Cllr Brendan Byrne withdraws threat of defamation against Cllr Terence Slowey

Donegal County Cllr Brendan Byrne has confirmed that he will not being going forward with defamation proceedings against Cllr Terence Slowey.

Cllr Byrne said that documents that were sent to Cllr Slowey and the County Manager Seamus Neely, claiming to be from former County Manger, Michael McLoones solicitor were actually sent in error.
And the Fianna Fail Cllr also confirmed that he would be withdrawing his motion calling for the minutes of Novembers monthly meeting to be amended.
In documents given to councillors this morning, former County Manager Michael McLoone expressed concern that it had been claimed he was taking an action for defamation against independent councillor Terence Slowey.
Included in the documents was a letter purporting to come from solicitors representing Mr McLoone to Cllr Slowey – but Mr McLoone had said that this legal firm did not represent him.
And that he had never initiated proceedings against Cllr Slowey.
In response to Cllr Brendan Byrne withdrawing his motion calling for Novembers minutes to be amended, a number of Cllrs called on the Fianna Fail Cllr to issue a full apology to Cllr Terence Slowey.
There was also strong criticism of Cllr Byrne from Fine Gael Cllr Mickey Doherty who said that he was surprised that he had not left the Council chamber in shame today.
And in echoing Sinn Fein Cllr Marie Therese Gallagher, Independent Cllr John Campbell said that the Council meetings had now become farcical and a waste of tax payers money, and they both said it was time that Cllrs started doing the Councils work and stop wasting time.