The businessman and Fianna Fail councillor Prof Richard Conroy was last night elected Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire/ Rathdown County Council.
Prof Conroy defeated the Democratic Left nominee, Mr Denis O'Callaghan, by 17 votes to eight. Ms Mary Elliot of Fine Gael was elected unopposed as Leas Cathaoirleach. Prof Conroy succeeds Cllr Donal Marren of Fine Gael under an arrangement which has seen the chairmanship and vice-chairmanship of the council rotated between members of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. At last night's meeting of the County Council tributes were paid to Cllr Marren by the leaders of all parties represented on the council. They praised his dedication, "great competence, dignity and even a little charm".
Meanwhile, there were heated exchanges at a County Council meeting earlier yesterday when members adopted the authority's first county development plan.
Referring to controversial land rezonings which allow for the construction of almost 3,000 new houses at Stepaside, Carrickmines and Glenamuck, Cllr Denis O'Callaghan alleged that the formation of the plan was the work of a rezoning pact between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. The Fianna Fail leader on the council, Ms Betty Coffey, said she resented a suggestion that any councillor's actions were anything less than committed to good planning.