Controversial city councillor Daniel Callanan took his campaign against unauthorised clamping one step further this week by reporting Galway City Council to the Local Authority Ombudsman.

Unhappy with Galway City Council's response to a formal complaint he submitted about the alleged unauthorised removal of clamps from a number of councillors' cars, Cllr Callanan has decided to take the next step and report the city council to the Office of the Ombudsman for Local Authorities for their failure to disclose information on the subject.

Cllr Callanan said the "cover-up" by the council on the subject is indicative of their attitude overall and that action must be taken to ensure a transparent and equal system.

"I have taken a lot of slack over this but I have also gotten a lot of support. I have had letters put in my door and calls from lots of people, many of whom have been clamped themselves, supporting what I am doing. If the people involved had put their hands up to begin with and changes made to the procedure, this would never have continued for so long.

"I don't want to be interrupting meetings and holding up business but I can't just turn around and drop this now. This is typical of a lot of other issues that are going on within the council. I am entitled to this information but I am being blocked at every turn. If the Ombudsman agrees to investigate this, then I will let it lie until they are finished but if not then I will have no choice but to bring it up in the chamber. Come hell or high water, I will get the truth!"

Cllr Callanan submitted the formal complaint to the council some time ago in relation to the long-running dispute, demanding a full explanation as to how a number of councillors, including Mayor Padraig Conneely and former Mayor Tom Costello, had clamps removed from their vehicles without paying the appropriate fee.

In his complaint, Cllr Callanan outlined ten questions which he wished to have answered including how the clamping system works in Galway, who authorised the removal of the clamps without the payment of the fine, whether that person had the authority to do so, why Galway City Council were involved in the removal of clamps in the Cathedral car park where Control Plus have a contract to carry out this work, and what pressure, if any, was brought to bear by the councillors to have the clamps removed.