Local authority boss to be named next week

THE successor to Maurice Moloney, manager of the largest local authority in Ireland, Cork, will be known next week, and it’s down to a two-horse race.

Martin Riordan, who is manager of Kerry County Council and Eddie Sheehy, his counterpart in Wicklow, are being interviewed again by the Department of the Environment’s Local Appointments Commission, which will make the final decision.

Both were selected from among an initial list of five candidates.

However, a number of Cork councillors — who have no role in the decision-making — are putting their money on Mr Riordan.

He took up the job in Kerry in August 2004 and has 25 years’ experience in health and local government.

Born in Dublin, Mr Riordan began his local government career with Dublin Corporation and then moved to Waterford, the South Eastern Health Board, Donegal and Cork City Council before taking up an appointment as Laois county manager in 2003.

Mr Sheehy, a native of Loughlinbridge, Co Carlow, has been county manager in Wicklow for the past four years and prior to that held a similar post in Roscommon.

Pat Doran, a Fianna Fáil member of Wicklow County Council for the past 21 years, described Mr Sheehy as a very capable person.

“He works very hard and is very well respected. He wouldn’t have any problem looking after a county the size of Cork,” Mr Doran said.

Maurice Moloney, who has been county manager in Cork since 1998, is set to retire next Monday.

Originally from Ballyduff, Co Waterford, he got a masters degrees in Modern History at UCC before going into Local Government.

Prior to arriving at County Hall he served two years as Limerick City manager. He is keenly interested in GAA.

It is expected that assistant county manager, Theresa White, will fill the top spot between Mr Moloney’s departure and the arrival of the new county manager.

Ms White has extensive experience in the workings of the council and served as assistant county manager in North Cork before moving to the West Cork Division two years ago.

The new county manager will be in charge of the largest local authority in Ireland, with 2,700 employees and an annual turnover of €620 million.

He will oversee several major infrastructural projects in the next few years, including the reopening of the Cork-Midleton railway line and the construction of the North Ring route, which will connect the Glanmire bypass with the Mallow and Macroom roads.