'No lectures from schoolteachers' - Portlaoise council 'crossfire' begins

Portlaoise councillors crossed swords at their first meeting since the local elections over the selection of chairs and vice-chairs on the Portlaoise Municipal District for the next five years.

Some of the sharpest exchanges took place between the new independent representative, Cllr Tommy Mulligan, and the long serving but new District Cathaoirleach, Cllr Willie Aird of Fine Gael (FG).

An alliance between FG and Fianna Fáil (FF) saw Cllr Aird selected to replace Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald of Fianna Fáil as Cathaoirleach at the AGM on June 26. He was proposed by Cllr Barry Walsh of FG and Cllr Fitzgerald.

Cllr Mulligan has joined Cllr Marie Tuohy, Labour Party, and Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley, Sinn Féin (SF), in the Municipal District's so-called 'technical group'. Before formally proposing Cllr Dwane Stanley, he called on the FF /FG councillors to reconsider.

"I am asking FF and FG to show some fairness and equality that has not been evident since Sinn Féin, Labour or independents have gained seats.  I'm asking FF and FG to forget their mantra of control and self-interest at all costs," he said.

He also asked them to "show some respect" for the technical group and the mandate they received from voters. He said the alliance was backed by 57% of voters and 43% of voters backed politicians on the technical group.

 
He said the alliance could take a new approach by sharing some of the 10 positions of cathaoirleach and leas-cathaoirleach over the next five years in line with the public's voting preferences. 

"A fair system would be appointments by proportional representation. We are asking that FF and FG do not continue a policy of exclusion. We are asking for two chairs and vice-chairs," he said.

His proposal of Cllr Dwane Stanley was seconded by Cllr Tuohy.
A subsequent vote saw Cllr Aird elected by one vote. He was also supported by Cllr John Joe Fennelly of Fianna Fáil.
Assuming the chair, Cllr Aird thanked his colleagues for their votes and commented that he could not recall when he was last Cathaoirleach. He also remarked on Cllr Mulligan's statement referring to it as a 'history lesson' from a 'school teacher'.

"I am delighted to be chairperson of the Portlaoise Municipal District. If you want to read history read back and see what has happened since 1979. That would be the fairest way of looking at things. That would show who I voted for," he said.
Defeated Cllr Dwane Stanley called for a change of stance.

"We can't look back, we have to look forward. We live in the present and look to the future...I am on the council since 2011 and since I came onto this council we have been excluded from any position going," she said.
She said the general public is not aware of this.
"This is wrong and you know it is wrong and it is undemocratic," she said.
She said that for the first time there is a four to three split between the FF/FG alliance and the technical group. She said that up to now the alliance has 'never been big enough' to recognise the elected group.
She appealed to the alliance to allocate one of the roles to the technical group in the coming years.

"Someone on your group is going to end up in the cathaoirleach's position twice in this term. That is wrong. I am asking you to reconsider," she said.

She insisted that the public must be made aware of the stance taken by the two parties.

"It is about getting the message out to the public that when FF and FG come together in a pact they take everything and you exclude 43% (of voters)," she said.

This led to an exchange between Cllr Aird and Cllr Mulligan who told the Cathaoirleach that he could do the voting percentages for him 'on a calculator' if he wished.

Cllr Aird replied: "I don't need any lessons from a teacher".

This immediately irked Cllr Mulligan who demanded to know: "Why are you bringing schoolteacher into this?" 
Cllr Aird replied again: "I don't need lectures from you."

This then led to an exchange between Cllr Mulligan and Cllr Fitzgerald. Cllr Mulligan said that he had been interrupted by Cllr Fitzgerald. However, she defended herself saying she had asked her colleague Cllr Fennelly about who was proposed for the vice-chair. Cllr Mulligan immediately apologised.

Cllr Mulligan engaged again with Cllr Aird about the "school teacher and history lesson" remarks.
Cllr Aird replied: "I don't need a history lesson."

Cllr Mulligan retorted: "There was no need to address me as a schoolteacher and I was not giving a history lesson. I was stating the facts".

When the FF and FG councillors were challenged by Cllr Mulligan if they felt individually if he thought their choice fair, Cllr Fitzgerald replied: "That's democracy".
She compared the outcome to when Sinn Féin claimed they won the last General Election.
"They didn't win it," she said.
She also corrected Cllr Mulligan on the fact that herself and Cllr Fennelly had reached the quota when elected.

Cllr Dwane Stanley was not happy with the Sinn Féin comment from Cllr Fitzgerald.

"I don't need a lecture from Fianna Fáil and their last general election, that's for another day," she said.

She also rejected Cllr Fitzgerald's claim that the outcome decided upon by FF/FG was democracy. She also got annoyed with

Cllr Aird when he said he was 'going to rule all this out'.
"You don't have the right to stop anyone in this chamber from talking. You can't control that narrative," she said.

Cllr Mulligan was proposed for leas-Cathaoirleach by Cllr Dwane Stanley while Cllr Fitzgerald was proposed by Cllr John Joe Fennelly. Cllr Fitzgerald won the ballot by one vote.

The meeting concluded with Cllr Mulligan telling Cllr Aird that he did not intend to upset him but he described himself as a straight talker. He wished him well but said that while disappointed he hoped councillors could work as a team for the town and county.

"I would do things differently and the opportunity was there. Unfortunately, it didn't but the opportunity is still there," he said.
Cllr Aird replied: "You didn't upset me. I am a long time here." He added, however: "We'll have plenty of crossfire over the next five years."

The District does not meet for the first time proper in September.

Cllr Mulligan subsequently apologised to Cllrs Fitzgerald and Cllr John Joe Fennelly after indicating that they were elected without reaching the quota.  

Cllr Mulligan subsequently apologised to Cllrs Fitzgerald and Cllr John Joe Fenelly after indicating that they were elected without reaching the quota.