Wicklow Sinn Féin are to hold a protest outside Wicklow County Council on Monday 2nd February from 12noon, to coincide with Irish Water officials meeting behind closed doors with some Councillors.The six Sinn Féin County Councillors are to boycott the meetings and have urged all other Wicklow Councillors to do likewise because of Irish Waters refusal to meet in an open forum.
Speaking ahead Monday’s meeting and planned protest Cllr. Brady said "Unfortunately after numerous requests for representatives from Irish Water to attend and answer questions from Councillors at a full council meeting, they have responded by refusing to meet in a public forum, but have said they will hold a number of clinic type meetings behind closed doors with Councillors on February 2. Sinn Féin are to hold a protest outside the meeting to show our opposition to the process of secrecy that Irish Water are putting in place to meet with the democratically elected representatives of the Wicklow people".
“The Sinn Féin team of six Wicklow County Councillors have decided to boycott the meeting with Irish Water. It’s planned that councillors from the five municipal districts will be given 45 minutes per district to put questions to the officials from Irish Water on February 2, they will be held behind closed doors in secret at the council buildings. Sinn Féin will boycott the meetings and we have called on all the other councillors to do likewise”.
Cllr Brady concluded “Irish Water is toxic. It should be scrapped along with the government’s water charges. The planned meetings are an attempt to manipulate councillors into accepting an organisation that has no public credibility. In November Wicklow County Council supported and passed a Sinn Féin motion calling on the government to scrap water charges, halt water metering and to abolish Irish Water. Boycotting the private meeting on Monday will send a strong message to both the Government and Irish water that it’s not business as usual and that an alternative open process of meeting councillors will have to be put in place. We will be handing the Irish Water officials a letter outlining our objections at the protest which starts at 12noon. We are asking other councillors not to attend the meetings and for the public to attend the protest".
I think it's essential Sinn Fein Councillors attend to keep tabs on the skulduggery which we all know other Councillors are capable of. Party members and the community can protest outside, but as elected Representatives, I would prefer that Sinn Féin are inside. From within you can witness who is representing Co. Wicklow people, who is selling us down the swannie and how far down it we are being sold. You need to be aware of all the facts, information is power, do not exclude yourselves from vital information. You have power, and you have the numbers, you can do more from inside, don't humour them to hand it up.
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