Garda called to council meeting

An Garda Síochána were called to a meeting of Donegal County Council in the Aura leisure centre in Letterkenny at which a majority of councillors voted to commence High Court proceedings against Cllr Frank McBrearty (Independent).

Cllr McBrearty refused to leave the chamber, in contravention of a motion passed at the council's January plenary meeting.

Cllr Frank McBrearty Jr and Frank McBrearty Sr entering today's Donegal County Council meeting.

That meeting, which which was adjourned six times and postponed on January 31, resumed this afternoon, was adjourned twice and has been further postponed until February 21.

During the brief resumption of today's business, the majority of councillors voted in favour of a motion to commence High Court proceedings against Cllr McBrearty.

The motion, proposed by Cllr Terry Crossan (Sinn Féin) and seconded by Cllr Ciaran Brogan (Fianna Fail), expressly authorised Donegal County Council's Chief Executive to commence proceedings in the High Court against Cllr McBrearty seeking all appropriate orders required to enforce the said suspension for the period of same, including an order for the costs of those proceedings.

Addressing the chamber, a clearly exasperated Cathaoirleach Jack Murray said it had been "a very, very, very low day for our council".

"He added: "Some of the things that happened outside this meeting are nothing short of appalling. Some of the things I witnessed, I never thought that I would see happening in a democratically elected forum. 

"But I would say this, it was conducted and carried out by one person and one person alone. Everybody else in this room has handled themselves with dignity throughout the day but we have been dragged into this position throughout the day. So, based on the legal advice, I have been getting and in conjunction with the Chief Executive, and having spoken to all of the political groupings, I want to put this proposal."

Donegal County Council motion in full:

"Having regard to (1) the resolution passed in the first part of this meeting, held on January 31, 2022, that Cllr Frank McBrearty be suspended with immediate effect from all meetings of the council and any committee of the council and all meetings of municipal district members for a period of one month and (2) Cllr McBrearty's refusal to with the suspension by attending at the adjourned meeting on February 7, 2022. (3) The Chief Executive and the Cathaoirleach, having consulted in accordance with paragraph 13.6 of the Local Government Act of 2001, that the Chief Executive is hearby expressly authorised to commence proceedings in the High Court against Cllr McBrearty seeking all appropriate orders required to enforcethe said suspension for the period of same, including an order for the costs of those proceedings and the meeting be now adjourned until Monday, February 21, 2022 at 11.00am.

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