THE new Mayor of Letterkenny has set the establishment of a town bus service, the possibility of setting up a public retirement home for the elderly, improving road infrastructure and the completion of the new town park in Ballymacool among her priorities for the year ahead.

The new Mayor has also strongly encouraged more women to get involved in politics and again mooted the possibility of having a dry ski slope in the town.

As widely expected long serving Fianna Fáil councillor Jean Crossan was elected to the post at the Annual General Meeting of Letterkenny Town Council on Tuesday.

Councillor Crossan, a native of Carrigart, was nominated by party colleagues, Damien Blake and Victor Fisher. Speaking after her election Councillor Crossan said Letterkenny was a booming town with fantastic facilities.

"I think we should draw up a full list of our excellent facilities and advertise them through the tourism board. When people are thinking of moving to a town they look at what recreational and educational facilities it has to offer," she said.

Stressing she would like to see the new Town Bus coming on stream as soon as possible Mayor Crossan said the idea of a dry ski slope in town should be explored. Councillor Crossan said there were 70 such facilities in England but just three in Ireland.

RESPONSIBLE JOB

"I don't take this lightly. It is a very responsible job and I'm there to represent the town and its people in a range of different areas," she said.

Councillor Crossan admitted the possibility of a public retirement home for the elderly was 'outside the remit' of the Town Council but felt it could be explored.

"I want us to have talks with the Health Services Executive about the possibility of setting up a public retirement home for the elderly in the town," she said.

Cllr Crossan was formally co-opted onto Letterkenny Town Council in December 1997 replacing Councillor Enda Nicholls who resigned from the UDC at the time. A post primary teacher by profession Councillor Crossan will be taking the 'chair' for the second time as she held the post six years ago.

Meanwhile, glowing tributes were paid to her party colleague and outgoing Mayor Ciaran Brogan for his work and his political leadership over the year. Cllr Damien Blake said the outgoing Mayor was always fair and was not afraid to discuss controversial subjects even at times when they were not on the agenda.

"We may have disagreed at times but you always ensured that Letterkenny prospered," he said.

Cllr Gerry McMonagle said the amount of work put in by the outgoing Mayor was 'huge' and he had made great progress in a range of areas while Cllr Dessie Larkin described Cllr Brogan as an 'experienced politician' who had seen so many great projects come to fruition. The County Manager said Cllr Brogan had shown political leadership and courage at times when there was an awful lot of pressure.

Councillor Victor Fisher is the new Deputy Mayor.