosen to represent the body on the Westmeath Heritage Forum, as well as taking the chair.Labour took both town council spots on the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland (Cllrs. Pat Collins and Gerry Sheridan), while Cllr. Sheridan will represent the town authority on Westmeath County Development Board.Fianna Fáil, however, retained control of the Mullingar Joint Policing Committee, with Cllr. Ken Glynn replacing Jim Bourke as chairman.TributeCllr. Illingworth was proposed as chairperson of Mullingar Town Council by Cllr. Peter Burke, and seconded by Cllr. Detty Cornally.The new chairperson paid tribute to her predecessor, Cllr. Mick Dollard, and welcomed the new members of the Town Council to their first meeting - Cllrs. Burke, Sheridan, Aidan Davitt and Bill Collentine.'It"s a huge honour to be elected to serve the town,' Cllr. Illingworth said, accepting the chain of office. 'There is no greater honour than to be elected by the people to serve the people.'At this moment, I think of my parents, my aunt and uncle, and my maternal grandparents. They gave much to Mullingar, and I hope I can emulate their service.'Cllr. Illingworth announced that she would not accept her extra monthly chairperson"s allowance, but would ensure that it is redirected to charities chosen by members of the Town Council.'There"s an unfair perception out there that all politicians are taking rather than giving,' she said, pointing out that former town councillors Betty Doran and Frank McIntyre had made a vow to halve their expenses a central plank of their election campaign.She expressed commiserations to the four town councillors who lost their seats in the recent elections, while Cllr. Dollard suggested that Mr. McIntyre be presented some token of recognition for thirty years of service on the town council.Cllr. Ken Glynn congratulated Cllr. Illingworth on her appointment, but reflected that at one time, a rotating system of power sharing had existed between all parties on Mullingar Town Council. He urged the Fine Gael and Labour councillors to return to this system.He also urged that town councillors without a dual mandate, namely Cllrs. Gerry Sheridan, Bill Collentine and Pat Collins, be put forward to sit on Westmeath County Council SPCs.