A DUNDALK town councillor who had his laptop seized by gardaí earlier this year has denied being involved in any “conduct” involving children, but said recent publicity about him suggested “sexual impropriety involving children or young people”.
In a statement read to fellow councillors at a meeting of the council yesterday afternoon, Cllr Oliver Morgan (30), who until recently was a member of Fianna Fáil, also said that he had received only messages of support from both parents and members of a youth club he is involved with in Dundalk.
Gardaí in Dundalk yesterday declined to comment officially on the matter but a source confirmed that the results of a forensic examination of a laptop are expected from Garda headquarters in the coming weeks. The source confirmed that Cllr Morgan had not been arrested at any stage.
In his statement Mr Morgan also said he made a complaint to gardaí last January after an accusation was made against him, “by way of a note left at my place of employment, which was scurrilous and untrue. I spent an hour in Dundalk Garda barracks talking to Garda officers concerning that complaint”. He added that in recent weeks, “extensive publicity has been given to me, some of which suggests sexual impropriety involving juveniles or children”.
“None of what has been said makes a direct and clear accusation but much of it is strongly suggestive and taken altogether the coverage that I have been the subject of must undoubtedly have given the impression that I was being investigated by the gardaí for child abuse,” he added.
“I wish to make it clear that I have not been accused of, nor am I guilty of any conduct involving children. Since 1998 I have been involved in a youth club associated with a large populous area in Dundalk and have dealt with hundreds of children in a position of trust in that club. Needless to say members of that club and their parents are aware of the current publicity and I have received no communication from any member of the club or parent of a member of the club other than communications of support and dismay at the unfair publicity to which I have been subjected.”
He confirmed that gardaí did, on foot of a warrant, seize a laptop from his home on April 1st last. “On that date I was not interviewed by the gardaí nor have I been since,” he added.
At yesterday’s council meeting he also confirmed that he has resigned the Fianna Fáil whip but he intends to remain a member of the town council. He was elected to the council for the first time last June and works in McArdle Meats in Dundalk.