A FIANNA Fail councillor is at the centre of a Garda meeting controversy, it has emerged.
Cllr Patrick McGowan had a meeting with the head of the force in Co Donegal; but colleagues say he shouldn’t have.
Independent councillor Frank McBrearty has called on Chief Supt Terry McGinn to appear before Donegal County Council as a result of the controversy.
“At yesterday’s Full Council meeting it was brought to my attention that Cllr McGowan was in a meeting with Chief Supt Terry McGinn in the Mayor’s office concerning a number of issues that were aired at a special meeting of the council the previous Friday and in particular the comments raised in a letter sent by the Chief Supt McGinn to the ETB.,” said former mayor McBrearty.
“At yesterday’s meeting I asked Cllr Noel McBride the Chairman of the Joint Policing Committee was he informed about the meeting with the Chief Superintendent.
“He informed me that he had no knowledge of any meeting. In comments made to the media yesterday by Cllr McGowan, they seemed to imply that the Cllr was representing the JPC, the council and the ETB.
“After speaking with a number of my colleagues on the council it is obvious that Cllr McGowan and the FF party have gone on a solo run.
“I am calling on Supt McGinn to address a full council meeting and update the members on her discussions with Cllr McGowan.
“The action of Cllr McGowan has undermined the chairman of the JPC and the role of the members. After reading Supt.Terry McGinns comments to Shaun Purcell about reduced demand for drugs being due to the likelihood of emigration of persons in the 18-30 age bracket, I feel that the Supt should have addressed the elected members to explain her comments.
“We cannot make accusations about our youth with no proof to back it up. I believe that the reason for the lower drug detection rates in Donegal are due to the fact that there is less garda activity in these areas due to lack of garda resources.”
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