Cllr O’Donnell takes his seat at the council before the meeting starts. Pic twitter
CLLR Frank McBrearty has lost in his bid to have Cllr John O’Donnell kicked off council committees.
Councillors voted for a counter motion from Cllr Ian McGarvey and seconded by Cllr Nicholas Crossan allowing for ‘due process’ in the controversy
Councillors voted 20 votes to 12 in favour of moving on from the issue and to allow the current investigation into O’Donnell to continue.
Councillors John Campbell and Michael Mac Giolla Easpaig walked out of the meeting.
They were cheered by six members of the public, with one man walking towards Cllr O’Donnell and shouting in his face: “There are people on the streets of Dublin because of corrupt politicians like you.”
Sinn Fein voted with McBrearty on the issue.
Fianna Fail and Fine Gael councillors voted for Cllr McGarvey’s motion. Chair Ciaran Brogan abstained as did independent Michael McBride. Cllr Niamh Kennedy supported the McGarvey motion.
The meeting had to be suspended as members of the public walked out and staged a noisy protest just outside the council chamber.
Earlier councillors were told that they cannot expel controversial councillor O’Donnell.
The council had already ruled they cannot remove him as a council.
Cllr O’Donnell arrived at the January monthly meeting in Lifford today before it started.
He took his seat without talking to councillors. He has been at the centre of a media storm since an RTE programme broadcast on December 7 showed him offering favours to an undercover journalist team in return for payment.
Cllr Frank McBrearty told the chamber that he knew that the council could not remove O’Donnell from his seat as a councillor.
However he said the council did have the power to remove the Kilmacrennan man from council committees.
“We need to send a clear signal to this country that we will not tolerate corruption in Ireland and more specifically here in Donegal,” said Cllr McBrearty.
The motion was seconded by Cllr John Campbell.
However council director Liam Ward said based on legal advice given to the council, councillors did not have power to expel Cllr O’Donnell from committees.
The council has adjourned until 2pm.
Tags:
