Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, come before the House to explain the reports today on the intention to abolish Sligo County Council. It seems that a new Labour Party driven policy within the Government is dictating that provisions required for the assistance of communities throughout the country be ignored.

One would have assumed the Cabinet meeting yesterday dealt with the crisis in Irish Water, but instead, what has emerged from the meeting is the frustration of the Minister. It seems that a local authority which has already cut its staff by one third, had its central funding cut by 50% and has had to cut its services substantially now has a gun to its head and has been told it will be abolished and will get no assistance from central government if it cannot overcome its debt situation over the next two weeks. This is totally unacceptable.

At a time when debate on Irish Water is taking place throughout the country but Labour Party Members of Government are not available to participate in that debate, one wonders why they should be so quick to take to the airwaves and put the gun to the heads of the people on smaller local authorities such as Sligo.