Best Christmas Present!

I am delighted at the result, it's the best Christmas present I could have hoped for.  It has been a long and stressful three months in limbo but it is great to be back in my rightful place as Councillor and Leas Cathaoirleach of Westport Town Council.

 

I would like to thank Helena Boylan and Co and Mr John Jordan BL for their hard work, good counsel and professionalism.

 

I would like to thank the Cathaoirleach Cllr Myles Staunton and my council colleagues for their support and solidarity with me over the last couple of months.

 

I would like to thank all those supporters and well wishers who stuck with me over the three months but I would most like to thank all those who voted for me in June and whose voice was silenced for the last three months.

 

Their voice will be heard once more in the chamber and it will be heard loud and clear as the council conducts its business.

 

I would also like to thank my family for all their support.

 

I am delighted to be back in time to help finalise the Town Plan for the coming five years and to see out 2009 as a councillor and as Leas Cathaoirleach.

 

It is an honour to serve the people on Westport Town Council and I look forward to the next four and a half years of service.  There are tough times ahead but I will be part of the solution not the problem.

 

I bear no grudge or malice towards anyone; the officials involved were only following the rule of law to its conclusion.  It is the law itself with which I take issue and I intend raising my situation with the Law Reform Commission in the New Year. 

 

No councillor should be removed from office with the stroke of a pen for being late for paperwork, no-one should be presumed guilty and required to go to court to clear their name and no punishment should be so disproportion to the offence.

 

This is contrary to natural justice and the Irish sense of fair play and I am determined to have the law changed so that no one else goes to through the stress, expense and undemocratic and unfair procedure that I have had to face since September.

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Faithfully

Cllr Keith Martin
086 0691182