Council funding debate descends into 'sectarian' row

A Council debate around funding for a football project in Coleraine resulted in fractious scenes after a DUP councillor accused a Sinn Féin member of a 'sectarian rant'.

Councillors on Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council's Leisure and Development Committee were debating whether to afford the Harry Gregg Foundation extra money to develop a business case for their legacy project.

Cllr Sean Bateson said he was 'curious' as to why councillors were considering awarding funds having voted against a Technical Support Grant he said would have been 'ready-made' for the proposal.

“I don't understand why they would go ahead and propose individual funding for this project but then reject the fund which would have a ready-made pot of money for them,” he said.

“The short-sightedness of some councillors in here with regards the Technical Support Fund in thinking it might just benefit a certain section or certain organisations over another.

Harry Gregg approval could open the floodgates, councillors told

The Council were discussing a proposal to fund a project run by the Harry Gregg Legacy Foundation.

“We have the Harry Gregg Foundation – a wonderful project that would be a great asset for the Council area – losing out because of councillor short-sightedness on a previous decision.

“It probably highlights the nature of this council at times. Another organisation coming in and asking for money here and there to enhance their project, I'm sure they'd be told where to go.”

Cllr Bateson's comments were labelled by the subsequent speaker – Alderman George Duddy – as a 'sectarian rant'.

“Now the sectarian rant is over, could I maybe ask Mr Baker in respect of the critique by officers and concluded it's not possible to be conclusive on the feasibility; where were the concerns?” he began.

However, Cllr Bateson introduced a point of order, calling on Alderman Duddy to retract his 'offensive' statement, saying he refuted any allegation he was sectarian.

“I was highlighting the fact that this was a ready-made home that was rejected, there was not a hint of sectarianism in that,” he said.

“Sectarianism is something that is disgusting within our society and for somebody to accuse me of that I have to totally refute it.”

Voting down grant proposal a 'sectarian decision' says councillor

A Sinn Féin councillor said the move denied the GAA opportunities.

After Alderman Duddy declined to do so, Cllr Bateson said he would be 'raising this further' if he did not do so.

The debate briefly moved on, but after an exchange between Alderman Duddy and a council official, Cllr Bateson again asked for the comment to be withdrawn, citing the relevant standing order.

“The point of order I raised under Standing Order 24.5 wasn't clarified,” he said.

“What I was clarifying was if the Technical Support Grant would have been the ready-made, perfect home for this group to avail of to advance their project and that this council, under narrow-mindedness last month, decided not to support the Technical Support Grant because they saw it potentially supporting sections of the community over another.

“Cllr Duddy, out of that, somehow came to the conclusion that what I was saying was sectarian, so I can't quite grasp where he got sectarianism.”

Alderman Duddy again declined to retract the comment, suggesting the meeting move on as Cllr Bateson 'was not in the right frame of mind to listen to reasonable debate or discussion'.

The Sinn Féin representative again reiterated he would be taking things further, and again stated he found sectarianism 'disgusting'.

“Sectarianism needs rooted out of our society big time. I want to put on record that sectarianism is to be condemned on all sides, and that I am totally against it. I deplore it,” he said.

PUP councillor Russell Watton.

Despite a plea from Cllr Adrian McQuillan to move on from what he called 'stupid nonsense', Cllr Russell Watton told the Committee the exchange showed 'the usual problem with Sinn Féin'.

“They are offended by everything and ashamed of nothing,” he said.

“Basically what he was saying was that we made a sectarian decision with the Technical Support Grant. You said we were favouring one section of the community, so work it out, it's not rocket science.

“I remember you and your 'butcher's apron', and Cara McShane the same. 'Jack-booted', 'uneducated', 'dinosaurs'; we've had it all. I didn't run like a wean. Grow up, for God's sake.”

A comment from Cllr Cara McShane suggesting Cllr Watton's comments were the 'last kick of a dying dog' was swiftly followed by Limavady councillor Ashleen Schenning seeking to move the meeting on.

“I became a councillor to represent people in my community,” she said, “not to come into a room and listen to people playing green and orange, carrying on like they're in a playground. Can we move on?”

Chair Cllr John McAuley then drew the discussion to a close and held a vote on the issue, with the Council voting not to provide any extra money until issues raised in the feasibility study were addressed.

Mayor warns councillor over 'Fenian' comment

An independent councillor was asked to 'moderate' his language.