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An open letter to all Sligo Borough and County councillors

Dear Councillors,

Once again you neglect the constitutional rights of your electors.

When both Sligo councils could, and should, have passed a motion requesting the Minister for Justice to strengthen the laws and terms of imprisonment for criminality etc., Cllr Queenan proposed more money be sought from a financially bankrupt government to bolster the morally bankrupt criminals to imprison the elderly of Ireland in their own homes.

Grandstanding takes precedence over democracy. Why should any decent Irishman or woman have to live in their own home in fear?

Cuts to the Garda service are taking place, whilst your colleagues in the Dail and Senate receive, and worse accept,disgustingly overpaid expenses and perks. If the public have to take financial cuts then those at the top have to as well. The Troika have been telling the government this continually.

Those who choose to live outside of society are the only ones who should be imprisoned and living in fear. Your "empty meaningless words" may well impress the ink on the paper, but not any thinking person.

In the future you too will be elderly, and I sincerely hope you do not have to imprison yourself in your own home, as you expect the elderly of County Sligo to do today, in this the 21 century.

Your silence in the council chambers when Mr Kearns (County Manager) told you he would cut street lighting (to save money) was louder than his attacks on democracy with his €300,000 (money to be borrowed easily) Star Chamber under the guise of health and safety: Well what about the health and safety of the elderly?

If 30,000 people, who did not know an Irishwoman living here, in Melbourne could take to the streets in protest at her murder and demand stronger laws and tougher prion sentencing, surely the Councillors of Sligo could protest to the government and Minister of Justice by passing a motion to show the elderly of Sligo County that they you indeed care for their safety.

The old adage "An Englishman's home is his castle" translates in Ireland as "An elderly Irishman's home is his prison."

Sincerely,

Declan Foley
Berwick, Australia