City Manager Must Come Clean on Privatisation

Manager Must Come Clean on Privatisation – O’Leary

Sinn Féin councillor Chris O’Leary last night called on the city manager to come clean regarding plans to privatise local services. He was speaking after the manager failed to answer a question he posed about the council’s plans for the future of local services including the city car parks, refuse service, housing maintenance, and water supply. Cllr O’Leary stated:

“In the wake of the county council’s decision to sell of its waste collection service, there is growing concern that the city council will embark on a programme of privatising local services to raise funds. The response from the city manager tonight will have done nothing to reassure either council employees or the people who use these services that this is not the case.” “The failure of the manager to answer the detailed points put in my question will simply fuel suspicions that the council is already moving to withdraw from direct service provision in the city.

It is interesting that he stated that the council was not in negotiations “in the strict sense” about the privatisation of services while later saying he would examine outsourcing the management of a range of services to the private sector.” “Privatisation is not the answer to revenue shortages. It will place jobs at risk and cost the city and the consumer more in the long term. Sinn Féin is completely opposed to the dismantling of public services whether it is in the form of outright privatisation or disguised as outsourcing.”

“The manager needs to be upfront with the city’s democratically elected representatives about his plans.” For further information contact Cllr Chris O’Leary @ 087-2794307.