Following allegations of the censorship of councillors during a recent Fermanagh and Omagh District Council (FODC) rates meeting, Independent Councillor Eamon Keenan is to make a formal complaint to the Northern Ireland Local Government Commissioner for Standards.

Protests have been held in Enniskillen and Omagh in recent weeks about the issue when some Independent councillors claimed they were being silenced by the Chair of the meeting, Councillor Errol Thompson, and were not allowed to speak on the matter.

According to FODC Standing Orders 19.13 Duration of speeches, a member of the Council “shall be allowed one interaction which will last no longer than three minutes”.

Councillor Keenan alleges he was not given the opportunity to speak at the meeting as it was shut down by the Chair, ignoring his indication to speak.

“I am going to lodge a complaint because they did not let me speak at all. Donal [O’Cofaigh] and Emmett [McAleer] got speaking but they were muted but I never got the chance to speak.

“That’s going against standing orders of the Council. I will be lodging a complaint with the Local Government Commissioner for Standards,” said Councillor Keenan.

The meeting on February 14, to strike the rate for the year, was one of the most important of the year said Councillor Keenan and not allowing some representatives to speak was silencing the people who voted for them.

“There are people that voted for all of us and their voices aren’t allowed to be heard. That’s thousands of people.

“John McCluskey who I stood in for, he topped the poll in Erne East and all those peoples’ voices have been silenced by not letting the councillor speak.

“I’m not just speaking for the people that voted for John or Emmett or Donal but I’m speaking for everyone, all the rate payers.”

Councillor Keenan believes this goes against the democratic process and that it is not the first time this has happened.

“It’s not the first time they have muted and it is not the first time that they haven’t let us speak on issues.

“Different chairs of different parties have done it. They don’t seem to want a supposedly democratic process to happen and afford each councillor the chance to speak.

“We have to hold them to account. Not letting people speak, it is a dictatorship. It’s not a democracy.”

When contacted about the allegations of censorship and subsequent protests, an FODC spokesperson said: “There has been no discussion at any Council meeting regarding the rally and therefore there is no Council position on the subject.

“Officers understand that this was a political rally, and as such, it would be inappropriate for officers to form an opinion or comment on such an event. Elected Members may however, wish to comment on the matter directly and contact details of all our councillors are available on our website.

“The Chief Executive has received no complaints from any councillor in relation to the matters raised in your email. As you may be aware, the Council or Council officers are not empowered to investigate complaints concerning councillors. The appropriate authority for such complaints is the Northern Ireland Local Government Commissioner for Standards; details of how to make a complaint is available on the website www.nipso.org.uk.”