Councillors ‘intimidated’ ahead of retail vote

PUBLIC representatives were bombarded with “intimidating” phone calls, text messages and emails ahead of a vote on a multi-million-euro retail project in west Cork, it has emerged.

Prior to voting down a plan for a Tesco shopping centre in Bantry, several members of Cork County Council referred to distressing and unwarranted communications on the matter.

“It was the worst time I’ve had in 17 years on this council. It was intimidation between texts and phone calls,” Cllr Tadhg O’Donovan (FG) said.