Myles Buchanan at the meeting of Wicklow County Council PRIME TIME RAISES NEW QUESTIONS
A RECENT Prime Time programme on possible wrongdoings carried out by the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board has raised further questions over how the board operates.
Legal advice sought by Wicklow County Council on what could be discussed in the council chamber without prejudicing a Garda investigation into matter advised that ‘adverse pre-trial publicity can result in a trial being delayed for a significant period of time until the publicity has died down and in extreme cases can result in a trial never happening’.
It is possible that persons involved with the council may be involved with these investigations and the legal advice added ‘in those circumstances circumspection and prudence are required when it comes to doing anything that could interfere with the integrity of the criminal process or with the rights of suspects or indeed obstructing an ongoing investigation”.
However, the legal advice also stated that it was ‘perfectly legitimate’ for the elected members to be concerned about public monies and they were ‘perfectly entitled’ to seek an update to the present position.
Cllr Gerry O’Neill maintained that the legal advice sought by the local authority stated that the elected members were perfectly entitled to seek an update.
‘Several members of Wicklow County Council sit on the KWETB Committee and they have more or less remained totally silent. I brought up a Dunlavin procurement 14 months ago and could get no written reply from anyone. Lots of people are asking “what is the story?”. This involves public money and I don’t think it’s good enough for the members to remain silent.’
Cllr Chris Fox felt the councillors needed to be wary of that fact that a Garda investigation was still being carried out into KWETB’s affairs.
He said: ‘It’s very dangerous to start talking when a live investigation is underway. If there are to be any prosecutions the last thing we want to do is compromise the case. The board members can’t participate in a debate. It clearly says so in the legal advice. The Minister had been furnished with a draft report and I think that should be published, then, if the investigation is concluded, we can have a debate on it.’
Cllr Tommy Cullen maintained that members of the board had already openly provided interviews for a recent Prime Time programme, while other members, including county councillors from Wicklow’ had gone before PAC.
‘So there is no restriction on board members giving a report today,’ insisted Cllr Cullen.
He added that he had attended an ‘infamous’ KWETB meeting whereby members of the KWETB took the decision to hold meetings in private.
‘These secret meetings continued for six months and one of the strongest advocate to hold these meetings away from the public was Cllr Jennifer Whitmore. There should be nothing hidden about a public board.’
Cathaoirleach Cllr Pat Vance, didn’t feel it was appropriate to mention Cllr Whitmore as she wasn’t in attendance at the meeting.
Cllr Tommy Cullen then called for a return to the old Wicklow VEC system which existed prior to the merge with Kildare VEC, commenting: ‘We never had any of these sort of issues raised in the old format.’
Cllr Grainne McLoughlin described as ‘appalling’ Cllr Cullen’s singling out of Cllr Whitmore. She did agree that a return to the previous Wicklow VEC format would be welcome.
‘As a member of that former board, we didn’t have these issues. Things were run in an effective manner.’
Cllr Tom Fortune read out a number of questions he wanted answered regarding how the board is selected, its interaction with the audit committee, how any tendering process was carried out and what schools in Wicklow will be affected.
‘I want an investigation into the process of electing members to the board in 2014. It’s a matter I have raised time and time again because I feel I was mistreated,’ sad Cllr Fortune.
Cllr Nicola Lawless as a KWETB board member said she was never supportive of holding any KWETB meetings in private.
‘This has been a very difficult time for the board ad we have constantly been asking questions and asking for an investigation. We have looked for answer upon answer. We have also asked the Minster to publish the report carried out.’
Cllr Joe Behan felt it was appropriate fir elected members to seek information on a public body.
‘It should be highlighted that the Minister sent the report straight onto the Gardai after receiving it. A substantial criminal investigation is under way but it is legitimate for us to seek information about a public body. Questions should be submitted to the current chairperson and board members should be answering questions too.’