Sinn Fein councillor Jack Murray has said he is deeply concerned after comments made by Fianna Fáil whip Ciaran Brogan at Donegal County Council’s AGM yesterday.
After losing the vote to have a second FF mayor in this term of the council, Ciaran Brogan said that Fianna Fáil would make the council unworkable.
Cllr Brogan raised eyebrows when he said that Fianna Fail will no longer be turning up for budget meetings or the development plan adding that Fianna Fail will no longer be here for “making up numbers”.
Commenting after the meeting, Cllr Murray said that for the first time in the history of Donegal, every grouping in the council will have a year as mayor.
“Fianna Fáil had it first, followed by Sinn Féin. Fine Gael have just completed their year. Labour has just been appointed for this year and the last year will go to an Independent Councillor. That is power sharing at its best.
“This is a move away from the One Party Rule that Fianna Fáil had implemented in Donegal County Council and our four Town Councils for decades. It is very welcome.
“Fianna Fáil responding to power sharing and democracy by threatening to make the council ‘unworkable’ is deeply worrying. No Party should threaten the people of Donegal in their pursuit of power,” he said.
He added that everyone has a duty to put party politics aside for the greater good of the people we represent.
“As such, we need to unite as a council and work together. This means supporting the democratic will of the people.
“Cllr Brogan’s comments may have been an emotional outburst and may not reflect the feelings of his Party. If this is the case, I would call on Cllr Brogan or a Fianna Fáil representative to withdraw those comments immediately,” insisted Cllr Murray.