Councillor exposed by RTÉ says he won’t resign
THE Sligo councillor caught in this week’s RTÉ Investigates sting has said he will not be resigning his council seat.
And he will let the people decide his fate at the next election.
Cllr Joe Queenan, who resigned from Fianna Fáil in the immediate aftermath of the RTÉ investigation into political lobbying, apologised for failing to complete his statutory declaration for 2015 correctly and for seeking a potential investment.
But in a statement, the Enniscronebased councillor insisted that ‘the edited footage does not give a fair and honest account’ of his conversation with the undercover reporter. And he denied that he had sought investment in return for helping the fictitious company with the planning process.
Mr Queenan said that on at least 13 occasions he had told the reporter that the planning process was an impartial one and that he could not
‘I was definitely set up’
guarantee her company success. And he said that on at least 14 occasions he told her he did not want money.
In an interview on Ocean FM radio Mr Queenan said he had been entrapped. He said it had been an error on his part to mention a possible investment but ‘I was led in that direction’. He added: ‘I was speaking in a hypothetical situation. I am sorry I ever brought it up and I apologise to the people for saying that. It was an error on my behalf.’
In his statement he said: ‘I wanted to meet this lady in a public place and it was RTÉ who arranged that the meeting take place behind closed doors.’
He said he had gone to the meeting to discuss future investment in the west Sligo area ‘and with no intention of looking for anything’. When asked on Ocean FM, Mr Queenan said he resigned from Fianna Fáil following a three-minute phone call with the general secretary, at the end of which it was decided he should resign until he could clear his name.
Pressed on why he was not resigning from the council, Mr Queenan said the people would decide his fate at the next local election. He said: ‘They will be the adjudicators. They put me there and if they want me there in the future they will have the opportunity of doing that down the road.’
Cllr Queenan said he had been getting support from people who ‘know it was a hatchet job’.
‘I was definitely set up. I never got any money in my life from being involved in politics for any favour and I would not condone it.’.
He said he had been ‘in a dark place’ since getting an email from RTÉ on November 13 last. And his family was also devastated.
‘I apologise to everyone. I will try and pick up the pieces and get on with life. It has been an absolute nightmare.’
Mr Queenan said he was now considering his legal options in relation to the programme.