Cllr. Declan Bree is trying to destroy Labour Party says ex FG Cllr. McGarry

sligo | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Thursday September 08, 2005 23:18 by Mike - LP

Clr. Declan Bree has been accused of trying to destroy the Labour Party and create division in the local organisation. The claim is made by Nicola McGarry, daughter of the controversial ex-FG councillor Jim McGarry who joined the Labour Party in 2004, who says that Clr.Bree is a man undergoing a 'midlife political crisis'.

The statement is the latest development in an ongoing row within the Labour Party in Sligo over Clr. Bree's criticism of local councillors, including Labour's Jimmy McGarry and Veronica Cawley, for failing to support the Sligo Traveller Accommodation Programme.

A formal complaint against Clr. Bree will be considered by the Party this month but the Councillor has said 'hell will freeze over' before he apologises for his criticism of his colleagues.

Responding to a statement by Clr. Bree in last week's Sligo Champion, Ms McGarry said he needed to familiarise himself with the concept of majority decisions. His Labour Party colleagues, Clrs McGarry and Cawley, did indeed vote down the proposed Traveller Accommodation Programme but had done so because the proposed sites were both inadequate and unsuitable for the purpose intended for them, she pointed out.

She added that Clrs McGarry and Cawley had discussed their reasoning at length on the matter and thoroughly defended and explained their decisions. They made their decision together, united, and with their constituents' best interests at heart.

Clr. Declan Bree has been accused of trying to destroy the Labour Party and create division in the local organisation.

The claim is made by the Party's local youth officer, Nicola McGarry, who, in the course of a statement to THE SLIGO CHAMPION, says that Clr.Bree is a man undergoing a 'midlife political crisis'.

The statement is the latest development in an ongoing row within the Labour Party in Sligo over Clr. Bree's criticism of local councillors, including Labour's Jimmy McGarry and Veronica Cawley, for failing to support the Sligo Traveller Accommodation Programme.

A formal complaint against Clr. Bree will be considered by the Party this month but the Councillor has said 'hell will freeze over' before he apologises for his criticism of his colleagues.

Responding to a statement by Clr. Bree in last week's Sligo Champion, Ms McGarry said he needed to familiarise himself with the concept of majority decisions. His Labour Party colleagues, Clrs McGarry and Cawley, did indeed vote down the proposed Traveller Accommodation Programme but had done so because the proposed sites were both inadequate and unsuitable for the purpose intended for them, she pointed out.

She added that Clrs McGarry and Cawley had discussed their reasoning at length on the matter and thoroughly defended and explained their decisions. They made their decision together, united, and with their constituents' best interests at heart.

It was worrying, she said, that Clr. Bree was now trying to confuse the issue and was labelling his Party colleagues as being anti-Traveller.

The issue was one of finding suitable accommodation and not of forcing families to live in Third World conditions.

"Clr. Bree is deliberately trying to confuse and mislead the public in relation to the real issue. In doing so, he is trying to make himself a martyr.

"He embarked on a campaign to bring dispute and division into the Labour Party in Sligo a long time ago. Perhaps he doesn't like the direction the Party is moving in under the leadership of Pat Rabbitte. Perhaps he feels he has grown away from the Party. If so, I wish he would be man enough to accept it and move on", Ms McGarry added.

She claimed Clr. Bree was trying to destroy the organisation from within. He had slated his own colleagues and created division in the local organisation.

"The entry of Clr. McGarry into the Labour Party provided him with a scapegoat on which he could vent his disillusioned anger", she added.

Clr. McGarry, she said, had maintained his dignity throughout, refusing to be drawn into a public slanging match with Clr. Bree. Clr. McGarry had proved himself to be a true Party man, proposing Clr. Bree to be elected Mayor of Sligo, a position he would not have attained had Clr. McGarry not joined the Labour Party. This was visible testament to the character of Clr. McGarry.

She maintained that Clr. Bree was not facing disciplinary action because he was some sort of flag-bearer for Travellers' rights.

"Strip away the flowery language and socialist slogans and what's left is a man undergoing a mid-life political crisis, not sure if he should stay or go", said Ms McGarry.

She added: "As a Labour party supporter, I would urge him to be honest about his reasons if he does decide to leave and stop trying to undo the work Labour supporters have done in Sligo.

"They want political representatives at a local and national level. They believe in the party ethos and know with a General Election approaching, there will be enough external attacks without any more internal ones.

"If he stays, I would urge him to be a Party man, respect majority decision and value the Party leadership and his own Party colleagues"