A special meeting of Donegal County Council descended into a ‘fiasco’ this afternoon, with gardaí called to the scene.
The meeting was brought to a halt following an alleged phone theft by Independent Cllr Frank McBrearty during one of several adjournments.
Amid heated scenes in the Aura Leisure Centre, Cllr McBrearty took a mobile phone from the hands of Sinn Féin Cllr Gary Doherty. Cllr McBrearty also attempted to remove a phone from SF Cllr Jack Murray, but was not successful.
Shortly after, Cllr McBrearty was ordered to leave the meeting by Cathaoirleach Liam Blaney over his persistent ‘disregard of the rule of the chair’. Cllr McBrearty left the building, taking Cllr Doherty’s phone with him.
Cllr Doherty and a number of his colleagues followed Cllr McBrearty out of the Aura, repeatedly asking that the phone be returned. Cllr McBrearty got into his vehicle in the car park. Witnesses saw five Sinn Féin councillors standing around Cllr McBrearty’s vehicle in an attempt to stop him. Cllr McBrearty subsequently drove off the property.
Gardaí later arrived at the meeting to take statements.
As the meeting resumed, Cathaoirleach Liam Blaney apologised to all present in the chamber for the scenes that took place.
“I’m determined this council is not going to turn into a circus,” Cllr Blaney said.
Gardaí attended the end of the Special Meeting of Donegal County Council today
Cllr Gary Doherty, who was visibly angered, said: “I find myself in the strange and unusual position of being logged into ‘Find my mobile’ at a council meeting because an elected member physically marched over to where I was standing, grabbed my phone out of my hand, physically, with force, and refused to hand it back.
“When asked to do so by me and other elected members refused to do so. He then attempted to grab a mobile phone of another elected member of this council and despite repeated requests to hand the phone back, refused to do so, and walked off here with my property.
“As I am an elected representative, there is obviously a lot of sensitive information, it’s got my council emails, my private emails and it’s the means of communication with friends and family.
“This has been going on far too long. What else has to happen here before there is sanctions against people who have acted like thugs?”’
Cllr Doherty asked: “Is somebody going to have to be physically injured, and that was very close to happening today because that member took off his glasses, he had his fist clenched and was ready to strike.
“When he went outside we walked over to the car, and stood in front of the car but he drove on, recklessly endangering our lives, as attested to by a person who witnessed it, a member of the public.
“This is at a council meeting.”
Cllr Doherty highlighted a meeting of the Lifford MD last week, when gardaí were also called to the County House, and said: “This is the second time in 12 days that I’ve been at a meeting of the council that guards have to be called.
“I don’t know where we go from here, I really don’t, but I’m at the end of my tether here.”
Today’s special meeting of the council was adjourned by Cathaoirleach Liam Blaney on four occasions due to “continuous disruption” and numerous incidents of Independent Cllr Frank McBrearty “disrespecting the chair”. The meeting was intended to discuss the ‘An Crannla’ report into allegations of corruption regarding the purchase of five mica-affected homes in Buncrana in 2021. Cllr McBrearty has alleged ‘systemic corruption’ within Donegal County Council over the purchase process. The independent report, published this week, found no evidence of corruption and exonerated all Donegal council staff of any alleged wrongdoing.
After today’s incidents, the meeting to discuss the report was adjourned and is due to resume next Monday.
