Sinn Féin Councillor Jonathan O’Brien is to seek clarification from the incoming City Manager about the future of the public refuse service.
Cllr O’Brien said:
“There is increasing concern about the future of the public refuse service in Cork. A number of employees have approached me recently to express their fears that the council may shortly move to privatise this service. This comes only weeks after the sell-off by the county council of its refuse collection service to Country Clean.”
“Cork City needs a public refuse service. Thousands of low-income families across the city depend on the waiver scheme. Council workers are anxious about the future of their jobs. It is also important that there is public competition to ensure waste collection does not become the monopoly of one or two private companies. When refuse charges were introduced Sinn Féin argued that they were the first step to privatisation. Unfortunately it looks like we are being proved right.”
“Rather than selling off the service, and leaving thousands of people who receive a waver with additional bills, the council should be lobbying government for a risk-equalisation scheme whereby private operators would contribute towards the cost of the waiver. This would ensure the viability of the service into the future, protecting jobs and low-income families.”
“At Monday’s council meeting I will be asking the City Manager to clarify his intentions about the future of the service.”
For further information contact Cllr Jonathan O’Brien @ 085-2133907
Well done Jonathan, this issue needs to fought now before it's a done deal, like the county.
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