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Construction lobby formed
in Inishowen
18.07.08
by Liam Porter, Inishowen Independent
A GROUP of angry developers and architects from
across Inishowen have expressed a unanimous vote of
no confidence in the Sanitary Services Department of
Donegal County Council following a meeting in
Buncrana last week. |
At the meeting the
group of over 40 representatives who formed the
Construction Industry of Inishowen group, heard
local councillors Rena Donaghey and Marian McDonald
say they had tried ‘time and again’ to get answers
from the Department but to no avail. Frustrated
developers maintained there was little point in
electing local representatives if they had no power
to make decisions.
“It would seem as if the powers all lie with civil
servants and perhaps it’s time that we voted them in
instead of councillors,” said the chairman of the
meeting |
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Mickey McCormick.
“We don’t mean any disrespect to the councillors,”
Mr. McCormick continued, “but if you are the people
elected by the people to represent them then surely
you should have the power to make decisions that
affect the people.”
Councillor Rena Donaghey who told the meeting that
‘at the end of the day councillors have very little
power,’ said she understood the frustration being
felt by developers. |
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That was a comment
echoed by councillor Marian McDonald who said she
was ‘steady on to the Sanitary Services Department,’
and was just as frustrated by their failure to reply
to their requests.
Deputy Joe McHugh suggested that the group should
seek to send a deputation to an Inishowen Electoral
Area meeting where officials from the council could
hear their frustration at the current situation.
“It is hard to believe that at a time when the
County Manager is seriously worried |
about where money will
come from for projects, that you as a group of
developers have offered to contribute towards a
major piece of infrastructure and are not even being
listened to,” he said.
The meeting later selected Henry McKinney, Sean
Craig, Mickey McCormick, Martin O’Donnell, Harold
McGuinness and Paul McGrath as the first committee
members of the Construction Industry of Inishowen
group and they have now sought a delegation to the
next Inishowen electoral area meeting. |
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