'Huge achievement' for an Offaly man from a humble background

"THIS is a huge achievement for a man who came from a humble background."

The words of Cllr Neil Feighery when paying tribute to Seamus Boland on his election as President of the European Economic and Social Committee of the EU recently.

The Fine Gael public representative led the tributes to the Island man at last week's meeting of Tullamore Municipal District.

Proposing the council hold a civic honour for Mr Boland, Cllr Feighery said no Irishman had been elected to such a high position in the European Union since Pat Cox in the 1990s.

"It has to be recognised that we have someone of this calibre from the county," stressed the Killoughey based councillor.

Cllr Feighery said Mr Boland was held in great esteem by his colleagues in Europe.

"He is now one of the leading figures in the EU and has had a stellar career," stressed Cllr Feighery.

He predicted that Mr Boland will "ensure that Irish interests are kept to the fore."

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MD Cathaoirleach, Cllr Declan Harvey described Mr Boland as "an absolute gentleman" and said his huge achievement deserved to be recognised.

Describing Mr Boland's election as a "monumental achievement", Sinn Fein's Cllr Aoife Masterson said having an Offaly man in such a position was of huge importance.

Supporting Cllr Feighery's motion, she stressed that farming remains the backbone of rural life in Offaly.

Cllr Ollie Bryant said Mr Boland's role was a huge undertaking and stressed he was the "right man for the job".

Cllr Bryant said he attended the launch of the 2025 Offaly Person of the Year award the previous evening and added he had no doubt that Mr Boland would receive many nominations for the prestigious award.

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Mr Boland is the 35th President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and will preside over the 2025–2028 term.

A lifelong advocate for rural communities and social inclusion, he will guide the EU body representing organised civil society for two and a half years.

His programme is devoted to providing opportunities through poverty eradication, securing democracy by protecting civic space, and ensuring the transition to a more competitive and green economy in a way that doesn’t leave anyone behind.

Mr Boland’s election last month came at a moment of overlapping challenges in Europe, from conflict and global instability to climate change, biodiversity loss, and persistent social inequality. He argues that the EU must confront these pressures without losing its democratic core.

"All my life, civil society has been at the centre of my heart. Now, I want to put civil society at the heart of Europe. People cannot participate fully in society if they are excluded, if there is shrinking civic space, if their security is under threat, or if our economies are not resilient," said Mr Boland.

"My vision as President of the EESC is of an EU of opportunities, security and resilience, that together we can help deliver," said the new EESC President, who comes from the Island, Ballycumber.

A member of the EESC since 2011, Mr Boland has served as President of the EESC Civil Society Organisations’ Group from 2020 until now.

Outside the Committee, he is Chief Executive Officer of Irish Rural Link, Ireland’s leading network for rural development, which represents thousands of communities and organisations across the country. He also serves on several national boards, including the Peatlands Council and Inland Fisheries Ireland.

Throughout his career, he has championed groups often left behind. These include rural communities, young people, minorities, and disadvantaged members of society. As EESC President, he pledges to bring their voices to Brussels and across the EU.