The newly elected Mayor of Derry and Strabane has said he believes Brexit is the greatest challenge facing the district and the region.
Cllr Maoilísa Mc Hugh says already, strong links have been forged with neighbours in the Donegal council area, and he will continue to encourage and support the development of these strong bonds.
After his election was confirmed last night, he told the Guildhall it’s vital that the councils and other bodies work together to mitigate the impending negative effects of Brexit………..
Pic – Mayor Maoilísa Mc Hugh with Sinn Fein colleagues in the Guildhall.
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Speech in full –
I would like to extend the heartiest of welcome everyone here tonight from across this council area and beyond and in particular to my own family and friends and all the guests who have joined us on this occasion.
I have always regarded it a privilege to be an elected councillor and am eternally grateful to the people of Clady, the Glebe, Sion, Strabane town and the wider Derg ward who have given me that opportunity to work on their behalf as a councillor .
I am equally privileged and honoured to be chosen by my party colleagues to serve as their nominee for mayor where I can continue this work for all in the Derry city and Strabane council area —-all be it in a different context.
It is a time of great political and social change both at local and central government level and it is a challenge for local government how these changes are managed. I look forward to meeting this challenge and helping to ensure our council deal effectively with it.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the outgoing mayor and deputy mayor for the service they have given over the last year and I wish to commend everyone from all parties and unaligned who have worked tirelessly on behalf of the constituents of Derry and Strabane District Council and thank them for all their efforts.
Whilst chair of the shadow council I pledged to engage with all without exception. I now pledge as a mayor for all, to be inclusive, providing civic leadership and support to all communities, from The Derg to Sperrin and from Tullywhisker to Tullyally. I will seek to promote respect, inclusive politics and equality.
I believe the greatest challenge facing this region is Brexit and all of its implications.
Already strong links have been forged with our neighbours in the Donegal council area and I will continue to encourage and support the development of these strong bonds as we work together to mitigate the impending negative effects of Brexit.
As mayor, I will do my utmost to promote and create new opportunities for everyone across this District and region. And to do that one needs to ensure that the proper structures are in place to attract that kind of investment which contributes to the wealth of the region and the prosperity of our people.
Priority 1: Infrastructure, Jobs, Investment and building regional voice with Donegal
Already we have seen some positive changes that are the result of partnership working both within this jurisdiction and the Republic e.g. the Radiotherapy Centre at Altnagelvin and progress with the road network,i.e.A5 and A6 and air access with support secured for the City of Derry Airport but more needs to be done to improve easy access to the North West and to promote the region and to ensure increased interest from Foreign Direct Investment bringing new jobs to the North West while simultaneously assisting existing indigenous business to grow across the entire council district improving the physical infrastructure of the north west is crucially important and it will go hand in hand with economic regeneration and job creation.
I am committed to building on the good work of my predecessors Councillors, Hilary McClintock and my Party colleague and First Mayor of this new Council District, Elisha McCallion.
I am committed to driving the council’s efforts to ensure the city and region can improve its economic fortunes so that our young can have the opportunity to live and work at home. We are all only too well aware how the lack of opportunity can have such a corrosive effect on society and how it impacts on youth.
During my time as mayor I will work tirelessly to attract investment to this city and district and will welcome the opportunity to meet with trade delegations, potential investors and others to promote this city and region.
Our focus must be in the development of a vibrant economy.
The North West as a region, and I mean Derry, Tyrone and Donegal and the working together of our 2 council areas has the capacity (representing over 300.000 people) to influence central government to secure funding to develop our infrastructure and to advance projects i. e. social, tourism and cultural projects which serve to benefit everyone in this region of Ireland.
A unified lobby of both councils is needed for the full delivery of the A5 and A6, getting projects such as Riverine Project between Strabane and Lifford over the line and ensuring that we act as one in demanding that Invest NI and the IDA are challenged to ensure the North-West region of Ireland is prioritized in their efforts to attract FDI and in supporting indigenous business start-ups and growth in this region,
With Brexit and the great uncertainties, it presents it is imperative that both Councils, act on a regional basis and as one! As in the Irish seanfhocal or proverb
Ní neart go chur le chéile -No strength without unity.
Priority 2: Youth-Opportunities and Challenges
For many years, I was employed in the Nw Rcollege as Jobskills and Essential Skills Co-ordinator. I am very aware of the many difficulties that our young and not so young face day and daily. The frustration of underachievement for whatever reason and the lack of opportunity and lack of hope and how it can manifest itself in some cases in Drugs and Alcohol abuse and how closely it is related to both physical and mental health. It is for this reason I wish to nominate ‘AWARE’ who provide a range of services across this council area providing support to those in need as the Mayoral charity for 2017/2018 period.
Priority 3: A mayor for all
Since the inception of the new council in 2015 the historical connections between Derry and Strabane have been reinforced.
New relationships developed not least the understanding of the diversity of communities within this wider community but also a greater understanding of rural needs visa v the needs of the more urban dwellers. As stated I will be inclusive and hope to represent all and will work to ensure all are represented fairly including the most recently arrived refugees’
And I will celebrate the diversity of our shared history and unique culture, working to unite our community based on respect and equality.
Priority 4: An Gaeilge
Anyone who knows me knows of my love of our native language and in my time in office as mayor I hope to help to promote our language and allow other to see that it is there to be shared and is part and parcel of all of our lives and in understanding the central role of the Irish language in the history of this island it gives us a greater understanding not only of ourselves and of others as well.
Conclúid
Mar fhocal scóir, I would like to thank my own family for the excellent support they have given me to allow me to carry out my responsibilities as a public representative. I know that will continue over the course of the next year and I thank them in advance for their unstinting support.
As we move forward together into this year of what I know will bring challenges but also many opportunities – I am confident we will approach both with confidence in our ability to deliver the hopes and aspirations of those who have entrusted us to be their public representatives.
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