Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

Everyone who remembers John Mannion as a member of Galway County Council would say he was the type of person who would take one under his wing because he believed in consensus and the need to avoid conflict at all costs. For that reason many members across parties would rely on his careful decisions and the way in which he would put forward proposals if a matter was causing conflict in the chamber. That epitomises the character of the late John Mannion.

John also served as a member of Western Health Board. He had many achievements on that board in bringing services to Clifden, the outer periphery of the health board area. At all times he was fair given that in a county like Galway there would have been serious conflict between east and west in so far as people from east Galway would have believed that Connemara was getting most and vice versa. John was the second Fine Gael chairperson of Galway County Council after the late Toddy Byrne who was the first Fine Gael chairperson of the council. His achievement in winning a seat for Fine Gael in the Dáil from his base in Clifden was a super achievement. Were it not for the fact that he was recognised as a person of great integrity I do not believe he would have achieved that.

I would like to be associated with the words of sympathy extended to his wife Doris and his two children.