Tributes were paid to Director of Finance, Housing & Cultural John Murray, who revealed that yesterday would be his last Monaghan County Council meeting before he embarks on his retirement. Leading the tributes, Cathaoirleach of Monaghan County Council Sean Conlon, described Mr Murray as a "faithful" and "committed" civil servant, who was the "back bone" of Monaghan County Council.
Dealing with the delicate issue of finances, Cllr Conlon said John Murray had a "great dedication" to this role. Fine Gael's David Maxwell said that John Murray is what "exemplifies" public service, and is someone who had the "best interests" of the county at heart.
Sean Gilliland went on to describe the director of services as a "true Monaghan man" adding that the accountability he had for his role was second to none. While complementing his friendly and supportive nature, Cllr Gilliland also made reference to his professionalism, saying that despite all those traits he still had the "sharpness of the pen" when it came to making important and beneficial decisions come budget time.
Picking up on this, Cllr PJ O'Hanlon also paid tribute to the work of John Murray, adding that he has left the county in a "very healthy" financial position. "It is clear to see that John had a passion, love and interest in the job. The work he done during his time was always done with pride and I always found John very practical in his approach. It is a sad day and he will be a massive loss to this council, but he should be very proud of himself and the work he has done."
"You could always depend on John as he always told you straight," said Cllr Raymond Aughey. "You should be proud of yourself, you've left a great legacy here."
