Cllr Kevin Callan
Former Mayor of Drogheda Cllr Kevin Callan has been selected to run in the next General Election as the Independent’s alliance candidate for Louth and East Meath.
Cllr Callan was elected to Louth County Council in last May’s elections as a Fine Gael candidate but resigned from the party last November in protest of the government’s handling of the introduction of water charges.
He was first elected to local politics in 2009 after a previously unsuccessful bid in 2004.
Further water charge protests are planned both locally and nationally in the coming weeks to follow on from the estimated 150,000 people who turned out around the country on Saturday to campaign against the introduction of meters and charges.
An estimated 6,000 people turned out in Dundalk in rainy conditions on Saturday, marching from the Fairgreen to the Market Square where a number of speeches were made and chants of ‘we won’t pay’ were heard. The march then proceeded through the town.
At the weekend Mayor of Drogheda, Cllr Kevin Callan, a member of Louth County Council, resigned from Fine Gael over the government’s handling of the introduction of water charges, describing it as a “bridge too far.”
Local youngster Craig McHugh has also resigned from the party.
In a statement earlier today, Sinn Féin leader and local TD Gerry Adams said he would not be paying the water tax.
“It is clear that the Taoiseach has totally underestimated the level of public anger at the imposition of domestic water charges and the determination that now exists to defeat them.
“Citizens, sick to the teeth of relentless austerity, with one new tax and charge after another, spoke loudly and clearly across this State, and in every county, on Saturday. Their message was crystal clear – they will not accept the Water Tax.
“The Taoiseach’s remarks the same evening, make it very clear that he has not listened to that message.
“Sinn Féin is standing firmly with those families and hard pressed citizens who very simply cannot pay the Government’s water tax. As a mark of solidarity, I have decided that I will not pay this Government’s Water Tax.
“The establishment of Irish Water and the imposition of water charges has been a fiasco from the very start.
“Sinn Féin has shown the Government how to pay for water services without imposing these charges. There are alternative and fairer ways to do this.
“This week in the Dail, Sinn Féin will introduce a Constitutional Amendment Bill calling for a referendum to retain control of water services in public ownership.
“The Taoiseach and his government need to start listening to what the people are saying and stop the introduction of water charges.”
You can view coverage of Saturday’s protest speeches from the Square in the video above.
A section of the crowd marching through Dundalk on Saturday
Talk of the Town 