Fine Gael and Labour have been accused by Sinn Féin of keeping one of its councillors off a new policing body in Dublin designed to improve links with the Garda.
Sinn Féin's Mulhuddart-based councillor Felix Gallagher failed in his effort to join Fingal County Council's joint policing committee although he is his party's only representative on the council.
Thirteen councillors were nominated for the new body - one of a number of pilot schemes in the State - last November, along with five Oireachtas members and two senior Garda officers.
The joint policing committee yesterday held its third meeting, although Fingal County Council is to write to all members because of the poor attendance record of some.
Set up under the 2005 Garda Síochána Act, the joint policing committees are designed to offer a forum where TDs and councillors "can consult, discuss and make recommendations on matters affecting policing".
Mr Gallagher's name was left off the list of members after meetings between the leaders of the Green, Fine Gael and Labour grouping that holds a majority on the council.
"I feel that there was a very definite attempt to exclude me from the body," Mr Gallagher, who is a member of the Blanchardstown Drugs Task Force, told The Irish Times.
Under guidelines issued by the Department of Justice and the Department of the Environment "each political grouping on the council must be represented" on the committee.
However, both Fine Gael and Labour pointed out that a party must have two councillors to qualify as a political grouping under local government legislation.
Fine Gael and Labour objected to Mr Gallagher getting a place because Sinn Féin has only one councillor, although a place was kept for PD councillor Mags Murray, who is her party's sole Fingal councillor.
Labour TD Joan Burton said she had publicly stated her support for Mr Gallagher's membership of the joint policing committee, though she pointed out that strong competition existed for places.
