Pádraig Conneely does not appear to be worried that staff in City Hall are under instruction not to deal with him, especially now he is featuring in French newspapers.
Cllr Conneely was interviewed by the French newspaper Le Télégramme in December, as part of a major feature on how the recession and the economic crisis are impacting on the State. In a short interview he gave his views on how he feels the Government cutbacks have impacted on local authorities and Galway city.
At Monday’s city council meeting, Cllr Conneely made various statements but received no response from officials.
All services to the controversial councillor have been withdrawn over what officials saw as his “gratuitously offensive behaviour” towards “city council staff generally and in particular his comments to Ciarán Hayes” at the recent meeting. Services will be restored if Cllr Conneely issues a “public apology to staff generally and to Ciarán Hayes in particular”.
However Cllr Conneely told officials on Monday “not to worry about him”.
“I have gone Europe wide with French newspapers wanting to interview me,” he said, brandishing a copy of Le Télégramme for council officials to see. “I have a good European stage and I am featuring very well over there. I will be able to hold my own and although I know you can’t respond to me I know it’s killing ye!”