Bonfield elected 'First Citizen'.
By Anna Powell
Councillor Fiona Bonfield was unanimously elected as first citizen of Tipperary County Council for the coming term.
Speaking to the Nenagh Guardian, the new Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council, Fiona Bonfield said: “It’s a great honour for me personally, for my family, but also an honour for the people of the Newport electoral area that elected me, that’s how I got this seat.”
“It’s a great honour to become Tipperary’s First Citizen for the year ahead.
“Every day you get up, especially in the field of politics, you never know what’s in store but I’m looking forward to the year ahead. I never thought I would get this acknowledgment, but I am delighted that my colleagues have proposed and seconded me and that my other councillors in Tipperary also supported me on it as well,” she continued. “It’s something new that I have never done before, but I am looking forward to it,” she expressed to the Nenagh Guardian.
The meeting was held at Burgess GAA, chosen by the outgoing Cathaoirleach, John Carroll.
Ambitions for the year
Cathaoirleach Fiona Bonfield plans to prioritise on a number of issues including affordable housing, tackling vacancy and dereliction sites and connections with local communities.
“I get so many calls of people looking to go on a council housing list. I often get calls from people who don’t qualify to be on a social housing list. They are actually looking for affordable housing.
“We are starting the role out of affordable schemes in Nenagh, so to me that is a big focus hopefully in the year ahead,” expressed Cllr Bonfield.
“Another focus is vacancy and dereliction, I am very much a community person, I love being involved in my Tidy Towns in Newport and I love seeing communities working well. I love that part of the job.
“But it is soul destroying when you see vacant buildings and derelict buildings around our towns and villages. If you drive around the county of Tipperary, you can see them everywhere.
“I would be hoping that the council will have a big focus on this in the coming year to try and tackle this head on,” she stated.
“As a local councillor, our job is to look after the people who elected us,” expressed Bonfield about her love for the job supporting local community groups. To support them in whatever way we can, and to get them involved,” stressed Cllr Bonfield about the communities in North Tipperary.
“You would be amazed the amount of people who don’t realise what way the council runs, what it entails. I’m hoping that we can actually sell the story and the work that the council does, because the council does a lot of good work around, but sometimes it doesn’t get acknowledged.
“I want greater community engagement,” she told The Nenagh Guardian.
Reaction from fellow labour councillors
While speaking to the Nenagh Guardian, fellow labour councillor in North Tipperary, Cllr Louise Morgan Walsh congratulated Bonfield on her success. Cllr Morgan Walsh commented: “I had the honour of proposing Cllr Fiona Bonfield today as Cathaoirleach of County Tipperary. She is an outstanding and dedicated councillor. Her work ethic is absolutely phenomenal.
“She has been a great support to me over the years since I have been elected. She’s not only a labour party colleague but she’s also a very good friend. “I’m just delighted for her. She deserves this so much.
“She was elected in 2013. Every time she gets elected, she has the highest number of first preference votes, which just shows how hard she works,” she continued.
Tipperary South Councillor, Michael ‘Chicken’ Brennan also commended Fiona Bonfield on her election.
“Of all the nice things that were said about Fiona today, ‘Straight, Integrity and Honesty were three things that came up all the time from different people who have worked with her in previous councils, and that reflects the work that she has done in her community in Newport and in the bigger area of Nenagh Municipal District,” expressed Cllr Brennan.