Tributes as senior Laois council official retires

WARM tributes have been paid to a long-serving Laois Co Council official, as she looks forward to well-earned retirement in September.

Senior management staff member Carmel McNicholl, who spent her entire career with the Laois local authority, is acting Director of Services for Community and Integration, Climate and Environment.

She previously held a series of senior posts and has worked with virtually every council department during her long career.

At the council’s latest monthly meeting on 28 July, her last before retirement, chief executive Michael Rainey described his colleague as “an exemplar of what it is to be a local government official”.

Highlighting her unfailing dedication and professionalism, he said: “Carmel is as good a local government official as you will get and she will be a huge loss to us.” 

Abbeyleix councillor John Joe Fennelly led tributes on behalf of elected members, as he thanked Ms McNicholl for her hard work and help over many years, while Cllr James Kelly said her door was always open and she was a very hard worker for the council.

Their words were echoed by Cllr Paddy Buggy, while Cllr Conor Bergin described Ms McNicholl as “certainly one of the most efficient people in County Hall” who would be greatly missed.

Also thanking the departing official and wishing her well in retirement, Cllr Pádraig Fleming commented: “Carmel spent all of her career in Laois Co Council and she had a great knowledge of all the departments, which was invaluable for us as councillors.”