Independents frozen out in Mayo council discussions

By Caoimhín Rowland

INDEPENDENT councillors have been excluded from negotiations with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, who aim to secure governance of Mayo County Council until 2029.

In the last term of the council, FF did a deal with the Independents, shutting out FG. But ahead of the first scheduled meeting of the new council this week, they are now getting the cold shoulder.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael both lost a seat in the local elections, with FG narrowly securing victory for Neil Cruise in the Swinford Electoral Area.

Fine Gael has not held local power since 2014 and made affordable housing the cornerstone of their election manifesto. Notably, the party benefits from having a minister responsible for local government, providing them with an advantage in policy implementation and communication with central government.

This has been a persistent issue for councillors under previous Fianna Fáil and Independent regimes, who often faced a lack of clarity and communication from ministers.

Minister Alan Dillon's influence is expected to enhance local democracy by facilitating better cooperation and effective changes.

Previous attempts to secure a governance deal failed between the two parties, leading to what insiders have labelled a chaotic council attempting to appease disparate independents over the past term. A definitive agreement is now sought to ensure stability ahead of their first monthly meeting.

The first council meeting is scheduled for Friday, where the Mayo electorate will learn who will hold office for the next five years.