Taoiseach discusses priorities including housing delivery for next council term with leading local authority figures

Better transport, housing delivery and supporting businesses are among the issues Fine Gael Mayors and Cathaoirligh will prioritise in their respective councils over the next five years.

Taoiseach Simon Harris yesterday (Thurs) met with eight Fine Gael councillors who are currently serving Mayors and chairpersons in local authorities nationwide to discuss priorities and projected deliverables for the next local authority term, which is set to run up until 2029.

The meeting at Government buildings was also attended by Fine Gael frontbench and junior Ministers.

Among the councillors in attendance were James Geoghegan, Lord Mayor of Dublin; Dan McSweeney, Príomh Chomhairleoir of Limerick City and County Council; Sharon Tolan, Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council; John O’Hara, Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council and Fergal Browne, Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council.

Declan Burgess, Cathoairleach of Tipperary County Council, Baby Pereppadan, Mayor of South Dublin County Council and Jim O’Leary, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council also attended the meeting.

The Taoiseach said: “I was delighted to meet with Fine Gael councillors who have been elected as Chairpersons and Mayors of their respective local authorities in recent weeks following last month’s positive performance by the party in the local elections.”

Fine Gael received the most first preference votes of any party in last month’s local elections and had 245 councillors elected.

“It is clear that these hard-working councillors and the Fine Gael council groups which they lead are hitting the ground running in terms of delivering for their communities.

“We discussed a range of issues including the need to do more to ensure we have balanced regional development by further investing in rural towns and villages.

“Urban areas are also a priority for the Fine Gael team and we will ensure people feel safe and secure where they live and can avail of better transport and services.

“Fine Gael has always valued the important role of councillors and local authorities in delivering for constituents and we’ve seen evidence of this with record new homes provided, record investment in community development and improvements in our regional and local road network.

“We intend to build on this progress with a set of priorities that will guide our work over the next five years. These include more ambition on housing, backing small businesses and enterprise, a new partnership for rural Ireland and farmers, firm and fair migration and better public services and infrastructure.

“I look forward to the work of the Fine Gael team in delivering on the shared ambition we have to improve peoples’ lives,” the Taoiseach concluded.