Sinn Fein and the introduction of the bin charges in Dublin

Friday January 17, 2003 17:49

by Brian Cahill - Socialist Party

The following is an extract from an article which appeared in the January 2001 edition of the "Voice", the newspaper of the Socialist Party. It correctly predicted the absence of two Sinn Fein councillors for the vote which brought the bin tax to the Dublin Corporation area.

"Instead of standing up to the bullying minister, cowardly councillors, from the establishment parties, are trying to come up with a way of bringing in the double tax without copping the blame from angry Dubliners. It's not clear exactly what will happen but information at the moment suggests a majority of councillors from most parties will vote the bin charges through while a minority from most parties will oppose them. That way no party can take the moral high ground on the issue. They hope in the confusion to limit the damage to their electoral base."

"Dublin workers expect nothing better from the likes of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. For that matter, the Labour Party has long abandoned any pretence of representing working people. The real surprise for many might be the attitude that the Sinn Fein leadership seem to be taking."

"While Sinn Fein activists are overwhelmingly opposed to double taxation, it appears, as we go to press, that the party has offered to assist this cynical process, with some of their councillors voting against but others being purposefully absent. It should be remembered that Sinn Fein councillors in Sligo actually voted for the service charges. If this happens in Dublin, Sinn Fein will have no real credibility on the issue."

The extract above is from the "Voice" but I don't mean to give the impression that only the Socialist Party predicted the sell out: the intentions of Labour and Sinn Fein were well known in the campaign at the time.

Not very long afterwards the vote came. The bin tax was introduced and the deal was exactly as had been predicted.

Labour and Fine Gael councillors split, with some backing the bin tax and other not. 2 Sinn Fein councillors absented themselves. The other 2 Sinn Fein councillors voted against publically recording the votes of councillors on the issue, helping to sow more confusion.