Laois Offaly General Election prospect takes the chain and chair of office

A Portarlington area county councillor is set to serve another term as the first citizen of Offaly.

Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick from Cloneyhurke has just been elected to the role of Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council.

The Fianna Fáil man, who has been touted as a General Election prospect, was proposed by party colleague Cllr Robert McDermott and seconded by Cllr John Leahy (Independent) during the annual AGM of the Council in June.

When nominating Cllr Fitzpatrick, Cllr Robert McDermott said Cllr Fitzpatrick has “a wealth of experience. He was previously Chair in 2016 and he was Cathaoirleach of Edenderry Municipal District on three occasions.”

Cllr Leahy pointed out that it will be a challenging year to be Cathaoirleach because the local elections are taking place next year.

Cllr Liam Quinn said the Fine Gael grouping in the Council was supporting the proposal to elect Cllr Fitzpatrick to the Chair.

After the applause had died away and he had accepted the Chain of Office, Cllr Fitzpatrick said he's been in local politics for nearly 20 years. 

“Without the support of your family it is very difficult to do the job of a councillor," he said.

He thanked his son for doing the farmwork on the home farm.

Cllr Claffey thanked her proposer and seconder and congratulated Cllr Fitzpatrick on being elected to the Chair.

Cllr Hackett also congratulated Cllr Fitzpatrick. “I have known you for many years and I am sure you will do an excellent job.”

Cllr John Carroll (Independent) said Cllr Fitzpatrick is a hard worker.

Cllr Danny Owens (Fianna Fáil) was elected to the role of Leas Cathaoirleach.

The Cloneyhurke man was elected first to Offaly County Council in 2004 as a member of the Progressive Democrats, he ran unsuccessfully for a Dáil seat in 2011 as an Independent. The tillage and beef farmer by profession who also runs an agri-feed business switched later to Fianna Fáil.

Cllr Fitzpatrick had been touted as a possible 2020 General Election candidate for Fianna Fáil but his hopes were dashed when Portarlington was moved into Kildare South.

As it turned out,Independent TD Dr Cathal Berry was elected to Kildare South after carving out a base in the Laois Offaly border town.