Enviroment Department confirms council has 5 days to agree budget or go

Department of the EnviromentThe Department of the Environment has confirmed that Donegal councillors have just five days to agree a Budget – or be put out of work.
Donegal County Council has failed to agree a Budget for 2014 after three weeks of talks – and councillors could be replaced with a government commissioner if a deal isn’t reached by Monday.
Sinn Fein oppose the budget because of its austerity while Fianna Fái are strongly opposed to the  introduction of new water charges and how they are being introduced.
After a marathon meeting that took place over three days and three nights, with a total of 21 adjournments, a vote was finally held just after midnight last night.
The budget was voted down by 15 votes to 12 as Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein and Independent Cllr John Campbell voted against.
At this stage everyone present in the chamber believed that was the end of the body.
But Cllrs where then made aware by the County Secretary 15 minutes later that in the event of the budget being rejected, then Cllrs can meet again at a later date to try and pass the budget.
FF whip Cllr Ciaran Brogan says this is something he was not aware of, and he doubts if the budget will passed next week:


Meanwhile FG whip Cllr Barry O Neill has said that those who voted against the budget didn’t stick with that decision for too long:

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