Final council meeting for retiring John Carley
WEXFORD County Council bid a fond farewell to a popular figure at the December monthly meeting as John Carley reached the end of his tenure as Director of Services.
Having served with Carlow County Council for a number of years, John leapt at the opportunity to return to his native Wexford in 2014, where he took up the difficult brief of housing.
Kicking off the tributes, County Council Chairman Michael Sheehan wished John every health and happiness in his retirement, before joking: ‘John always goes to where the trouble is. He’s off to Australia now, which is currently in flames!’ He said that everyone in the chamber would miss the Director’s ‘frankness’ above all else.
Chief Executive of Wexford County Council Tom Enright recalled John’s return to his native Wexford at what were difficult times of austerity.
‘When John arrived back to Wexford it was in tough times,’ Mr Enright recalled. ‘At that time the housing list was around 3,500 people. That figure has been almost cut in half during his tenure and a lot of people have been provided with an essential need - a roof over their heads - as a result of his hard work.’
Mr Enright also commented on the outgoing Director’s work to bring the fire service up to date and his tireless work to improve the library service in the county.
‘John always said that his heart lifted when coming across the border from Carlow to Wexford,’ Mr Enright concluded. ‘That passion and dedication for his home county was evident in his work. I’d like to wish him a long and happy retirement.’
Cllr Ger Carthy said that Mr Carley had really ‘put his shoulder to the wheel’ in terms of the housing issue and always ‘supported and helped the endeavours of rural Wexford.’
Cllr John Hegarty suggested a new role for Mr Carley.
‘I know Fossett’s Circus would take you,’ he said. ‘Not as a clown now mind, but as a juggler! You’ve managed to juggle the arts, the fire service, housing and a lot more besides.’
Continuing, Cllr Hegarty said: ‘I think the best thing about John Carley is that you’re willing to make a decision. We might not have always liked it, but there’s a lot to be said for that in a day and age when people seem to be more concerned about covering their asses. You were always willing to step up and make a call.’
Cllr Kathleen Codd Nolan described Mr Carley as ‘a straight talker, but at the back of it there’s a lot of humanity and kindness’.
Humbled by the tributes paid by the council members, Mr Carley thanked the members and management for all their support.
‘I’m part of a team that does a lot of difficult work,’ he said. ‘But all the work they do is on your behalf.’
Mr Carley also paid tribute to those not sitting around the table in the council chambers.
‘I’d also like to remember and thank those who were not elected or who retired from local politics before the last election,’ he said. ‘Also, it would be remiss of me not to pay tribute to the late Fergie Kehoe. Fergie was the first councillor I worked with as an SPC Chairman and I had great times with him.’
In terms of the highlights of his tenure with Wexford County Council, Mr Carley referenced the 1916 Centenary celebrations, the Sci-Fi Festival and the ongoing work on Wexford’s libraries.
‘We’ve also seen a lot of snow and floods and storms,’ he pointed out. ‘I’d like to pay tribute to the staff that respond so well to these occurrences at short notice. They do very important work and it’s much appreciated by me and everyone else.’
On the topic of housing, he noted that ‘There’s nothing like the moment when you open a new housing scheme and hand a family their keys. I came from a Corporation House myself, so I know what it’s like to come from that background.’
Concluding, Mr Carley wished all of the members and staff all the very best for the future before a presentation was made to him by the Chairman.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH AN ESSENTIAL NEED - A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS - AS A RESULT OF HIS HARD WORK