’There’s no winners’ - Councillor expresses disappointment in strike action - Donegal Daily

A Donegal County councillor has expressed his disappointment in the decision by public sector workers to take strike action on Wednesday.

Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Naughton has expressed his disappointment that the public sector strike is going ahead on Wednesday.

Naughton, speaking at the a meeting of the Donegal Municipal District in Donegal Town on Tuesday, said there's "no winners" in a strike.

"I'm very disappointed in the strike action that is going ahead. At the end of the day, there is no winners on the day of a strike. It just causes huge disruption and division.

"We are all in this together, and it's not private versus public. We all have the same overheads," said Naughton.

Naughton highlighted the impact the 24-hour strike action will have on working families, and those who have waited months and months for hospital appointments.

He believes more could've been done to resolve the standoff.

"There was €1.2 billion allocated in the budget, and I firmly believe in getting people around the table and sorting it out. I'm very disappointed that didn't happen because so many people are going to be impacted.

"There's people waiting months on appointments, and now that's cancelled due to the strike, kids are off school, and working families are impacted trying to get childcare. As I said there's no winners on the day of a strike," said Naughton.

Sinn Féin councillor Noel Jordan expressed his support for the strike action taken by the public sector, and that was backed by Jimmy Brogan, Cathaoirleach of Donegal Municipal District.

Sinn Féin councillor Michael McMahon blasted the way the issue has been handled by Fianna Fáil Minister Jack Chambers.

He highlighted the excessive salaries that some CEOs are on in the public sector as a big issue.

"We don’t want public sector workers on strike, but Jack Chambers has not handled it well at all, and he wasn't able to get them around the table.

"There is a CEO on €420,000 per-year and that is what creates huge problems in the public service sector. Huge salaries afforded to some, whilst ordinary workers are left behind. I hope the government sees sense and resolves the issue, and the workers are entitled to a fair deal," said McMahon.