‘Don't waste your time’: Nolan slams calls to ‘hurry up’ Longford county council meeting
Senior council officials came under fire last week over the way meetings are conducted as the local authority returned from its summer recess to angry exchanges.
That came after a number of local politicians vented their ire at how the September monthly meeting appeared to clash with a Better Estates Awards ceremony after it went beyond its customary two hour timeframe.
Fine Gael Cllr Peggy Nolan launched a stinging rebuke of the council’s top table as efforts to speed up the meeting were made to coincide with the aforementioned presentation that was about to get underway outside of the council chamber.
“My voice is as relevant as everyone else's in this chamber,” she said, in a raised voice.
“I have seen people labour the point and there have been points I have wanted to make that represent the lives of the people I represent.
“I rushed myself into a frenzy to try and comply with the direction that is given from the top table. I won’t be doing that anymore so don’t waste your time asking me. I will take my time the same as everyone else has and I will make my point in a coherent manner and I won’t be rushed any more.”
They were pointed remarks fellow Longford Municipal District colleague and Independent Cllr Gerry Warnock gave further weight to.
He said the onus on councillors to adhere rigidly to a two hour session for meetings was simply unworkable.
In calling for a “serious review” of standing orders, Cllr Warnock said: “We meet here once a month and September is always a busy month but we need to look at our standing orders.
“Two hours for a meeting? We have to have more capacity than that. For the whole term of this council since 2019 and I will be honest with you, I have felt rushed and rushed and rushed, so much so that we can’t seem to get out of here quick enough.”