This article is from page 6 of the 2012-09-25 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
SERVICES will be cut in the county to cover the € 240,000 withdrawn from the council coffers by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
Last August, council members agreed to continue with services as planned under the budget adopted at the beginning of the year, on re- assurances from the county’s Fine Gael Oireachtais members that the money cut from the third quarter of the budget would be returned.
Now the council must take an axe to services during the last three months of the year to make up the unplanned shortfall.
The county’s councillors were angered on Friday when it was announced that the money would not be returned as promised.
Instead it must face a meeting on Monday where it will be asked to consider cutting certain vital services in order to balance the books.
Former mayor of Clare Tommy Brennan (Ind) proposed last August to go ahead with the budget as planned given the reassurance from the Government members present, and this week he was angry at the u-turn.
“I am calling on them [TDs] to see the Minister and return the money to Clare County Council. A lot of services will be cut back otherwise,” he said.
Mayor of Clare Pat Daly (FF) described the minister’s decision as “totally wrong”.
“The council is living on the edge at the moment.
“The last thing we need to do it cut services and there is a real danger that this could happen.”
He added that there was a real danger that those that did not pay will not pay the household charge now.
“Two thirds of people have paid the charge and they are being penalised by this man,” he added referring to the minister.
“He has let down his Fine Gael colleagues, especially Pat Breen and Joe Carey in a big way.”
Fine Gael councillor Joe Cooney was equally incensed by the decision.
Describing it as “desperate” and “unbelievable”, he fears for the future of essential public services.
“My belief is that minor and local roads are going to suffer, and we are asking people on those roads to pay taxes and household charges,” the councillor added.
Cllr Joe Arkins (FG) said he was concerned that there was “now no incentive on Clare County Council, Clare county councillors or the householders of Clare to contribute to the charge.”