'Council trying to silence me' claims Cllr Frank McBrearty Jnr

Independent councillor, Frank McBrearty Jnr has claimed Donegal County Council is attempting to silence him by ruling his motions and question out of order for their meeting next Monday.

The Raphoe councillor alleges the council is making illegal decisions in relation to some of the questions and motions he has submitted.

He claims he has been told that because there was an item already on the agenda about mica houses at An Crannla, Buncrana, his motion would not be allowed to go forward.

"That is not democratic and I am a democratically elected member of the council who is allowed to raise such legitimate questions.

He added he now wanted the council to outline the legal basis on which it had acted.

"In my motion, I have called on the Government to establish an independent investigation/tribunal of inquiry concerning the five mica houses in Buncrana and all acquisitions made by the council since 2008."

He said he also questioned other matters in relation to the ongoing housing situation.

In an e-mail response to the councillor he was told that it was agreed by the council's Corporate Policy Group (CPG) that An Crannla would be dealt with as a specific agenda item as opposed to dealing with the same under motions.
 
In relation to the question on housing matters, it was decided this question would not be included on the agenda as it is deemed to be potentially defamatory, and inappropriate.

Cllr McBrearty Jnr said he had queried these matters with the council but had received no answer.

"If they think this will stop me from exposing systemic corruption they have another thing coming," he said.