Councillor rejects Lord Tom Elliott’s claim that council is a ‘cold house for protestants’

Lord Eliott made the comments after it was revealed that less than a quarter applying for jobs at the council were from a Protestant background

A Sinn Féin councillor has rejected claims from former Ulster Unionist Party leader Lord Tom Elliott that Fermanagh and Omagh District Council must not become a “cold house for Protestants.”

Lord Elliott made the comments in The Impartial Reporter in response to figures released by the council, which showed that 24 per cent of applicants for jobs at the council in 2025 came from a Protestant background, compared to 61 per cent from a Catholic background.

57 per cent of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council employees are from a Catholic background, compared to 35 per cent from a Protestant background.

The figures also showed that, among successful candidates for promotions within the council, 73 per cent were from a Catholic background and 18 per cent from a Protestant background.

Cllr Dermot Browne said: “I categorically reject the assertion from Tom Elliott that Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is a ‘cold house for protestants’.

“Equality and fair representation are embedded within the Council’s Employment policies.

“This type of rhetoric is divisive and does little to address the real issues facing people across Fermanagh and Omagh.

“The people of Fermanagh and Omagh want to see their elected representatives working together to improve local services, support communities and deliver positive outcomes instead of engaging in political point-scoring.

“Our focus should remain firmly on the issues that matter most to local people every day.”

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