The results are in and the the Laois County Councillors to serve from 2024 to 2029 have been elected.
Day 3 of the count on Monday saw long-serving Fianna Fáil Cllr Paddy Bracken re-elected in the Borris-in-Ossory-Mountmellick Municipal District on the 10th count.
Cllr Bracken spoke with LaoisToday at our base in the Count Centre as the Election results began to take shape:
“It’s after being a very tough campaign, but look, a good result at the end of the day,” he said.
“I increased my vote by about 50 number one votes. I’m very happy to have done that and grateful to the people of Mountmellick for supporting me down through the years.
“This is my fifth Council election – 37 years, between the the Town Council and the County Council.
“Obviously to win is great, and I’m delighted; and I’m grateful for the support I got in Mountmellick and the surrounding areas.
“And the support I had from my family and those who campaigned with me and helped me – the Fianna Fáil Party, the Fianna Fáil organisation, and the Director of Elections, Joe Dunne, who is from Mountmellick as well.
“I’m quite happy to represent the people again for another five years. It’s an honour, and I’m humbled to have got the vote that I got today. So I am delighted.”
Cllr Bracken has been involved in local Government for almost four decades and spoke fondly about his love for politics.
“My father would’ve always been Fianna Fáil; we’d a mixed family – my mother’s side would’ve been Fine Gael,” he said.
“I always had an interest in politics. I was watching politics all my life; reading the paper at that time – The Irish Press. They used to have a Dáil report; I knew every TD in every constituency.
“I joined Fianna Fáil as a very young guy and I got involved in local politics. Then in 1987, I was co-opted onto Mountmellick Town Council to replace the late Paddy Dowling, who was a great friend of the family and a great Fianna Fáil man.
“I was on the Town Council until it was abolished and I was co-opted to replace John Moloney in 2003, when the dual mandate was brought in.”
Cllr Bracken says he still has the same enthusiasm for the job as he did all the way back in the 80’s
“The work is enjoyable. I enjoy helping people. It’s not hard work; I see so many people out there every day working very hard, rearing families, struggling to pay mortgages,” he said.
“But I’m in the position that I like doing the job I do, and I’m honoured, as I say, to represent the people that vote for me continuously.”
Looking ahead to the next five-year term, Cllr Bracken spoke about two significant issues in his own area, firstly the Mountmellick relief road.
“I’ve raised it on several occasions,” he said. “I know it’s not in the National Development Plan, but hopefully it will be. But again, it’s something, at National level, I’ve always (tried) to have that road built.
“That’s one huge issue. The other huge issue is the whole economic decline of Mountmellick. The Town Team is in place now, which I’m very glad to be supporting it.”
SEE ALSO – In Pictures: All the best images as Day 3 brings Laois Local Election 2024 to a close
