Councillors annoyed at being omitted from St Patrick's Day trip to Glasgow
"We as members are being ignored in these very important engagements with Glasgow"
The make up of the Donegal County Council delegation to the St Patrick's Day celebration in Glasgow was queried at Monday's meeting of the Lifford-Stranorlar Municipal District.
It was told that Donegal Tourism has been selected by Tourism Ireland to promote the county in Glasgow in March. It will participate in the St Patrick's Family Day consumer promotion is being held in Merchant Square, Glasgow. In addition to the consumer event, there is an evening event that will provide the opportunity to network with the market-based Scottish travel trade.
The matter was raised by cathaoirleach Cllr Patrick McGowan when he asked who exactly was going.
Mary McBride from the council's economic development, information systems and emergency services section said she understood only one staff member was attending but would seek clarification and come back to him.
Cllr Frank McBrearty Jnr said he felt the councillors should be part of any delegation going to Glasgow and he reminded the meeting when he was mayor he hosted the Mayor of Glasgow at a civic reception.
"We as members are being ignored in these very important engagements with Glasgow. I would say all the members of this municipal district have connections in Glasgow. Other areas seem to take their members to events like this to do the networking that is necessary from a political point of view but that is being ignored in this municipal district to date," he said.