Fitzsimons elected Mayor of Navan

Fianna Fail's Cllr Padraig Fitzsimons has been elected Mayor of Navan for the coming year.

He was proposed by his Fianna Fail colleague, Cllr Tommy Reilly who recalled the Fitzsimons family's long tradition in politics in Navan, going back 90 years.

He seconded by Cllr Francis Deane (Ind).

Cllr Fitzsimons paid tribute to Cllr Deane's work as Mayor over the past year, and Cllr Eddie Fennessy who had been Deputy Mayor.

He recalled the last time he was Mayor in 2009, the late Shane Donnely was town clerk and his fellow councillors included Cllr Joe Reilly, Anne Gibney and Andy Brennan.

"All have since passed away, but I would like to remember their combined contribution in Navan's growth and progression."

"On this day of all days, I would like to remember my own Dad (Paddy) who sat on this council for 25 years.

"He was no stranger to this chair either, having sat in it on a few occasions."

Clr Fitzsimons said that as we emerge from the constraints of the Covid pandemic it "is imperative that we pull together to promote Navan, to continue to support our business community, to engage with the various community groups and to get back to serving our community in the way we were able to before the pandemic.

"Navan is moving forward and we here in the chamber are the driving force."

Cllr Fitzsimons said the Navan of today is so different from the town of the Millennium.

"We only have to look at Blackwater Park, an oasis in the middle of the town, transformed from fields and scrub to being a godsend to the people of Navan and its environs for the last 15 months of Covid.

"It is a sanctuary. We must continue to improve facilities and to improve access."

He said the Navan railway line was the single most important piece of infrastructure in the County Development plan and the NTA are due to give a synopsis of where it fits into the National Framework plan.

"Regardless of that report, which I hope will be positive, we must as a group continue to fight to bring it home in as short a time as possible."

He said the work on Navan 2030 was well underway and he looked forward to the regeneration work on Flower Hill and the Kentstown Road.

"There is no doubt we have challenges, particularly in regard to the length of our housing list, but we are getting there.

"Navan us a town with a future. I hope in my time as mayor to move all these projects forward to the next phase," he said.

Cllr Tommy Reilly was elected deputy Mayor.