Fianna Fáil set to take control of Cork County Council after winning more seats than Fine Gael rivals
Will At Mayor Councillors Attending The Meeting Friday, Minihane June Denis Elected On Will It Authority’s Will Who General New Local Be Decided There Which 21, 16 Be Be Picture: Annual
Fianna Fáil will take control of Cork County Council for the next five years if as expected, the party successfully cobbles together a coalition of Independents and Labour to produce a majority voting pact on the local authority.
Fianna Fáil pipped Fine Gael for the most seats on the council when, at the eleventh hour, in a recount in the Cobh Municipal District, one of its candidates got across the line giving it 19 seats — one more than its rivals.
There are eight Independents and four members of Independent Ireland on the new council. Meanwhile, the Social Democrats have three, Labour two and just one from Sinn Féin.
There will be 16 new councillors attending the local authority’s annual general meeting on Friday, June 21, at which it will be decided who will be elected mayor.
Fianna Fáil is in the driving seat as three of the Independents are former members of its party — Alan Coleman, William O’Leary and Mary Linehan-Foley.
Seamus McGrath, Fianna Fáil leader on the council, who was the biggest 'first preference’ candidate elected in the country and is the brother of Finance Minister Michael McGrath, told the he would be meeting with his party colleagues on Friday to discuss their options.
“With 19 seats, two more than last time, it puts us in a very strong position. But we have to get feedback from our councillors on what we should do,” he said.
He added in his opinion it was vitally important any deal struck provided “a degree of structure and stability” over the next five years.
A lot of bargaining will go on in the next few days about who fills committee roles, but ultimately the ‘big ticket issue’ will be who gets to be the county mayor over that period.
Fianna Fáil, as largest party, is expected to seek three of the five mayorships.
Mr McGrath said it was hoped his party would enter into formal negotiations with prospective partners soon, with a deal hopefully struck by early next week or mid-week at the latest.
Alan Coleman is being tipped by many to lead negotiations with Fianna Fáil on behalf of the Independents. Experienced Independent politician Mary Linehan-Foley could also be on the Independents' negotiating team.
William O’Leary, who topped the poll in the Fermoy area after defecting from Fianna Fáil earlier in the year, and Ben Dalton-O’Sullivan, who came second to McGrath in the Carrigaline area, could also make a bid to be on their negotiating team.
For several years, Fine Gael held the majority on the council.