Republican News · Thursday 4 July 2002

Sinn Féin Leas-Mhéara of Monaghan County Council

The new Leas-Mhéara (Vice-Mayor) of Monaghan County Council is Sinn Féin Councillor Noel Keelan. He was elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Council last Monday.

First elected as one of the team of six Sinn Féin councillors on Monaghan County Council in 1999, Keelan represents South Monaghan. Speaking after his election, the Carrickmacross-based councillor said that he would use his position to press for better services far all of County Monaghan but that he would bring particular attention to the lack of facilities in the south of the county.

Setting out his priorities for the year ahead, Cllr Keelan said that he would promote the health needs of the county and would, with his colleagues, demand the retention of all services at Monaghan General Hospital and its further development as a hospital serving a wide catchment area. He said that he would press for immediate progress on the construction of planned by-passes for the town of Carrickmacross, Castleblayney and Monaghan.

Local authority housing would also be prioritised because, said Leas-Mhéara Keelan, the accommodation crisis was affecting many people in the county who could not afford to buy their own homes.