Councillor Will Patten says Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael excluded other Carlow councillors from rate increase decision

Labours Will Patten says Fianna Fail and Fine Gael excluded other carlow councillors from the decision making process ahead of a rates increase.

The commercial rates are going up by 5% in Carlow next year as a result of rising costs.

A three-percent rise was voted through unanimously in Kilkenny but four Carlow councillors abstained at their meeting on Friday.

Councillor Patton says from what he could gather ” the ruling bloc of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael had already decided that they were going to go along with the managments request for a 5% rates rise and it was pretty much a fait accompli.”