LOCAL REACTION:LOCAL POLITICIANS in Mick Wallace's home constituency are of the view that his position as a TD is untenable, but there was a mixed reaction among shoppers in Wexford town yesterday.
“He knew what he was doing. His position is unsustainable. He should have offered to resign,” said local man Ray Flynn, who said he had not voted for Wallace.“I’d like to know how or why the Revenue Commissioners reached a settlement for €2 million when they knew he couldn’t pay. What’s settled about that?”
Jim Creane of Clonard said: “It’s hard to know. He’s put a lot of time and money into Wexford Youths. Will it do any good if he resigns? He’s come out and put his hands up and said he didn’t have the money. Personally, I would have respect for him. He has contributed a lot to Wexford. I wouldn’t be up there throwing the first stone.”
Wexford woman Betty Farrell said she had given Mick Wallace a vote in the 2011 general election and she did not think he should be “sacked”.
“He has given a lot of employment to people over the years. I think he’s a good TD for the people of Wexford, and better than some.”
Her friend Catherine Quirke, however, said she believed Mr Wallace should resign.
“The reason the country is in the economic state it’s in is that people like him over-borrowed from the banks,” she said.
“This just shows that things haven’t changed in Ireland. They are exactly the same as they were. TDs should lead by example. Mick Wallace is heading off to Poland for the Euros. I don’t think that’s okay.”
Another local woman, Clare Bell, said she had voted for Wallace and now felt “let down” by him. “He had my support until I read that he doubled the salaries for himself and his son. I just thought that was a bit greedy.
“He said the money is never going to be paid to the Revenue Commissioners but he’s not broke. He’s on €90,000 a year as a TD. I think they should leave him in the Dáil and take €50,000 out of his salary for the next few years. Let him live on €40,000, which is more than many of the rest of us have to live on. I feel really let down. I did vote for him,” Ms Bell said.