31 March 2005 Edition

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Councillors jet off to New York, while elderly languish

Over the past few weeks, Sinn Féin's only representative on Waterford County Council, Councillor Brendan Mansfield, has taken on and exposed the establishment parties.

He was particularly angry that seven Waterford County Councillors jetted off to the St Patrick's Day Parade in New York, at a cost of €16,137, while at the same time, he said, the Day Care Centre for the elderly in Dungarvan resembles nothing more than a boarded up shed.

"I don't think this trip will go down well with the public, given that Waterford is in a waste management crisis and some of these councillors voted for the increases in refuse charges," said Brendan.

"The Council could have more wisely spent the money on extending its refuse charges waiver scheme so that more people on low incomes could qualify for exemptions from paying all or part of these charges."

"Also, I am highly critical of the fact that the selection of the Council delegation to travel to New York was carried out behind closed doors by the Council's Corporate Policy Group and not at a public meeting of the Council. I was deeply shocked to learn about this trip from the media."


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