CONLON LEAVES CO COUNCIL MEETING AFTER METHOD OF RAISING N2 ISSUE CHALLENGED

Sinn Féin representative Seán Conlon staged a walkout protest at Monday’s meeting of Monaghan Co Council after his method of attempting to raise a pedestrian safety issue on the N2 was objected to by some of the executive and elected members of the local authority. Councillor Conlon sought to highlight concerns over crash barrier positioning on part of the N2 by having a series of photographs he had submitted displayed on screen at the meeting, which took place in Monaghan Town’s Garage Theatre. However, his method of raising the issue was questioned by Council Chief Executive Eamonn O’Sullivan, who interpreted it as the making of a presentation to the meeting.

Mr O’Sullivan said that none of the executive would be responding immediately to the issue raised by Councillor Conlon as they did not have prior notice of it. Several councillors also objected to Councillor Conlon’s approach, and it was pointed out by Cathaoirleach Colm Carthy (Sinn Féin) that members were only permitted under Standing Orders to make comments in relation to the Management Report, which was the section of the agenda that Councillor Conlon chose to raise the matter under.

During discussion of the Management Report, Councillor Conlon indicated that he wished to raise an issue under a reference in the roads section of the report to vehicle restraint systems. Referring to photographs…