SIPTU representatives have called on members of Dublin City Council to reject a management proposal to sell a waste recycling facility in Ballymount, Dublin 24, to a private company. SIPTU Organiser, Brendan O’Brien, said: “This proposal will come before the monthly meeting of Dublin City councillors this evening (Monday, 11th May). The proposal to sell the facility at Ballymount pre-empts the outcome of a review, currently underway, which is exploring the possibility of bringing waste collection and related environmental services back into public control, following their privatisation in 2012. “Last November, a council working group agreed to conduct research into new waste management arrangements on foot of an earlier cross-party motion calling for the ‘re-municipalisation’ of household waste services. Funding of €70,000 was subsequently earmarked for the project. “If the facility in Ballymount is sold it will seriously undermine the councillors’ previous decision to explore options to bring waste collection services back under direct control. The move will make it much more difficult to move away from the current system of unregulated private waste which has led to increased costs and a huge growth in illegal dumping." He added: “The evidence shows that a public waste collection service would provide a more efficient service to the citizens of Dublin. Currently, over 20% of citizens do not have a domestic waste collection service. At the very least, we are calling on councillors of all parties and independent members to defer this decision until the work of the sub-group is complete.” The Ballymount plant, which is jointly owned by the four Dublin local authorities, is currently operated by a private Company. SIPTU represents workers in the four Dublin local authorities.
SIPTU calls on councillors to reject proposal to sell Ballymount waste facility
