O’Donnell case to be heard next week by SIPO

SIPO, the Standards in Public Office Commission has announced that the Investigation Hearing into alleged ethics breaches by Donegal Councillor John O’Donnell will take place at its Dublin offices on Tuesday next.
Councillor O’Donnell was one of three politicians who featured on an RTE Investigates programme on planning matters in December 2015. On the programme, he was seen offering to lobby on behalf of a fictitious wind farm company in exchange for money or the promise of a loan or an investment in a private business.
Cllr O’Donnell subsequently said the nature of the meeting was misrepresented to him, and he attended it as both a businessman and a councillor.
The issue was referred to SIPO, which today announced a public hearing into the alleged contraventions of the Ethical Framework for Local Government Service by Councillor John O’ Donnell will take place tomorrow week in Dublin.

This morning, Cllr O’Donnell told Highland Radio News he and his legal team are reviewing all documentation available to them ahead of the hearing, and they will be mounting a robust defence.
Investigation heatings into the two other councillors named in the progamme, Joe Queenan of Sligo and Hugh Mc Alveney of Monaghan will also take place in the coming weeks.