Blow to FG as Katie resigns council seat

WEST Cork’s youngest serving councillor, Katie Murphy, has resigned her seat on Cork County Council.

The Schull native was elected to Cork County Council in 2019, after winning a seat for Fine Gael in the Bantry Electoral Area.

The 22-year-old’s resignation will come as a blow to Fine Gael because it follows the resignation of her colleagues Aidan Lombard and Liam O’Connor.

Seen as a potential Dáil candidate, Katie comes from a strong political lineage – her father Michael ‘Pat’ having served as a councillor whilst her grandfather, also Michael, was a Labour Party TD for the Cork West Constituency from 1951 to 1981. Katie told The Southern Star that the last 12 months have been a difficult period and that she is now ‘following a new career path which has taken me away from West Cork.

‘Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to give a full commitment to my Council work and I now feel it is only right and proper to give someone else the opportunity to represent Fine Gael in the Bantry electoral area,’ she said.

Katie thanked the electorate for their support, as well as Council staff and management, and her Fine Gael colleagues on the Council, particularly Cllr Karen Coakley and Cllr Marie O’Sullivan.

Cllr Coakley said she was sorry to see Katie leave but understood her decision saying, ‘More support is needed to keep young people involved in politics.’

Cllr O’Sullivan agreed, ‘It is extremely difficult to balance work and council duties considering the demands and challenges of being in public life.’ Senator Tim Lombard acknowledged the hard work Katie has put into local politics in recent years.

‘It is vital that we engage young people in politics.’