Members paid tribute to the Chief Executive,  Mr. Eugene Cummins who is attending his last meeting of Roscommon County Council, before his retirement on September 30^th.

The Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Crosby said the retirement of the Chief Executive would be keenly felt, not just among elected representatives but also by his colleagues and the entire staff of the local authority.  He said Mr. Cummins brought energy, dedication and commitment to the tasks and challenges he faced on a daily basis which was underpinned by his sincerity, his integrity and passion for the people and communities of county Roscommon.

The Chief Executive had always adopted an ‘open door policy’ for the Members and would always give Councillors a listening ear. This much in evidence in the leadership he showed on behalf of the citizens of South Roscommon affected by the floodwaters of Lough Funshinagh.

Working in collaboration with his colleagues here in Roscommon County Council, he found solutions to what appeared to be intractable problems. This is very much in evidence in the transformation of The Square here in Roscommon town and the transition of the Local Authority to its new state of the art civic offices.

The Cathaoirleach acknowledged Mr. Cummins’ record of over forty years of service to the local authority sector and he dealt with people without fear or favour. He had an immense ability to understand what worked best for both Roscommon and its people and was prepared to go that extra mile, in their best interests.

The Cathaoirleach also wished Mr. Shane Tiernan well in his new role of Temporary Chief Executive in succession to Mr. Cummins and concluded by wishing the CE and his family long years of health and happiness.

The Elected Members also paid tribute to Mr. Cummins on his retirement:

·        Cllr J. Cummins said Mr. Cummins’s word was his bond, describing the outgoing CE as very approachable and for his role in steering the development of the former Royal Hotel site.

·        Cllr.  O Leyden said the CE made many visible improvements to the county in a quiet, yet measured fashion.

·        Cllr L. Fallon said Mr. Cummins was determined, decisive and dedicated to the county’s citizens.

·        Cllr J. Murphy hailed Mr. Cummins’ vision claiming Mr. Cummins’ words were always genuine and fitting.

·        Cllr J. Keogh said he had brought the CE to Monksland, an area, he said, which has been transformed, claiming he had put in a huge amount of work, particularly  in trying to find a resolution for residents affected by flooding at Lough Funshinagh.

·        Cllr M. Mulligan said it didn’t matter what politics one had, the CE treated everyone the same, irrespective of political affiliation or none at all.

·        Cllr J. Naughten said the CE had left the county in a stronger position through significant investment in local towns and villages.

·        Cllr P. Fitzmaurice said the door of the CE was always open to Councillors and cited his role in the development of the Food Hub in Castlerea.

·        Cllr M. McDermott described the outgoing CE as a decent and nice man who would be missed by members, staff and the community at large.

·        Cllr D. Kilduff said the county had been left in significantly better shape by the CE and wished him well on his retirement.

·        Cllr K. Shanagher said it was appropriate that on the news of Keadue winning a gold medal in the Entente Florale that the CE was departing. She said the announcement was just one legacy of Mr. Cummins’ delivery for the county.

·        Cllr T. Ward said that when monies were tight for the Council, the CE ensured investment in lands in Monksland. He said that in his efforts to find a solution to the Lough Funshinagh funding issue, the CE stood with local people.

·        Cllr E. Kelly described the CE as an advocate for the people of South Roscommon and the county at large, describing him as constructive, honest and professional.

·        Cllr A. Waldron said business people were impressed by the CE who always made himself available to elected representatives.

·        Cllr L. Callaghan said Mr. Cummins was a man of great leadership and good nature who was determined to see the N5 bypass occurring.

·        Cllr N. Dineen wished Mr. Cummins well, describing him as fair and honest and for his track record of delivering projects.

On behalf of the Management of Roscommon County Council, Director of Services Shane Tiernan wished Mr. Cummins well. He said in his four years with the local authority, he was amazed at the work rate of Mr. Cummins, bringing social, infrastructure and economic development to the county.

Mr. Tiernan said the CE was a very generous man of heart, particularly towards marginalised people as evidenced during the Ukrainian and Syrian Refugee influx to the country and to Roscommon in recent years. He went on to describe Mr. Cummins as a good mentor, colleague and manager, claiming that if one delivered, you and your department grew as a result.

Addressing the Elected Members, Mr. Cummins paid tribute to his colleagues, management and elected representatives of Roscommon County Council, saying he left with the absolute respect of everyone he came into contact with.

He said on his arrival in the post, he had come to do business and to show respect. He also paid tribute to former Cllrs Eugene Murphy, Rachel Doherty, Ivan Connaughton, Dominick Connolly, Maura Hopkins and Michael Creaton as well as the county’s Oireachtas representatives.

Mr. Cummins said that with effect from October 1^st, he would be succeeded by Shane Tiernan as CE in an temporary capacity. As a result, Mr. Greg O’Donnell would fill the vacancy of Director of Services left by Mr. Tiernan. The outgoing CE described his management colleagues as one of the finest management teams in the country.

Mr. Cummins also paid tribute to the many local organisations and national agencies who supported him in his work as CE. He also acknowledged the work of the county’s many community groups and described the people of the county as nothing short of extraordinary.

Mr. Cummins received a standing ovation from all present after which the meeting concluded.