Waterford councillor criticises local media for reporting on €20,000 security gate spending
Cllr Joe O’Riordan spoke on the subject at the September plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council
A Waterford councillor has criticised the local media for reporting on the spending of nearly €20,000 of public money on private security gates.
Last month, it was revealed that Fine Gael councillors Lola O’Sullivan and Pat Nugent had both been allocated in the region of €10,000 for security measures at their homes in 2025.
The story received widespread attention, with many people, particularly on social media, criticising the two councillors.
The matter was discussed at the September plenary meeting of Waterford City and County Council.
Independent councillor Joe O’Riordan criticised local media outlets for reporting on the story.
Cllr O’Riordan said: “I just think that surely local media outlets, whether they’re radio or press, should consider whether they’re creating ragebait when they start to put stuff on Facebook.
“Putting these kinds of things on Facebook and social media only serves to attract vile personal abuse from some of those critical of the expenses or the issue or whatever it is.
“I found it extraordinary that a security matter found its way to the media on the basis that security should be and is confidential.”
He continued by saying that such matters should have been kept confidential, despite the fact that a record of the spending is publicly available on the council’s website.
“I don’t think it’s very fair if somebody puts something in their house or whatever.
“It shouldn’t be advertised all over the media that a certain councillor has cameras in his house or whatever.
“That should be confidential. It’s the way in industry that your security is confidential and it’s kept confidential.
“Councillors are human. They’re devoted to their communities. They have families. They work long hours but the personal vitriol is sometimes beyond the pale.”
Cllr O’Riordan went on to outline the threats that have been made against him in light of proposing a land disposal last year.
“Last year, I had personal threats to my safety and the safety of my family when I proposed the sale of land in Waterford for a worship building for people of the Muslim faith.
“There were actually personal threats to my life and to the life of my family. It was a horrible time and I ended up going to the guards about it.
“It’s an ongoing thing but I don’t think anybody should be critical of anybody seeking to strengthen their security because different people have different needs.
“It’s not a blanket thing that you can just say that something isn’t suited to somebody or they shouldn’t buy it. It’s up to the person themselves. If they feel safer, that’s up to them.”
A number of other councillors, including Mayor Liam Brazil, defended their colleagues over the spending of the money.
Public records show that Cllr Nugent was allocated €10,000 for private security measures last year, whilst Cllr O’Sullivan was allocated €9,591.
The money was allocated under amendments made to the Local Government Act 2001, which came into effect in July of last year.
The legislation allows for funding to be provided to elected members where they are seen to face “a credible and serious threat to their personal physical security”.