McCormack set to become new mayor of Athlone Moate district

Vinny McCormack, the Fianna Fáil councillor from Ballymore, is likely to be elected as the new Mayor of the Athlone Moate Municipal District when it holds its AGM tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday).

A pact between the four Fianna Fáil councillors and the Green Party's Cllr Louise Heavin has controlled the allocation of the Mayoral chain in the nine-person district since the last local elections in 2019.

Cllr Frankie Keena was elected as Mayor in June of 2019, followed by Cllr Aengus O'Rourke in 2020, and Kilbeggan-based councillor Liam McDaniel last year.

Unfortunately, ill health impacted on Cllr McDaniel's year as Mayor, resulting in Deputy Mayor O'Rourke chairing a number of meetings in his absence.

The new Mayor of the district is to be elected at the AGM in Athlone Civic Centre at 1pm on Wednesday.

The Westmeath Independent understands that Cllr McCormack is in line for the role on this occasion, with Cllr Louise Heavin set to succeed him next year for the final year before the local elections in 2024.

Cllr McCormack narrowly missed out on a seat in the Athlone electoral area in 2014, but was successful in the Moate electoral area during his second election tilt in 2019.

For the last six years he has been working as a parliamentary assistant to Minister of State Robert Troy.

Cllr Frankie Keena's term as Cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council is also coming to an end this week, with the next Cathaoirleach to be elected at the county council AGM in Mullingar on Monday next, June 20.