Council’s €10,000 spend on four new chains of office

The September meeting of Offaly County Council heard that the cost of providing four new chains of office for the Cathaoireach and his counterparts on Tullamore, Edenderry and Birr municipal districts will amount to €10,000.

"Chains of office are not cheap" said Cllr John Leahy, who is the current Cathaoirleach of the Offaly local authority, “but this is an issue which has been going on a long time and I think we need to agree on it and put it to bed once and for all.”

Cllr Leahy said the existing chain of office will be put “in cold storage” for the foreseeable future, and he suggested that perhaps it could eventually be put “on permanent display” in the council chamber.

Chief Executive Anna Marie Delaney said the new chains of office will be ready within the next “eight to ten weeks.”

Having been debated and agreed on at a meeting of the council's Corporate Policy Group (CPG) there was no dissent from members when it was raised at this week's council meeting.

A chain of office is a decorative collar, often made of metal and including a central medallion, that serves as a symbol of authority and dignity for a high-ranking official.

The decorative chains are worn by officials like mayors, university presidents, or other dignitaries during public ceremonies to symbolise the history, values, and public trust of the institution they represent.