Councillor Debbie Coyle nominated as Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council held its Annual Meeting in the Townhall, Enniskillen on Monday 01 June 2026 with Councillor Debbie Coyle, Sinn Féin, nominated as Council Chair for 2026-2027 and Councillor Stephen McCann, Sinn Féin, nominated as Vice Chair.

Accepting the position, Councillor Coyle said:

“I would like to sincerely thank the outgoing Chair, Barry McElduff, for his leadership over the past year and also acknowledge the many positive initiatives delivered during his term as Chair. I am honoured by the trust placed in me by my party colleagues to serve as Chair for the year ahead.

This role is deeply personal to me. My life experiences, including overcoming domestic abuse, have shaped my commitment to supporting others and ensuring that every voice is heard. No one should suffer in silence, and I am determined to help raise awareness and support those affected by gender-based violence.

Having worked for over 40 years in healthcare, I understand the challenges facing individuals, families and carers, and the importance of accessible local services.

My vision is one of inclusion, compassion and strong communities, where everyone feels valued. I look forward to working together across Council and the community to make a meaningful difference.

This position is a real honour for me. Let’s all roll up our sleeves and make real changes together in the year ahead.”

The Chair also announced that her chosen charity for the year will be Fermanagh & Omagh Women’s Aid, which is dedicated to working to end domestic violence against women and children. The Chair chose the charity following her own personal experience of being supported by Fermanagh Women’s Aid in 1996.

Accepting the position of Vice Chair, Councillor McCann said:

“I am honoured to accept the position of Vice Chair, with immense pride, humility and a strong sense of responsibility to the people of this District, particularly in West Tyrone. I would like to pay tribute to last year’s Chair and Vice Chair, Barry McElduff and Shirley Hawkes, and acknowledge the ongoing hard work of Council staff.

I am proud of what this Council continues to deliver, investing in communities and  improving services, all while maintaining to be one of the Council’s with the lowest District Rate increase and indeed, the lowest increase in 2026 – 2027.

I look forward to working constructively with colleagues, communities and partners, and I thank my family, friends and party for their support as I represent our District in the year ahead.”

The nomination of Committee Chairs for 2026-2027 also took place at the Annual Meeting with the following Councillors being nominated:

Environmental Services – Councillor Dermot Browne
Regeneration and Community – Councillor Patrick Withers
Policy and Resources – Councillor AnnMarie Donnelly
Planning – Councillor Thomas Maguire

All nominations to the Positions of Responsibility and Committees were based on d’Hondt – a method which allocates positions proportionately based on each political groupings’ representation – and were agreed at the first Annual Meeting of the current Council mandate (2023-2027) in June 2023.

The first Council meeting of the 2026-2027 Council term will take place on Tuesday 02 June 2026 in The Grange, Omagh.