Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Minister of State was only reading out a reply provided to him. It claims the debts have not been caused by the financial model used to fund local authorities. Who wrote this ridiculous statement? It takes no cognisance at all of the points I made regarding the legacy position which has caused much of the local authority's debt. In some way, this reply treats Sligo County Council like some remote charity 40 million miles away for which the Government has no responsibility. What do Senators Susan O’Keeffe, Michael Comiskey and Imelda Henry, as well as Deputies John Perry and Tony McLoughlin, think of this? Do they realise the Department told an entire section of the community to achieve set targets in providing a wastewater treatment infrastructure and acquiring land for the purpose, which Sligo did, outperforming other local authorities in the process, but now tells the council to sing for its support? Is it some remote organisation on the other side of the world for which it has no responsibility? This Government was elected by the people in Sligo and the north west. It is their tax euro paying the Government’s salaries. Accordingly, the Minister has responsibilities and obligations to the people of Sligo to provide for them.

Last night in Sligo, the Taoiseach echoed the call to close a tax office in Tubbercurry and cut library services, as well as lay off a further 50 staff on top of 188 already laid off. This is a complete abdication by the Government of its responsibilities to the people of Sligo. It is a sad day for democracy. I hope the Minister wakes up soon.