There was small protest held in Cork City last night after a group of Anti-water charge protesters gathered outside City hall ahead of the councils fortnightly meeting.
It is understood that the protest came about after the group were seeking to hand a petition of 15,000 signatures to Cork City Council calling for a boycott of Irish Water, but they subsequently refused to give it to group of local councilers after they were told the Lord Mayor was unavailable to accept it. The head of the group called the People’s Convention Diarmuid O’Cadhla slammed the decision of the Lord Mayor, Fianna Fáil Councillor Mary Shield, to accept the petition in person, saying her decision was an insult to the people of Cork.
It is understood that an offer made by a group of Fianna Fáil councillors to bring the petition on the group’s behalf to council was subsequently turned down. A short time later Fianna Fáil councillor Sean Martin made a brief statement regarding the issue saying the Lord Mayor and her deputy were both unavailable to accept the petition. Mr Martin said: “The views of 15,000 people should be brought to council, and he was disappointed that protesters had rejected their offer.”