Cllr Doyle: Sinn Féin recall of Council a PR stunt

An Aontú Councillor has slammed Sinn Féin for recalling Council this week, accusing the party of a poorly-timed ‘PR stunt’.

Cllr Emmet Doyle said the emergency meeting of the full Council to discuss the cost of living crisis was a “cynical” move and one designed to “make it look like the party is doing something while people struggle”.

The special meeting was requested by Cllr Sandra Duffy of Sinn Féin which was granted and will take place at 2pm on Friday, March 11.

Cllr Doyle, however, is far from impressed claiming that Sinn Féin are not serious about helping people with the increases put upon their energy bills.

He said: “Sinn Féin have requested a special meeting of full Council this week in order to discuss the cost of living crisis, which will raise eyebrows across the City given their Ministers have failed to support people in any meaningful way for the last few months.

“A £200 payment was always too little, too late and given the widespread rise in fuel prices, it won’t go very far. Sinn Féin Ministers had no problem giving handouts over the pandemic to rich golf clubs and left normal people high and dry.

“The recall of Council is a cynical stunt to make it look like the party is doing something while people struggle, but everyone sees this for what it is given Council can do very little practically to address these challenges and Sinn Féin Councillors know that.

“If they were serious about helping people, perhaps the millions of pounds their party has in the bank following $500-a-plate fundraisers in America could be put to use in the community – but I won’t hold my breath.”

The Derry News contacted Sinn Féin for a response to Cllr Doyle's comments but a party spokesman said they would only refer us to comments made by Cllr Sandra Duffy earlier this week as to why she request the emergency full Council meeting.

She had said: “I have asked for a special meeting of council to allow us to discuss our response to the crisis and whatever practical measures may be possible working with our community and statutory partners to assist residents during this extremely difficult time.

“I hope that the meeting will take place within days and I would urge all parties to come to it with a view to working positively together to deliver innovative and meaningful supports.”

While sceptical of Sinn Féin's motives for calling the meeting, Cllr Doyle says he will use the event to call for an urgent meeting with fuel distributors operating in Derry to also demand an end to the monopoly of energy supplier. Firmus, on providing gas to the West

He added: “In the last week whilst providing free solid fuel to constituents I have been at the coal face of the crisis in the cost of living and it is obvious our MLAs and Stormont aren’t interested in radical action outside of posturing and writing letters to help people.

“A meeting of Council has been called for this Friday and while it is merely a stunt by Sinn Féin who recently overturned an attempt to reduce private rents by 10 per cent, I intend to use the opportunity to call within a week, a meeting of all fuel distributors in the District.

“I’ve no doubt smaller companies are doing their best to get fuel out and are at the mercy of the market, but there are larger companies that are able to fluctuate costs and we must see savings passed onto customers.

“It is also beyond time that we demand an end to the monopoly by Firmus running the gas network in the West. Competition will lower prices and give customers who are shackled to one company the option to switch for better value.

“The time for platitudes has long passed, parties who have ignored this mess whilst trying to protect their MP and MLAs from questions about pay rises must now join those of us who are providing practical help to the people of the City and District.”