Article Updated: 23/07/2024 to include voting results
A motion of no confidence in the Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien was passed by Donegal councillors today, ahead of a confirmed visit of the minister to the county.
100% Redress Party member Tomás Seán Devine led the polarising motion in response to the Minister’s handling of the defective concrete block crisis.
Cllr Devine said: “Over the last number of weeks, speaking to constituents in Letterkenny and surrounding areas, especially since The Ditch report has been revealed in the last number of weeks, people have lost hope.
“I think most people didn’t have any hope in our Minister for Housing anyway.
“It’s gotten beyond a joke this last while, I don’t think the man cares about Donegal, to be honest.”
Seconding Cllr Devine, party colleague Cllr Ali Farren said: “We feel we have been treated wrongly and he (Minister O’Brien) doesn’t care.
“This motion is the only way of getting a message from here to Dublin, that we are not happy with the way we are being treated.”
A countermotion was lodged by Fianna Fáil Cllr Ciaran Brogan, who said the Minister has confirmed that he is coming to the county in the months to come.
Cllr Brogan called for a more “constructive approach” to the Minister.
Cllr Brogan said: “By putting down a motion of no confidence today, it may or may not get a headline, but it won’t achieve anything. This council doesn’t have the power to put no confidence in the Minister for Housing, the only place that can happen is in Dáil Éireann.”
Cllr Brogan’s counter motion asked for a deferral of Cllr Devine’s motion until members meet the Minister in Donegal and attempt to positively overcome hurdles in the scheme.
Cllr Brogan’s counter motion failed, with 11 votes for and 18 against.
Cllr Devine’s motion and Cllr Brogan’s counter-motion were widely debated this evening.
Some members expressed concern that the message was communicating to the Minister that Donegal representatives did not wish to work with him and his department.
Cathaoirleach Niamh Kennedy (IND) commented that she believed it was the wrong time, and that the council was “sending out a bad message”
Cllr Kennedy said: “I completely get where everybody is coming from, it’s a very frustrating time but I do think it’s the wrong time to send out this message. I think it could be done in September. It’s coming close to an election anyway and the people will decide the fate of every Minister and TD coming forward.”
“I think it’s the totally wrong approach and it doesn’t have any effect anyway,” said Fine Gael Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh.
Commenting on the 100% Redress Party’s move, Cllr Kavanagh said: “We have four new councillors now essentially about this issue and they have a chance to work with the Minister and the Department and get the improvements that are needed.
“I have found while canvassing that the scheme is working for people and it’s only on the go for a year and I know there is a lot to do, but we will get that done by working with the Minister and with the Department,” Cllr Kavanagh said.
Other members commented that the issues were too plentiful to ignore.
Backing Cllr Devine, Sinn Féin Cllr Gary Doherty said the negative message is the reality of people dealing with defective concrete blocks.
Cllr Doherty said: “It’s the reality for thousands of people who are homeless, thousands who are living in rented accommodation with no prospect to own their own home and thousands who are on council housing waiting lists the length and breadth of the country. The negative reality is that people don’t have confidence in the Housing Minister. It’s widely accepted that we are in the middle of a housing emergency.”
Fianna Fáil Cllr Liam Blaney, who seconded Cllr Ciaran Brogan’s counter motion, branded the 100% Redress Party’s motion as populist.
Cllr Blaney said: “We (Fianna Fáil) are delighted that he is coming up to meet us so that we can put all that we believe is not right with the scheme forward to him.”
VOTE RESULTS FOR CLLR CIARAN BROGAN’S COUNTER MOTION
For
Liam Blaney
Fionán Bradley
Ciaran Brogan
Paul Canning
Donal Coyle
Jimmy Kavanagh
Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly
Patrick McGowan
Anthony Molloy
Michael Naughton
Niamh Kennedy
Against
Joy Beard
Jimmy Brogan
Brian Carr
Terry Crossan
Tomas Sean Devine
Albert Doherty
Gary Doherty
Ali Farren
Noel Jordan
Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig
Frank McBrearty
Michael McBride
Denis McGee
Gerry McMonagle
Declan Meehan
Jack Murray
Dakota Nic Mheanman
John Shéamais Ó Fearraigh
Abstain
Manus Boyle
Michael McClafferty
Pauric Mc Garvey
Martin Scanlon
Not present
Martin Farren
Martin Harley
Martin McDermott
Michael McMahon
As a result, Cllr Devine’s motion was carried.
Motion of no confidence in Housing Minister passed by council ahead of Donegal visit was last modified: July 23rd, 2024 by