There were some heated moments during last Wednesday's Policy and Resources Committee meeting in Omagh.

Donal O'Cofaigh, Cross Community Labour Alternative had put forward a proposal in relation to the draft Sustainable Development Action Plan which was supported by Independent Councillor for Mid Tyrone, Emmet McAleer .

Councillor O'Cofaigh said this was a very important issue before making his proposal.

"We are facing the prospect of potential threats to our sustainable development in the near future and I think that it would be wrong for Sustainable Development Action Plan to not reference the need in particular for this Council to take a supportive position in regard to the threats which are posed by dirty extractive industries in particular and I think that should be a recommendation if possible."

Councillor McAleer supported Councillor O'Cofaigh's proposal saying the water, air and land needed to be protected for future generations.

Chief Executive Brendan Hegarty asked Councillors to give some thought to the issue raised by Councillor O'Cofaigh and reminded them that the Council was a planning authority which was in the process of developing a new Area Development Plan and to include the proposal may pre-empt the outcome of formal processes in terms of developing the Area Development Plan.

Councillor McAleer responded by asking was it the case that the Council says they are opposed to "dirty extractive industries" but when it comes to take action its hands are tied.

Councillor Robert Irvine said that because the Council was a regulatory authority and there needed to be a "Chinese Wall" between what the Council say and what those on the Planning Authority do.

A number of Councillors asked for clarity on the issue with Sinn Féin's Sheamus Greene proposing the need to legal advice and saying that they were all against fracking and goldmining but "some people don't seem to accept that".

Councillor McAleer responded by saying it was great to hear that people who previously supported goldmining were now opposed to it mentioning Councillor Greene, which caused commotion in the chamber.

Councillor Greene responded vociferously saying: "People who work for organisations that receive money from goldmining shouldn't be trying to be hypocrites here and I take offence from that."

Councillor O'Cofaigh said it was unfortunate that the debate had turned the way it had but that the Council had to stand up to those industries.

Sinn Féin's Tommy Maguire and Stephen McCann took aim at the new Councillors as well for the way the discussion had developed.

Councillor Maguire said it was unfortunate that new Councillors have come and put Councillors who have been there a while in a sort of awkward position.

"This is a nonsense for Councillors to come in on a hobby horse and ride through the whole negotiation and whole function of Council."

Councillor McCann was deeply frustrated with what had took place in the chamber.

"Whilst we are broadly in agreement with what Councillor O’Cofaigh and Councillor McAleer are saying and what their motives are what we have had to endure for half an hour is nothing short of farcical.

"I would ask the two gentleman whilst we are with you broadly and we understand your issues and this council is broadly with what you are saying you need to start wising up lads because half an hour has been wasted on nonsense."

The proposal was soundly defeated, with Councillors saying afterwards that if legal advice had been sought and came back in favour of the proposal they would have backed it.

"The vote may have been different if we had sought legal advice first but not every meeting has to be about Dalradian gold, not every single one," concluded the SDLP Councillor, Adam Gannon.

Councillor Greene also withdrew his proposal for getting legal advice as the motion had fallen.