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More than 2,000 Kerry householders who are paying
reduced charges for waste collection could face higher charges
following privatisation of the service.
Due to the loss of customers to the private sector, Kerry
County Council withdrew its waste collection service and its
customers were transferred to a private operator.
Cllr Michael O’Shea (FF) is seeking assurances that "vulnerable
people" will not be financially penalised when a waiver system
ends in February 2013.
"We have 2,131 people on the waiver list and I want to know
what will be done to help these people," he said. "A lot of
people are concerned and feel they might have to pay a lot
more than they are paying at present."
The council’s head of corporate affairs, Ger O’Brien, said
council management was satisfied that market forces and competition
would keep prices competitive. "Over the past year, many customers
on waivers left the council service in order to use private
contractors whose charges were more financially attractive."
He said Environment
Minister Phil Hogan had initiated a review of waste management
policy and, arising from that, a policy on meeting the needs
of low income households was expected to be introduced.
Meanwhile, the council is to continue with its 'adopt
a bring bank' scheme, which is being run with 33 community
groups which help monitor bring bank sites and prevent illegal
dumping. Security cameras are also to be provided.
The first
has been installed in Dingle. A hidden, roaming camera has
also been put into operation to monitor known dumping blackspots
in the bring bank network.
Kerry County Council is this year spending €6,600 on surveillance,
with a view to prosecuting people who dump illegally. In 2011,
506 cases were investigated, resulting in 132 people being
fined and four prosecutions.
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