ENOUGH county councillors will vote today to enforce a ban on Donegal County Council officials from using personal data to track down people who haven’t paid the Household Charge, a councillor is hoping.
Sinn Fein’s Jack Murray managed to read out his motion a fortnight ago before Fine Gael Mayor Noel McBride could stop him.
That has meant the motion is on the agenda for today’s county council meeting.
Cllr Murray says he now has the support of the independent councillors including Michael McBride, Labour’s Frank McBrearty and many of the Fianna Fail representatives.
This will set a legal precedent in Donegal – if passed – where council civil servants will not be able to use utility bills and family welfare details to track down the estimated 70% of people in this county who have not paid the charge.
Cllr Murray said: “I have personally contacted every single councillor and I am confident that the emergency motion I put to the council two weeks ago will now be voted on and will be carried.
“I am hoping that this will set a precedent for other councils throughout the state to follow suit.”
Cllr McBrearty is set to defy the Labour Party and support the Sinn Fein motion, calling for a review of the charge so that those who can’t pay don’t have to.