Councillors hold sit-in over bin policy

Eoin English

Joe Gavin said the full rigours of the law will be brought to bear on people who dump illegally.

He made his comments after four city councillors occupied his City Hall office to highlight what they said were major faults in the city’s new bin collection system.

Councillors Mick Barry, Chris O’Leary, Jonathon O’Brien and Annette Spillane blamed a spate of illegal dumping on the flaws in the system.

Under the system, bins must be tagged for collection. But tags are being stolen and council workers are under instruction not to collect untagged bins.

Hundreds of bins have not been collected and illegal dumping has increased, the councillors said.

Mr O’Brien said he counted up to 300 illegally dumped bags in his ward.

The councillors met Mr Gavin yesterday morning to try to persuade him to change the council’s policy.

But when Mr Gavin indicated there would be no change, the councillors refused to leave his office.

They suspended their protest just before last night’s council meeting.

Mr Gavin restated the council’s position during the meeting.

“We will not allow a small minority of people to besmirch the environment.

“We will gather evidence and prosecute illegal dumpers. We will pursue them through the courts.”

Meanwhile, up to 70 people attended a public meeting organised by the Householders Against Service Charges group in a city centre hotel last night.

A major anti-service charges campaign is planned.