Murphy is likely to be next co mayor

BANTRY-based Fianna Fáil Councillor Patrick Gerard Murphy has said he would be delighted to be put forward by his party colleagues for role of county mayor  when voting takes place at the Council AGM on June 22nd. 

It is expected that the Beara-born councillor, who now lives in Ballylickey, will be elected as part of a pact between his party Fianna Fáil and the independents, which has been in place since 2014.

‘I will be canvassing my independent colleagues for support as part of that pact and I will also be seeking support from other councillors from all the other parties,’ Cllr Murphy told The Southern Star.

‘Some of my priorities if elected will be the boundary extension issue and its impact on Cork County Council with relation to finances, transfer of staff and general disruption to services delivered by Cork County Council. Also the need to develop and grow the regional towns and villages in the West, North and East of Cork County is another important issue.’

Cllr Murphy, who has been in a wheelchair since 1993 following a car accident, said that if elected he would also highlight the everyday physical obstacles that people with disabilities face when trying to navigate streets of towns and villages. He works as a manager with the National Learning Network West Cork n Bantry which delivers certified training programmes for people with disabilities. 

The next mayor will also have the use of a full-time contracted driver and car to cover the vast area of county Cork. The outgoing mayor is Dunmanway’s Declan Hurley (Ind).