Veteran Fianna Fail Meath County councillor Sean Drew has been elected the new Cathaoirleach of Kells Municipal District. He was elected by four votes to two over Sinn Fein nominee Cllr Michael Gallagher at the annual meeting of the MD on Monday afternoon. Cllr Drew was proposed by Cllr Mike Bray and seconded by Fine Gael’s Cllr Eugene Cassidy. Cllr Gallagher was proposed by his party colleague Cllr Peter Caffrey.
Fine Gael Cllr Eugene Cassidy was elected Leas Cathaoirleach. Outgoing Cathaoirleach Cllr Sarah Reilly thanked councillors of all parties for their cooperation during the year. She said that it had been a difficult year in some respects because of controversies over IPA centres. However, the councillors had put politics aside and shown a united front at all times. The councillor also thanked the staff of the Municipal District for their help during the year. Newly-elected Cllr Drew said that his priority for the year would be “housing, housing, housing.”
