Galway West TD Brian Walsh has paid tribute to Fine Gael Cllr Jarlath McDonagh following his announcement that he will retire from politics at next year’s local elections.
The 68-year-old former teacher has been a member of Fine Gael for more than 30 years and has been the party’s whip on Galway County Council. He has been a member of the council for the Oranmore electoral area since the 1980s, most recently re-elected at the 2009 local elections. Cllr McDonagh is also a former senator having served from 1993 to 2002 and elected on the Labour panel.
Speaking about the announcement, Deputy Walsh said: “I have had the pleasure of working closely with Jarlath on a wide range of issues on behalf of our constituents. He is an immensely capable, popular and hard-working public representative; who will leave a legacy that will be difficult for any successor to emulate in future years.
“Jarlath has had an outstanding electoral record during his time in politics, which is a reflection of the high regard in which he is held by his electorate in Turloughmore and the broader Oranmore Electoral Area. I wish him the very best in his retirement from politics.”
