FIANNA Fail bosses in Dublin have asked for a report on the Byrne-gate scandal, Donegal Daily has learned.
It follows an admission by Donegal Fianna Fail councillor Brendan Byrne that he had commissioned solicitors’ letters threatening to sue Independent Councillor Terence Slowey, including one from former county manager Michael McLoone.
But Mr McLoone knew nothing about the letter and issued his own statement disowning Cllr Byrne, a Mayor of the county in 2009/10.
Legal correspondence read into the record at a meeting of Donegal County Council earlier this week showed that Cllr Byrne had instructed a legal firm to issue proceedings against Cllr Slowey for remarks he made in the council chamber in November.
But Mr McLoone’s lawyers wrote to the council to say he had NEVER asked Carrick councillor Byrne to issue proceedings on his behalf.
Cllr Byrne admitted his role in the chamber but refused to apologise for the move which friends of Cllr Slowey slammed.
Now it has emerged that Fianna Fail headquarters has been told about what happened, with one source admitting: “They were gobsmacked.
“It took a while for everyone to take this all in; that a county councillor would commission bogus letters on behalf of someone else.
“Party officials had to read all the legal correspondence several times just to take it in.”
The source added: “They want an internal party investigation into this whole sorry affair. They are deeply unhappy with it.”
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