BANDON Cllr Gillian Coughlan (FF) has been elected to lead the Renew Europe political group in the European Committee of the Regions, writes Kieran O’Mahony.

The high profile role at the EU’s assembly of local and regional representatives will give Bandon-Kinsale Municipal District and Cork  visibility at European level.

National leaders belonging to Renew Europe include French President Emmanuel Macron, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, and the EU ́s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, Kaja Kallas.

Cllr Coughlan is now leading this political family’s grouping in the Committee of the Regions, which brings together leaders from across the Union, including the President of the Basque Country in Spain, the Vice-President of Normandy in France, the King’s Commissioner of North Holland, the President of Brussels Capital Region, and mayors of the capital cities of Bulgaria, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Slovakia.

Cllr Coughlan will have additional opportunities to raise issues within the vast network of over one million local and regional elected representatives throughout the EU.

She said: “I’m very honoured. We are a very influential group and have members from all across the EU, and we’re working on important issues. My primary role is a county councillor and that continues to be my priority, and to then bring the voices and challenges of the people of Bandon and Kinsale  to the EU to ensure we can create policy that can serve people.”