Bin Charges Passed

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday January 16, 2003 20:57 by Justin Moran - Sinn Fein

After a tied vote, Labour Mayor votes for the Charges - Labour Councillors Missing, Presumed Expelled

As soon as people began to trickle into the Council meeting tonight there were murmurs from anti-Bin Charges activists in the public gallery. Three Labour councillors were missing, and while FF councillors, Dermot Fitzpatrick and Martin Brady were also missing, it didn't seem to be enough to balance out the tallies.

Where had Joe Costello, Derek McDowell and Mary Freehill got to? Only Tommy Broughan knows but it was clear the vote would be extremely close.

The debate was brief, well-mannered and to the point, free of most of the recriminations of earlier debates. Everyone knew where everyone else stood, indeed the Greens didn't bother to comment one way or the other.

The vote was called and after what was, quite frankly, a very tense vote with more than one councillor and visitor keeping tallies on napkinds and envelopes the vote tied at 23 votes against the Estimates and 23 votes for. Without much further ado, Mayor Lacey used his casting vote to support the Bin Charges.

The turnout outside was exceptionally good this time, a large and vocal presence and a good media turnout as well but alas and alack, all in vain.

Most Labour, FG, SF and Independents voted against the Charges.

FF and the Greens voted for them.

Some Labour and FF were not present. Draw your own conclusions from that.