THE Anti Austerity Alliance in Limerick have been challenged to provide details about their finances after questions were raised over recent fundraising collections at meetings and on the city’s streets.
One man who contacted the Limerick Post this week claimed that AAA councillors had not answered his emails about money issues.
“There appears to be no public accountability. Nobody can tell me who the treasurer is, what is the bank account being used, how much is being collected, where the money is going.
“A collection was held at an anti water charges meeting in the Absolute Hotel. Money was collected in a bucket featuring the logos of the Anti Austerity Party and also a group styling itself We Won’t Pay,” he claimed.
The man claimed that this was in breach of regulations concerning donations to political parties because the AAA is a registered political party. As such, he pointed out, the AAA are required to provide accounts and list their treasurer.
“So, how much is being collected? We don’t know! Where is the money going? We don’t know! Is the money being collected going to the AAA or We Won’t Pay campaign? We don’t know!”
He also alleged that street collections are being held on a weekly basis in Limerick by AAA/ We Won’t Pay.
“Street collections require a Garda permit. Has a permit been issued? If not, then these collections are in breach of the law.”
AAA councillor Cian Prendiville said he had received no emails from this person enquiring about collections at meetings.
“The Anti Austerity Alliance does not accept donations from big business. Nor do we get the massive level of funding from the State that sees Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour get up to €11million a year. We rely on ordinary workers and unemployed people to fund our work, through donations and collections towards the costs of meetings etc.
“All this money is counted by our treasurer, lodged in our account and reported at our activist meetings and, where relevant, to the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO). We make no secret of our fundraising. In fact, I see it as a virtue that we are funded by the very same working class people we fight for. This ensures that no big businessman pulls our strings,” he added.
Cllr Prendiville said that the ‘We Won’t Pay’ campaign is also funded through small donations from thousands of supporters across the city.
“Anyone involved in community campaigns, or local sports clubs, know that any event has costs. Posters, leaflets, placards and room hire all cost money. ‘We Won’t Pay’ produced 30,000 leaflets for the November 29 water charges protest in Limerick at a cost of €800. Posters for a recent round of community meetings cost almost €500. The fact that people are willing to give small donations to cover these costs is a sign of the huge support for the fight against water charges,” he concluded.
