Warm welcome for new Councillor

Council chairman Jim McElroy was the first to officially welcome Mrs McQuaid to the council chamber and said it was “nice to see her taking over the mantle” from Frank who has bowed out of local politics due to ill health.

“I hope you settle happily into your new role and I, along with other councillors, will do our utmost to offer any help when needed,” said Mr McElroy.

On behalf of the Ulster Unionist grouping in the council, Councillor John Hanna welcomed Mrs McQuaid and said it was sad that Frank was no longer fit to maintain his councillor role. “We will miss his sage words and good comradeship,” said Mr Hanna, “and I would like to pay tribute to the wonderful work he did during his time in this council. He always had the best interests of Banbridge at heart.”

Speaking for the DUP, Councillor David Herron also welcomed Mrs McQuaid and said Frank was a “very knowledgeable man” and it was unfortunate he had had to give up his council work. “I want to pass on our very best thanks for the number of years he was in this council and I wish him well for the future,” said Mr Herron.

In his welcome, Seamus Doyle, SDLP councillor, added that he and Frank had always been good friends. “Behind every good man there is a good woman and we see a good woman here now,” he said.

Independent councillor Dessie Ward said he would like to be associated with everything already said and joked that the council now seemed to be overtaken by women - “and that can only be a good thing”. On a more serious note, Mr Ward added, “Frank had a very positive way of looking at things and we will all miss him.”

Responding to all the good wishes, Mrs McQuaid thanked everyone for their kind words and said she looked forward to working with everyone and to “working hard for everyone in the district”.