Refuse charges must not rise, warns TD

HOUSEHOLDERS in Waterford should not be forced to endure higher refuse charges next year, a local TD has said.

The Government must first decide if a €10 million once-off charge for capping the region’s two closed landfills will be subsidised, reducing the cost to the public of such work, Fine Gael’s John Deasy said.

Fears are growing that a flat fee of €140 to meet the €10m bill could be introduced next year. Waterford County Council has already warned that refuse charges could almost double next year to meet the remediation cost at the two landfills in Tramore and Dungarvan.