Holy row over Galway City Council prayers!

A row erupted at a meeting of Galway City Council in a discussion over Standing Orders – the rules that govern councillor’s conduct in the Chamber.

Disputes over undistributed documentation and voting numbers meant the Mayor, Cllr Niall McNelis (Lab), was forced to defer the issue to September – upon their return from holidays.

The removal of the opening prayer at meetings was a hugely contentious issue last year and Cllr Donal Lyons (Ind) said he believed he had the solution.

“At the Procedures Committee, I put forward a non-denominational version of a prayer,” he said.

Submitted by Cllr Lyons, the wording of the prayer was distributed to councillors – but a second, non-denominational prayer, worded by Cllr Billy Cameron (Lab), had not been reproduced for councillors to consider.

As a non-member of the Standing Orders Committee, Cllr Cameron believed he should still have had the opportunity to discuss his proposal – and for his colleagues to see it.

“I’m not on the Procedures Committee. Equally, I submitted, after consultation with Irish speakers and, not religious people, but people who attend religious services, and I came up with a wording.

“I would assume that the wording of both would come before the elected members and a discussion would take place. I don’t feel preferential treatment should be given to Cllr Lyons’ wording over mine,” said Cllr Cameron.

Mayor McNelis deferred the item until their next meeting and moved to a second item proposed by Cllr Lyons – reducing councillors’ speaking time from three minutes to two.

Cllr Lyons said the current procedure went back to the days of Galway Corporation, which he said had only nine members.

Cllr Frank Fahy (FG) backed Cllr Lyons and called for the egg-timer to be phased out in favour of a more modern time keeper.

Chief Executive of Galway City Council, Brendan McGrath, informed the members that a two thirds majority vote of all councillors was required to change a standing order – and so there wasn’t enough councillors in the Chamber to pass either of these motions.

Cllr Ollie Crowe (FF) expressed his dissatisfaction at the time he believed was wasted on these items when neither of them could actually have been passed.

“If you could put a bit of preparation into these meetings, Mayor – the reality is we’ve 25 minutes wasted.

“You didn’t have the information in relation to the prayer and you need two thirds of the chamber,” said an animated Cllr Crowe.

“Cop yourself on,” he exclaimed.

Mayor McNelis said these criticisms were unfair and that a lot of preparation had gone into the meeting.

“I’ve got the greatest respect for every one of you in here as elected members…I would appreciate a bit back,” he said.

Cllr Mike Cubbard (Ind) described the scenes in the Chamber as “nonsense” – and accused his Council colleagues of grandstanding.

“I arrived 16 minutes late but I obviously didn’t miss much – to be frank, this is embarrassing. We’re either here to do work or we’re not,” said Cllr Cubbard.