Certain Council staff will no longer have any contact with Bree
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Certain staff members of Sligo's local authorities will not be attending council meetings nor have any contact with the Independent Socialist councillor Declan Bree who, an investigation concluded had bullied them. In addition, the Local Authority Professional Officers branch of SIPTU has instructed all of its members "to have no further contact with Clr. Bree with immediate effect."
These latest developments in the ongoing bitter row between Clr. Bree and local authority staff in Sligo were revealed at a meeting of the County Council on Monday.
But while County Manager Hubert Kearns staunchly defended his staff, as well as an investigation into their complaints, Clr. Bree, a former TD, Mayor of Sligo and Council chairman, questioned the independence of the investigation, saying he was "not surprised at the outcome."
And while he claimed the issue was about a proposal to spend €1.3m to build a footbridge to a private development, Mr. Kearns branded this as "a smokescreen," saying the issue was about "bullying in the workplace."
In addition to protecting affected staff, the investigators' report has called for the training of newly-elected cathaoirleach and leas-cathaoirleach of Sligo Borough and County Councils.
It also proposes the establishment of a Standards Board for Ireland to promote and maintain standards of conduct for elected representatives.
Mr. Kearns told Monday's meeting that he hoped to work with councillors in implementing the investigators ' recommendations, and that he would welcome the views of councillors about how training should take place.
But former Mayor and leas-cathaoirleach of the county council, Clr. Veronica Cawley, said she did not see how there was a role for other councillors.
"All we can do is monitor our own behaviour," she said.
However, Mr. Kearns replied: " This meeting is not regulated by me or the staff. It's regulated by you, the councillors."
- HARRY KEANEY
