‘Fionntonomics’ ends up slashing income - Byrne

SINN FEIN Cllr Fionntáin O’Suilleabháin was accused of bringing ‘Fionntonomics’ policies to the council by asking for charges like the Local Property Tax (LPT) to be cut, while simultaneously seeking more funding for roads.

Cllr O’Suilleabháin brought a motion calling for an all-party meeting with the Transport Minster Shane Ross to highlight that Wexford County Council pays a disproportionate amount of money for maintaining and surfacing its roads.

He said the local authority was promised funds which have not been received.

Cllr Malcolm Byrne said he found the motion ‘a little bit difficult’ to support considering Cllr O’Suilleabháin’s track record in voting to ‘slash’ the authority’s income sources, while looking to spend more money. ‘ We are dealing with Fionntonomics,’ he said, requesting his fellow North Wexford councillor to declare how he will vote on matters like the LPT in the next Budget.

Cllr Davy Hynes said: ‘ There are people like me going up to pay their road tax driving on bad roads.’

Cllr Byrne said nobody has been able to get a meeting with Minister Ross.

Cllr O’Suilleabháin responded by accusing Cllr Byrne of ‘Malcolmonics’.

He said the council only receives enough money from the LPT to work on a few kilometres of roads.

Cllr O’Suilleabháin said he will not vote for an increase in the LPT as that goes against his party policy.

His motion was carried.