New Galway Mayor refuses jag
Issued: 20 June 2006
Statement by Niall Ó Brolcháin
Mayor of Galway Niall O?Brolcháin has refused the new Jaguar car that comes automatically with the job.
Emerging last night from Galway Chambers in full robes and chain, he crossed the car park to where his new Jaguar and driver waited, and in a few quiet and polite words sent them both home for the evening. Mayor O?Brolcháin says he will not need such a large car or one that has a high emission output.
?I probably will need a car to carry out my Mayoral duties but I think using a large petrol vehicle is sending out the wrong message. I will need to negotiate with the Council to ensure I am driving am environmentally friendly car with a low emission output.?
Niall O?Brolcháin is the second Green Party councillor to be elected to the office of Mayor after John Gormley TD was elected Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1994. Green Party Leader Trevor Sargent, Green Party Deputy Leader Cllr Mary White and Green Party TD?s Dan Boyle and Paul Gogarty travelled to Galway to watch the results of the election.
?I am delighted that Niall has been elected Mayor,? said Green Party Leader Trevor Sargent. ?This follows on from a succession of prominent local authority positions held by the Party over the last year, including Cllr. Bronwen Maher?s time as Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin City Council and Cllr. Deirdre De Burca?s position as Chair of Bray Town Council.
The new Mayor said: ?I am looking forward to the year ahead and I want to achieve many things. I would like to establish a GalwayCityMuseum, I want to tackle waste management and I want to establish Galway as a bilingual city.
?I am also concentrating on re-opening the western rail corridor and putting new parks into Galway. I hope to have a park and ride facility for Galway city by the end of the year.?