Two of the councillors who featured in the RTÉ Investigates programme last Monday night have resigned from the councillors' representative body, while a third councillor's membership has been "terminated with immediate effect" after he refused to resign.
Councillors' Hugh McElvaney and Joe Queenan resigned, while Cllr John O'Donnell had his membership terminated.
The executive of the Local Authority Members Association (LAMA) held an emergency meeting at county buildings in Tralee this morning. Some 28 of the 31 members were in attendance.
Each county council is represented on LAMA.
The meeting was called at short notice "in light of recent revelations into the standards of public office RTÉ Investigates programme", it said in a statement issued after the meeting.
"The executive of LAMA are shattered and saddened by these revelations as we believe all of our members are throughout the country," LAMA General Secretary Cllr Bobby O'Connell said on behalf of the body.
He said: "The LAMA executive, at its emergency meeting on Saturday the 12th of December has received resignations from Cllr Hugh McElvaney, Monaghan County Council, and from Cllr Joe Queenan, Sligo County Council. These resignations have been accepted by the executive, unanimously."
Cllr McElvaney who represents his county council on LAMA, and had been an ex-officio member of the board of LAMA, attended the meeting in Tralee and tendered his resignation.
The statement from LAMA said Cllr John O'Donnell indicated he would not resign his membership from the body.
It said the executive then decided to terminate Cllr O'Donnell's membership "with immediate effect".
The body's Chairperson Cllr Mags Murray said: "LAMA remains committed and determined to represent and promote the highest standards which is expected and shared by our members".
