The gloves come off as councillors square up on policing forum

The gloves were off on Monday night as Athlone Town councillors engaged in a heated debate about establishing a joint policing committee in the town with Sinn Féin"s Paul Hogan accusing the other councillors of being more worried about an election than the day-to-day problems facing the town. Explaining the guidelines of the joint policing committee, Town Clerk John Walsh said it was to be made up of the nine town councillors, three Oireachtas members elected from those who register an interest, two gardai, two council officials and three representatives from the community and voluntary sector. Joint policing committees provide a formal process for elected politicians and community representatives to voice their views on policing matters. The committee is to meet quarterly and the meetings will be open to the public and the media, but meetings could also be held in committee. Mr Walsh said the committee was a forum for discussion, but had no statutory powers. Cllr Paul Hogan said he had a particular interest in the subject and would be delighted to propose the establishment of such a committee in Athlone. Cllr Kieran Molloy supported Cllr Hogan"s proposal, but said it surprised him that there were 14 personnel and only two gardai and three community representatives on the committee and said it would be too big. Cllr Mick O"Connell welcomed the establishment of the committee but agreed that 19 members was too much. Cllr Mark Cooney also welcomed the committee and said he agreed that the numbers were too high. He also asked if there were any extra resources for running the committee. Cllr Kevin "Boxer" Moran said with 19 members the committee would be another talking shop, but said he welcomed it if something was going to come from it. Fianna Fáil"s John Butler welcomed it, but with reservations as there were no clear guidelines as to where the money was coming from. He said as there was no structured funding in place it was a bit of a farce. Mayor Egbert Moran said he couldn"t agree with Cllr Butler more and asked when it was supposed to be set up. He said the guidelines recommended that the chairperson should sit for two years, but said this council had only six months left and they should perhaps spend that six months setting up the committee and allow the new council to run it. Cllr Austin Berry said Mayor Moran had stolen his thunder as nobody could be sure they would be here again and agreed that it should be postponed. In an animated contribution on the subject, Cllr Hogan said: 'I think it"s an absolute farce that you want to postpone it because you"re worried about the election. This is the talking shop. 'This is the strategy that must be adhered to. The joint policing committee is the way forward. It"s an absolute disgrace that I"m sitting with colleauges of mine who are more worried about the elections than solving the day-to-day problems of the town.' Mayor Moran responded to Cllr Hogan saying he was a young man, but Cllr Hogan replied: 'Don"t patronise me about being a young man.' Mayor Moran said: 'It takes months to organise this with the Gardai and the community and voluntary sector.' Fine Gael"s Mark Cooney said: 'It"s not often I agree with Cllr Hogan, but I will now. I"m quite sure the Gardai will have two gardai in a week and the County Manager won"t be difficult. There are nine members here, all we have to do is elect a chair and if they"re here after June great, if not we"ll re-elect.' Mayor Moran said they would only be able to have one meeting between now and June. Cllr Molloy said he had been previously on the housing forum and as long as they kept to the agenda he didn"t see why it wouldn"t work. He added, however, that he still thought it was overweighed, but said they should go ahead with it. Cllr Kevin "Boxer" Moran said: 'I"d like to tell Cllr Hogan I do represent the people and I see the day to day issues. I did not say anything about the elections. I wasn"t against it, but he thinks because his party has to be the first to do everything nationally he has to do everything first here.' Cllr Mick O"Connell said he agreed that the council shouldn"t wait and said he didn"t see why they couldn"t have two meetings between now and June. Cllr Austin Berry said he was the one who had used the phrase "after the election" but not because he was worried about his seat, simply because he thought it was better to wait. He added that he worked for all of the people of Athlone. Mayor Moran said he couldn"t agree more. Town Clerk John Walsh said: 'It is a talking shop, that"s what it"s meant to be. It"s a forum for people to get together. I think the council has no option but to establish it here. There won"t be a great cost and I think you should do it.' Cllr Hogan proposed the establishment of the committee and Cllr Molloy supported it.