Poll topping Clonmel Fine Gael councillor is elected as chairman of the new Tipperary Co. Council

Poll topping Clonmel Fine Gael councillor Michael Murphy was elected the first chairman of the new Tipperary Co. Council at the local authority's annual meeting in Clonmel this morning (Friday). 

He was unanimously elected after being proposed by Fine Gael Cllr Mary Hanna Hourigan and Fianna Fail Cllr Roger Kennedy. 

Thurles Fianna Fail Cllr Seamus Hanafin, who is a former chairman of the Co. Council, was unanimously elected as vice chairperson of the Council after being proposed by fellow FF Cllr Roger Kennedy and Fine Gael's Cllr Hourigan. 

Their nominations to the top elected positions on the council were the result of a voting pact between the Fine Gael and Fianna Fail councillors along with Labour Cllr Fiona Bonfield.

Following his election, Cllr Murphy, who topped the poll in the Clonmel Electoral Area, said it was a very proud day for him and his family and he thanked his proposer and seconder and Fine Gael colleagues for putting his name forward to be the county's first citizen for the next year. 

He urged his fellow councillors to work together with a sense of shared vision, energy and enthusiasm to address the needs of their local communities across the county and also to ensure Tipperary has the capacity, resources, capability and the ambition to be a real player to attract investment.