New council Chair Dominic Molloy says Mid Ulster must play its part in shaping discussion on 'new Ireland'

At the local authority’s AGM on Monday, June 5, Sinn Fein Councillor, Dominic Molloy was nominated to the position of Chair and UUP Councillor Meta Graham was nominated to the position of Vice Chair.

Cllr Molloy was first elected to the council in 2014 in the Dungannon DEA, while Cllr Graham has represented the Clogher Valley area since 2019.

Nominating Cllr Molloy to the role, Sinn Fein group leader Councillor Cathal Mallaghan said it gave him “great honour” to nominate the Dungannon councillors as Chair for the next 12 months.

Addressing the chamber, the new Chair thanked his party colleagues for entrusting him with this position and described it a huge privilege and honour for him personally and thanked the people of Dungannon for electing him.

“I want to start by acknowledging the fantastic job that councillors Cora Corry and Frances Burton have done in the year gone by as Chair and Vice-Chair.

“It was clear they had a great working relationship and as previous chairs have done, the bar has again been raised.”

The Chair then offered congratulations to those who had been re-elected and those newly elected councillors following their success in May’s elections.

He also paid tribute to those councillors who have not returned for the new council term before focusing on the legacy of his father, Francie Molloy MP.

“My father entered this chamber in 1985 as one of only four Sinn Fein councillors elected,” he said.

“Those were ground breaking days, when our councillors were excluded, marginalised, abused and shamefully treated. Some paid the ultimate price for stepping up to be counted.

“In 2001, he was returned as the Chair of Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council and whilst I always define myself as my own person, I am nonetheless immensely proud of his achievements and the path he and others laid out to grow Sinn Fein to the largest political movement on this island.

“Change is happening before our very eyes on a daily basis. A new Ireland is emerging, a new Ireland that must be inclusive and non-discriminatory, a new Ireland that re-imagines how it serves its people and manages its resources.

“Mid Ulster must play its part in shaping that discussion about how and what a new Ireland looks like. We know we have limitations but must continue to strive to do the best for our residents, particularly the community and voluntary sector.

“In the coming year I intend to engage with as many people in our district as possible and I look forward to working with you all to achieve better for all the residents of our district.”

Nominating Cllr Graham to the position of deputy chair, UUP group leader, Councillor Trevor Wilson paid tribute to his three party colleagues in Mid Ulster who were unsuccessful in seeking re-election – former councillors Robert Colvin, Mark Glasgow and Derek McKinney.

“All three are hard working and it is just a pity they are not here in the chamber,” he said.

The Chair then confirmed that Cllr Graham was not in attendance at the AGM before moving on to the next item of business.