'Typical Sinn Féin' – Councillors disagree over status of new Local Link route proposal for county Waterford
Cllrs Catherine Burke and Declan Clune clash over Local Link route status and information.
There was a disagreement in the Council Chamber this week regarding the status of a new Local Link bus service from Portlaw to Kilmacthomas.
Cllr Declan Clune (Independent and formerly Sinn Féin) and Cllr Catherine Burke (Sinn Féin) were at odds regarding whether or not the NTA had committed to the new route.
Cllr Declan Clune recently made a social media post confirming that the NTA had identified and approved a Local Link bus service linking Carrickbeg, Portlaw, Kilmacthomas and Dungarvan. The post also stated that the funding for the development had been delayed as a result of hold-ups in establishing various committees in the Dáil.
"As soon as the funding is in place, the service will start," Cllr Clune’s post said.
Cllr Catherine Burke, meanwhile, said during this week’s Comeragh District Council meeting that she had been receiving phone calls from residents expressing confusion over the new route.
Cllr Burke said: “Over the past number of weeks I have been inundated with phone calls from residents in Portlaw and Kilmacthomas and the surrounding areas about a post they saw online, which said the service had been approved and was imminent. Unfortunately to the best of my knowledge that’s incorrect.
“There have been pre-planning discussions between the NTA and Local Link, which is a positive step forward, but there has been no route proposed, no stops decided and no commitment from the NTA.
“As councillors I feel it’s our duty to be honest and transparent with the people we represent. Our communities place their trust in us, not just to advocate on their behalf but to give them the truth, even when the answers aren’t always exactly what they want to hear.”
In response, Cllr Declan Clune referred to Cllr Burke’s comments as a “rant”.
“I think it’s ironic for anyone from the Sinn Féin party to be talking about dishonesty,” said Cllr Clune, who left the Sinn Féin party in 2020.
"This is just pure Sinn Féin spin as usual to try and turn a good news story into a bad news story, probably because they didn’t get out first with it, which is typical of Sinn Féin. Pure misdirection.”
Cllr Burke replied: “I certainly refute the idea that I want to get a good news story out first, that is not my style, not the way I operate and I actually think that’s very insulting to me Cllr Clune.
"What I want is honesty and transparency across the board. Everybody here wants a Local Link from Portlaw to Kilmac, it’s just about being honest with people.
"I didn’t mention your name Cllr Clune. I did not go publicly saying anything about you and you’ve made references to my character and to the way I’ve spoken in the chamber today."
Michael Murphy, Active Travel Senior Engineer, Waterford City and County Council, outlined at the offset of the discussion that the Portlaw to Kilmacthomas route "is on the books".
"The Local Link decisions don’t happen very quickly. Getting drivers, getting buses, getting the infrastructure of bus stops is all very slow," he said.
