SF protest at Council cuts

A protest will take place this evening at 5pm ahead of the return of Cork City Council.

The protest, organised by Sinn Féin, is in response to the decision of the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan to slash funding for the Council based on the level of Household Charge collection to date.

Councillors are to receive an audit this evening outlining the various cuts to departments and projects in City Hall.

"In 2011 Cork City Council was allocated €22,940,522 million from the Local Government Fund which is disbursed centrally by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government,” said the Sinn Féin leader in Cork City Council, Chris O’Leary.

“In Budget 2012 this was reduced to €17,265,785million. Now the Council has been told by Minister Hogan's Department that this is further reduced to €15,481,785 million, which is a cut of one third on last year’s allocation. This is an attack by the Fine Gael/Labour Government on local services for the citizens and communities of Cork City and of local authorities across the State. Minister Hogan has doggedly persisted with the inequitable and uncollectable Household Charge, despite the huge level of non-payment. Now Council services are being punished by the Government for its own inequity and ineptitude in trying to impose this unjust tax.”

The party is to table an emergency motion this evening on the issue after their protest outside the Chamber at 5pm.

It's understood the audit will recommend reductions of €1.25 million across various pojects and departments in City Hall.