Lord Mayor: ‘I’m not allowing a debate’
Serious questions must be answered after an emergency meeting of Cork City Council was shut down on Monday night, according to Sinn Féin.
Several councillors were left fuming in City Hall after a motion opposing the lifting of the current eviction ban was defeated on a vote of 13 to 12.
Yesterday, Wednesday, Sinn Féin Cllr for Cork City North-West, and party council whip, Kenneth Collins called for full accountability from Lord Mayor, Cllr Deirdre Forde.
He said: “While it is deeply frustrating that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael banded together to try and stop any debate on the eviction ban, it is even more concerning that the Ard Mhéara did not allow the agenda of the meeting to proceed.
“We believe this was a breach of standing orders but more importantly, we believe this is an affront to local democracy.”
Monday night’s meeting followed a special meeting of the Housing Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) last Wednesday which was requested by Sinn Féin.
Following Monday night’s vote, the Lord Mayor allowed no further discussion on the issue, however, a number of councillors firmly protested the decision, claiming a debate should still have been allowed.
The Lord Mayor said: “We’ve had the vote and unfortunately, for you, it’s defeated. Can I clarify anything else? Because I’m not allowing a debate.”
Responding to the Lord Mayor on the night, Sinn Féin’s Mick Nugent said: “That’s fine. We don’t have the motion, but we can still have the debate. The initial notice for this meeting tonight was to discuss lifting the eviction ban.
“The agenda has been disregarded that was circulated for tonight’s meeting.”
Cllr Nugent also noted that he had asked if a presentation of matters discussed in Wednesday’s Housing SPC meeting could be made available for Monday’s emergency meeting to be viewed by the media and the public.
Independent Cllr Thomas Moloney, who seconded the initial motion, added that the agenda for the meeting was to consider the matters of Wednesday’s Housing SPC meeting.
He said: “That’s what the meeting has been called for. That’s what’s meant to be discussed at this special meeting.
“Remember a Housing SPC is not a full meeting of council.”
Despite the protests, no further debate was allowed at City Hall and the emergency meeting was ended roughly 10 minutes after it began.
“I’m sorry but that’s just the way we do protocols here,’ said the Lord Mayor in her closing remarks.
In a statement released on Tuesday morning, Cllr Mick Nugent slammed the actions of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael councillors for refusing to allow the debate to take place.
“Last night, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael councillors had an opportunity to stand with 975 households facing eviction in Cork in the coming weeks and months. Instead, they sided with their Government colleagues to cruelly back the decision to evict these families and individuals,” said Cllr Nugent.
He continued: “They did this in the most underhanded way possible. They refused to even stand up and be counted, they refused to let their constituents hear their opinion. They shut down the meeting and ran for the hills.”