Labour to be frozen out of mayoral pact

Date Published: 12-Jun-2009

LABOUR, the biggest party on the new Galway City Council, could be frozen outof political control for the next five years, if talks to form a Mayoral pact between Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Independent councillors are successful.

And bucking the national trend of dwindling support, Fianna Fáil is now effectively the ‘kingmaker’ in the city.

A series of political rows and personality clashes could prevent Labour holding the Mayoral chain at all during the five year term.

To secure power, a total of eight votes are required – Labour holds five seats, Fine Gael three, Fianna Fáil three, with four Independents (three former PDs and one ex-Labour councillor).

Under Mayoral pacts, the Mayoral chain rotates between the parties involved, with terms as Deputy Mayor, while agreements are also reached to elect certain councillors as chairs of Strategic Policy Committees.

According to both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil sources, it is now extremely likely that FG, FF and two Independent/former PD councillors (likely to be…