Mayo JPC almost abandoned amid heated exchanges

MAYO’S Joint Policing Committee (JPC) was almost abandoned today (Friday) after heated exchanges erupted in Áras an Contae in Castlebar.

Tensions flared between elected represented after Independent Cllr Christy Hyland accused the Mayo JPC Chairman, Cllr Al McDonnell (Fianna Fáil) of attempting to ‘stymie debate’ on policing in Mayo. 

Cllr Hyland’s outburst came after Sinn Féin TD Rose Conway-Walsh asked if gardaí in Mayo were prepared to deal with similar public order incidents to the riots which broke out in Dublin last Thursday evening.

Cllr McDonnell interjected in the middle of her question, insisting that discussing the rioting in Dublin was not within the remit of the Mayo JPC.

“If what happened in Dublin happened in Castlebar or Westport we’d be obliged to discuss it. There’s very little we can do about it here,” said Cllr McDonnell.

Deputy Conway-Walsh said she had no confidence ‘in how the systems was being run’ within An Garda Síochána. She then asked if guards from Mayo had gone to serve Dublin in the days following the riots.

When she concluded, Cllr Hyland insisted that the issue had to be discussed by the JPC.

“I don’t know what planet you’re living on, chairman. We won’t have guards in Mayo; they are going to be in Dublin for the Christmas,” said the former garda, before calling on Cllr McDonnell to ‘educate’ himself on the matter.

“We’re losing guards here. We won’t have them here for the Christmas, will you waken up. Don’t be like some of the clowns above in Dáil Éireann. Sorry, chairman, you’re vexing me now,” exclaimed Cllr Hyland.

Fianna Fáil councillor Damien Ryan then called on Cllr Hyland to ‘show respect for the chair’ while Fine Gael’s Michael Burke agreed with Cllr McDonnell’s suggestion that the rioting in Dublin was not an issue for the Mayo JPC.

“You seem to know more about the gardaí now then you did when you were a guard,” remarked Cllr Burke, to which Cllr Hyland replied: “It’s your party that has destroyed the gardaí, and the Fianna Fáil party.”

Calm was restored after Cllr Ryan insisted that the Dublin riots were a matter for another jurisdiction.

Independent Cllr Michael Kilcoyne then expressed concern over Justice Minister Helen McEntee asking The Policing Authority about what constituted ‘reasonable force’.

This prompted further remarks from Cllr Hyland, who said gardaí were doing their job ‘with their hands tied around their backs’.

“They’re getting hammered, and I care about them chairman. You mightn’t, I do,” he exclaimed.

“They’re getting beaten, they are sitting at home sick for twelve months, and their families looking at them, because they got the daylights kicked out of them on the streets, in Westport, Castlebar and every town in this country. And you’re saying, as chairman, that it’s nothing to do with us?”

Cllr McDonnell replied: “Nobody has more respect for the gardaí than I have.”

Cllr Kilcoyne continue his remarks about the Policing Authority before Cllr Hyland began to speak again.

This prompted an interjection from Cllr Ryan, who called on Cllr McDonnell to stop Cllr Hyland from interrupting other councillors.

Cllrs Ryan and Hyland then shouted remarks at each other, with Cllr Ryan warning that Cllr Hyland did not have Dáil privilege in the council chamber.

Cllr Burke then threatened to leave the meeting if the shouting continued, as did Cllr Ryan.

“You can talk about what went on in the Dáil, but I’m telling you, we’re having it here this morning,” remarked Cllr Burke.

Cllr Hyland and Burke then exchanged remarks before Cllr McDonnell stated: “If there isn’t order, I will abandon the meeting.”

Responding to Deputy Conway-Walsh’s initial question, Chief Superintendent for the Mayo Longford/Roscommon Division, Ray McMahon, revealed that between four and seven gardaí policed Dublin city between Friday night and Saturday night in the aftermath of the riots.

Chief Supt McMahon said that policing resources in Mayo weren’t affected as the gardaí from Mayo were on overtime hours.

The Leitrim native said that Mayo has fully-trained and equipped public order unit, adding that management and supervisors from the area have been trained to police protests in the last number of months.