Cllr Frank McBrearty
INDEPENDENT Councillor Frank McBrearty says he is ‘angry’ and ‘shocked’ after he was forced to leave a policing meeting today – after he protested at the presence of controversial councillor John O’Donnell.
Cllr McBrearty said it was a ‘Black Friday for politics’ after he was removed at the Joint Policing Committee meeting at Lifford council offices.
The Raphoe politician stood up and called for Cllr O’Donnell to be removed following his appearance in an RTE Investigates programme on political corruption.
In the programme Cllr O’Donnell was heard to tell an undercover reporter that he could help a fictitious wind farm company in return for cash. He also said he could get the support of 25 to 30 other councillors.
Cllr McBrearty asked the Committee Chair Cllr Gerry McMonagle to ask that John O Donnell remove himself from the meeting.
“It’s a black day for the council when they let a publicly exposed councillor sit on a committee meeting that is about greater consultation, cooperation and synergy on policing and crime issues between An Garda Síochána, Local Authorities and elected local representatives and they remove me, someone who has fought against corruption my whole life,” said Cllr McBrearty.
“The people of Donegal put me on the council to represent them, I will stand up every time for them.”
Cllr McBrearty also asked that O Donnell apologise and confirm that Cllr Mc Brearty was not one of the 25 councillors he said supported him on the RTE programme.
Mc Brearty also asked why O Donnell had not responded to his solicitor’s letter. Mr O’Donnell made no response to McBrearty at any point.
As well as demanding his expulsion, Cllr McBrearty wants Cllr O’Donnell to be expelled from all committees he serves under on the council.
Cllr McBrearty was removed from the chamber on a proposal by chairman Cllr Gerry McMonagle after it was claimed he had breached the code of conduct for councillors.
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