Fine Gael VEC rebels may face disciplinary hearing

CONTROVERSY continues two months after voting for vacancies on Cork County Vocational Education (VEC) caused national uproar.

The debacle in Fine Gael ranks continues, this time with the prospect that three of its councillors who voted against the party whip could face disciplinary proceedings.

Fine Gael Cllrs Noel Buckley, Deirdre Forde and Mary Hegarty have been asked by the party’s National Executive disciplinary committee to account for their votes — two of which went to a former Fianna Fáil councillor.

Cllrs Forde and Buckley voted against the agreed FG candidate for one of the vacant positions on the VEC.

Instead of supporting the party’s Fermoy-based town councillor Aileen Pyne, they voted for former FF county councillor Marie ‘The Shamrock’ Murphy who lost her seat at the last local elections.

Ms Forde said she would be making no comment on the issue, but Cllr Noel Buckley confirmed he had already written to the disciplinary committee explaining why he had voted for Ms Murphy.

He said that despite being from a rival party, Marie ‘The Shamrock’ was a friend and near neighbour of his in Millstreet and that was why he had ignored the party whip and voted for her.

Meanwhile, Fine Gael had put forward for selection a former Mayor of County Cork, Cllr Tom Sheahan, against Church of Ireland nominee Canon George Salter.

It was the first time that a minority church had its position challenged on the VEC and it drew criticism from the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Ross and Cloyne Paul Colton.

However, instead of voting for Sheahan, Bantry-based Cllr Hegarty cast her vote in favour of Canon Salter. In the event, the FG ranks held firm to secure Tom Sheahan’s election to the committee.

However, less than a week later Mr Sheahan decided to resign and Canon Salter was duly returned to the VEC.