'Absolute gentleman' Cllr Ger Darcy elected Tipp's Chair

Newly elected Tipperary County Council Cathaoirleach, Cllr Gerard Darcy, met with An Taoiseach and Fine Gael Party Leader, Leo Varadkar, in Government Buildings last week.

The Taoiseach, along with all of his senior Ministers, met with the 13 Fine Gael Councillors who have recently been elected as the first citizen of their county.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said: “I had a good two-hour meeting with Councillor Darcy in Government Buildings on Tuesday evening to discuss the issues that matter to the people of Tipperary.

“The meeting gave Councillor Darcy the opportunity to raise these issues directly with me. I committed to Councillor Darcy to work on these issues.

“The need for more funding this year for local and regional road maintenance, a top up allocation for the Local Improvement Scheme and, in the coming years, funding to advance new road projects that are delayed, the urgent need to service much more land for housing were raised at the meeting.

“On energy security and climate, they impressed on me the need to increase aid to farmers, schools, community buildings and businesses to install solar panels and become energy efficient.

“I look forward to working with Councillor Darcy and visiting Tipperary during his term as Cathaoirleach”, the Taoiseach said following the meeting.

The long-serving Lower Ormond Fine Gael Councillor, was unanimously elected as Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council for the coming year.

Cllr Darcy was first elected to public office when he became a member of North Tipperary County Council in 1991 and comes from a family deeply involved in local politics - his late father, Jim, was also a Councillor from 1967 to 1986 and was Chairman of North Tipperary County Council from 1975 to 1976.

Proposing him for Cathaoirleach, his Fine Gael colleague, Cllr Noel Coonan, said it was his privilege to put forward Cllr Darcy for the local authority's top position.

Cllr. Coonan said Ger Darcy brings “vast experience to the position of Cathaoirleach.”

“His sincerity is the main thing, you will not get a more genuine candidate than Ger Darcy,” Cllr. Coonan said.
'Absolute Gentleman'

Fine Gael Councillor Marie Murphy seconded the nomination and described Cllr. Darcy as “an absolute gentleman”

In his first address as Cathaoirleach, he said it was a great day for himself and his family and thanked his wife Noelle and children Alan and Linda.

He called on his Council colleagues to “pull on the blue and gold jersey” and said a lot of investment is coming to Tipperary.

Cllr Seamus Hanafin, who announced earlier this year he intends to step away from politics before the next election, was elected unopposed as Leas Cathaoirleach for the coming year.

The Hanafin family has served the local community in Tipperary for 72 years and councillor Hanafin will have served for two decades by the time he completes his time as Leas Cathaoirleach.