A NUMBER of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Independent members have held a protest against the latest rates increase amid what they alleged are continuous efforts to silence them in the Chamber, ultimately impacting on constituents.

The digital system now used in meetings is ‘lock’ controlled, whereby members can only be heard if the presiding Chair permits them, and even then, speakers can be muted.

Standing outside Enniskillen Town Hall, with a banner calling for an end to censorship as a backdrop, Councillor Donal O’Cofaigh told those in attendance of what he claimed were continuing efforts to silence Independent members, specifically referencing the most recent rates meeting when only a limited few were permitted to speak.

He said: “This episode was not unusual or unique. It is increasingly standard practice.

“I have repeatedly highlighted the exclusionary approach taken by numerous Chairs from the main parties.

“The recent behaviour is a denial of councillors’ Article 10 Human Right of expression and is a clear breach of Standing Orders, which state that every councillor has a right to be heard on issues, certainly something as important as setting the council rate.

“As a result of our exclusion until after the vote, there was absolutely no discussion on how the rates would impact on struggling householders and small traders.”

He continued: “The electorate suffer when we are silenced. The establishment parties may not like what we have to say, but we have a democratic mandate that must be heard.

“Those who elected us did so precisely because we stood against ‘politics-as-usual’. They will never silence us – we will continue to speak truth to power.”

In respect of the ‘lock’ system, Councillor O’Cofaigh said: “This is the latest in a series of controversies over an online meeting setting whereby councillors’ microphones are locked off until they are switched on by officials, which also allows them to be turned off at the direction of the Chair.

“Independent councillors [have] challenged the system since its introduction, on the basis it is exclusionary.”

Councillor O’Cofaigh argued the ‘lock’ breaches Standing Orders, as it denies the ability to raise Points of Order without delay, which is guaranteed.

In response, councillors were directed to raise issues in the online chat function, but that too proved controversial, as it was claimed these were missed or ignored by Chairs.

Councillor O’Cofaigh concluded: “Opposition to the ‘lock’ has widened with claims of unnecessary delays as councillors wait to be unlocked before speaking.

“Others feel that, coupled with Chairs prioritising those physically in the meeting, it excludes others forced to attend online."

Councillor Emmet McAleer also addressed the crowd, stating realistic proposals for a zero rates rise could have been delivered without cutting services, but were effectively blocked.

He said: “It’s shocking how some political parties are so afraid of engaging in open debate that they refuse to allow Independent councillors to speak.

“Last year, they claimed our proposals were not competent. This year, they went a step further, and refused to allow us to contribute prior to the vote.”

This, he contended, breaches the democratic mandate of Independent members representing their electorate, saying that he and Councillor O’Cofaigh were both cautioned prior to speaking, and “then talked over by the Chair, before he unceremoniously cut the meeting short”.

Councillor McAleer said that despite all that occurred over the last year, the Council is in an even healthier financial position, with alternative options rather than raising rates.

He continued: “But no debate was allowed. We were refused the opportunity to put forward proposals.

“The silencing of Independent councillors highlights a disturbing pattern of behaviour aimed at stifling democratic expression of minorities.

“The meeting demonstrated the efforts employed to silence, censor, bully and talk down those voices which don’t echo establishment views. But we will not be silenced.

“Despite ongoing efforts to shut down and limit our input, we will continue to fight for those who put us in this privileged position.”

A similar protest is expected to take place in Omagh on Saturday, February 26.