“Absolute crap, absolute rubbish” is how Labour councillor Billy Cameron has described Fianna Fáil accusations that he has no intention of serving his full five-year term on Galway City Council.
The accusation was made this week by Fianna Fáil councillor Ollie Crowe, who said Cllr Cameron “only ran in Galway City Central to ensure Labour retained a seat” and that he has “no intention of serving anywhere close to a full term”.
According to Cllr Crowe, Cllr Cameron will step down after two years and John McDonag, who ran in Galway City Central, polling a modest 264 first preferances, will be co-opted onto his seat.
Cllr Crowe was reacting to the new mayoral pact at City Hall which will be between Fine Gael, Labour, and the Independent ex-PDs. FF are angered by this as its three councillors had believed they, and not Labour, would form the pact with FG and the Independents.
However Cllr Cameron has rubbished Cllr Crowe’s claims, and made it clear he has no intention of stepping down early.
“Without a shadow of a doubt I will serve my full five years and represent my community,” he told the Galway Advertiser. “I paid for my campaign and I did not take any major positions as I am more interested in policy than in positions.”
Cllr Cameron said Labour was “lucky and grateful” to be included in the pact, but now they are, he wants to see three specific targets achieved during this council’s lifetime.
Cllr Cameron is demading that the arts grants be increased by €10,000 in each consecutive council budget over the next five years; the heritage grants also be increased by €10,000 over the same period; and for the council’s first budget in December that €25,000 be included for social inclusion grants, with an annual incremental increase of €5,000 a year depending on demand.
