EXCLUSIVE
A three-party deal has been hammered out to determine who will control the key positions on the new-look Kerry County Council, KillarneyToday.com can reveal.
With the first meeting of the new council scheduled for Friday, a pact was finalised this Wednesday evening following a number of days of intensive negotiations involving representatives of the 33 newly elected members.
The deal agreed will see an arrangement between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour which will dictate who will hold the key positions of mayor and deputy mayor for the next five years.
A minimum of 17 votes were required to take control of the 33-seat council and Fianna Fail with nine seats, Fine Gael with six and Labour with two have seized the initiative.
The Healy-Raes and Sinn Fein tried hard to gain control with the support of the independents or Fianna Fail but, when the figures added up, Labour were the kingmakers and Cllrs Marie Moloney and Terry O’Brien opted to accept the Fianna Fail and Fine Gael proposal.
It is understood that the terms of the deal will see Fianna Fail holding the position of mayor for three of the five years and Fine Gael for the other two with Labour filling the position of deputy mayor on at least one of the five years.
A number of other key positions on internal and external bodies will also be filled at Friday’s first meeting.
It is understood that Sinn Fein, who won four seats in the June 7 election, and the Healy-Raes – who can rely on five votes with the support of Sam Locke in Tralee and Liam Speedy Nolan in Listowel – also entered discussions with Fianna Fail which would have ensured a majority but talks broke down and the FF-FG-Lab pact held.
The first item on the agenda at Friday’s meeting, which will commence at noon, will be the election of the mayor and deputy mayor and then several other positions will have to be filled, including the selection of representatives to serve on bodies like the chairs of the strategic policy committees, the community development committee, the Traveller accommodation consultative group and nominees to take up posts with the South Kerry Partnership and the Southern Regional Drugs Task Force.
Council representatives will also be appointed to the boards of Údaras na Gaeltachta, Kerry Airport, the Local Authority Members’ Association, the Lough Leane Working Group, Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre and the Killarney National Park Liaison Committee.
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