A Monaghan Councillor is facing an enquiry after complaints about his election material.
The Standards in Public Office held the hearing regarding Independent Councillor Seamus Treanor yesterday.
The incident relates to an election flyer circulated by Councillor Treanor ahead of the 2019 local elections.
In it, he said he had no issue with people coming into the country if they could support their families, but that the main political parties “encouraged uncontrolled migration” into Ireland.
It continued that 92 per cent of asylum seekers were “bogus”, and that “criminals” were coming into the country without background checks.
Legal advisor Brian Gageby BL said "that the commission would see that the complaint in this case concerns canvassing material and complaints were made in respect of that material, that the material was racist, dangerous and xenophobic”.
Barry Healy, representing Councillor Treanor argued that the process was not "procedurally correct" because it was not flagged by the local authority's ethics registrar, and that election material couldn't breach the code of conduct for councillors as it isn't part of a councillor's role or function.
It was also clarified by Mr Healy that there was no criminal complaint made against Seamus Treanor and that in those circumstances he was "completely innocent"
Director of Finance at Monaghan County Council John Murray gave evidence regarding claims that “22 economic migrants” were housed by the council.
Mr Murray said 11 houses were used to provide accommodation for Syrian refugees, and agreed that “11 slots on the housing list were pushed down”.
However, it was pointed out that this was part of the Irish Refugee Protection Programme and not for “economic migrants”.
SIPO is investigating whether the material, which was said by Brian Gageby BL to be “factually incorrect”, contravened the code of conduct for councillors and the Local Government Act.
The meeting was adjourned to allow solicitor Barry Healy to make written submissions, and for them to be responded to.
