Wexford councillors to have whip round for charity at December meeting as efforts to cancel Christmas dinner prove unsuccessful

By Simon Bourke, Wexford People

Wexford councillors are to have a whip round for charity at their December meeting after efforts to cancel their Christmas lunches and dinners proved unsuccessful. Having previously suggested at the Rosslare Municipal District (RMD) meeting that the councillors’ annual Christmas dinner be cancelled for one year at least, Councillor Aoife Rose O’Brien brought her concerns to the county meeting.

Accepting that having an envelope at the table to make donations to charity was a “great idea”, Cllr O’Brien felt that councillors could go a little further and go without the dinner this Christmas.

“I had previously suggested at municipal level that we could either skip the lavish meal, make a donation, or cover the cost of the meal ourselves,” she said. “That way we could make a significant donation to a charity which may be desperately in need especially at this time of year, perhaps one which supports the homeless.”

Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council (WCC) Councillor Joe Sullivan did not respond kindly to what he felt were subliminal efforts to steer him away from the traditional gathering.

"I have been here for 11 years, and I always left it to the chair of the day to make the decision on this because they were the ones who would have the honour of inviting people to join them for a meal at Christmas,” he said.

Perhaps entering into the spirit of the occasion a few weeks early, Cllr Sullivan was reluctant to be drawn into an argument on such an emotive issue.

“I’m not angry but I’m wondering are people trying to direct me towards a decision on this. The year you’re in the chair you can do whatever you want to do,” he said to Cllr O’Brien. “But I don’t want to be fighting about this, I really don’t.”

Offering a compromise which would allow councillors to enjoy their get-together while also supporting a local charity, Cllr John Fleming suggested that a collection be organised at the December meeting in County Hall.