COUNCILLORS hit out at Mayor John Moran over alleged meetings with a number of Council members, with claims that funding commitments were privately made on projects as part of his mayoral programme.
Lambasting the Mayor for a lack of transparency, the alleged conduct was deemed a “disgrace” by Council members at a special meeting regarding the mayoral fund this past Tuesday afternoon.
Mayor Moran was called upon, numerous times, to produce a list of councillors he met privately with. He said no such list existed.
After a brief presentation, Fianna Fail councillor Michael Collins wanted to know what monies Mayor Moran committed to community groups or any other groups for the coming year.
“There were accusations made last year that we didn’t engage in time in the budgetary process. There was also accusations made that things weren’t transparent. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael members said that we would engage very quickly with the Mayor and management. The first step in that process was to get all the information today in relation to the spend to year end 2025 and more importantly, the spend planned for 2026,” he told the Council chamber.
“It’s very disappointing that we don’t have that, so who’s hiding what and who’s not being transparent.
“I see here that we have €696,000 spent to date, and, by year end, we expect to spend €8.6million. I’m actually shocked,” Cllr Collins declared.
Mayor Moran said he was not going to give any information about next year in a public forum as “nobody would do that in the context of a budget”.
“I’m sure, councillor, you’ve given commitments to people all over the county as to wanting to help them or not,” he commented.
Cllr Collins was quick to fire back.
“Absolutely not. I can’t commit anything until I know what budget I have, but you have committed money. I will never go to any group and commit money that I haven’t got,” he told the Mayor.
Mayor Moran explained that he engaged in conversations with councillors who asked for him to support projects.
Collins hit back with allegations to the Mayor that “you will tell specific councillors what you’re going to give to groups, but you won’t tell this Council, that’s not transparent”.
Council Priomh Chomhairleoir Cllr Catherine Slattery (FF) said she was disappointed to learn the Mayor has been meeting with councillors regarding alleged funding promises.
“I’m certainly not one of those councillors. And, you know something, I wouldn’t want to be. I’d rather be transparent,” she said.
“I just think there’s a lot of favouritism going on.”
Cllr Kieran O’Hanlon (FF) asked Mayor Moran to make public the list of councillors he has met and had discussions with around funding.
“I meet with councillors all the time,” Mayor Moran replied.
“Don’t be trying to be smart,” Cllr O’Hanlon barked back.
“Why don’t you come and meet me next week and you can explain to me what priorities you have,” the Mayor returned.
“No, I don’t have a notion of going in to meet you,” Cllr O’Hanlon responded.
Cllr Fergus Kilcoyne (FF) told Council members he invited Mayor Moran to Patrickswell and made him aware of a 70-acre site for sale.
“I didn’t tell the Mayor to buy the land, but I made him aware how it would be so important for the village going forward, because it’s the last stretch of land along the railway line,” Cllr Kilcoyne said.
Two weeks ago, Mayor Moran confirmed that the Council, supported by a significant multi-million euro commitment from his discretionary mayoral fund, had begun a formal process to purchase this 70-acre site in Patrickswell.
Cllr Gregory Conway (FG) said that he was also one of the councillors who had gone to the Mayor.
“I went to the Mayor, cap in hand,” he told the meeting.
“I was elected by the people in Kilmallock and there’s a lot of work that needs to be done and I don’t see any problem with me going to the Mayor and looking for funding for specific projects.”
The meeting was adjourned to a later date for relevant information on budget processes to be compiled.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
