I’m astounded at the latest controversy surrounding local TD
Mick Wallace. I genuinely thought I’d seen the last of it after the labour
court judgements surrounding his restaurants’, the court order over unpaid
pension but this takes the biscuit. There
was a sense of disbelief that only Flann O’Brian could interpret surrounding
his Morning Ireland interview where he referred to the company of which he is
sole director as “we” . He may have
reached a settlement with Revenue but to suggests that he will pay this agreed
fine, penalties and charges for withholding VAT on his apartment sales for 2
years is another days work all together.
In the meantime there’s the important business of attending 3 Ireland
matches in Poland. Like the other
developer who wanted to stay on in his Ailsbury Rd mansion until his son had
finished school sometime next year, some of these high rollers still just don’t get
it.
The high moral ground is a lonely place for Mick when you’re
caught out 3 times already. In the absence of clinics or engagement with his
electorate there is surely a question mark over his political future. If you oppose household taxes and fail to
understand the value of local government it’s not a giant step to showing disdain for
national government or citizenry. As I
write his Vote No referendum posters still stand on many a lamppost in the
county, presumably awaiting Mick’s return from Poland with a ladder to remove them. These
posters are now in contravention of the law.
At the same time Tidy Town committees around the county are doing their best before the first round of
judging. All of this seems over the head
of the deputy from Wexford. Sadly much
of the good work Mick has done highlighting issues in the county that need to
be raised is now tainted. But to be fair
there is a precedent. there are huge similarities to the Ellis controversy of
the late 80’s where a FF TD whose company was bankrupt hung on as a TD despite
owing millions. But do Wallace’s
supporters want to be compared to the GUBU era and Fianna Fail under Haughey?
Mick has carved a political career out of attacking the
government over its failure to spend. his protests might have a little more
credibility if the he paid his own tax in full when due. You can’t spend what you haven’t got, but for
high rollers at the height of the tiger economy money was just a phone call
away.
But could the issue also raise other questions about Mr
Wallace’s business ethics? His decision
to put the tax payer and his banks at the end of the list for payment poses the
question was this the only such time that he took this course of action in his
business? Recently he wrote in defence of sub contractors in a local
paper. But did he pay all his sub
contractors and if not what criteria were used to decide who got paid and who
didn’t? The tax payer is entitled to assurances
by Deputy Wallace as to how he operated his business even if it does interfere
with his enjoyment of soccer. It’s time for Deputy Wallace to clarify and
explain his entire finances to the taxpayer and his constituents. In the absence
of that its time for Mick to be called ashore. As
the Anti Household Charge Anti Treaty poster says “Enough is Enough”
