Councillors furious over committee refusal

Councillors furious over committee refusal

27 June 2012

LOCAL politicians are furious their request to meet with the Stormont Health Committee has been refused.

They were keen to meet with committee members to discuss a range of health issues including service provision at the Downe Hospital, but have been told a meeting will not take place.

In a letter to Down Council, the clerk of the Stormont committee said it would not be “appropriate” to meet with any district council as it could not been seen to “favour one constituency over another.”

The letter said political representatives including MPs, MLAs and councillors all have access to the Health Minister and would urge them to lobby the Department of Health directly on issues of concern.

But councillors are refusing to take “no” for an answer.

They are demanding a meeting with the Health Committee and believe talks would set a new precedent and allow other local councils to meet with a body which is charged with scrutinising the work of Health Minister Edwin Poots and his department.

News of the refusal to meet local politicians came at last week’s meeting of Down Council’s own Health Committee when council chairman Mickey Coogan made it clear he was “upset, agitated and annoyed” at the decision which he described as “bad practice and unjustified.”

Councillor John Doris said if the Stormont committee has not met with local councils in the past, “there is no good reason for not doing it now.” He proposed Down Council requests another meeting.

Councillor Eamonn O’Neill described the refusal as a “very serious matter” and explained the various statutory committees were created at Stormont to allow accessibility for both the public and political representatives.

“Access to these committees help maintain the link between local authorities and the devolved administration. We are being refused a meeting with the Health Committee because no other council has asked for one. There is absolutely no sense to this decision,” he added.

Councillor Liam Johnston said if local people can’t raise issues and concerns with the Health Committee, then “it’s not in a position to fulfil its scrutinising role,” while Councillor Patrick Clarke said local politicians need to send out a strong message about the importance of local health issues and the need to raise these with the Department of Health’s scrutinising committee.

Councillor Willie Clarke said that in addition to seeking another meeting, local councillors should contact their respective MLAs to voice concern about the Stormont committee’s refusal to meet with them.