There are claims that money changed hands between local representatives in a previous council pact in Wexford in exchange for positions they would go on to hold.
Sinn Fein councillor Thomas Forde said he believes that in a previous pact of a former Wexford council, there was a financial agreement among some councillors, which was never recorded.
The exchange happened in 2014 when Labour’s George Lawlor admitted he gave his then Deputy Mayor Frank Staples of Fine Gael €400 in cash.
He says an arrangement made was that Five of the six Councillors who entered the Mayoral Pact that year would each serve a term as mayor, except Frank Staples.
it was decided that Councillor Staples would serve as Deputy Mayor instead for three terms but because this didn’t carry any expense allowance, the three Mayors he would serve under would personally give him a sum of money €1,200 in total or €400 per term.
Sources have contacted SER to say they believe the figure could be as high as €1,400 however newly elected Mayor of Wexford George Lawlor has admitted he gave Frank Staples €400 cash that year but says he returned it as he did take up on the position of mayor on the passing of Fergie Kehoe.
