DUP councillor suspended for three months after Facebook post relating to kids' GAA tournament

The sanction was imposed after Clement Cuthbertson, who sits on Mid Ulster District Council, made social media comments in 2022 in relation to the Francie Hughes Memorial Tournament for children aged seven and a half and under which is named after the former chairman of Coalisland Na Fianna who shares his name with a 1981 IRA hunger striker.

However, Mr Cuthbertson thought the event was indeed on behalf of the hunger striker and posted that the GAA "continues to idolise convicted terrorists".

When he was informed about the mistake the Councillor took the post down.

However, Adjudication Commissioner Ian Gordon found that the Facebook post “contained inaccurate, unacceptable and offensive comments about a deceased man”.

According to Adjudication Commissioner Ian Gordon, when Mr Cuthbertson was given the opportunity to express regret about his actions, he found that the Councillor took no steps to clarify his post or apologise to the man’s family or fellow councillors.

Notwithstanding the prompt removal of the post, the Adjudication Commissioner was satisfied that the Councillor was in breach of his obligations under paragraph 4.13(a) of the Code to show respect and consideration for others. He also found that his actions had breached paragraph 4.2 of the Code by bringing his role as councillor into disrepute.

Commissioner Gordon commented that the facts of the adjudication would merit a suspension of 4 months however he gave full credit for the relevant mitigating factors in the case, noting that the purpose of sanction is not to punish a councillor, rather it is to ensure there is no future breach of the Code and to discourage similar conduct by other councillors. It is also to uphold the public interest in good administration and to help foster public confidence in the ethical standards regime.

The Adjudications Commissioner suspended Councillor Cuthbertson for a period of 3 months from the date of his full written decision, to end on 11 July 2025.