DONEGAL Labour councillor Frank McBrearty today denied stalling a debate on the household charge yesterday – but did call on Minister Phil Hogan to re-assess the tax.
Cllr McBrearty was responding to claims by that Fine Gael and Labour councillors deliberately stalled a debate on the charge. A motion could not be voted on yesterday as a result.
The Labour man did say today however: “I am calling on Minister Phil Hogan to re-evaulate the House Hold charge and introduce the following , anyone on social welfare, disabilty allowance, minimun wage,low income families and pensioners to be excluded from paying.
“People who can afford to pay should pay and I think the Minister has lost touch with the problems that families are sufferring from due to the economic crises we are in.
“Just to clear up any misunderstanding from yesterday’s Council meeting, the Labour party did not in any way assist or hold up the meeting to delay Cllr Jack Murray’s motion on the House hold charge.
“I had a very important emergency motion heard yesterday about four school bus routes that are in need of repair and it is my opinion that my motion was every bit as important as Cllr Murry’s.
“However, I do agree with Cllr Murray that other parties did use stalling tatics when my motion was disscussed and I made it clear at the start of my motion that I would not make a speach on it if members accepted the motion, unfortunatley my motion was defeated.
“Finally Mayor Noel McBride threatened to throw me out of the Council meeting yesterday, Legally, No Mayor has that power and I had the right to challenge the allegation made by a member that I had threatened them, which I challenged.”
Tonight Cllr Murray responded by saying: “To be fair the stalling tactics were used by the Mayor, members of Fianna Gael and Fianna Fail. I don’t believe Cllr McBrearty deliberately held up proceedings.”
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