Limerick City East polltopper outlines her aims after election to top council role

FIANNA Fail councillor Catherine Slattery has been appointed as the second príomh comhairleoir of Limerick City and County Council.

The City East area member secured the chain of office at the council’s annual general meeting (AGM) this Monday.

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Her election comes as part of a deal with her own party and Fine Gael, which sees the two biggest groups share the top positions on the local authority.

Cllr Slattery was elected unopposed to the role, which will see her chair the council meetings for the next 12 months, and act for Mayor John Moran when he is unavailable.

A peace commissioner, the Old Cork Road woman was first returned to City East at the 2019 local election.

The mother-of-two, who works for long-serving Limerick TD Willie O’Dea was re-elected as polltopper with a huge personal mandate of 1,894 votes last summer.

She follows in the footsteps of Cllr Dan McSweeney, Fine Gael, the local authority’s first ever príomh comhairleoir.

Cllr Slattery described her election as “the greatest honour of my political career so far”.

“I will never take it for granted. I have worked hard to earn the trust of the people, and I will continue to work just as hard - every single day - for our communities,” she added.

“I will carry this responsibility with pride, determination and humility.”

Outlining her goals for her 12 months in office, Cllr Slattery pinpointed the development of youth spaces, “a bustling, vibrant and attractive” city centre, and housing as major areas of concern.

“We must invest in the spaces that bring people together - where children can play safely, young people can develop and all residents feel a sense of belonging,” she told those gathered at the council’s AGM.

In that number were Mr O’Dea, her daughter Kate, her grandson Robbie, and granddaughter Brooke.

She was also joined by her mother, father, partner, plus her two sisters, niece and nephew for the occasion.

Mam Dad daughter son grandchildren my partner my 2 sisters and niece nephew

“Young people deserve the chance to stay and settle in Limerick. Families experiencing homelessness - particularly those with children living in hotel rooms for extended periods - deserve so much better,” the new príomh comhairleoir added.

The role of príomh comhairleoir was created to chair council meetings, off the back of Limerick’s decision to elect an executive mayor.

Fellow Fianna Fail councillor Michael Collins of Newcastle West was elected, again unopposed, as the council’s leas-phríomh comhairleoir