History will be made on Friday when the newly merged Limerick City and County Council meet for the first time.
The recently-elected 40 members of the new authority will meet at the University Concert Hall at 2.30pm.
Among the first items on the agenda is to elect a new Cathaoirleach and Leas Cathaoirleach for the next twelve months. As no party has a majority on the new body, it is likely to be a coalition of parties that controls the Council for the next five years.
Fianna Fáil has the biggest representation on the new Council with 13 members, Fine Gael has 12, Sinn Féin 6, Labour and Anti Austerity Alliance 3 each and there are three Independents, Brigid Teefy, Emmett O’Brien and John Gilligan.
There was a threat of a split in the Fianna Fáil group over the weekend but that matter has now been resolved and all groups are focused on Friday’s meeting.
Discussions are ongoing between parties and the Independents. A picture of who will come together to form a majority will not become clear until later in the week.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have a comfortable majority of 25 members between them and should form a cohesive group. Any other combination will need three groups to get the necessary majority of 21 to elect a Cathaoirleach and Leas Cathaoirleach.