A member of Kells Urban Council, allegedly removed from the council by an official of the authority, has asked a Co Meath TD to raise the issue with the Minister for Local Government.
Mr Brian Curran said yesterday he had approached a deputy to highlight what he felt was unfair treatment, although he declined to say which TD he had contacted.
The Independent councillor said the Kells town clerk, Mr Bill Sweeney, had informed him at the start of the month that he had forfeited his council seat because he was late paying his commercial rates.
Mr Curran said he had attempted to pay his rates three times in late December but found the council offices closed. He paid his rates on January 3rd and was then notified by Mr Sweeney that, under the Local Government Act of 1941, he had forfeited his council seat.
The 1941 Act, however, had been replaced by the 1999 Local Government Act which made no such provision for the removal of a local authority member.
Once the council realised its mistake, it issued an apology to Mr Curran last Thursday and sent a press release to that effect to the local media.
Mr Curran said yesterday, however, he was unhappy with the apology, describing it as "flippant and inadequate".
"I had two weeks of my name being all over the provincial papers and on the radio, which caused distress not only to me as a business person but also to my family. Their apology just ran on one afternoon."
According to Mr Curran, the council has notified him to say it would make an unreserved public apology at the next council meeting on February 19th.
He said he was still considering his legal options.