Well-known Williamstown businessman Declan Geraghty is to contest this year’s local elections. Mr. Geraghty will run in the Tuam Municipal District, following the decision of sitting councillor Des Joyce not to contest the election.
Cllr. Joyce was co-opted on to Galway County Council in 2014 after then-councillor Michael Fitzmaurice won the Roscommon/South Leitrim Dáil by-election.
However, Cllr. Joyce has now announced that due to “work and family commitments” he cannot commit to another five years as a county councillor.
Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice officially announced news of Cllr. Joyce’s withdrawal and of Mr. Geraghty’s decision to stand.
Deputy Fitzmaurire said: “I am very happy to endorse Declan and I wish him well. I am sure that he would be an excellent person to represent the people of this community”.
The Independent TD said that he fully understands and respects Cllr. Joyce’s decision and wishes him well in the future.
Mr. Geraghty said: “I would like to wish Des Joyce well following his decision to step down from the Council. Once I heard that Des had made this decision, I felt that it would leave a vacuum in this part of the county and I decided to run to give the people of this area a strong independent voice.
“I believe this part of the county is a great place to live in and a great place to bring up a family, but it has suffered over the past few years and my aim would be to do all that I can to help improve rural infrastructure in the area.
“We need more jobs and we need to support business in our towns and villages. So many of our youth have gone away since the Celtic Tiger left us and we must do something to attract them back so that we can re-populate the area”.
