Bree reprimanded by Labour Party

by Allen Thu Oct 13, 2005 18:40

Article from this weeks edition of the "Sligo Champion"


CLR. Declan Bree has described the decision of a Labour Party Complaints Committee to proceed with a complaints hearing against him in his absence and to uphold the complaint against him while taking no disciplinary action against him as "unacceptable and farcical."

Clr. Bree said he now intends to appeal the matter to the Party’s National Executive Committee.

"I was amazed and extremely disappointed that the Complaints Committee decided to proceed with the hearing despite my submissions and the legal advice that the Committee was hopelessly compromised." said Councillor Bree, who withdrew from Saturday’s hearing when he was informed by the Committee’s Chairperson of the decision to go ahead with the case.

Clr. Bree said that when he and his colleague, the former Mayor of Galway, Councillor Catherine Connolly, departed Labour Headquarters, the Complaints Committee proceeded to hear the case against him in his absence.

"Before I left I pointed out to the Committee that at all times I was prepared to deal with the one specific complaint against me, that I had failed to comply with a motion that I apologise for remarks quoted in the Sligo Champion relating to the decision by councillors to vote down Sligo’s Traveller Accommodation Programme."

(Councillor Bree was quoted in the "Sligo Champion" as saying "The disgraceful decision to vote down the Programme compels these (traveller) families to continue living in appalling and intolerable conditions." and "How can anyone who claims to share the values of the Labour movement, or how can anyone with an ounce of compassion tolerate such a situation.")

Clr. Bree went on: "I also pointed out however that last month the one original complaint had metaphorphosed into 11 new separate complaints together with selected background material. None of these additional complaints had been made by party members but had been added by the General Secretary who failed to use the Party complaints process.

"The list of new complaints, allegations and documentation was circulated to the members of the Complaints Committee and in this context it was clear that the hearing was hopelessly compromised.

"I advised the members of the Complaints Committee at its initial hearing last month, of this very serious issue and I submitted documentation from my solicitor indicating that as a result of the new complaints having been circulated, the Complaints Committee had been placed in a position where they could no longer act in an impartial and unbiased manner.

"I had expected that the Complaints Committee would have realised in the intervening period, that they had no choice but to abort the hearing in the interest of natural justice and fair procedures.

"Not alone, however, did the Committee fail to abort the hearing on Saturday but they accepted further documentation from the General Secretary which contained utterly false information from the initial hearing.

"Most bizarrely no record of the first hearing was made available despite my repeated requests. The Chairperson then advised that the Secretary to the Committee was only present to provide secretarial assistance and not to record the hearing. Following this disclosure, I asked permission to record the proceedings but permission to use a tape recording device was flatly refused by the Committee.

"Given the flagrant non compliance with the rules of natural justice and given that my solicitor had advised both me and the Committee that the Complaints Hearing must be aborted, I was then left with no option but to withdraw from the Hearing." said Clr Bree.

Referring to the decision of the Complaints Committee to uphold the complaint while taking no disciplinary action, Clr Bree said he found the decision "bizarre."

"Given that I was not present at the hearing to defend myself and given that no record of the hearing exists, God knows what happened on Saturday afternoon. The whole process certainly wouldn’t inspire confidence. I couldn’t imagine this type of thing happening under Dick Spring’s or Ruairi Quinn’s leadership," he said.

He added: "When I was Mayor of Sligo back in February I said that the disgraceful decision to vote down Sligo’s Traveller Accommodation Programme compels traveller families to continue living in appalling and intolerable conditions. And I asked how could anyone who claims to share the values of the Labour movement, or how can anyone with an ounce of compassion tolerate such a situation. I still hold these views and I repeat these comments today. I have no intention of apologising to anyone for my views or for my politics.

"The outcome of the Complaints hearing can only be described as farcical and unacceptable and I can confirm that I will be appealing the case to the National Executive Committee," said Clr Bree.

*Article from "Sligo Champion" Wednesday 12th October

by pat c Tue Oct 11, 2005 11:05

just want to point out that the patc above is not me. i wish declan bree all the best tho and i hope the rabbitte is sent scuttling back to his warren.

by John - LY Mon Oct 10, 2005 20:39

All this trouble in Sligo started with entry of the exFG Cllr. Jim McGarry. His track record is terrible and would idicate that he was to the right when in FG.

I don't know what Pat Rabbitte was doing when himself and Pat Magnier welcomed him into the party.

We all know he has done the rounds with FG, PDs, FF.

Members of LY, are angered about the treatment Declan Bree, a long standing, selfless, vocal and very active member of the party.

watch this space

by patc Mon Oct 10, 2005 20:31

So he's found guily but no action is taken? What was the point? Either Rabbitte and Mike Allen have no backbone or the outrage amoung party members forced them to abandon their plans for this socialist purge.

I'm sure Bree will have no worry about criticising the councillors in the future. This will hardly be the last incident where he falls out with cllrs McGarry & Cawley on issues of principle. Episode 1!!! The end game in this affair would indicate the distruction of the LP in Sligo with the departure of Bree and his supporters.

The verdict also sends out a message to party reps. that it is ok to vote against traveller accomodation for simply populist reasons.
The party is begining to to look more and more like FG as the months go buy. Michael D. will calling for Ireland to joing NATO soon!

by kintama Mon Oct 10, 2005 18:37

Methinks this decision has more to do with protecting Rabbitte than reflecting the views of the committee. Bree had justifiable concerns about the conduct of the investigation which seemed to exclude the concept of natural justice. Had he been ousted Rabbitte would have had to defend the conduct of the committee, this way he hopes things will blow over. But with the prospect of a hearing for Rabbitte himself looming dumping Bree would have put pressure on for equal treatment in the unlikely event of the 'Dear Leader' being found guilty.
Bree must now decide if he wishes to remain in a party full of unprincipled Blueshirt backers but irrespective of his decision the party is likely to face more stickie situations in the future.

by Michael M Mon Oct 10, 2005 15:16

Farcical isn’t the word for it. The members of the complaints panel are a pathetic lot. Recognising that Bree was correct in his criticism they knew there would be a revolt inside and outside the party if any disciplinary action was taken against him. But what were they to do? They could hardly say that Rabbitte, Allen and Co were wrong!

Like F.F. they came up with an Irish solution to an Irish problem - convict Bree but refuse to give him a sentence.

And they were witless enough to believe that Bree would find such an outcome acceptable!! Who are these guys?

by Allen Mon Oct 10, 2005 14:31

Bree was on Ocean FM this morning where he described the outcome of the Hearing as farcical and unacceptable.

He said that he was prepared to deal with the one specific complaint against him - that he had failed to apologise for describing the decision of councillors to vote down the traveller accommodation programme as disgraceful.

However he said that an additional 11 complaints and allegations had been circulated to the members of the Complaints Committee and that none of these complaints had been made by members of the party but had been added by the General Secretary, who had failed to use the party complaints procedure.

Bree said he submitted legal documentation indicating that as a result of the new complaints being circulated, the Complaints Committee could no longer act in an impartial or unbiased manner and that the hearing should be aborted in the interests of natural justice.

When the Committee said it was going ahead with the hearing Bree pointed out that his solicitor had advised both him and the Committee that the hearing must be aborted and he said he was left with no option but to withdraw from the hearing.

Bree also told Ocean FM that no record of the first hearing was made available to him despite his requests and when he pressed the matter he was told that the Secretary to the committee was only there to provide secretarial assistance and not to record the hearing. When Bree asked for permission to record the proceedings on a tape recorder he was refused permission to do so.

Given that he wasn’t present at the hearing to defend himself and given that no record of the hearing existed, Bree said he had no idea what happened at the hearing on Saturday afternoon. He said he was going to appeal the matter to the National Executive Committee of the party

by Modine Mon Oct 10, 2005 13:50

Rabbitte and his ilk don't like Bree, because Bree has this strange habit of sticking to his principles (odd, considering he's a politician). Not picking on travellers to court an extra few votes. Rabbitte of course, bends with the wind.
They didn't have the guts to run Bree out of the party, but I'm sure there will be another clash.

by Sharon Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:18

I seem to recall lots of contributors foretelling that Bree would be expelled and severely disciplined by a witch hunt against him. Seems they got it wrong, no disciplinary action whatsoever.