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A voluntary sporting
group in Buncrana has been landed with a six-month
water charges bill of more than €2,000, according to
a local election candidate.
Sinn Féin's Cllr. Pádraig Mac Lochlainn described
the bill as "outrageous" saying there was now a
"compelling need" for Donegal County Council to
grant indemnity from water charges to all
not-for-profit community/voluntary groups.
"Sporting and community/voluntary groups across
Donegal struggle from week to week, and from year to
year, to fund the crucially important projects which
they undertake in the service of the community," he
said.
"One of the sources for funding is the Council's
community development fund, which gives elected
members the discretion to allocate small amounts of
money to such groups.
"So on the one hand, the Council is allocating a few
hundred euro to these groups, yet on the other, the
same Council is taking back thousands of euro
through water charges."
Cllr. MacLochlainn said the group concerned simply
could not afford to pay and if forced to do so,
their existence would be jeopardised.
"Sinn Fein raised our concerns that water charges
should not be applied to not-for-profit
community/voluntary groups during a discussion at
this year's annual budget meeting of Donegal County
Council.
"Unfortunately, the issue has not been addressed.
Sinn Féin will now put a motion before the next
available meeting of the Council calling for all
parties to support the proposal that indemnity from
water charges should be given to all not-for-profit
community/voluntary groups in Donegal."
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