Cllr Winters is elected leas cathaoirleach

CLLR Irene Winters was comfortably elected as leas cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council at the council’s AGM.

Cllr Winters was proposed by Cllr Grainne McLoughlin. She noted that Cllr Winters had been elected to Wicklow Town Council in 2004 and to Wicklow County Council in 2009 and said she was also involved in the Enterprise Park and Wicklow Chamber of Commerce, as well as Taste of Wicklow.

‘She has an honest approach and is passionate about value for money and transparency and has the ability to look outside the box. She also has an ability to listen to all sides of a discussion,’ said Cllr McLoughlin.

Her nomination was seconded by Cllr Vincent Blake.

Cllr Gerry O’Neill put forward Cllr John Snell for the role, saying he would be a very fair vice-chair. He pleaded with the members to avoid the ‘tweedle dee tweedle dum’ nature of politics.

‘I’ve seen the way things work here with the back slapping. We, as a chamber, should go for something different this year for vice. We should send a signal that we consider everyone for the role and not just the usual tweedle dee tweedle dum.

‘I know John has respect and he’s proved he’s no nodding dog. I know all about the wheeling and dealing that goes on before the votes.

‘We could put a real good person here for the next 12 months who’s no nodding dog, no robot’.

He was supported by Cllr Brendan Thornhill, who said the members ‘should give others a chance’.

Cllr Oliver O’Brien also supported the move, saying ‘I don’t think I’ve come across anyone who works as hard and he could bring about a lot of changes which are needed’.

Following a vote, Cllr Winters was elected by a margin of 20 votes to seven, with four members not present for the vote and Cllr Tom Fortune abstaining.

Cllr Snell thanked everyone who had voted and said it was disappointing councillors would abstain from voting in an AGM. He commended Cllr Winters on her election saying he had worked closely with her over the years and said that she would be excellent in the role.

Cllr Winters thanked everyone for their support saying she would represent everyone.