BREAKING: New mayor of Limerick elected

FINE Gael councillor Daniel Butler has been elected Mayor of Limerick City and County.

The Raheen man, a drugs education worker by profession, secured the chain of office without contest after no counter-nominations were received at the annual general meeting of the local authority.

The City West councillor suceeds Newcastle West’s Michael Collins in the role.

The ceremony was held at the Millennium Theatre in the Limerick Institute of Technology in order to ensure social distancing regulations were adhered to.

'As if it isn't warm enough!': @DanielButlerFG pictured for the first time in the famous robe and chains.

It's the first time in the history of @LimerickCouncil a first citizen has been elected unopposed.#LimerickMayor pic.twitter.com/fyFUooie2l

— Nick Rabbitts (@Nick468official) June 30, 2021

His election comes as part of a Fianna Fail-Fine Gael power sharing pact.

Cllr Butler becomes the third mayor of this council term as part of grand coalition deal, which saw Fine Gael man Michael Sheahan take the chain of office in the first year, and Cllr Collins last year.

The main parties have divided up the roles on the basis of there being five mayor-making ceremonies.

Meanwhile, fellow Fine Gael member Tom Ruddle, an auctioneer from Newcastle West, was elected deputy mayor of Limerick, also unchallenged.

However, following Limerick’s decision to ratify a directly elected mayor, an election for this role could take place as early as next year.