Fine Gael now has an overwhelming majority on Mayo County Council following last Friday’s Local Elections. With 17 seats on the local authority, Enda Kenny’s crew will occupy the chairmanship of the council for the next five years with Ballyhaunis native John Cribbin tipped to be installed as the first Cathaoirleach.
In Westport Town Council Fine Gael claimed five of the nine seats giving it a clear majority while in Castlebar it occupies four out of nine, with the county’s ruling party expected to do a deal with Labour councillor Harry Barrett.
The situation was somewhat different in Ballina Town Council with an even split between Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and Independents. In the Ballina Electoral Area Fine Gael took four out of six available seats, making it the strongest lobby on this committee.
Elsewhere in Swinford the status quo remains with Fine Gael taking two seats and one each going to Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil, while in Claremorris Fine Gael has truly stamped its dominance on the area, taking four seats with one Independent and one Fianna Fáil.
The four seater Belmullet Electoral Area is evenly divided with one seat going to each of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, and Independents while in the Westport and Castlebar Electoral Areas Fine Gael secured three seats in each. The remaining seat in Westport is Fianna Fáil’s, in Castlebar Fianna Fáil took two and Independents two.
With the balance of power truly in Fine Gael’s favour the make-up of Mayo County Council looks like this: Fine Gael 17, Fianna Fáil seven, Sinn Féin two, and Independents five.
