Kildare councillor stages walkout, accuses colleagues of isolating him
Cllr Tom McDonnell
A PROPOSAL to build a swimming pool for residents of Newbridge brought about accusations of undemocratic behaviour among representatives of Kildare-Newbridge MD.
Cllr Tom McDonnell brought forward a motion calling on the council to deliver a dedicated swimming pool for the growing town of Newbridge. However, while waiting for a colleague to second his motion the room went silent for a number of seconds before Fianna Fail’s cllr Suzanne Doyle stepped in as seconder.
Cllr McDonnell was unhappy with the proceedings and stood up to point out what he believed to be undemocratic behaviour in the council chamber.
“It’s Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil and you have a left wing in here,” he said. “It’s not democracy.”
Cllr Rob Power stepped in and proposed that, as a point of order, the municipal district move on to the next business as the debate was not related to the motion.
All councillors voted on cllr Power’s proposal, resulting in an overwhelming yes vote – with only cllr McDonnell himself voting no.
“This is like China, It’s like communism,” he said before abruptly leaving the chamber, with yet another motion still on the agenda that was later struck out due to his absence.
After the meeting, he spoke to the and explained that he feels “very isolated” in Kildare-Newbridge MD,.
“The left wing and Fine Gael side together,” he said, before saying that a group of councillors in the municipal district deliberately abstain from supporting his motions.
When asked why this may be, he answered: “Do they find me too powerful? Am I too strong for them?”
He compared his situation to former Newbridge councillor, Fiona Mcloughlin-Healy, who stood down from her role after making complaints of bullying by her fellow councillors.
“It’s not right,” he continued. “They are depriving the people of Newbridge, and they shouldn’t deprive them because they disagree with me.”
Cllr McDonnell believes the “isolation” at Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District has come about due to his views on "illegal" immigration and for how he opposes IPAS centres.
He said: “I am not anti-immigration, I am anti-illegal immigration.”
