Dublin councils ponder waste collection fee

Householders in the Dublin area will "almost certainly" have to pay for their refuse collection from the start of 2001.

Three of its local authorities have confirmed that the imposition of an annual refuse collection charge is likely. This follows the vote by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown on Wednesday night to begin charging for household refuse collection from January 1st.

The annual charge of £150 will be payable in two instalments. These will be due on March 31st, 2000, and July 31st, 2000, although Mr Eugene Vesey, senior administrative officer of the council's environment section, said other payment schedules could be arranged.

Mr Vesey said the council hoped to begin issuing its payment demands "around February". He said some exemptions or reductions would be made to people on low incomes.

If people failed to pay, three sanctions were available to the council, he said.

"We would either withhold the service from the house, or pursue the head of the household, as having a debt to the corporation, through the civil courts or, the final thing we are looking at is, when we introduce wheelie-bins next year we would withhold delivery of these to any household that does not have a clear account, effectively withdrawing service."

Mr Brian Buckley, of the environment department of Fingal County Council, said that although refuse collection charges were not included in this year's estimates, "that doesn't mean they won't be introduced in next year's".

"There's no doubt that they will more than likely be introduced across Dublin within the next few years," he said. "The question of waste disposal and cost is huge and has to be faced."

South Dublin County Council spends some £11 million a year on disposing of waste, according to Ms Margaret Campbell, administrative officer of the council's environmental service.

"It's a very heavy burden on our finances," she said and put the fact that a refuse levy had not been included in this year's estimates down to "a lack of political will".

"But I think we will have to start and introduce the `polluter pays' principle," she said.

A spokesman for Dublin Corporation also said that although no levy would be imposed this year, "it is certainly not being ruled out in the future".

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown's decision is in accordance with a consultant's report commissioned by the four Dublin authorities, Dublin Waste Management Plan. It recommends full application of the "polluter pays" principle, with the costs of waste management borne by "industry, commercial organisations and householders".

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the imposition of the levy on householders. Its president, Mr Tom Nolan, said businesses had been overcharged for years.

This year Cork city households paid £104 for refuse collection and next year £120.

Limerick City Council last night failed to adopt estimates the manager's estimates as there was no provision for the continuation of refuse collection for the second half of the year.

The council were faced with an option of maintaining the status quo, engaging a private collection service or charge a break even domestic fee which would cost £129 per annum per household.

Galway County Council has contracted the service to private operators who charge households £100 to £170 a year. Galway Corporation has imposed an £85 refuse collection levy since 1997.