A TRIP to Brussels by a number of local councillors to raise concerns about Brexit has been slammed as a ‘waste of ratepayers’ money’.
With just six weeks to go until the Brexit deadline, a group of councillors from Fermanagh and Omagh have voted to a trip to Brussels ahead of the Brexit deadline date on October 31st to discuss the implications of Brexit on Fermanagh.
Local Councillor John Coyle proposed that a group of councillors travel to Brussels to meet with officials and Irish MEPs and the proposal caused a heated debate with some councillors believing it was a waste of taxpayers’ money.
The proposal was eventually accepted with 13 councillors voting to attend the trip with just nine councillors voting against it.
Local councillor Victor Warrington attended the Brexit committee meeting and objected to the proposal stating he did not understand how it would be of benefit to local people. “Personally I opposed it as I do not believe that there is nothing that we could achieve by going over. There are only six weeks to go until the date and if the governments involved can’t get the answers, what is the possibility that councillors from Fermanagh and Omagh will achieve anything.
“If it could achieve something, I wouldn’t have a problem with it but I believe it is just a pure waste of ratepayers’ money. I don’t believe that it would achieve anything.”
Cllr John Coyle who proposed the trip said, “We voted to remain in the EU and we have to get the message home to the negotiators in Brussels that our constituency is going to be vastly impacted by a no-deal Brexit. We have to make sure that the backstop within their withdrawal agreement is protected. The officers have been tasked now to work with the Northern Ireland Executive Office to arrange the trip and hopefully it will take place as soon as possible.”
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