Kerry councillor accused of being ‘duplicitous’ as row breaks out at MD meeting

By Alastair Tibbs, The Kerryman

A recent Kerry County Council meeting descended into a row as elected members argued over the allocation of leisure funding.

At the Castleisland/Corca Dhuibhne Municipal District (MD), Councillor Bobby O’Connell accused Councillor Robert Brosnan of being “duplicitous” after he asked that priority be given to a playground in Lispole.

During the meeting, Cllr Brosnan asked for confirmation that some of the €247,500 ring-fenced for playgrounds in the budget would be allocated for a community playground in Lispole.

“We won’t be made a fool of again in applying for CLAR funding a third time,” he said, after the village had applied twice in the last two years for the rural investment scheme.

He emphasised they “didn’t have time” to wait for funding, with the All-Ireland Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta tournament being hosted in Lispole in 2027.

Councillor Bobby O’Connell took exception to Cllr Brosnan’s appeal to prioritise Lispole over other towns and villages in the MD. Every area in the county needed facilities, he argued, accusing Cllr Brosnan of being “duplicitous” given his objection to the budget last year.

Cllr Brosnan was the only councillor to vote against the draft budget in November due to the increase in the price of Eco Sense Bags, from €10 to €12 for a pack of four.

“All these things cost money…do you not think it’s a bit duplicitous to come in here and look for all these things and then to vote against the budget,” he said.

Cllr Brosnan responded that he “felt in principle” he should have voted against the budget and he was not going to apologise.

“If I have an issue with the budget, I wouldn’t back away from it. I’m not a sheep,” he said.

“I’m not duplicitous, I’m as genuine a person as anyone else in this room. What you see with me is what you get.

“Maybe I’m a bit too negative at times…I’m here to represent a community that feels it’s being ignored after two years applying for CLAR funding.”

His statement that he was “not a sheep” drew objections from other elected members who argued vocally against the implication that they were “sheep”.

Cllr Brosnan clarified that he did not mean other councillors were “sheep”, only that he wasn’t.

KCC said they are currently assisting the group in the preparation of contract documents for a community access playground with a view to going to tender in Spring 2026.