New Chairman for Coole Area praises scouts movement

Labour Councillor Dan McCarthy wants to see the scout movement "spread its wings into the rural areas" of Coole.Cllr McCarthy was speaking after his election to the role of chairperson of Coole Area Committee on Friday, July 16 at the Civic Offices in Castlepollard.Cllr McCarthy described how impressed he was by the young scouts invested recently in Delvin and their pledge to their duty to God and serve their local community."There should be more of this in towns and villages throughout the area. It would be great if the scouting movement were to spread its wings into the rural areas," he told July's meeting of the Coole Area Committee.Outgoing chairperson Fianna Fail Councillor Paddy Hill took the opportunity at the handover of the role to praise council staff:"I would just like to thank the members for their courtesy and help and the council staff: "They went above and beyond the call of duty during the bad spell last year when the atrocious weather caused enormous damage to the roads and water pipes."Cllr McCarthy was proposed by Fine Gael Councillor Frank McDermott and seconded by Fianna Fail Councillor John Shaw and duly elected.Upon physically taking up the new chair at the table, Cllr McCarthy spoke about the courtesy and co-operation he had received since joining the Coole Area Committee, paying tribute to both the administrative and outdoor staff for the area. The councillor also spoke of his hopes for his term as chairperson:"It is an honour to be elected by my peers to the office of chairman. I will dedicate myself to do everything we are able to do and have the funding to do." Cllr McCarthy also closed the July meeting by sharing his thoughts with the other elected members on the differences between how things are done in Coole compared to his experiences in Mullingar: "In the Mullingar area, no-one interrupted a councillor when he was talking or reading his reply to a motion," he told the committee. Cllrs Hill and McDermott interrupted Cllr McCarthy to reassure him that things were done differently in Coole alright.