A Drogheda Borough Council Socialist Party councillor in Louth will resign his seat after an unknown member of the public paid the property tax on his behalf.
It is understood that Frank Gallagher had refused to pay the tax in protest of so-called 'stealth taxes'.
A statement posted on his Facebook page states that since he was appointed to the council he had “unashamedly supported and encouraged, both publicly and privately the national...strategy of opposition here in Drogheda”.
The statement begins: "When I became aware that the Local Property Tax liability on my home was discharged, not by me, I immediately found myself in a position of having to chose between political expediency and principled and honest public representation.
"For me there was never a contest, or conflict, in my mind on the issue."
Standing by principles he laid out during his election campaign Mr Gallagher said he promised he would not just "talk the talk".
Online he concluded: "I’m heartbroken and devastated by these unfortunate turn of events. I now consider the mandate given to me by the people of Drogheda North to represent them on Drogheda Borough Council, in June 2009, to be broken."
