Donegal County Councillor Michael Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig has apologised for making a mistake during council proceedings today.
The Glenties area councillor said he wrongly voted against a motion on housing.
Cllr Mac Giolla Easbuig said he voted in haste, without knowing the full details of a counter motion put forward by Cllr Frank McBrearty.
The vote arose on the back of a motion from Sinn Féin Cllr Terry Crossan. Cllr Crossan sought to call on the Government to allow Donegal County Council to source and procure properties to help the increasingly serious emergency housing situation.
Cllr McBrearty objected to the motion and argued that Donegal County Council should not be involved in any acquisition, procurement or sourcing of any properties until there is a full independent investigation into their acquisition programme.
Cllr McBrearty asked members to reject the motion until there is a full independent investigation into the purchase of five Mica-affected houses in Buncrana.
Cllr Mac Giolla Easbuig seconded the objection and a vote was called on Cllr Crossan’s motion.
Cllr Mac Giolla Easbuig was the only member to vote against the motion, after Cllr McBrearty abstained from voting “on the grounds of systemic corruption”.
Cllr Michael McBride also abstained from voting. Cllr Crossan’s original motion was passed with 32 votes in favour.
Soon afterwards, Cllr Mac Giolla Easbuig issued a public apology. He said he was in agreement with the need for an investigation into council acquisitions, but he did not agree with a halt on the purchasing of homes.
“A lot of my work is housing, I’m taking this bad personally,” Cllr Mac Giolla Easbuig said.
“I did not agree with the second part of the counter motion but when a vote was called, I voted in haste for the counter motion and found myself alone in voting against the original motion. To my surprise, the councillor who put forward the counter motion decided to abstain on the very motion he had objected to.
“I am proud to be on the SPC of Housing within the council and I will always work with the council to build much needed homes for our communities.”
