THE Impartial Reporter did not act illegally by revealing that some of our councillors had quiche courtesy of the ratepayer, but you knew that anyway. Some in the Council thought so, though.

In recent months, a significant amount of attention has been focused on the actions of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council following the publication of a series of articles in The Impartial Reporter. These stories, which highlighted the Council’s decision to provide free meals to Councillors, triggered a public debate over accountability, transparency, and the Council’s financial priorities.

But let’s be clear from the outset: this was never really a story about free food. Yes, the Council’s decision to reinstate a policy allowing Councillors to dine on ratepayers’ money was part of the narrative, but that was not the crux of the matter. What we have here is a story about accountability and transparency, two cornerstones of a functioning democracy.

At a time when local Councils are stretched to their limits and making difficult decisions about what services to maintain or cut, the public has a right to know how their money is being spent. This isn’t simply about what Councillors had for lunch — whether it was quiche or sandwiches — but rather, about whether they are living up to the responsibility entrusted to them by their electorate.

The role of a free press is to shine a light on these decisions and ask tough questions, even if it makes those in power uncomfortable.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, like many local authorities, faces immense challenges. Managing finances in a postausterity world is no easy task, and the Council has a long list of pressing priorities that need attention. For instance, there are serious concerns about the state of the local streetscape.

Where is the money to fix this? Where is the pride in the local environment? Is this taking the tagline ‘welcomes you naturally’ a bit too literally?

Then there’s the issue of the Council’s inability to fund a fireworks display this year. It’s one of the most popular community events, yet due to financial shortfalls, private business Encirc and Enniskillen BID had to step in to foot the bill. If the Council can’t manage its finances to support these essential community services, then what is it prioritising?

Evidently, not public celebrations that bring people together.

Worse still, the Council seems all too willing to spend significant sums of money on consultants. While there is a time and place for expert advice, one has to wonder whether this expenditure is truly necessary when basic services, like bin collections, are being disrupted due to staffing issues.

Monthly waste collections, in particular, have become a point of contention for many ratepayers.

Why is the Council struggling to maintain regular collections? Is this really the best use of its resources?

The Council’s handling of planning applications has left many residents frustrated and confused. Even staff within the Council itself have raised concerns about the way decisions are being taken, with some calling for greater accountability.

The Council, it seems, is more than happy to take the press to task when we dare to ask questions about Councillor expenses, but when it comes to addressing real matters of public concern — those that affect the day-today lives of local people — it falls conspicuously silent. Is this the level of transparency and accountability we expect from a public body?

Equally concerning is the Council’s failure to address serious public safety issues. Last week, The Impartial Reporter ran an investigation into a legal loophole surrounding puppy breeding that has raised alarm in the community. Despite the gravity of this issue, when we asked the Council for a comment, it failed to respond for more than 10 days.

This lack of engagement is indicative of a wider problem. There are legitimate concerns being raised by the public, by Council staff, and by the press, yet the Council seems more interested in protecting its own than in offering meaningful answers.

People are fed up with the lack of action. It is not enough for the Council to simply write letters to government departments, agencies, or politicians. In its current state, the Council has become little more than a talking shop, where Councillors can engage in endless debates, all while tucking into a plate of quiche. Some are so busy munching away that they forget to do the job they were elected to do. Meanwhile, the real issues — the ones that affect the quality of life for local residents — remain unresolved.

This brings us back to the role of the press in all of this. The Impartial Reporter has a duty to challenge those in power, to ask the uncomfortable questions, and to hold public authorities to account. Press freedom is a fundamental right in any democracy, and without it, we would be left in the dark about how our money is being spent and the decisions that are being made on our behalf.

Without merit Councillor Sheamus Greene’s recent complaint to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) illustrates just how essential this function is. Councillor Greene claimed that The Impartial Reporter had broken the law and published inaccurate and misleading information.

However, IPSO found these claims to be entirely without merit. The complaint was rejected, and rightly so.

At the end of the day, the people of Fermanagh and Omagh expect more from their Council.

They want to know that their hard-earned money is being spent wisely. They want to see improvements in their local environment, in public services, and in the way decisions are made.

They are tired of excuses, delays, and a lack of transparency.

And they are tired of a Council that seems more interested in protecting its own interests than in serving the public it was elected to represent.

It is time for the Council to get its house in order, to face the tough questions, and to start delivering the kind of accountability and transparency that the people of Fermanagh and Omagh deserve. And we, as a newspaper, will continue to ask those questions, no matter how uncomfortable they may be.

Because that is our job. And we will not be silenced.