Cork City Council has insisted it is keeping the rubbish situation in the city under review, as the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) warned that Cork GPs were expressing major concern over growing health risks associated with the non-collection of illegally dumped rubbish in the city.
According to a statement issued by the IMO, the introduction of a new tag system for rubbish collection by the council in January has "led to widespread illegal dumping with domestic refuse gathering in bags on street corners throughout the city".
Dr Ronan Boland, a Cork city member of the IMO's GP Committee, warned that the build-up of such illegally dumped rubbish was providing a ready food source for rats and other rodents and could pose a threat to public health.
"Rats may transmit pathogens that cause diarrhoeal illness, particularly in children. More worryingly, they transmit an illness known as Weil's disease which is difficult to diagnose and can be life-threatening," said Dr Boland.
Cork city GPs called on the council to immediately collect illegally dumped refuse once it gathers and to use the existing legislation to prosecute those who are breaking the law by dumping it illegally. The GPs also claimed that households on low income, previously exempt from payment of refuse charges under a waiver system, now must purchase bin tags for display.
A council spokesman said that the council had sought a copy of the IMO review which prompted their statement on public health in Cork city. He pointed out that the council is monitoring the situation closely.
"It's not our policy to collect illegally dumped rubbish. Where we remove illegally dumped rubbish, it's done for the sole purpose of obtaining evidence to fine the people doing the illegal dumping and, if they fail to pay the fine, we will pursue them through the courts," he said.
The spokesman also pointed out that the council operated a very generous waiver system for people on low incomes or on social welfare and, while that was an equitable system, they would go beyond that and look at individual cases if people were still in financial difficulties.
Last month, Cork city manager Joe Gavin said that 11,000 people availed of full or part waivers from the council in 2004. The same number is set to avail this year when the standing charge is €255, with householders paying an extra €3 or €5 per bin lift.
"We have a very generous waiver system for people on low incomes from old age pensioners in receipt of social welfare who get their refuse collected free to people who typically pay a maximum of €7 a week," Mr Gavin told The Irish Times.
"That's the cost to a household with an income greater than €360 a week. They pay a standing charge of €255, less a 10 per cent discount for early payment and then they pay €5 for a bin lift every fortnight. That works out at €360 a year or €7 a week."