*Photograph: Gary Collins
A vote of confidence in Cllr Gerry Flynn was unanimously approved by members of the Social Development Strategic Policy Committee on Clare County Council.
Cllr Flynn who is the Chairman of the SPC in September seconded Cllr Ann Norton’s call for Clare County Council to nominate Peter Casey for the Presidential election. Casey subsequently claimed the travelling community being considered an ethnic community was “a load of nonsense”.
This prompted Dermot Hayes, the social inclusion representative on the SPC to seek Flynn’s representation as Chairperson. Hayes’ plea for Flynn to depart the position appeared on the front page of The Clare People in October.
At the December meeting of the SPC, Cllr Ann Norton proposed a motion of confidence in Cllr Flynn in their first meeting since the publication of the request from Hayes. “Resignation of the Chair for this SPC was called for in local media, it was extremely unfair. I think the Chair is doing an exceptional job, he makes sure all the areas under this committee are brought in. We are very informed on all the issues arising, I don’t agree with the no confidence and I don’t agree with the resignation being looked for. I am proposing a confidence vote in the Chair”.
Norton’s proposal was resoundingly agreed by members of the SPC. Dermot Hayes did not voice any comment for or against the vote while Cllr Gerry Flynn thanked the members for their support. “I appreciate that. There might be somebody else in the chair next year after the local elections. Headlines sell papers, I was hurt by it and my family were hurt by it”.
