Councillor Adam Teskey of Fine Gael (FG) was elected as Cathaoirleach of the Adare-Rathkeale Municipal District at its Annual General Meeting on Monday.
The 34-year-old succeeds his party colleague Cllr. Stephen Keary and will hold the position for 12 months. “To have been elected unanimously was special,” Cllr Teskey told the Weekly Observer. “As ever, I will continue to work diligently on behalf of all in Adare-Rathkeale Electoral Area.”
Following the election of Tom Neville to Dáil Eireann (2016), Mr. Teskey, of Reens (Ardagh), was co-opted onto the local authority. At the subsequent Local Election in 2019, Cllr. Teskey topped the poll.
The population at the time of the last local elections in Adare/Rathkeale was 27,650 but that is likely to have increased to over 30,000 following Census 2022. This expansion, however, is unlikely to result in an extra councillor for the area.
Cllrs Teskey, Keary, Bridie Collins (Fianna Fáil, FF) Kevin Sheahan (FF) and Emmett O’Brien (Independent) and John O’Donoghue, Independ-ent, are all sitting councillors. Cllr. Sheahan has announced his retirement at the end of the current term, having served as a councillor since 1985.
Newcastle West’s six councillors will elect a new Cathaoirleach (to succeed Michael Collins FF, sitting) tomorrow, Thursday, as is the case also in the seven-seater Cappamore/Kilmallock (John Egan FG, sitting).
County District Chairs receive €5,500 per annum, alongside an annual councillor’s salary of €25,750.
At the start of the week, Councillor Azad Talukder (known as Jackie to his friends), a native of Bangladesh, was elected leader in the Metropolitan District.
This Friday, Limerick’s 40 elected representatives will meet at County Hall to elect a new Mayor of Limerick City and County Council, in succession to Cllr Francis Foley of Abbeyfeale.
Next year’s local elections have been pushed back by a month and now will take place in June. It’s understood that a vote on Limerick’s first directly-elected mayor will happen on the same date as the locals.