Keogan nominates Amanda Smith for second seat

Cllr Sharon Keogan who made history at the weekend as the first woman elected to two council seat in a local election has nominated a colleague to take her second seat in the new county council.

Cllr Keogan will take up the seat she won in the Laytown Bettystown area, and has nominated Amanda Smith (nee Byrne) for the casual vacancy that will result in the Ashbourne area.

However, her nomination will have to be ratified by the members of the council, who may well nominate others for co-option to the council.

In fact there has been speculation that councilors will nominate  Fianna Fail's Lisa Mellor who narrowly missed out on election in Ashbourne, to take the vacant seat.

Cllr Keogan pointed out that she wont he Ashbourne seat "fair and square."

"Amanda is a native of Stamullen and has been part of Keogan4Meath team since 2012. She has been involved in all the of the work that I have done over the years. We will open an office in Stamullen and we will work together with the community to ensure this part of the county is not forgotten any longer. "Our first priority will be the delivery of on outdoor recreational park for the residents of this area," she said.

Cllr Keogan said she hoped the newly elected council will honour and respect the voting of the electorate.

 “I have worked on the ground with the local communities in both municipalities and that is why I won both seats. I have been representing the people of the rural Ashbourne district since 2014, despite it not being my electoral area. People from these areas have come to me for help and I wouldn’t turn them away. It’s my duty to help them.”

“I have won this seat fair and square by democratic vote."

She said she would not be taking a legal challenge to the current legislation but hoped the other councillors would respect the decision of the electorate.

"In light of the cost and time in taking a challenge to the current legislation, I feel that my only option is to accept the current legislation. The pay remuneration for this role is currently €16,700.

"My focus has always been on delivering for the people that I represent. The Local Government Act legislation requires that I choose a local electorate in which to represent. I have chosen to represent the Laytown/Bettystown electorate and have nominated my local colleague Amanda Smith  for the casual vacancy that will result in Ashbourne," she concluded.