A breach of security has taken place on council property on the evening a meeting took place of the Policy and Resources Committee of the Fermanagh and Omagh District. The meeting was held on April 4 at Enniskillen Town Hall and the matter was discussed during confidential matters at a full council meeting held in the Grange in Omagh last week.

The Impartial Reporter queried the security breach, and the discussion surrounding it, but the Council stated that it "does not comment on discussions that take place as part of 'Confidential Matters'" and that it "does not comment on security matters".

However, in the audio made available from the full council meeting held in Omagh last week Council Chief Executive, Brendan Hegarty, provided a "summary" of what was discussed during confidential matters. He stated that in "part two confidential business the Council… considered a confidential report of the Policy and Resource Committee meeting held on 4th of April 2019 and formally adopted the minutes and considered an update report in relation to a security breach relating to council property on the evening of the meeting."

There is no audio recording available for the Policy and Resource Committee meeting that was held on the evening of the security breach with the Council stating that a "technical issue" led to no recording being available.

Meanwhile a Planning Committee meeting held at Enniskillen Town Hall on April 10 had to be suspended after protesters sought to speak at the meeting.

The protesters were part of the Save Our Sperrins group, who are opposed to any development by Dalradian Gold Ltd in relation to a Gold mine and processing plant in Greencastle County Tyrone.

Planning Committee Chairman, John Coyle, told protesters that they were not permitted to speak. After a short period where protesters continued to try and speak the Chairman asked for a proposer and second to suspend the meeting. This was received from the Council floor.

At the full Council meeting held last week there were more protests against the proposed development of the Sperrins with Council Chief Executive, Mr. Hegarty, involved in a conversation with protesters on the stairs of the Grange prior to the meeting.

Some protesters did make their way into the chamber but they did not try to speak during the meeting, instead they waved brown envelopes at various stages of the meeting when Dalradian Gold Ltd and the proposed drilling of boreholes were mentioned.

In a statement from the Council following questions from the Impartial Reporter it was revealed that Mr. Hegarty had informed protesters about certain health and safety requirements:

"Before the start of the Council meeting on Wednesday 17 April 2019 at The Grange, Omagh, members of the public in attendance were advised that a maximum number of eight people may be admitted to the Council Chamber to observe the Council meeting due to health and safety requirements.

"This was challenged by those present with approximately 15 people gaining entry to the Council Chamber contrary to the direction given by Council Officers. The Council's Chief Executive spoke to members of the public on the stairwell within The Grange in relation to the health and safety implications of this. It so turned out that a number of Councillors were absent from the Council meeting and as such, the 15 members of the public in the Council Chamber did not result in the maximum capacity of the Chamber being exceeded and the Council meeting was able to continue."