Conflict of interest declaration is a 'trap' claims Mayo councillor
West Mayo councillors have questioned why they have to declare if they have a conflict of interest before each meeting
A west Mayo councillor has questioned why councillors have to declare if they have a 'conflict of interest' before each meeting and claimed it will be used to 'trap' them.
As part of the agenda for the July monthly meeting of the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District, councillors were asked by officials to declare if they have a conflict of interest with any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.
This was the first time that councillors were asked to declare a conflict of interest regarding any of the items on the agenda and this was queried by a number of councillors.
“Everything has a conflict of interest,” Cllr Paul McNamara, saying it was unfair of councillors to have to declare something before it is raised at the meeting.
Director of Services, Joanne Grehan explained that it was a standard procedure for councillors to declare if they have any material interest regarding items on the agenda.
However, Cllr McNamara and other councillors said they were not given any documentation on what they have to declare.
“I don't agree with it because it is a trap for one of us to walk into if we are involved in something unbeknownst to ourselves that is a conflict of interest that some smart individual decides to make something of and we will be wide open.
“We have all been here before and this is Mayo County Council covering themselves with conflict of interests. We all have a conflict of interest when we are elected to represent the public with all the phone calls we get every day,” he said.
Cathaoirleach of the municipal district, Cllr Brendan Mulroy pointed that the next item on the agenda for the meeting is approving GMA funding for community groups which he said they all have an interest in.
“We will break the conflict of interest with GMA allocation because we are all involved with different clubs.
“We are all involved in different aspects and we will run into serious difficulties,” he said.
Erris-based councillor Gerry Coyle agreed saying he is involved with the football club and the boxing club in his area and he will be allocating GMA funding towards them.
Cllr McNamara called for the item to be taken off the agenda until 'proper documentation' is provided to councillors to 'make it clear what conflict of interest is' and 'what can and can't be done'. His proposal was seconded by Cllr John O'Malley and Seamus Ó Mongáin, Head of the Municipal District said he will seek a briefing around the areas of conflict of interest for the next meeting.