Staff verbally abused during storm

SOME council staff were verbally abused during the recent storm.

District Manager Sinead Casey said some staff were subjected to very abusive language from members of the public. Cllr Larry O’Brien said: ‘ The staff are only trying to do their best. They shouldn’t be treated this way. People didn’t realise what the shovel was for. Complaints were coming in thick and fast about people wanting to get out of their houses.’

Cathaoirleach Cllr Willie Fitzharris said: ‘I want to thank the people who bared with us and were very reasonable on the phone. There were a lot of reasonable people and they were under severe pressure.’

He said communication from Irish Water was ‘ brutal’, and ‘not even delivered in a very good manner’. ‘People were very frustrated and some of them had seriously sick kids. They weren’t getting the news they wanted.’

Cllr Michael Sheehan said: ‘For anyone who gave abuse to the staff on the street or on calls I think that was despicable.’