7th January 2014
By Politics Reporter
news@TheCork.ie
Mallow Town Council (North County Cork) last night passed its annual budget despite the reduction in funding from the local government fund. Eight councillors voted in favour of the budget with only the Sinn Fein representative Melissa Mullane descenting.
Speaking after the meeting Ms Mullane said; “I am disappointed that the other councillors could so easily accept a budget which in effect has copper fastened the lies which have come out of government over the past few years. The promise of increased or at least equal funding by the introduction of the local property tax was untrue and all the other members of Mallow Town Council sheepishly accepted this. The reality is that funding for housing repairs and other vital services is not increased. What would you accept a government to do when local democracy does not stand up and just allows them do what they like.”
She added;
“I also tried to divert the money allowed for conferences this year into housing repairs and this was voted down. I can not comprehend how with only five months of this council left that 11000 euro still needs to be provided for junkets. I am a new councillor and to say last night I was frustrated with the attitude towards this budget would be an understatement. Any housewife who does a household budget would have been shocked at the way this council does its business.”