Community Alliance push for reversal of refuse privatisation in Sligo!

sligo | bin tax / household tax / water tax | news report

Monday November 10, 2003 09:29

by Allen - lp

COMMUNITY Alliance are pleased that due to the defection of Ald. McGarry to the Labour Party and the comments reported in the Sligo Champion that he has been a closet Socialist for many years, the opportunity now exists to have the refuse collection service taken back under the control of the borough council in line with Labour Party policy.

The voting pattern of Sligo Borough Council has been completely altered in terms of its outlook on social issues and the opportunity exists now for any elected member so inclined, to have the council reverse the decision taken 18 months ago to privatise the service and can lay down a clear marker that the introduction of charges for other services will not be tolerated.
Ald. McGarry is quoted as saying that he voted for privatisation of the refuse service because it was the policy of the party that he belonged to at the time. That is accepted and it is recognised that voting against his conscience on that issue must have been painful.
The opportunity now exists for Ald. McGarry to undo that decision by putting down a motion to take the refuse service back into the charge of the Borough Council. We now call on Ald. McGarry to put down a motion to undo the consequences of the vote that he made albeit under duress 18 months ago.
Following our representations to An Taoiseach during his recent visit to Sligo, we have received from his office a full outline of the position that obtains regarding the refuse service. While the contents of the letter do nothing to allay our worst fears as to the direction that the Government is taking with regard to the provision of services and the clear apparent indifference to the injustice that sees charges for the removal of the average household bin vary from 3 euro to 11 euro here in Sligo, the provision of a waiver scheme is totally in the hands of the elected members of the borough council. The Minister claims that he is powerless to intervene in this regard.
Therefore, if it is not possible for any legal or technical reasons to immediately re-take charge of the refuse collection service, than a motion to make provision for a waiver scheme in line with that which is on offer to people that live in places like Fingal and Dublin City should be brought forward. That waiver scheme sees all Pensioners, Social Welfare recipients, Lone Parents and all those on the minimum wage given the service totally free. Not only would such a waiver scheme put an end to this disgraceful episode that sees Sligo people treated like second class citizens, it would go a long way to solve the problems of refuse that have been highlighted in recent times in the borough.
Community Alliance take the opportunity to wish Ald. McGarry well and look forward to working with him on all issues of concern to local residents in the future.