BEVERLY SELECTED TO TAKE SEAT ON MAYO COUNTY COUNCIL
11 September 1996
Beverley Cooper-Flynn the 30-years old daughter of EU Commissioner Padraig Flynn has been selected by Fianna Fail to take a seat on Mayo County Council. She will replace the late Mr. Dick Morrin (66) who died in July after 14-years on the authority.
Ms. Cooper-Flynn was formally co-opted onto the council on Monday evening at a meeting in Castlebar.. Her selection was made at a meeting of the Castlebar Fianna Fail Comhairle Ceantair and she defeated the other candidate, local vet, George O'Malley by 58 to 28 votes.
Ms. Cooper-Flynn has already been selected to stand for the party in the new 5-seater Mayo constituency at the next General Election. Following her victory Ms. Cooper-Flynn said she planned to open a clinic in Castlebar on Saturday mornings from 10a.m. to 1p.m. She said she was delighted with the decision of the party and it underlined the decision by Fianna Fail at the convention for the Dail two months ago.
She said: "It was important for me. I was seeking this mandate form my Cumann and my Cohmairle Ceantair to strengthen by hand in going out, giving a message that Fianna Fail is totally behind me to secure the seat on behalf of the party at the next General Election.
"I felt it was very important because I always believed that local politics and national politics are very much intertwined particularly here in Mayo.
"It was important for me to get a base to have a local profile as well as going on to represent the party on behalf of national issues."
She said George O'Malley was perfectly entitled to contest the County Council Seat. She had no divine right to it.
She added: "I allowed my name go forward and I know that the reason the people supported me was because there will be a General Election before too long.
"George O'Malley was very magnanimous in defeat. He is totally behind my candidature now for the council and also for the next General Election as is Al McDonnell who chaired the meeting.
"This contest has gone a long way to creating unity within the organisation where finally people within Castlebar Comhairle Ceantair know exactly where they stand. They know exactly now how their councillors are and who they want their next TD to be. This has been a very important result for the party for that reason."
She admitted that Fianna fail has a number of problems at the last by-election in 1994. The healing process was something that had taken a long time.
She continued: "I have worked very hard over the past two-and-a-half years to win the support of the members of my Cumann and the members of my Comhairle Ceantair. It is very satisfying now for them to turn around and endorse me. To say yes, Beverley you have worked hard. You deserve our support and we are giving you every possible opportunity ands platform to enable you to win a seat on behalf of the party in this area at the next General Election."
Ms. Cooper Flynn said her employers National Irish Bank had allowed her all necessary time to fulfil her council obligations. They had been very understanding and supportive of her political position.
She said she intends to open a clinic at Newtown, Castlebar to deal with her constituents.
