Once again people in Dublin have voted for change on their City Council. In 2004 Labour was voted in as the largest group, ending Fianna Fail’s domination of the council. Instead of change, the people were treated to a game of musical chairs, with Labour entering a deal to divvy up the Mayorship and committee chairs with Fine Gael, and the sole Green and PD Councillors. When that deal broke down, Labour concluded an arrangement with Fianna Fail. The merry go round now continues with Labour in a deal for the new council with Fine Gael.
Councillor Brid Smith (pictured above) said “We will seek to use our positions as councillors to work with local communities and organisations to organise popular opposition to cuts and increased taxes on the family home. We will work with our fellow PBPA councillors and other like minded councillors across the four Dublin council areas and throughout the state to build a real opposition and movement for change. We also commit ourselves to honour our election pledge to organise regular public forums to report back to those who elected us and to take on board the views of ordinary citizens”.
Councillor Joan Collins (pictured above) said “We will play no part in this charade. We will be voting against the Labour/Fine Gael nominee for Mayor. Our job is to provide a voice for the anger of the people who elected us. Funding from central government has been cut by 7% for this year. This will mean cuts in much needed services. It will mean increases in double taxation charges such as the bin tax. There will likely be an attempt to re-introduce a water tax in the course of this council term. There will of course be no cuts in junkets at the taxpayers’ expense.
We will oppose these measures and provide real opposition to policies which inflict hardship on ordinary families.”
Watch the 1st Dublin City Council Meeting Monday 15th June 2009 at 6.45pm,
Click on link below, where People Before Profit Alliance Councillors Joan Collins & Brid Smith raised the issue of the voting pact of Labour & Fine Gael.
http://www.dublincity.public-i.tv/site/player/pl_compact.php?a=27508&t=0&m=wm&l=en_GB
