‘A really good pair of guiding hands’: Outgoing Kildare County Council official thanked for her service

An outgoing Kildare County Council (KCC) official was recently thanked by a number of local representatives for her work during the course of her career.

Councillors representing the Celbridge-Leixlip Municipal District (MD) expressed their gratitude to KCC's Manager for Transport, Mobility and Open Spaces, Celina Barrett, at the latest MD meeting on Friday, November 21 last.

It was heard that Ms Barrett will be leaving KCC in January of 2026.

Paying tribute to Ms Barrett, Fianna Fáil Cllr Bernard Caldwell congratulated her for "all the good work" she had carried out for the MD. 

His party colleague, Cllr David Trost, also said that Ms Barrett's new role would be a "big loss" to KCC.

READ NEXT: Christmas lights in this Kildare town will go on this weekend

The Mayor of the MD, Labour Party Cllr Ruper Heather, also said that Ms Barrett was "an incredibly hard-working and knowledgeable person."

Fine Gael Cllr Paul Brooks (who appeared at the meeting by virtual means) extended his gratitude to Ms Barrett, and said that her new employers "would be lucky" to have her working for them.

Social Democrats Cllr Nuala Killeen (who also appeared at the meeting by virtual means) then told Ms Barrett: "We would be lost without you; you have overseen a lot of change."

Lastly, Cllr Killeen's party colleague, Cllr Claire O'Rourke (who also appeared by virtual means), described Ms Barrett as "a really good pair of guiding hands".

"I wish you well in your new endeavours," she added.

Once all the MD representatives had spoken to Ms Barrett, she replied by thanking them all for their comments. 

She also told the members: "I have enjoyed working with you all."

Celina Barrett of Kildare County Council. Photograph credit: Kildarecoco.ie

READ NEXT: Kildare County Council criticised over lack of progress for Master Plan

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.