AN ANTI-RACISM group has urged local representatives to deal in fact rather than rumour when discussing important controversial issues such as immigration.
AN ANTI-RACISM group has urged local representatives to deal in fact rather than rumour when discussing important controversial issues such as immigration.The call by Show Racism the Red Card follows a recent letter it sent to Labour Party leader Eamonn Gilmore complaining about the untrue and incendiary comments made against asylum seekers by two Balbriggan Town councillors, Ned Pyne and Monica Hartford.
According to Show Racismthe Red Card national co-ordinator Garrett Mullan, when the issue of welfare and exceptional needs payments were discussed at a recent town council meeting, Councillor Pyne said: “People in Mosney and the wider community end up with having 19 buggies each...” Councillor Monica Hartford added: “It’s a joke, people receive a buggy for their baby and just leave it on the street and say ‘I’ll get another tomorrow.’”
Mullan said the two councillors contacted him last Monday having received his letter from Gilmore, but were unrepentant about their comments. According to Mullan, Councillor artford told him “that these things can be pretty complex and that she didn’t really take back what she said. She said if she had to be careful about saying these sort of things, she would have to put Sellotape over her mouth, that is what she said.” Metro Éireann understands that while Cllr Pyne did not deny his comments at the meeting, he asked Mullan not to believe verything he reads in the newspaper. “I won’t say anyone is racist, but my point was that certain comments could be read as that,” said Mullan.
“Cllr Ned Pyne’s comment about the 19 buggies is just unnecessary. I think they should just exercise judgment and consideration when considering issues around this. What was said at the council meeting could be read by some as incitement to [action against others], and it could turn into something more nasty.” Mullan added: “It is disappointing that elected representatives dwell on their own negative prejudices and seek to incite division within the community.” At press time, neither Cllrs Ned Pyne nor Monica Hartford had returned Metro Éireann’s calls. However, Fine Gael Cllr Larry Dunne said that to the best of his knowledge, there was no racist message incited at the council meeting.
“It was not in reference to asylum seekers at all, it didn’t refer to anyone in particular,” said Cllr Dunne. “There has been an ongoing issue going as far back as May. Concerns were expressed about the local community relief officer giving supplementary finance, we were concerned that there didn’t seem to be any guidelines in place.” He added: “I have attended all meetings and I can’t recall any groups being targeted or certain areas being targeted. The motion simply was that we wanted guidelines to be issued. And as far as I was concerned, it was as much to put an end to these bizarre stories going around that some people are getting money and others aren’t.”
