From the archives: Islander was arrested for not paying £32 rates bill
By Tom Gillespie
THE plight of islander Thomas Gibbons, who had been asked to pay rates for amenities which he was not getting, was raised at a meeting of Mayo County Council in Castlebar on Saturday, November 17, 1962.
Councillor Tommy Giblin (Westport) proposed and Mr. Joe Leneghan, TD (Belmullet), seconded that the council ‘abhor the illegal arrest’ of Thomas Gibbons, Inishlyre, Westport, and demand immediate imposition of a stay of execution of the warrant pending clarification of a resolution passed by Mayo County Council on the proposition of Mr. Leneghan that all islands on the western seaboard be non-rateable in view of the fact that they enjoy no facilities from monies collected by Mayo County Council rate collectors.
Councillor Giblin described it as a ‘matter of supreme importance’.
Mr. Henry Kenny, TD (Castlebar), said that Mr. Gibbons had been arrested when he went to see a doctor in Westport, adding: "I say that arrest was illegal because of a resolution passed by this council two years ago (1960) that islanders in Clew Bay would not be asked to pay rates.
"They enjoy no amenities from this council. They have no light, wells or roads. They have no priest or doctor, no medical facilities whatsoever.
"Clare Island and Inishturk have these facilities and they don’t pay rates. Is this council going to allow this man to be sent to prison? He cannot even go to Mass at the moment and this whole thing demands urgency."
Mr. Leneghan: "We are always talking about British landlords. How much better are we than they? We are the biggest crowd of hypocrites under the sun. These people have no amenities.
"They have to deliver their own children, and children have died because a nurse was not available while babies were being born.
"Has the manager, who professes to have all the power, the power to prevent this poor, ill man from going to jail. If you have not, don’t talk about managerial acts and managerial functions."
Councillor Giblin: "This is taking a man away from his wife and young children. I will pay the fine myself rather than see that done."
Mr. Liam McLoughlin, county manager: "I am not taking the man away. I know nothing about him."
Councillor Giblin: "He will never go to Mountjoy while we have a pound."
Mr. Joe Blowick, TD (Belcarra): "This is a very serious matter. If the council decides not to collect rates from tenants on that island it would have the desired effect."
Mr. Leneghan: "We agreed to that six months ago."
Mr. Miko Browne, TD (Ballina), said he was supporting the motion. The council, he said, had agreed not to issue demand notes, and he was protesting in the strongest manner possible.
Councillor Giblin: "Was this done without being brought to the manager’s notice? If I had not been quick this man would have been in Mountjoy."
When the manager, Mr. McLoughlin, started to speak, Councillor Giblin said: "I will take no dictation from you. You will answer me. If God grants justice, I will die in the Gresham Hotel and you will die in the County Home."
Mr. McLoughlin: "I know nothing about this case. I can only presume that there must be some court order got against this man. Who am I to interfere with orders of the court?"
Councillor Giblin: "How dare you speak to me! This man will not be arrested."
County manager: "I will do nothing about it because I know nothing about it."
Mr. Leneghan: "Phone the Supt. in Westport."
Councillor Giblin: "The debt is due to the county council and the manager is the man to remit the debt."
County manager: "I cannot remit it because you mention it casually here on a Saturday evening."
Mr. Blowick: "The council can."
County manager: "Has he a solicitor defending him?"
Thomas Gibbons, who was present at the meeting, said he had not.
County manager: "Have you any land on the mainland?"
Mr. Gibbons: "No, sir."
Councillor Martin Finn (Claremorris): "This man has a legal case against the rate collector of the area."
Mr. Kenny: "What we want to do is to relieve this man’s mind."
The chairman, Councillor Martin J. McGrath (Ballina), asked the Westport councillors to meet the rate collector that evening.
Councillor Giblin: "I am quite willing to drive over for the rate collector."
Councillor Douglas Kelly (Swinford): "The rate collector is the complainant and he must have issued the summons. He is the only person who can stop this whole thing."
Councillor Owen Hughes (Westport): "Can we establish the principle that rates will not be levied on those islanders who have no facilities?"
Mr. John O’Donnell, county secretary: "This is a misunderstanding about the resolution passed in 1960. It called on the Central Government to relieve the islanders."
Mr. Leneghan: "There was one passed a few months ago."
County secretary: "We never agreed to remit rates. For years and years we have been collecting half-rates on islands."
Mr. Leneghan: "Half-rates or on half the islands."
County secretary: "Half the rates."
Mr. Leneghan: "Do you collect rates on Clew Bay?"
County secretary: "The curate, doctor, assistance officer and some others pay rates."
Mr. Leneghan: "The boys who have no option but to pay."
County secretary: "We could probably have settled this if we had notice before now."
Councillor Giblin: "I don’t know whether you’re laughing or crying up there, or whispering or singing. You would never be an elected representative if you had all the money in the world today. You could not even dream of getting here."
County secretary: "I could answer you but I don’t want to."
Councillor Giblin: "I saw you drinking soup in Galway." ("With a fork," it was later reported that he said).
County secretary: "I am sorry. I never saw you in my company."
Councillor Giblin: "I would not have you in my company."
County secretary: "Et Tu Brute."
Councillor Giblin: "If you care to conduct this in Irish, I don’t mind."
It was agreed that the council would meet the rate collector in Westport to try and quash the warrant of arrest.
Some days later Councillor Giblin paid the outstanding £32 rates due and the matter was settled.