Cork City Council's preparation of its estimates for its €300 million budget for 2005 came to an abrupt halt yesterday when a special advisory committee meeting was abandoned after a row over how many people should be on it.
According to Fine Gael leader on the council, Mr Jim Corr, the council's budget is prepared by a Corporate Policy Group comprising the lord mayor, five other councillors and the city manager, Mr Joe Gavin, but an advisory committee has been appointed to obtain information.
Councillors voted to appoint 10 representatives to this committee with Fianna Fáil having four representatives, Fine Gael three and Labour two. According to Mr Corr, a group of other party and independent councillors was to have one member on the committee but when it met, two Sinn Féin councillors - Mr Jonathan O'Brien and Ms Annette Spillane - and Cllr Chris O'Leary of the Green Party showed up saying they were there to represent those who elected them. "The council had voted twice to have 10 representatives and I didn't have the authority to override the council so we didn't proceed with the meeting " said Mr Corr.