Cork County Council preparing to co-opt five new members

Cork County Council will have five new faces next year as newly elected TDs co-opt their replacements.

Noel McCarthy, a Fine Gael councillor, was elected to represent Cork East.

He told The Echo: “There will be a branch meeting of the party next week, we’ll be asking for nominees in the Fermoy area this week, then they’ll have four or five days to get their names in. We will have our convention the week after next and choose then — we are determined to have our co-option done within the next 14 days, but it’s important that members make the choice.”

Liam Quaide, Social Democrats councillor for Midleton, was also elected in Cork East.

Expressions of interest

He told The Echo he was unsure as of yet who would be taking his place on the council, but: “Party HQ have sent out a call for expressions of interest in the co-option to Cork East branch members and we’re aiming to have a selection convention next Wednesday, December 11.”

Fine Gael’s John Paul O’Shea, a Kanturk-Mallow councillor, said: “Fine Gael will be arranging a co-option process, which is normal procedure when a vacancy occurs at council. This will be done before Christmas, hopefully.”

Eoghan Kenny, Labour councillor for Kanturk-Mallow, was elected in Cork North Central, and Seamus McGrath, Fianna Fáil councillor for Carrigaline, was elected to Cork South Central, so both parties will also be co-opting replacements.