Tensions erupt as Offaly councillors clash in dramatic scenes

Dramatic scenes unfolded in the chamber of Offaly County Council this afternoon when Sinn Féin Cllr Aoife Masterson alleged that council cathaoirleach Cllr John Leahy had used the words "go f....k yourself" when she asked him for a meeting, a claim that was immediately denied.

There was a sharp intake of breath in the chamber of Offaly County Council during the exchanges, with Cllr Leahy quickly retorting that he would never use “that type of language”.

He said he had told Cllr Masterson not to bring “this bullshit to me” when she had looked for a private meeting with him, and added “you threatened me with legal action in the canteen”.

The exchange took place during a debate on a motion the Sinn Féin councillor had before the November meeting calling for costings to be provided to councillors for live streaming of all meetings, and for members of the public to be allowed to request a Teams link to access meetings.

Speaking on her motion, Cllr Masterson said Offaly had the highest percentage of spoiled votes outside of Dublin in the recent presidential election, and this was evidence of a “disconnect, disassociation and detachment” from the way in which politics is being done.

She continued by making reference to the way in which Offaly County Council members had behaved when Presidential hopeful Gareth Sheridan had come before a meeting seeking an endorsement to contest the presidential campaign, and added that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael councillors had "been allowed to go into a private closed room meeting” before coming to the decision that the council wouldn't endorse anybody.

“Nobody knows what went on in that room,” she said.

“You are going off the point completely, and you weren't present on the day of that meeting,” said Cllr Leahy, to which Cllr Masterson pointed out that she was attending the meeting “on Zoom”.

“I gave each party permission to go out and deliberate before deciding how to cast their vote, maybe you didn't hear me,” suggested Cllr Leahy.

“Are you saying that being on Zoom is not the same as being present in the council chamber because if you are we need to change our standing orders,” replied the Sinn Féin councillor, “and I would also ask you to withdraw your insinuation that I wasn't listening.”

“Stick to the point our I'll rule you out of order,” said the cathaoirleach, “and I won't give you another warning....I'm giving you one last opportunity to stick to the two points you have in your motion as you are gone completely off point.”

Cllr Masterson again returned to the issue of the high number of spoiled votes in the presidential election and said “democracy dies in darkness” and live streaming would “break down the silence.” She then turned to the issue of the exclusion of women from the political system and said they had as much right to be at the “council table as the dinner table”.

Cllr Leahy interjected to tell Cllr Masterson that under standing orders all councillors are given five minutes to make their point on notices of motion. “You are now at six minutes, and you are turning your motion into a party political broadcast so I am asking you to finish up and you can issue a press statement,” he suggested.

This was followed by a tetchy exchange between the two councillors about remarks made by Cllr Leahy on local radio, after which Cllr Masterson alleged that when she had sought a meeting with Cllr Leahy he had told her to 'go f....k yourself' and he, in turn, alleged that she had threatened him with legal action in the council canteen.

“If you do take legal action against me, well the best of luck to you,” said Cllr Leahy. "You have what you want now, you have the headlines,” he added.

He said he spent a great deal of time “dealing with Cllr Masterson” since he had taken up his role. “It is completely unacceptable,” he said, before ruling the Sinn Féin councillor's motion as being out of order and refusing to allow it to be debated any further.