This article is from page 14 of the 2013-12-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
THE last Kilrush Town Council meeting of the year was abandoned after it descended into chaos as the town manager walked out following a heated row with a council member.
It emerged during the course of the debate about a proposed lay-by for the Back Road to facilitate the drop off of children to school, that Cllr Tom Prendeville (FF) had been asked to apologise to a council exec utive engineer following February’s REMS meeting – a special meeting on traffic not open to the public.
The engineer has refused to attend any further meeting on the issue until he has been given an agreed apology.
“I know we had hard words with people and I regret many of the hard words I had and I apologise for it too, but I tell you this now, this is a bit of an insult and it is spoiling the spirit of Christmas for me a small bit,” said Cllr Prendeville on Thursday night, referring to the information and two draft designs of the lay-by provided by Ms Haugh.
Ms Haugh described the councillor’s comments as disingenuous and unfair. She pointed out that the maps were dated February 13 as agreed with the council, and not 10 months old. She added that numerous attempts were made to meet with the council on the issue since but a format could not be agreed due to unfinished business.
The manager was interrupted by Cllr Prendeville, “Why was that, can you tell the press why that was.”
Ms Haugh, “It was due to remarks made by Cllr Prendeville to a staff member present the meeting and further more…”
Cllr Prendeville interrupted her again, “and do you want to say what he said.”
“…And furthermore there was a commitment given by Cllr Prendeville to subsequently apologise to that officer at the subsequent REMS meeting.”
She said she understood the agreed apology was to be read into the minutes of the next meeting. Numerous meetings were scheduled on the issue, but were cancelled as the councillor failed to come back to say if he was agreeable to the wording of the apology to the engineer.
“No further mention was made of the Back Road or an alternative plans even though this work has been done since February until Cllr O’Looney (FF) put down his motion,” said Ms Haugh.
She asked Cllr Prendeville to acknowledge his part in the delay.
“I did at that particular meeting put forward a wording that was accepted and written into the minutes but you took it upon yourself manager, and I am going to blow this right open now, to actually send me an email suggesting the wording I would put. Listen I have studied. I have a lot more qualifications than you have and you are actually suggesting to me …” he said, his voice getting louder.
As the members interjected, Ms Haugh asked that he withdraw the last comment. “What qualifications have I got? How dare you,” she said.
“You were telling me what to say,” he replied.
“So continue councillor and I won’t be attending the next meeting you want to discuss this at either, how dare you.
“That’s what ye do. Ye get in a huff. You were suggesting to me the wording,” he shouted.
Ms Haugh apologised to the other council members and the mayor and left the meeting.
“And that is what your executive engineer did as well. He got in a huff as well and he walked out,” shouted Cllr Prendeville.
“Happy Christmas to all,” said Ms Haugh as she left the room.
As the meeting was abandoned Cllr O’Looney said his colleague should have withdrawn the comments, with Cllr McMahon Jones (FG) saying “You will be confronted with another apology now.”