Accusations fly as new Cathaoirleach of Tullamore Municipal District elected

FIANNA Fail Councillor Declan Harvey was elected as Cathaoirleach of Tullamore Municipal District for the second time at the June meeting of the council.

The Tullamore based councillor was elected following a show of hands, but not before a number of accusations were made by the two independent councillors at the manner in which he was elected.

Councillor Sean O'Brien described Fianna Fail and Fine Gael members as playing ''musical chairs,'' remarking that it reminded him of the song; ''He stepped out and I stepped in again.'' Councillor Ken Smollen said it was a ''flawed system.''

The meeting also witnessed the unusual step of Councillors O'Brien and Smollen seconding their own nominations in the absence of anyone else to perform the task.

Cllr Harvey was nominated for chair by outgoing Cathaoirleach, Fine Gael Councillor Neil Feighery and seconded by Fianna Fail Councillor Tony McCormack who was elected Leas Cathaoirleach, having been nominated and seconded by his party colleagues Cllr Danny Owens and Cllr Frank Moran also of Fianna Fail.

Cllr Sean O'Brien was nominated for the position of Cathaoirleach by Cllr Ken Smollen while Cllr O'Brien nominated Cllr Smollen for Leas Cathaoirleach.

Neither of the independent councillors received a seconder and had to second themselves. Following a check if this was permissible their nominations were allowed to go forward.

The two lost out to Fianna Fail who won both positions.

Cllr O'Brien said, ''this is the fifth year of the council. There has been a blanket coalition of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. He said the public are aware of all this. Referring to the 2024 local elections he added,''I think we will hear about that next year.''

Cllr Smollen said, as ''far as I'm aware Edenderry and Birr shared out these positions very fairly and Tullamore Municipal District are the only ones where the Fianna Fail/Fine Gael party kept all these positions to themselves for the period of this council.''

Cllr Neil Feighery said the ''mantra'' of musical chairs was a repeat of what was said when he had been elected to the chair last year. '

'We were all elected democratically and we all bring different attributes, different skills and different perspectives to the chair. Fine Gael is not in power, we are in opposition. It's painted here as if we are in coalition with Fianna Fail, no we are not. We do take a responsible position in opposition,'' he said.

''It's my understanding that members will receive the chair in terms of where they came when they were elected. I understand that's how it is. It's a numbers game, politics, and I think we have to realise that. I certainly support Councillor Harvey, he said.

Councillor Danny Owens, said he took ''great exception'' to the description by Councillor Smollen of a flawed system. '

'It's not a flawed system, it's politics,'' he said. ''Everybody does things to the best of their ability. To describe it as a flawed system is downright horrible and untrue,'' he added.

Cllr Smollen interjected and said he had noted Cllr Feighery and Cllr Harvey refer to it as being a numbers game. ''From what I recall I was elected fifth on this list. Everyone of us work hard. I acknowledge the work every councillor does. But this is not a fair system and is a very flawed democratic process. It may be in existence for years but it's still flawed and the general public can see that,'' he insisted.

Cllr Tony McCormack accused Cllr Sean O'Brien of having, ''a very short memory.'' He said he recalled that, ''when he was in the Tullamore Urban District. Councillor O'Brien and others were very very quick to get their numbers together after the election of 2009. They didn't give anything to any of us. We had four members elected from Fianna Fail the other five were two Labour, two Fine Gael and one Sinn Fein.

"They joined up forces and they didn't give us anything until we had one of the members of the Labour Party join our group. So for him to turn around and talk about the situation being wrong and unfair. He was very much part of that system himself,'' said Cllr McCormack.

Cllr Sean O'Brien clarified that a Fianna Fail member had been appointed vice chair at that time.

Councillor Declan Harvey said he was taking the chair for everybody. He said he would be fair and give everyone a chance to speak.