Mitchell's Freedom of the City to be revoked?

Cork City Council has voted to remove the Freedom of the City from former US senator George Mitchell.

The decision was made in light of the revelation that Mitchell had falsely stated he did not have any further contact with pedophile sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein following his conviction. Documents released earlier this year reveal multiple instances of email correspondence between the two men following the latter’s conviction.

Solidarity Cllr Brian McCarthy, who proposed the motion, said continuing to offer the award to Mitchell would be a “gross and disgusting insult to survivors of abuse”.

Mitchell was awarded Freedom of the City of Cork in 1998 for his work during the negotiations over the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) in Northern Ireland.

Mitchell served as US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland from 1995-1996.

His mediation between the parties in the conflict is considered crucial to the success of the eventual talks. Earlier this year, Mitchell’s name was removed from the Institute of Global Peace, Security and Justice at Queen’s University, Belfast. A bust of Mitchell was also removed from the university. It was acknowledged at this Monday’s meeting that there was no strict legislative basis for removing the Freedom of the City once conferred by council, and there is no precedent for it having been done since before the founding of the Free State in 1922.

A spokesperson for Cork City Council said the council executive notes the vote taken by the council.

“However, the executive can find no legislative basis for revoking the Freedom of the City in this, or in any other case, and will need to consider the legislative and practical implications of the vote,” they said.

They also said it was important to note that “former senator Mitchell has not been found guilty of any wrongdoing and has denied any allegations of wrongdoing”.

This article was produced with the support of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme funded by Coimisiún na Meán.