Sligo council hit by walkout over 'bullying'

SLIGO COUNTY manager Hubert Kearns has said no further meetings of the local borough council will be convened "until acceptable standards of conduct are agreed". It follows what he termed "rude and bullying behaviour" in the chamber last week.

His decision follows a  walkout by 11 officials, including the director of services and the  town clerk, from last week's meeting of the council.

A row erupted after  independent socialist  councillor Declan Bree said there was significant public concern about the fact that some officials and councillors wanted to hand over €1.3 million of public monies to a private development company.

Mr Bree described the walkout as "unacceptable juvenile behaviour", which, he said, would not divert him from representing the people.

The mayor of Sligo, Cllr Veronica Cawley, expressed confidence that "common sense will prevail", adding that it was the people of Sligo who would suffer if the impasse continued.

After last Monday's walkout by officials,  the elected members agreed to hold a special  meeting to discuss the Sligo draft development plan tonight.

Mr Kearns said it would be unwise to hold a meeting of the council in the circumstances.

"I very much regret that this action is necessary, but the standard of behaviour in the city hall council chamber has deteriorated to a level where there was a complete lack of dignity shown and where there were verbal attacks on staff."

Director of services Declan Breen, who led the walkout, recently told councillors that the developers of a new hotel and riverside apartment complex in the town were not now proposing to proceed with a planned footbridge for cost reasons.

He said  Travec Developments Ltd had offered to go ahead with the footbridge  if the council provided €1.3 million of the €2.3 million cost in return for a dedicated right of way over the bridge.

In a report Mr Breen recommended that this be done on the basis that it would "greatly enhance the attractiveness of the city".

Mr Bree  said the development company applied for  a hotel, apartments, retails units and pedestrian footbridge over the Garavogue river, and  the completion of the footbridge was incorporated into the planning permission granted in November 2004.

"This is a bridge that nobody in the community has asked for and a bridge that will significantly benefit the private development company and its shareholders."

He added there were many other projects in Sligo "crying out for money".

Mr Breen said while it was his duty to bring proposals to the council, the issue would be decided by the elected members as it was a reserved function.