Cllr Maria White succeeds Cllr Sharon Tolan in Laytown Bettystown

Switching chairs... New Municipal Council cathaoirligh elected

Ann Casey

Published: Thu 18 Jun 2026, 10:18 AM

Fine Gael Cllr Eugene Cassidy was elected Cathaoirleach of Kells Municipal Council at its annual meeting yesterday (Monday).

His election came as Municipal Councils around the county hold their annual meetings.

Tributes were paid at the Kells meeting to Fianna Fail's Cllr Sean Drew, who handed over the chains of office to Cllr Cassidy after a year in the chair.

Cllr Cassidy said Kells councillors, over the years no matter what party, worked together for the betterment of the Kells area.

“I hope that in the year ahead we will continue to work together. There are a lot of things going on in the Kells area. We will be starting on the County Development Plan and I hope we are all singing from the same hymn sheet when it comes to what is right for Kells going forward. It is a ten year plan and we need to get it right.”

Cllr Cassidy said projects he'd like to see progressing were the Drumconrath Amenity Area, Rathkenny Community Centre and the boardwalk on Whitewood Lake through the planning process.

He also hopes to see the Athboy and Oldcastle public realm plans progressing.

“Another project I want to see progressing it the Public Realm Plan for Kells.

“I see Kingscourt got €20million and work is starting on the public realm there this year. If we had a pubic realm plan progressed we should also be able to avail of funding,” he said.

Last week, Sinn Fein's Cllr Maria White was elected cathaoirleach of the Laytown/Bettystown Municipal Council with Fianna Fail's Clr Stepen McKee elected vice chair.

Also last week, Cllr Caroline O'Reilly (FF) was elected cathaoirleach in the Ratoath Municipal District with Cllr Yvonne Everard as vice chair.

Ashbourne Municipal Council elected Cllr Suzanne Jamal (FG) as cathaoirleach and Cllr Conor Tormey (FF) as vice chair.

Meanwhile Cllr Francis Deane (Ind) is expected to be elected Mayor of Navan tomorrow Wednesday at the annual meeting of the Navan Municipal Council, while Cllr Noel French (Ind) is expected to be elected cathaoirleach in the Trim Municipal District on Friday with Cllr Padraig Coffey (FF) as vice chair.