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Fianna Fáil councillors take the helm at Donegal County Council

By Róise Collins

FIANNA FÁIL’S Paul Canning has been elected Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, with party colleague Donal Mandy Kelly appointed as Leas-Cathaoirleach, at the council’s Annual General Meeting held on Monday in Lifford.

The Fianna Fáil councillor was nominated by his party colleague, Cllr Martin McDermott, and seconded by Cllr Fionán Bradley.

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Cllr Canning was joined in the chamber by his wife Stephanie, daughter Vanessa, parents Noel and Annie, extended family and friends for the special occasion.

“I would like to thank everyone for putting their trust in me as their incoming Cathaoirleach,” he said.

He paid special tribute to his family who he said have been on the journey with him.

“In the good times, they kept my feet on the ground; in the bad times, they lifted me up.”

Cllr Canning also acknowledged the outgoing Cathaoirleach, Cllr Niamh Kennedy, congratulating her on a successful year at the helm.

“You’ve set the bar very, very high,” he added.

Among those present in the chamber were his party colleagues, Minister of State Charlie McConalogue and Senator Niall Blaney.

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Taking his seat at the top table, Cllr Canning looked to the year ahead. He highlighted the urgent challenge of tackling the ongoing housing crisis.

He also emphasised his commitment to promoting Donegal’s natural, unspoilt landscape, which he described as a key priority during his term.

Cllr Canning vowed to be “fair, honest and straight with everyone,” and said he hopes to help make Donegal a better place for all its residents.

Leading the tributes from his party, Cllr Ciaran Brogan congratulated him on his appointment.

“We are lucky in the Fianna Fáil party to have someone of your calibre stepping into the role of first citizen,” said Cllr Brogan.

He added that Cllr Canning was very aware of both the challenges and the opportunities facing the county, “nobody has their finger on the pulse more”.

He has been the chair of a number of Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs) and the A5 Cross Border Committee as well as working on the PEACEPLUS programme.

Cllr Brogan also commended the strong cross-party collaboration within the council, adding, “We’ll be a strong team together, and I think you’ll be a great captain in that regard.”

Councillors from across the chamber offered their congratulations, including Independent Cllr Michael McBride, who described Cllr Canning as “well capable of the role.”

The two councillors share a longstanding friendship dating back to their days as classmates at St. Eunan’s College. Cllr McBride shared a moving story of how Cllr Canning supported him during their early days as aspiring public representatives.

Sinn Féin Cllr Gerry McMonagle also extended his congratulations and pledged his party’s cooperation over the coming year. He commended Cllr Canning’s wealth of experience and people skills.

Donegal County Council Chief Executive John McLaughlin added his support, saying he looks forward to working with the new Cathaoirleach.

He praised Cllr Canning’s experience both within the county and across the wider crossborder region, noting that it will be a valuable asset to the northwest.

Councillor Donal Mandy Kelly, was elected Leas-Cathaoirleach.

The Fianna Fáil councillor takes over from Fine Gael’s Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh.

He was proposed by Cllr Ciaran Brogan and seconded by Cllr Donal Coyle.

Cllr Kelly was joined in the chamber by his parents, Donal Snr and Jacqueline, his wife Aislinn and his son Donal. His father, a former councillor, is no stranger to the chamber.

The Glenswilly man described the occasion as a proud day for himself, his family and the Fianna Fáil party.

He said the appointment is not something he takes for granted, “I’ll do my level best for the people of this council, for my constituents and the people of wider Donegal”.

Councillors from across the county congratulated Cllr Kelly on his new role, describing him as hard-working and committed, having hit the
ground running since his election.

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