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Green Party secures first ever Northern Ireland mayoral role

BBC The Green Party councillor Áine GrooganBBC
The Green Party councillor Áine Groogan will be the deputy lord mayor of Belfast.

The Green Party in Northern Ireland has secured its first ever mayoral position after Áine Groogan was appointed deputy lord mayor of Belfast.

It comes as the party lost three seats in last month's Northern Ireland council elections, including party leader Mal O'Hara in Belfast.

Seven of Northern Ireland's 11 councils are filling their top positions today.

Ms Groogan said that she felt her election was symbol of "the new Belfast."

She added that it was a time of huge uncertainty for many in the community and voluntary sectors, with Northern Ireland's devolved governmental departments having to find £800m of savings to meet the new draft budget.

Ms Groogan said this will have a detrimental impact on our communities.

"I will use my position of deputy lord mayor to highlight the incredible work that these organisations provide for everyone across Belfast."

She also said that the party's agenda for the term focused on building a "greener, cleaner, fairer Belfast and highlighting the climate and biodiversity crisis that we all face".

Sinn Féin councillor Ryan Murphy
Sinn Féin's Ryan Murphy has been appointed the next Lord Mayor of Belfast.

Sinn Féin's Ryan Murphy, 28, has been appointed lord mayor of Belfast.

He is one of the youngest councillors to take up the role as the city's first citizen.

Mr Murphy said it was a "huge honour".

No unionist mayor in Derry

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that for the first time in 50 years Londonderry will have no unionist mayor during the full term of its council.

At Derry City and Strabane District Council, the largest party Sinn Féin will take the role of mayor for three years with the SDLP, the second largest party, taking the role for the remaining year.

The council, which was formed when Derry City Council and Strabane District Council merged in 2015, runs the D'Hondt system to decide which parties get to appoint the mayor and deputy mayor.

The system, which was also used for decades in the now defunct Derry City Council, awards roles based on party size, and until now unionists parties won enough seats to ensure at least one year as mayor during the council term.

Since there are only eight unionist councillors, neither the DUP or UUP could be automatically entitled to the post. They will each serve one year as deputy mayor instead.

For the coming year, Sinn Féin's Patricia Logue was appointed mayor while the SDLP's Jason Barr will serve as deputy mayor.

Mid & East Antrim Council Gerardine Mulvenna and Stewart McDonaldMid & East Antrim Council
Gerardine Mulvenna of Alliance is mayor, with Stewart McDonald of the TUV as deputy of Mid & East Antrim council

Elsewhere, Mid and East Antrim Council has elected the Alliance Party's Gerardine Mulvenna as mayor, with Stewart McDonald of the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) as deputy.

Other councils filling their top two positions for the year included:

  • Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, where the DUP's Margaret Tinsley will be lord mayor and Sinn Féin's Sorchá McGeown will be deputy lord mayor.
  • Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, where Sinn Féin's Valerie Harte will be council chairperson and SDLP's Gareth Sharvin will be deputy chair.
  • Mid-Ulster District Council, where Sinn Féin's Dominic Molloy will be the new chair and Ulster Unionist councillor Meta Graham will be deputy chair.

Last week, two councils filled their top positions.

Causeway Coast and Glens elected Steven Callaghan of the DUP as mayor, with Margaret-Anne McKillop of the SDLP as deputy.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Council chose Mark Cooper of the DUP as mayor, with Sinn Féin's Rosie Kinnear as deputy.

In last month's election, Sinn Féin became the largest party in local government in Northern Ireland for the first time.

They won 144 seats, an increase of 39, well ahead of the DUP on 122 and Alliance on 67.