Waterford councillors clash over €20,000 security gate controversy at tense meeting

Two Waterford councillors have clashed over the spending of nearly €20,000 of public money on private security gates.

Last month, it was revealed that Fine Gael councillors Lola O’Sullivan and Pat Nugent had both been allocated in the region of €10,000 for security measures at their homes in 2025.

The story received widespread attention, with many people, particularly on social media, criticising the two councillors.

Sinn Féin councillor John Hearne also slammed the spending of the money.

Cllr O’Sullivan, who is the current Metropolitan Mayor, took issue with these comments at the September plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council.

She stated: “I was very disappointed to see a councillor take to social media to criticise myself and Cllr Nugent in relation to us availing of the security fund recently, which the AILG fought for hard and we had a member of his own party on that AILG at the time.

“One of the most offending pieces for me was when a person on his Facebook page called myself, I presume, and Cllr Nugent, ‘gravy train parasites’, which Cllr Hearne felt the need to approve of that and give it the thumbs up.

“What I want to know from Cllr Hearne is, does we refer to myself and Cllr Nugent as the only ‘gravy train parasites’ or is he referring to everybody at this council who received the funding?”

In response to Cllr O’Sullivan’s comments, Cllr Hearne outlined his own experience when it comes to matters of intimidation and security.

He stated: “I know more about intimidation and strife than most. My own car was burnt down and I’ve had several death threats in the past.

“I’m very well versed on security. I worked as personal security, protecting people, in the past for years. I know a lot about protecting people.

“I addressed this issue at the last district meeting. I said at the last district meeting that I think €10,000 spent on a gate is an awful lot of money. I think it is.

“I think if you can walk around the gate, you can climb over the gate, you can get past the gate and you spent €10,000, I think it’s poorly spent.”

Cllr Hearne argued that councillors need to stand up to those who threaten and intimidate them.

“I have advocated in the past that the council has a system where we tie in with the guards, that we do get after criminals.

“I know from my personal history, that unless you go after criminals, take them on and lock them up.

“It doesn’t help councillors if we lock ourselves away. We should be on the ground fighting forcibly against people like that.”

He concluded by criticising the system in place for the allocation of funding for security measures.

“I think the system we have where if you have to get a wheelchair lift off the council, you have to go and get three tenders.

“Just to get councillors to send in a bill, I think that’s the wrong way to go. I think it should be that you go and get three tenders.”

Cllr Hearne also responded to accusations relating to him liking the comment which referred to the councillors as “gravy train parasites”.

He stated: “The allegation that I would disrespect any member is absolute nonsense. I respect every member here and I always have done.”

A number of other councillors, including Mayor Liam Brazil, defended their colleagues over the spending of the money.

Public records show that Cllr Nugent was allocated €10,000 for private security measures last year, whilst Cllr O’Sullivan was allocated €9,591.

The money was allocated under amendments made to the Local Government Act 2001, which came into effect in July of last year.

The legislation allows for funding to be provided to elected members where they are seen to face “a credible and serious threat to their personal physical security”.