Waterford councillor is questioned over social media activity
John Hearne. Photo: Joe Evans
During a meeting of Waterford Council last week, Sinn Féin councillor John Hearne was confronted over his recent social media activity and comments relating to councillors availing of security allowances.
Last month, it was revealed by Waterford Council that two elected members had received approximately €10,000 each in security allowances.
Fine Gael councillors Pat Nugent and Lola O’Sullivan received the funds to install gates and CCTV at their homes.
Speaking to WLR FM last month, Cllr Lola O’Sullivan said that she was advised by An Garda Siochana to install the security measures at her home following a number of incidents that are now under investigation.
New regulations introduced last year under the Local Government Act, allow elected members to claim up to €10,000 for expenses related to personal security measures.
The allowance is made to councillors who face “a credible and serious threat to their personal physical security arising from their role as an elected member.”
Waterford Council Director of Services, Ivan Grimes, said last week that a significant number of Oireachtas members have availed of the allowance since its introduction.
In the aftermath of this, Cllr John Hearne took to social media to criticise Cllrs O’Sullivan and Nugent for availing of the allowances.
Comments which were made by members on the public under Cllr Hearne's post described Cllr O’Sullivan and Cllr Nugent as ‘gravy train parasites’ and ‘scumbags’.
Cllr Hearne ‘Liked’ both of these comments. In the Council Chamber last week, O’Sullivan questioned Hearne on this.
“I was very disappointed to see a councillor took to social media to criticise myself and Cllr Nugent" she said.
“One of the most offending pieces for me, was when a person on his Facebook page called myself and Cllr Nugent ‘gravy train parasites’, which Cllr Hearne felt the need to approve of.”
In response, Cllr Hearne said that the allegation that he would disrespect any member of the Council was “absolute nonsense.”
“I think €10,000 to spend on a gate is a lot of money”, he added.
"To get councillors to just send in a bill, I think that’s the wrong way to go, I think you should have to get tenders.
“I have advocated in the past for the Council to have a system where we tie-in with the gardaí, that we get after criminals.
"It doesn’t help councillors if we lock ourselves away, we should be on the ground fighting forcefully against people like that."
Cllr Mary Roche, who serves as Chair of the Waterford Women’s Caucus, said that interactions and comments directed at councillors in recent years “have been increasingly visceral", and that being in the public eye has become a “more toxic space”.
She asked that public representatives do not “cross-pollinate” via their own social media platforms.
“I take great pains to ensure that my social media comments are moderated. If people put up things that are abusive, I remove them. I have stated clearly that none of that will be tolerated” Cllr Roche said.
“As councillors we have a responsibility not to add to the toxicity that is out there for politicians.
“Politics is a noble calling; it is one where we put our hands up and say we would like to help our community.
“I would ask councillors, and the media to a lesser extent, to reflect on that.”
Mayor of Waterford City and County Council, Liam Brazil, said he supported Cllr O’Sullivan, and that the prevalence of abuse directed at female politicians is “turning people away from politics.”
(Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme)
