GALWAY COUNTY COUNCIL:THE GALWAY councillor who refused a judge's direction "to do the honourable thing" and resign after being convicted of fraud came out a poll-topper yesterday.
Cllr Michael “Stroke” Fahy topped the poll in the Loughrea electoral area just six months after being convicted by a jury of obtaining the benefit of €7,055 from Galway County Council.
The former Fianna Fáil councillor, who is now an independent, has appealed the conviction, a jail sentence and a fine of €30,000.
At the hearing Judge Michael White told Cllr Fahy that the most aggravating factor was the serious breach of trust by him, an elected public representative, who had set out to defraud the very body to which he was elected.
Judge White said that while he did not have the authority to disqualify him as a councillor, he urged him to act with honour and resign his seat.
Cllr Fahy, who increased his vote and polled 2,247 first preferences, just 40 short of the quota, said he never had any intention of resigning and that the public had now endorsed his decision. “The people obviously believe I made the right decision to stand for election and continue to serve the people,” said the councillor, who was elected on the third count.
In Connemara, Fianna Fáil suffered a double blow when Josie Conneely and Connie Ní Fhatharta lost their seats. The party also lost James Joyce in the Ballinasloe area.
Fine Gael was the main winner, increasing its seats from 10 to 13 from the last election with Eileen Mannion elected in Connemara where Tomás Ó Curraoin of Republican Sinn Féin also took a seat after several unsuccessful attempts.