'Insensitive' removal of Deacy memorials raised at council meeting

THE insensitivity of the removal of roadside memorials to the late Joe Deacy has again been raised with Mayo County Council.

Anybody in such terrible circumstances deserves sensitivity, Councillor Gerry Ginty told the monthly meeting of the authority this week.

“It was a shameful episode and something should be done to put it right.”

The memorials were removed – without consultation with Joe Deacy's family - as they were deemed to pose a road safety risk. However, Councillor Ginty said they were 'tiny, of light timber', and no danger to anyone.

The Deacy family, he said, should be allowed come before the council to address it.

He objected to the way it was done. There should have been consultation with the family before the memorials were removed.

Director of services Tom Gilligan said the council is considering a roadside memorials policy, which will come before members in due course.

Councillor Gerry Coyle wondered how many more memorials were taken down and was there a reason why this one was removed so quickly.

It wasn't concrete, he said, and it had very little to do with road safety.

Chief executive Peter Hynes, who offered condolences to the family of Joe Deacy, said there was a suggestion that a meeting would be facilitated. It hasn't happened but it should happen.

He regretted if the council's action had exacerbated the suffering of the family.

A meeting would be a good step forward.