Unions vow to oppose Council cuts

Date Published: 15-Jan-2009

SWEEPING cutbacks within Galway County Council could threaten essential services like water, sewerage and the fire brigades.The local authority has issued staff with a sobering letter stating that it wants a €1.8 million reduction in its payroll.But unions are set to resist the move claiming that the service currently being provided by the Council is an emergency one and any further reduction would be crippling. And they claim that if the threatened wage reductions are implemented, it could mean that basic facilities like the provision of water and sewerage could be jeopardised in an emergency.It has also been warned that there would be no council staff available in the event of a serious road traffic accident or even if a fallen tree was blocking a road. County Manager, Martina Maloney issued staff with a circular this week stating that the local authority budget had been cut by €2.5 million while there had been an overspend on water services last year to the tune of €3 million. She is looking for a three percent reduction in payroll and this will be implemented through a substantial reduction in...