County Council newsletter photo is branded ‘not fair’

THE prominent placement of a photo of three councillors on the front cover of South Dublin County Council’s most recently published newsletter has been branded ‘not fair’ by another councillor.

This is according to independent councillor for Rathfarnham-Templeogue, Ronan McMahon, who made the comment at a council meeting last week.

The front cover of the current edition of the council’s South Dublin County Today newsletter features a photo that includes Fianna Fáil councillors Emma Murphy, Teresa Costello and Charlie O’Connor.

Cllr McMahon took exception to this, noting in particular that it is an election year, and it was his view that a generic photo should have been used instead for the front cover.

Speaking at the council meeting, he said: “There’s a large photograph on the front cover of three councillors.

“I think it isn’t fair to include a photograph of some councillors at the exclusion of others, especially within the year of an election.

“I’ve nothing against the councillors in the photograph, but I don’t think it’s fair.

“None of the councillors are in my area, so it doesn’t affect me, but I’m sure we could’ve used a more generic photograph and kept this photograph for inside the newsletter.”

The photograph was taken last April when the sod was officially turned on the development of cost rental apartments at Belgard Square North in Tallaght by housing minister Darragh O’Brien.

Responding to Cllr McMahon’s comments, the interim chief executive of the council, Colm Ward, said: “In terms of the photo, I know all councillors were invited to that.

“But I do take your point, certainly, particularly in terms of the timing with the elections coming up, but we did send the invite to all councillors for that particular event.”

The next Local Government Elections are due to take place in either May or June of next year.

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