There were angry exchanges at yesterday’s monthly meeting of Mayo County Council as elected councillors warned council management that it was facing industrial action by staff if two outdoor staff employees in Westport who have been transferred to Ballinrobe and two Belmullet based staff transferred to Ballina, in the past number of days are not reinstated.

Standing Orders were suspended at the start of the meeting, when Independent Councillor Christy Hyland insisted that the redeployment of the 4 outdoor staff of the council, he claimed against their will and without consultation - was wrong and has to be rectified.

He was supported in his view by a large number of elected councillors who all agreed that the authority is facing industrial action unless the matter is resolved quickly.

At one point in the angry exchanges councillors took a ten minute break – as they had threatened to abandon the meeting altogether if the Chief Executive, Peter Hynes, would not intervene and reinstate the workers.

On return the councillors said important matters on the monthly agenda needed to proceed – so they agreed to drop the ultimatum until the next meeting of the authority at the end of the month,  saying either the men are reinstated or the matter is far from over.

The Chief Executive Peter Hynes and Director of Services John Condon explained to councillors that a number of the employees affected have now opted to go down a legal route to contest the changes and explained for that reason the council was constrained in what it could now say about the matter.

Mr Hynes said it was his responsibility to balance the resources of the authority, and said clarification on what had occurred in these cases will be dealt with in the appropriate forum.