Council's vote 'could bring waste services back into local authority control and ownership'
'It would help lessen the effects of fly-tipping...'
People Before Profit Cllr Adrienne Wallace is to bring forward a motion calling for the "remunicipalisation of waste management" at this month's meeting of Carlow County Council on Monday.
The motion also calls for the establishment of a cross party working group that will consider how this could be advanced.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Cllr Wallace said: "This is an issue that plagues our county and it is a constant source of huge frustration for the residents here and councillors who feel that they can do little about it.
"There is huge public support for these services to be returned to the local authority which follows a trend for remunicipalisation throughout Europe.
"It is absolutely without question that the move to begin the privatisation of these services in 2001 with the introduction of the charges would only lead to the situation we now find ourselves in."
Cllr Wallace added: "If we were to bring waste services back under Council ownership it could save every household in Carlow money.
"It would also help lessen the effects of fly-tipping. We could also re-introduce the waiver system for pensioners, carers and those who need the support.
"We have a public health responsibility to the people who live work and recreate in our county as well as a responsibility to the environment and our climate crisis to look to the remunicipalisation of this critical service."
Full text of motion:
This Council agrees that waste management in Carlow should be remunicipalised and that a working group comprising group representatives and management meet in September and October to consider how this might be advanced, said working group to report to the November Council Meeting.