Meeting adjourned after dispute over 'halfway house' in Mayo town

The Cathaoirleach of the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District brought last week’s area meeting to an abrupt halt after a colleague refused to be "silenced" over a motion about a ‘halfway house’ in Ballinrobe that is providing homeless accommodation.

Fianna Fáil Cllr Damien Ryan adjourned the meeting for five minutes as a result of a dispute with Aontú Cllr Paul Lawless, which arose when no other councillor would second his motion.

Under the rules of the meeting, a councillor may not speak further on a motion if no other councillor seconds it.

Cllr Lawless had called on Mayo County Council to introduce a full-time security team into the halfway house in Ballinrobe as a protection for the community of Ballinrobe. The ‘halfway house’ refers to the Railway Inn building currently being used in the town as accommodation for homeless people.

Cllr Lawless also called on the council to outline the supports available to the residents of the facility such as mental health and rehabilitation services, and he asked the local authority to outline the living arrangements in the facility for the residents, adding that it is very important residents are treated with "dignity and human rights".

Cllr Damien Ryan, who was chairing the meeting, said Cllr Lawless could make a note of the reply from the local authority but could not comment further unless the motion had a seconder, prompting the Aontú general election candidate to reply:

“This is an important motion. Is no Ballinrobe-based councillor going to second this? Is no one going to engage in these discussions?”

Cllr Patsy O’Brien said he was not going to second the motion because the issues had already been discussed.

“This has been dealt with and we have had successful meetings about it,” he said.

“That is not my understanding,” replied Cllr Lawless. “There are very concerning issues. I won’t be silenced.”

“If you don’t understand how the standing orders work, you shouldn’t be sat around this table,” said Cllr Ryan, who adjourned the meeting for five minutes.

The meeting resumed five minutes later. Cllr Lawless remarked he was "disappointed" the motion was not addressed and later issued a press statement to that effect.