Agenda and minutes

The outgoing Cathaoirleach, Councillor Enda McGloin addressed the meeting and expressed his sincere thanks to Mr Lar Power, Chief Executive, the Management Team, the staff of Leitrim County Council and Councillor Sean McGowan, Leas Cathoirleach for their assistance and support during his term in office and he paid tribute to Minister Michael Ring for all the funding he provided to bring key capital projects to County Leitrim. Councillor Enda McGloin thanked all collectively and said the people of Leitrim are at the heart of everything we do. 

The Members congratulated Councillor Enda McGloin as an excellent, exemplary, very fair, dedicated and showed commitment in his role as Chairperson of Leitrim County Council.  The members noted his links and influence at Government level which are very important for County Leitrim.  Members said it was misfortunate that his year was shortened by the COVID 19 pandemic and that he did not get to travel to New York for the St Patrick’s Day celebrations which were cancelled. 

Councillor Des Guckian paid tribute to Cllr Enda McGloin for being level-headed, calm and fair.

Mr. Lar Power, Chief Executive, extended his gratitude to Councillor Enda McGloin on behalf of the management and staff of Leitrim County Council for the exceptional job he has done as Cathaoirleach over the past year and highlighted that Cllr McGloin wears the Leitrim jersey with pride and the puts the needs of the County first. Mr. Lar Power presented a pictorial memoir of Councillor Enda McGloin’s year as Cathaoirleach. 

Councillor Enda McGloin proceeded to deal with the first item on the agenda of the Annual Meeting and invited nominations for the Election of Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council.

Councillor Justin Warnock proposed that Councillor Mary Bohan be elected Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council for the term 2020/2021. This was seconded by Councillor Sean McDermott.

Councillor Enda McGloin invited any other proposal for the Election of Chairperson, and no counterproposal was proposed. Councillor Enda McGloin deemed Councillor Mary Bohan elected as Chairperson of Leitrim County Council for the term 2020/2021.

Proposed by Councillor Justin Warnock, seconded by Councillor Sean McDermott AND RESOLVED;

“That Councillor Mary Bohan is elected Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council for the year 2020/2021”. 

Councillor Mary Bohan accepted the nomination as Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council. In her opening address, she extended her gratitude to her proposer and seconder. Councillor Bohan said that this is a great honour to be Cathaoirleach even though she had held the position previously and said that she looked forward to representing the county as Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council, and to working with the Members, the Chief Executive, the Directors and all the staff of Leitrim County Council. Cllr Bohan said the staff have been in the past excellent in supporting Members, Cathaoirleachs’ and the Community.  Councillor Mary Bohan paid tribute to the staff of Leitrim County Council for their outstanding work particularly during the pandemic. She also paid tribute to voluntary groups assisting in this regard. She outlined  ...  view the full minutes text for item MM.73.20

Councillor Mary Bohan invited nominations for the position of Leas-Cathaoirleach.

Councillor Frank Dolan proposed the nomination of Councillor Finola Armstrong McGuire as Leas-Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council. This was seconded by Cllr Thomas Mulligan.  Councillor Mary Bohan invited any other proposal for the Election of Chairperson, and no counterproposal was proposed. Councillor Mary Bohan deemed Councillor Finola Armstrong McGuire elected as Leas-Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council.

Proposed by Councillor Frank Dolan, seconded by Councillor Thomas Mulligan AND RESOLVED;

“That Councillor Finola Armstrong McGuire is elected Leas- Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council for the year 2020/2021,

Councillor Finola Armstrong McGuire accepted the nomination as Leas-Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council. She thanked her proposer and seconder and her fellow Councillors for their support.  Councillor Finola Armstrong McGuire extended her good wishes to Councillor Mary Bohan as Cathaoirleach and assured her of her full support as Leas-Cathaoirleach over the next 12 months.

The Members congratulated Councillor Finola Armstrong McGuire on her election as Leas-Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council.

Councillor Des Guckian addressed the meeting and stated politics is dysfunctional and very much so in Leitrim County Council and the truth is not coming out and he referred to the 15 of a coalition as “coerce” and “robbers”.

Councillor Brendan Barry said that it is important that all members work together. There is a coalition of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and he said he didn’t know who the 15 of a coalition that Cllr Des Guckian referred to.

Councillor Mary Bohan said Leitrim as county comes first and there are no cover ups. Party politics does not come into play in the Council Chamber and the Members of Leitrim have always worked together. 

Mr Lar Power, Chief Executive congratulated Councillor Finola Armstrong McGuire on her election as Leas Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council and thanked Councillor Sean McGowan outgoing Leas Cathaoirleach for all his work.

Councillor Justin Warnock expressed his disappointment with Cllr Des Guckian’s comments and asked him to retract them.

In response Councillor Des Guckian said there is no question of him retracting his comments as he is not getting his rights.

Councillor Mary Bohan moved to the next item on the agenda of the Annual Meeting to agree a schedule of Council and Municipal District meetings for 2020/2021. 

Leitrim County Council Calendar 2020/2021 as circulated to the Members appears as Appendix 1 to the Minutes of this meeting in the Minute Book.

Councillor Des Guckian proposed that Municipal District Meetings be held bi-monthly and plenary Council Meetings be held monthly to ensure business is done in a fair, even basis and not rushed through without any debate.

Councillor Padraig Fallon said that this is an issue that is discussed at every Annual Meeting and he most definitely opposed to moving Municipal District meetings to bi-monthly as most of his work is done at Municipal District level and he would see this as an negative effect. He said he would agree to monthly council meetings.

Councillor Felim Gurn said that if there is a need for an emergency meeting it can be called at any time.

Councillor Des Guckian proposed for plenary Council and Municipal District meetings to be held monthly.

Councillor Brendan Barry seconded this proposal to be in favour of extra plenary Council meetings.

Councillor Sean McDermott said the system currently in place is working quite well.

Councillor Paddy O’Rourke proposed that a review of the schedule of meetings take place at the earliest possible opportunity post COVID-19 and when current COVID-19 regulations have been relaxed.  Councillor Enda McGloin seconded this proposal.

Cathaoirleach Councillor Mary Bohan said that a vote would be taken on the counter proposal.

The result of the poll taken was as follows:

Mr Kieran Brett outlined that there were 17 votes in favour of the counterproposal and 1 vote against. He outlined that, accordingly, the counterproposal is carried, and the original proposal is defeated and the meetings schedule for Leitrim County Council will remain the same until the COVID 19 restrictions are relaxed.

The Members extended a vote of sympathy to the family of the Late Detective Garda Colm Horkan and to his colleagues in An Garda Siochana, and Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris on the recent death of Detective Garda Colm Horkan.