Councillors clash over voting procedures

Independent Raphoe councillor Frank McBrearty Jnr and Donegal County Council cathaoirleach, Cllr Liam Blaney clashed over voting procedures at the start of Monday's meeting in Lifford.

The matter came to a head when Cllr McBrearty Jnr, who was attending in an online capacity, accused the cathaoirleach of ignoring his attempts to propose or second a planning request from the council for approval to carry out work in his home town.

Cllr McBrearty Jnr aired his views after Cllr Blaney accepted councillors Gerry Crawford and Martin Harley as proposer and seconder for a request by the council to carry out works with regard to upgrading traffic and pedestrian facilities on Guesthouse End. Further work from Meeting House Street to St Eunan’s National School was proposed and seconded by councillors Patrick McGowan and Liam Doherty.

"Are you ignoring the people online? asked Cllr McBrearty Jnr.

Cllr Blaney denied saying he had made his presence known he would have acknowledged him but as it was he opted for the first councillors he saw.

Cllr McBrearty Jnr retorted he had indicated that he wished to propose this work as he was the sitting councillor in Raphoe and claimed that he had not been given the opportunity to propose or second the proposal.

"Am I still not allowed to come in," he asked.

Cllr Blaney said as he had proposers and seconders he accepted them and apologised to Cllr McBrearty if he felt he had been ignored.

The cathaoirleach continued on with the agenda and ruled comments Cllr McBrearty Jnr out of order after he had asked him to deal with items in a letter he had sent him the previous week about other procedural matters.