Laois Cathaoirleach accuses councillor of name calling
Cllr Moran told Cllr McEvoy that she was “sick of you” and he replied that he was “sick of you too.”
The Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council has accused another councillor of name calling during a recent meeting.
Independent Cllr Aisling Moran became embroiled in an exchange with Fianna Fáil Cllr Paschal McEvoy during the May monthly meeting of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.
Tempers flared during a discussion about a settlement at The Heath which was raised by Cllr Moran.
“At The Heath there I know there is people parked up illegally,” said Cllr Moran.
She said the issue had been raised at a Joint Policing Committee meeting where there were claims of “stress and intimidation” for the local people in the area.
Cllr Moran said if a young couple put up a mobile home on their own land the council’s enforcement section would “be on it” straight away.
“If you are going to leave someone sitting on the side of the road in caravans where they shouldn’t be then let people put caravans up in their back gardens. There has to be some sort of equality here and there’s not,” she said.
Cllr McEvoy told Cllr Moran that he was aware of the situation and of measures being taken by council to resolve it. He said he has been following the council’s work on the issue since April 2020.
“To be fair to the council they have done everything in their power,” he said. He claimed the people at the settlement in The Heath had been offered accommodation. He said there was a process ongoing and it should be allowed to take its course.
Cllr Moran said it has been going on for four years.
“Whatever I say you jump down my neck,” she said.
She told Cllr McEvoy that she was “sick of you” and he replied that he was “sick of you too.”
Cllr McEvoy accused Cllr Moran of name calling, which was denied.
Cathaoirleach of the Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District, Independent Cllr Ben Brennan, called on the councillors to stop.
Fine Gael Cllr PJ Kelly said “it is a local election month. That is all I will say.”
Cllr Brennan claimed there was a similar issue with a settlement at Simmon’s Hill where he claimed old people are afraid to go for a walk.