Stradbally Councillor is new Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District Chair

Fine Gael Cllr Vivienne Phelan is the new Cathaoirleach of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District. 

The Stradbally native was proposed for the role by Fianna Fail Cllr Paschal McEvoy who said her contributions in the past year had been excellent. 

Fianna Fail Cllr Padraig Fleming seconded the nomination and said Cllr Phelan had “shown her mettle very incisively in her remarks” in the chamber and he believed she will do an excellent job as Cathaoirleach. 

Outgoing Cathaoirleach, Independent Cllr Aidan Mullins, congratulated Cllr Phelan. He described her as a very calm, collected, personable, and competent lady. 

Cllr Phelan expressed delight as she accepted the role and she thanked Cllr McEvoy and Cllr Fleming at the AGM of the Municipal District. She said it was a “wonderful honour” to be elected to the role in her Municipal District. 

She paid tribute to Cllr Mullins and said she wanted to “thank all the members of this chamber for their kindness towards me in my first year as a County Councillor.” 

Cllr Phelan also thanked the Council staff and management for their assistance since her election last year. She acknowledged the huge contribution of Michelle McCormack and Philip McVeigh and said she looked forward to working with Head of Finance Julie Bergin, Senior Executive Engineer Tom Drennan and Therese Kelly in the future. 

She said she was looking forward to working with the elected members with “dignity, respect and fairness" for the betterment of the Municipal District. 

“I will use every ounce of my energy to earn the trust placed in me,” said Cllr Phelan. 

Independent Cllr Ben Brennan was nominated for the role of Leas Cathaoirleach by Independent Cllr Aisling Moran. The proposal was seconded by Cllr Fleming. 

Cllr Moran congratulated both Cllr Brennan and Cllr Phelan on their new roles at Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.

“It will be a great team…we are lucky to have both of you at the helm,” she remarked. 

Cllr Brennan thanked his proposer and seconder and agreed that it was a good group of Councillors. 

“We have our spats here and there but we walk out of the chamber and it’s left behind,” he remarked. 

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He assured Cllr Phelan that she had his 100% support.