Former Athy Cllr Mark Dalton's resignation leaves vacant seat at Kildare County Council office

Following the resignation of a former  Co Kildare Fianna Fáil Cllr after pleading guilty to 28 charges of lodging up to €200,000 for a local housing association in his name, a new Councillor has been nominated to replace his position.

Mark Dalton, White Castle Lawns, Athy, Co Kildare, is due to appear before Naas Circuit Court in March next year. He resigned from politics in October.  The court heard Dalton was a director of the housing organisation, which owns and provides accommodation options. Its main role is to provide help for people who can’t afford their own homes.

Dalton is a former Fianna Fáil councillor and Independent Councillor for the Athy Municipal District.

 Following his resignation, a Kildare County Council statement said: "I refer to my email correspondence of 9 October 2018 advising that a casual vacancy in the membership of the council had arisen following the resignation of Councillor Mark Dalton and confirming that the filling of this vacancy will be listed on the agenda for the meeting of Kildare County Council on Monday, 26 November 2018."

The statement said: "Section 19 of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended, sets out the procedure for filling casual vacancies. It provides that a casual vacancy shall be filled by the co-option by the local authority of a person to fill the vacancy subject to such person being nominated by the registered political party who nominated for election or co-option the member who caused the casual vacancy. As Councillor Dalton was a Fianna Fáil candidate when elected, it falls to Fianna Fáil to nominate a person to fill the casual vacancy. In this regard, Fianna Fáil confirm that they are nominating Mr Brian Dooley."