SOLIDARITY Party councillor Fiona Ryan was lauded by Cork City Councillors as a “fantastic contributor” and an “advocate for people struggling in Cork” at her final council meeting yesterday evening.

Ms Ryan last week announced her decision to resign her council seat, highlighting a number of challenges she has faced over the past few years, including significant recovery periods following multiple surgeries, a difficult pregnancy, and the realities of parenting a young baby.

Speaking at the council meeting yesterday evening, the North-West ward councillor said her time in council had been “both extremely fulfilling and extremely frustrating in equal measure”.

She also pledged to continue campaigning on issues close to her heart into the future.

Councillors from all parties and none paid tribute to Ms Ryan for her work on council over the past seven years.

“On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I’d just like to wish Cllr Ryan all the best in her new endeavours and on my own behalf as well,” councillor John Sheehan said.

“We may disagree on different aspects of policy but her commitment for the people of Cork and for her area was unquestioned,” he added.

Independent councillor Thomas Moloney said Ms Ryan has been an “advocate for people struggling in Cork”. “An awful lot of time their voices wouldn’t have been heard only for an awful lot of the work that you’ve done,” he continued.

Meanwhile, Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy said Ms Ryan has been a “fantastic contributor” and a “stellar advocate”.

Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent said her voice will be missed on council.

“Your voice wasn’t always appreciated by some I think but, in fairness to you, you gave as good as you got and I think that illustrated your strength as a campaigner, as an advocate, as an activist,” he continued.

Workers’ Party councillor Ted Tynan commended some of the campaigns Ms Ryan was a part of, including assisting the Leeside Apartments residents in their successful fight against eviction and supporting Debenhams workers during their industrial action.

Fine Gael councillor Des Cahill said he wanted to acknowledge and thank Ms Ryan for her hard work.

“While we all have different thoughts and ideas, I do think — and I’ve often said it — what makes this place good and unique is the fact that we have 31 different opinions and you certainly make your opinion known,” he added.