A SINN Fein councillor who said he would “rather have his fingernails pulled with pliers” than nominate people to the Queen’s Birthday Honours list wants to know who ‘leaked’ his e-mail to the media.
Sheamus Greene, who previously said he had no regrets for the remark sent to a Council official, says he wants to track down the “nice fella” responsible. 
Speaking at last week’s meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee at The Grange in Omagh, Councillor Greene said: “What is the policy in internal e-mails when the Council sends out internal e-mails and they are replied to, what is the policy of them leaking them and what are the consequences? Recently I had that privilege of a certain person leaking my internal e-mail.”
Last month the Belfast Telegraph reported Councillor Greene’s response to an e-mail on the Queen’s Birthday Honours for 2018 in which the politician replied: “Sorry I would have no interest in this. To be honest I’d rather have my finger nails pulled with pliers. But everyone to their own.”
Director of Corporate Services and Governance Celine McCartan explained that the Council has an e-mail usage policy which “has been invoked for sometime.” 
“In connection with e-mails and the use of internal e-mails that would be considered in relation to data protection and consideration of any matters there. That would be the circumstances in which it would be considered,” she told the committee. 
Councillor Green replied: “In my own case, have I any redress in any of that as far as this policy is concerned? Or can that Council follow it up?
“If I decide in the morning to leak whatever e-mail I want are there any consequences for me?”
“It is something that the Council can consider and pursue and in fact is obligated to do so under our data protection requirements,” replied Ms. McCartan. 
“Without going into any specifics on this the policy is there and we would encourage the use of e-mail to be appropriate in all cases,” she said. 
“If I want to find out who the nice fella was that leaked it can I, through Freedom of Information, find out that?” asked Councillor Greene.
“We can look at the specifics in connection with what the rules around freedom of information and data protection are there. We will be limited by those rules but they will be applied consistently and fairly,” said Ms. McCartan.
Councillor Greene’s comments sparked anger at the time with Ulster Unionist MLA Rosemary Barton claiming he was “insensitive.” She said: “This barbaric act of having ‘finger nails pulled with pliers’ was a form of torture used by the terrorist wing of the party that Mr. Greene now represents and the use of this language brings nothing only further hurt to the families of those innocent victims who were kidnapped, tortured and murdered.”
In response last month Councillor Greene said: “I feel this way because I have no allegiance to the British Royal family. As a republican I think a head of any State should be elected and not born into privilege.”