Gary Donnelly: Independent walks out of Council meeting over police presence

Independent Councillor Gary Donnelly has walked out of a council meeting ahead of a presentation on bonfires by a delegation including the PSNI.
Independent Councillor Gary Donnelly. (0605PG64)Independent Councillor Gary Donnelly. (0605PG64)
Independent Councillor Gary Donnelly. (0605PG64)

The presentation on bonfires was delivered by Jim Roddy of City Centre Initiative, PSNI Inspector Jonny Hunter and Fire & Rescue District Commander Mark Deeney in Strabane on Thursday evening.

Addressing the Health and Community Committee, Colr. Donnelly said: “First of all I was involved in the whole bonfire thing and the fact that the PSNI are now here as part of this is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, trying to give the impression they are somehow impartial in the whole bonfire issue. This is not a policing problem.”

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Colr. Donnelly also claimed the deputation could “cause a lot of damage” to progress achieved. “As a Republican I am not going to sit here with the PSNI under the pretence they are somehow caring for the community,” he added.

Insp. Hunter said he agreed bonfires are not exclusively a policing problem, but added that some of the criminality associated with them was.

Councillors were told that the cost of policing six July 11 bonfires last year was £11,500, August 15 bonfires £40,000 and an August 7 bonfire in Fountain, £16,000.