Dempsey elected chair of Trim Municipal District

The need for more playgrounds, skate parks and youth facilities as well as a home for the Trim Arch Club and Trim Womens Shed and support for the Trim Autism Friendly project were among the priorities outlined by Fianna Fail's Cllr Aisling Dempsey when she was as elected Cathaoirleach of Trim Municipal Council this afternoon.

She was elected with the support of her FIanna Fail colleague, Cllr Padraig Coffey, Cllr Noel French (Independent) and Cllr Ronan Moore of the Social Democrats.

Clr Moore was elected leas cathaoirleach.

Cllr Dempsey recalled that last term they provided the Porchfields project, Blueway, Greewnway, Swift Theatre and the Enfield Community Hub.

"We can do more - playgrounds are a key focus that Cllr Coffey, I and I have no doubt the rest of the councillors will deliver on in the next five years. We have secured part funding for Rathmolyon, we need to deliver it. I was delighted to work with the Longwood Playground Committee on securing large funding for a long awaited playground in Longwood. Together with the Community Department, I am going to see that project through to fruition as soon as possible.

"Playgrounds are important, but so are facilities for our teens and young adults. We need to keep them involved in sports, and not just the traditional club sports, we need skate parks, we need youth clubs. Our young people are our volunteers and community organisers of the future, if we don't create and nurture the environment for them we will lose our strong community spirit and pride of place.

"The Trim Autism Friendly Town Project extends beyond making autistic people feel included. If our town moves more towards acceptance, awareness and inclusion of the autistic community, it organically begins to accept, be aware and be inclusive of other elements of our community that may be or feel marginalised. Studies show initiatives undertaken as part of an autism friendly project assist those with other differences or disabilities, the elderly, those with dementia, to name but a few."

Cllr Dempsey said the Trim Women's Shed is a huge movement with over 300 members in just over a year, with activities run every day of the week. "It just shows you the appetite and need of women to have an outlet, to have their own tribe. It is such a positive movement, they deserve our support to find a home. A shared community facility for groups like Trim Women's Shed, Trimfinity Arch Club, is a must.

One of my key priorities as Cathaoirleach will be road safety, particularly in our town centres, villages and around our schools. The safety of our residents, especially our children, is paramount. Our engineers are only constrained by budgets in implementing additional measures, we need to remedy that for them. Garda enforcement unfortunately is not looking likely to increase in the short term, the national speed limit review will slowly be implemented, the only options are engineering / design ones and we have a collective responsibility as a council to do what we can in this regard."

Cllr Noel French congratulated Cllr Dempsey on her election and recalled that her father, Noel Dempsey had been chair of Trim Town Council before going on to other things.

"He made a great contribution to the Trim," he said.

He believed she was the first female chair of the Municipal Council and he didn't think there was ever a female chair of the town council either.

Cllr Dave Boyne congratulated Cllr Dempsey on her new position.

"I'm new to it all, but it wouldn't it be fairer, if all six councillors did a ten month stint,

"At the full council meeting last week, 21 people voted for the Cathaoirleach and the other 19 had no say," he said.