Republican News · Thursday 31 January 2002

MacManus slams Sligo refuse privatisation

Sinn Féin Alderman Sean MacManus has described the decision by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Councillors to privatise Sligo Corporation's domestic refuse collection as "the most cynical and the single worst decision taken by this Council".

MacManus said that "the councillors and political parties that voted to remove Sligo's refuse service from the control of Sligo's democratically elected representatives and into the hands of private operators will now have to answer to the electorate of Sligo for their monumental betrayal. It will be the people of Sligo who are now going to have to pay in the years ahead for this extremely cynical decision. Particularly cynical was the Fine Gael councillors' decision to support privatisation in return for the Mayoral chain, despite the fact that they had voted against privatisation on two separate occasions at Sligo Corporation meetings over the past month.

"What has changed in that time? Why is privatisation now acceptable to Fine Gael, when only weeks ago it was totally unacceptable? Why has Councillor McGarry, who went to such great pains to express his concerns over privatisation, now voted to impose it on the people of Sligo against their wishes."

He added: "Of further concern is their decision, in their stampede towards privatisation, to reduce by €65,000 the money allocated for Sligo Corporation's housing repairs. This decision, which Councillors Bree and Cawley also did not oppose, will seriously reduce the ability of Sligo Corporation to deal with housing repairs and maintenance, and according to the County Manager, may also lead to job losses. The people of Sligo are not only going to have to pay through the nose for a new privatised refuse collection, but Corporation tenants are now going to have to wait even longer to get essential housing repairs carried out.

"The people of Sligo have been given a lesson in what Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael really stand for and what they are capable of doing. While I am sure that they will attempt to defend this indefensible betrayal, nothing can hide the fact that they were willing to put their own selfish interests before those of the very people they are supposed to represent. Never in my time has Sligo Corporation taken such a shameful and appalling decision. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have reached a new low."