Former Tramore Town Councillor Betty Twomey
Former Tramore Town Councillor Betty Twomey, accused of having launched a vitriolic attack on the current Council membership and on Town Manager Brian White, has been challenged to meet them face to face.
Mrs. Twomey, who resigned her Independent seat on the Town Council shortly after the 2004 local elections in which she failed to retain her place on the County Council, went on Billy McCarthy’s Deise AM programme on WLRfm on Tuesday to voice criticism of the litter situation in the area of the resort’s sand dunes.
What she had to say raised the hackles of Council members who heard her and at their monthly meeting that night her former party colleague Ann Marie Power – Mrs. Twomey had originally been a Fine Gael councillor – issued her with an invitation to the next meeting to discuss the matter.
Without naming Mrs. Twomey, she said that in commenting on the litter situation she had been vitriolic in her attitude to the Council and the Manager. Furthermore, Cllr. Power maintained, some of her remarks were erroneous and created a false impression which was detrimental to the town.
Mayor Joe Conway agreed it would be a good idea to invite her along to the July meeting where they could debate matters face to face rather than on radio where things could become heated and statements might be made which would be unhelpful.
Cllr. James McCartan said Mrs. Twomey’s tone on the radio had been very aggressive, even suggesting that some of the councillors didn’t know where the sandhills were. And he said he had never before seen the town and the beach looking so tidy.
Mr. White said he had walked the sand dunes with a party following the opening that day of the town’s new wastewater treatment plant and it was heavenly. It was simply stunning, he said, and only very occasional litter was in evidence.
Indeed, he made a point of quizzing people who appeared to be regulars in the area as to their views on litter there and they saw no major problem. He spoke to seven people in all, two of whom made reference to people collecting litter and placing it in bags which they left at unofficial collection points from which it sometimes blew away. He said people should take their rubbish away with them from the sandhills and dispose of it elsewhere.
*Also see page 18
