Drogheda is about to have a new Labour councillor following the selection last night of Emma Cutlip at a party selection meeting to replace Fiachra Mac Raghnaill, who stood down from the position earlier this month.
Mother-of-two, Emma Cutlip, a lifelong party activist who lives in the town, in the shadow of Millmount Tower beat fellow party activists Paula Bell and Rose Aysegul in the election. She will take her seat on Louth County Council, next month.
The new Louth County Councillor-elect thanked her two opponents in the selection process, saying: “For three strong and capable women to stand for this co-option, I think is a testament to Labour and Labour’s values and the way we support each other.”
Emma lives in Drogheda with her husband, Jacob and her two sons. She has a Bachelor of Law degree and a Masters in International Business and Law.
Emma said: “I’m a lifelong activist. I’ve campaigned for marriage equality, to repeal the Eighth Amendment and on many, many more issues and I continue to campaign, every day.
“I’m a mother of two children, both with ASD and I’m very engaged with working co-operatively to improve diagnosis, therapeutic support and social assistance for autistic people and their families.”
She added: “I previously worked in Dublin Airport as a security officer and I represented the staff as a SIPTU activist. During Covid, I was made redundant and since then, I’ve given all of my free time to playing my part in realising the Labour vision for a fairer and more equal Ireland.”
Setting out her priorities as a Louth County Councillor, she said: “I’m looking forward to getting out and about, meeting and talking to the people of Ballsgrove, Rathmullan, Marian Park and all across the town. I want to listen to and help the hard working, wonderful people of Drogheda.
“I’m also looking forward to working with my Labour colleagues, Ged Nash TD, Mayor Michelle Hall, Cllr Pio Smith and Cllr Elaine McGinty in helping to make our town a better, safer, and nicer place to raise a family, work, do business and socialise.”
The newly-selected councillor said she hopes to “work on raising awareness and highlighting the issues in the town with the availability of childcare, especially for children with additional needs, and the challenges for families in gaining access to disability assessments and therapeutic supports for children in Drogheda and surrounding areas”.
Welcoming the new councillor-elect to the Labour team in Louth and East Meath, Deputy Ged Nash TD said: “I’d like to place on record my thanks and the thanks of the Labour Party in Louth and East Meath to Fiachra Mac Raghnaill as he steps down from the council. I congratulate Emma on her success in this election and look forward to working with her to deliver for the people of Drogheda.
“Emma is a committed and hard-working member of the party and I know she will bring that same level of dedication to her work on Louth County Council.”
