A Wicklow County Council member has been given leave in the High Court to seek a judicial review of the local authority's decision to end its waste collection service. Mr Justice O'Neill was told yesterday the council stopped collecting waste on January 28th, and had circulated householders with a list of eight private refuse collectors which they could use instead.
Ms Deirdre de Burca, a member of the Green Party and with an address at Wellington Court, Novara Avenue, Bray, also sought an interim order directing the council to reinstate its waste collection service, but this was refused by Mr Justice O'Neill.
Mr Peter Bland (for Ms de Burca) said there was a statutory duty on the council to arrange for the collection of waste in its area, and, under the European Communities (Waste) Regulations 1997, a duty to implement a waste management plan for the county.
He submitted that it was an offence for householders to give waste to any party other than the council or a person with a permit granted under the 1979 regulations. He claimed the private operators detailed to householders did not have such permits.