Northern Ireland

Pressure growing on council chief Anne Donaghy over critical Stormont report

Some staff were withdrawn from Larne port in February. Picture by Stephen Davidson, Pacemaker
Some staff were withdrawn from Larne port in February. Picture by Stephen Davidson, Pacemaker Some staff were withdrawn from Larne port in February. Picture by Stephen Davidson, Pacemaker

A highly critical report on the withdrawal of staff from Larne port is to be referred to the Public Service Ombudsman after councillors in Mid and East Antrim narrowly voted in favour.

In a move that a will heap pressure on the council's chief executive Anne Donaghy, the decision was approved by a tight majority at a meeting on Monday night.

Stormont's agriculture committee found in July that some council representatives "misled" committee members over the removal of staff from the port in February.

The committee's report was strongly critical of the council, in particular Ms Donaghy.

It raised concerns about correspondence sent by Ms Donaghy to the Cabinet Office on January 30 "that outlined a range of protocol-related challenges and cited paramilitary involvement in activities in the vicinity of the ports".

Council officers have recommended that Mid and East Antrim Borough Council (MEABC) notes the report's recommendations.

Anne Donaghy, chief executive of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
Anne Donaghy, chief executive of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Anne Donaghy, chief executive of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

Ms Donaghy has said she is seeking legal advice over the report.

At a meeting on Monday, councillors narrowly voted in favour of referring the report to the ombudsman after the TUV's Timothy Gaston criticised how the findings were debated in council.

He said he had been “denied an opportunity” at the previous monthly meeting to make any remarks after being “shut down in closed council”.

The agriculture committee report had been on the agenda of open council at the August meeting but was moved behind closed doors.

Mr Gaston said the council needed to be more transparent after the report found there was "limited justification" to suspend staff.

Staff carrying out post-Brexit checks were temporarily removed from the port in February amid claims that paramilitaries were behind threatening graffiti in the Co Antrim town.

It was also claimed that workers' car registrations had been taken down amid loyalist anger over the Northern Ireland Protocol, which has effectively created a post-Brexit border in the Irish Sea.

The report found the decision to remove staff was based on "unsubstantiated" reports from "grassroots contacts".

The report also said the committee had "concerns regarding the quality and credibility of some of the evidence provided by MEABC, due to several contradictions and inconsistencies in the information provided".

At Monday's meeting, Mr Gaston asked when the item would be on the agenda for elected members to comment and debate.

He also claimed that his quotes from August's meeting were not included in the minutes.

“There is reputational damage and brand damage being done to this council that needs addressed,” he said.

“None of my comments have been noted or the concerns that I have,” he added.

Ms Donaghy said: “There is very little that has not been minuted. There was nothing we could find that was said by Cllr Gaston that was not reflected.”