‘Arrogant’ Cullen accused of trying to drive out independents

ON the biggest weekend of his ministerial career to-date, Environment Minister Martin Cullen has been accused of deliberately setting out to get rid of independents in public life.

As Mr Cullen prepares to host his EU counterparts in Waterford, East Cork councillors have branded him the “Minister for Arrogance”.

Midleton Mayor Noel Collins said the minister’s stipulation that independent candidates must have the signatures of fifteen assenters in the local elections was a slur on the integrity of non-party candidates.