Donegal County Council budget blocked by Sinn Féin over water tax

‘We will not be doing Fine Gael/Labour Environment Minister Phil Hogan’s dirty work for him’

DONEGAL COUNTY COUNCIL has been prevented from passing its budget by Sinn Féin councilors opposed to water charges and the refusal of Irish Water to discuss the transfer of local authority assets, “a priceless asset which belongs to the people of this county”, Sinn Féin Councillor Mick Quinn said.

Donegal County Council ended a marathon session in the early hours of Wednesday morning following a full three days of discussion on the budget. The budget was opposed 15 to 13 and the meeting adjourned to next Monday.

As a result of the vote, all councillors will lose their salaries but Mick Quinn said Sinn Féin did not seek election for a salary or for personal gain.

“We were elected to represent the people of Donegal and this budget is not in their best interests.

“We were not given a mandate to implement water charges and we will not support a budget that increases taxes and reduces services for families across Donegal,” Mick Quinn said.

“Sinn Féin will not be involved in any process that will further increase taxes and reduce services for families across Donegal.

“We were not given a mandate to introduce water charges and we will not be doing Fine Gael/Labour Environment Minister Phil Hogan’s dirty work for him.

“The budget book as presented is full of aspirational figures and unrealisable objectives. This same council passed a budget for 2013 which had to be revised in July 2013 and cut by €2.75million because of fantasy figures which Sinn Féin pointed out could not be realised. The same would have happened this year if this budget was passed.

“It is time to fight for the people of our county.”