Tuam councillor’s brother to return to County Hall

Seeking more funds for Tuam

TUAM man Steven McHugh is set to return to the world of local politics next week as he once again takes a temporary seat on Galway County Council.

Karey McHugh Farag made history in September 2023 when she became the first member of Galway County Council to take maternity leave.

Cllr McHugh Farag and her husband Trevor celebrated the birth of their second child over the weekend. Steven took up the mantle in his sister's absence and is set to fill the role in County Hall for the next six months, starting with Monday’s plenary meeting.

“I’m not going in cold this time, I know how everything works so I should be able to get my head in the game much quicker,” Steven told The Tuam Herald.

“My goal for this short time in the role is to represent the people of Tuam, while bringing up the specific issues that keep coming up when I speak with people in the town.

“My message to constituents is that I will be a voice for the people of Tuam, so please don’t hesitate to contact me. I want to hear from people so that I can bring their concerns up at council meetings.”

Steven believes Tuam is lacking in investment compared to other towns in neighbouring counties. He will be using his time as a councillor to advocate for more money to be spent improving the town.

“You stand in the squares of Claremorris or Roscommon, and you can clearly see the investment their local authorities have put into the local footpaths and the public lighting,” added Steven, who works in the family business GH Agri.

“Tuam needs an upgrade, as it is the most populated area in the county bar Galway City. We need more money to be allocated here so we can make the same improvements seen in other similarly sized towns,” he concluded.