THE stand-off between elected members of Bundoran Town Council and a member of the public continued today – after councillors decided to hold the monthly meeting in secret!
The November meeting of Bundoran Town Council went into committee as the member of the public – Patricia McCafferty – has refused to give a written undertaking to councillors to behave within specified guidelines.
Ms McCafferty turned up for today’s meeting, having failed to give the guarantee to councillors.
Just a few minutes into the meeting Town Manager Garry Martin and Town Clerk Joe McNulty approached Ms McCafferty who is banned from meetings unless she gives a behaviour guarantee.
When she refused the Sinn Fein Mayor of the Town Cllr Micheal McMahon said it gave him “no pleasure” and it was with “deep regret” that the meeting will be held in committee.
Independent Cllr Dermot Doherty said he was not prepared to have a meeting without the media present. He said the rule banning Ms McCafferty from the meeting should have been enforced – so that the meeting could go ahead in public.
Fine Gael Councillor Denise Connolly called on the council to adjourn the meeting for five minutes to see if the council could go into committee (secret) at such short notice.
Town Manager Garry Martin confirmed the council could go into committee and the council did so. The press, the public and Ms McCafferty were then excluded from the meeting.
Sources say the decision stopped the council having to have Ms McCafferty forcibly removed from the meeting.
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