Row over apology to Sligo BID rumbles on during heated Council meeting exchanges

By Philip Rooney, The Sligo Champion

The fallout from comments by Cllr Fergal Nealon over Sligo BID’s running of Queen Maeve Square at the September meeting of Sligo County Council, continued at this month’s meeting with the Fine Gael councillor criticised for failing to apologise as he reportedly said he would,

Cllr Nealon said he had been “massively misquoted”, insisting he had never given a commitment to apologise as claimed in letter of complaint sent to the council from Sligo BID.

During a presentation by Finbarr Filan and Gail McGibbon on behalf of Sligo BID, in September councillors were afforded the opportunity to pose questions and make observations. Comments made by Cllr Nealon were deemed inaccurate by BID committee members.

A meeting was subsequently arranged between Sligo BID and Cllr Nealon after which it was claimed that he had given a commitment that he would apologise and retract his comments at the following monthly meeting of Sligo County Council.

Disappointment was expressed by Mr Filan in the subsequent letter to councillors when no apology or retraction was forthcoming at the October monthly meeting with Cllr Nealon subsequently clarifying his position to The Sligo Champion when he said, “My comments at the September meeting reflected genuine concerns raised with me by local businesses and residents about how public and BID-supported events at Queen Maeve Square are being managed and their impact on the wider area.

“On reflection, my choice of words during that meeting could have been more carefully phrased. However, It is regrettable that Mr Filan’s letter focused more on semantics rather than on the substantive issues raised about the use and management of our public square, matters that warrant open and transparent discussion.”

When the matter came up at Monday’s November meeting, Cllr Nealon went on the offensive saying, “I have lost all trust in Finbarr Filan.” He added, “There is great people on the board but I question the leadership.”

Addressing students from Business and Politics students from ATU, Cllr Nealon who were in the Chamber for the meeting as part of their studies said, “This is how you do not do business in politics.”

Cllr Nealon referred to making “constructive criticism” when the discussion took place in the Council Chamber in September before having a “private conversation that ends up in The Sligo Champion. That’s no way to co-operate with your main stakeholder in this town and it shows utter contempt for the councillors in this Chamber.”

Cllr Nealon faced criticism from fellow councillors with Cllr Arthur Gibbons saying, “I find it very offensive. A commitment was given there would be an apology and a retraction. I don’t where his beef is.”

Cllr Gibbons added, “It all seems to go back to the one thing – Queen Maeve Square – where someone is looking to have a business. The businesses were there before the Square. Whatever grievance he has it is not with BID. I ask him to do the manly thing and retract.”

Cllr Declan Bree commented, "According to the letter we have received from BID the councillor who made the comments on the 8th of September, had a lengthy meeting with BID representatives on the 22nd of September where he gave a commitment that he would retract the prejudicial statements he made on the 8th September and would apologise to the Board of BID at the October meeting of the County Council.

"The BID committee has now expressed disappointment that the councillor failed to adhere to his commitment and issue the apology and retract the unfounded statements he made.

"This type of behaviour brings the entire council into disrepute and at this late stage I would ask can the apology be made to the BID committee and can the uncalled for comments be retracted.

Cllr Michael Clarke also took exception, saying, “I am disappointed with Cllr Nealon. I find Finbarr Filan to be one of the individuals that goes above and beyond. I’d like to offer my support for Finbarr Filan as an honest, genuine man.”

Cllr Edel McSharry praised the work carried out by Sligo BID. She added, “We had our presentation, we asked difficult questions.”

Similarly Cllr Thomas Walsh said, “I don’t agree with the comments made in relation to the Chairman of Sligo Bid.”

Despite calls for a retraction of his comments, Cllr Nealon hit back saying, “The BID office at the top of O’Connell St is a very small room. I didn’t see you there,” he said addressing Cllrs Bree and Gibbons.

“Cllr Bree and Cllr Gibbons are going by one person’s word. I did say I would apologise for a misuse of words which was the funnelling of money and I had no problem doing that but I never said at any stage I would retract the full statement, what it turned into was a gotcha moment. I was massively misquoted.”

As the discussion became more heated, Cllr Paul Taylor defused matters saying, I would like to compliment BID and in fairness to BID none of us were at that meeting. This is something that has grown legs. This man is still a colleague of ours in the Council. Fair is fair.”

The discussion concluded without a retraction or apology to Sligo BID from Cllr Nealon.