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23 Sept 2025
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23 Sept 2025
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FINE GAEL councillor Dan McSweeney has been elected as the first ever priomh chomhairleoir of Limerick City and County Council.
The City West area member secured the chain of office at the council's annual general meeting this Friday.
His election comes as part of a deal with his own party and Fianna Fail which has seen the two biggest groups share the top positions on the council.
The 25-year-old was elected unopposed to the role, which will see him chair the council meetings for the next year, and act for Mayor John Moran when he is unavailable.
Speaking upon taking the chain of office, Cllr McSweeney pledged to hold the council executive and the directly elected mayor to account "in a fair and transparent manner".
"As we embark on this new path, I am confident that all in this chamber will work together to improve our city and county and the lives of people we serve. There will be difficulties, but it is important we work together. In my role as priomh comhairleoir I will facilitate constructive debate and encourage engagement," he said.
He paid a tribute to his grandmother who, he says, "always encouraged me to follow my guiding star".
Cllr McSweeney was first elected to City West at the 2019 election. He was returned with a huge personal vote of more than 1,700 at the local election earlier this month. He took time in his speech to thank the voters who returned him to the council.
READ MORE: 'For the first time in history, the mayor of Limerick is the mayor of the people'
Meanwhile, fellow Fine Gael councillor, the newly-elected member for Cappamore-Kilmallock Noreen Stokes of Pallasgreen was returned as leas priomh chomhairleoir.
She was also returned unopposed.
Councillor McSweeney is the first ever priomh chomharleoir.
The role was created to chair council meetings, off the back of Limerick's decision to elect an executive mayor.
The holder of that position, John Moran, was inaugurated at a special ceremony at St Mary's Cathedral in the city centre earlier this Friday.
For more on the election, see the Monday edition of the Limerick Leader.
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