Councillor: I was stupid but I won’t resign

A public representative who defrauded the State by selling contraband cigarettes has refused to resign her seat.

Tara O’Connell, a Labour Party member of a town council, was convicted of selling imported Spanish cigarettes after being caught in an operation by Customs officials.

A Revenue spokeswoman confirmed last night that Ms O’Connell, a 40- year-old mother-of-one, was recently convicted and fined €2,500 in a District Court after being “found guilty of keeping for sale illegal tobacco products”.

Last night, Ms O’Connell told the Irish Examiner she “had been stupid” but didn’t intend to resign her seat on Youghal Town Council in Co Cork in the wake of the case.

She said as a single mother of a 17-year-old daughter she received just €217 a week from Social Welfare and was finding it hard to make ends meet.

“I wasn’t on the council at the time this [incident] happened. I was on lone parent’s allowance. I was getting packets from friends. To be honest I needed the money. It was a stupid mistake and I wouldn’t do it again,” Ms O’Connell said.

She admitted “selling packets to a friend” when she was caught by Customs officers.

“I made a mistake and I shouldn’t have done it. I had both parents in hospital at the time and I was finding it [financially] difficult [to go and visit them]. I am still on lone parent’s benefit,” the councillor said.

She was co-opted onto Youghal Town Council in Oct 2011 to take the seat held following the death of her father, Tommy.

Ms O’Connell maintained there were just “a small amount” of Palace brand cigarettes involved in the sell-offs to a friend.

They can be bought in the Canary Islands for less than €2 for a pack of 20.

Major brands such as Benson & Hedges can be purchased there for well under €3 per pack of 20.

“It wasn’t as if I had hundreds of packets. They came from Spain,” Ms O’Connell said.

The mayor of Youghal, Cllr Michelle Hennessy (SF), issued a statement last night saying Ms O’Connell should make a public apology to the council and the people of the town.

“The courts have made their decision in relation to Cllr O’Connell. The matter should be considered resolved and the court’s decision respected. However, I do believe the councillor should issue an apology to her constituents and Youghal Town Council for this incident.”