Sinn Féin councillor James McKeown has said Mid and East Antrim Council should meet urgently to discuss issues around the decision to withdraw council workers from the Port of Larne. 

Councillor McKeown said: 

“There are serious questions to be answered by Mid and East Antrim Council over the decision to withdraw workers from the Port of Larne. 

“The move by the Council Chief Executive to stand down the party leaders forum on the back of the decision by the DUP to pull out of it is deeply concerning. This should not be a decision for the Chief Executive but the elected members themselves and the meetings should go ahead regardless of whether the DUP choose to participate or not. 

“We cannot have the Chief Executive riding roughshod over the democratically elected representatives of the community in this way. 

“A special meeting of the Council needs should be urgently convened and, if such a meeting is held, we will be calling for a full investigation into the events surrounding the withdrawal of workers from the Port of Larne.

“The people of Mid and East Antrim are entitled to open and transparent local government.”