A meeting of elected members of Limerick City Council was delayed yesterday when anti-austerity protesters sat on councillors’ seats and held their own meeting.
About 25 protesters from the Campaign Against Home and Water Taxes walked into City Hall ahead of the monthly meeting of the local authority.
The group had their own look-alike mayor – for current mayor Gerry McLoughlin, who recently resigned from the Labour Party after he said his party was not helping the disadvantaged in the community.
Protesters
The meeting was delayed about 20 minutes as the protesters held their meeting. "We went in and took the seats of the standing councillors to let them see it could be a reality next year when the local elections occur," explained Paul Teller, one of the protesters.
“Our own lord mayor, who’s a look-alike for the current mayor, passed motions reversing the property tax, the forthcoming water tax, and the household charge,”aid Mr Teller.
“They [the councillors] got a surprise but they didn’t speak to us. Then they all turned their backs and carried on with their own conversations,” he added.
Labour Party councillor Joe Leddin, a former mayor, was critical of the protesters' motives. "I don't know anyone who likes austerity or supports it, but for them to hang their campaign on tax the rich is a bit like Sinn Féin's matchbox style economics," said Mr Leddin.
“I’ve no issue with protests, but we fought to represent people who elected us. They [protesters] were preventing democracy today, but it was a good pr stunt nonetheless. The people I represent are looking for tangible solutions to the issues that are there.
“We live in a democracy. But today’s protest only put democracy on hold, for about 20 minutes or so,”he said.