Dublin city councillors last night ratified Owen Keegan as the new city manager. Mr Keegan, currently manager of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, takes up his €190,000-a-year position in September.

A majority of councillors voted in a show of hands to support Mr Keegan’s appointment, with a handful of abstentions, at the council’s monthly meeting.

People Before Profit councillor Bríd Smith expressed disappointment that Mr Keegan was not before the council to answer questions and she felt unable to support his appointment because of this.

The Ballyfermot/ Drimnagh-based councillor asked what would happen if councillors opposed Mr Keegan’s appointment. She was told it could be delayed for three months, but the council could not permanently block his appointment.

Labour group leader Cllr Dermot Lacey described Mr Keegan, a former assistant manager of Dublin City Council, as a "very robust, very energetic official" who would make a very good manager. He also paid tribute to acting city manager Phillip Maguire, the authority's deputy manager, who in the interim replaced former manager John Tierney, appointed chief executive of Irish Water in January.

Fine Gael Clontarf councillor Gerry Breen also welcomed the appointment, and said Mr Keegan would be a "breath of fresh air".