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SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 11, 2008

QUESTION NO. 7

QUESTION: Councillor M. Murphy

To ask the Manager how can the Council justify refusing a Bin Tax Waiver to residents who recently became a pensioners on the basis that they have been billed for arrears but not paid them as these pensioners used their workplace refuse system up to the time they retired.

REPLY:

While every case has to be assessed on its own merits, and if the Member is referring to a particular case then the details should be forwarded to the Senior Executive Officer, Waste Services for an investiagtion, in general the current waiver scheme is based on meeting the following criteria:

1. Where the sole income of the household is from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs Allowance or pension or
   
2. Where the total income of the household is exempt from income tax under the Finance Acts or
   
3. Where in the opinion of the County Manager the payment of the charge would result in personal hardship.

If there are outstanding arrears, waiver applications for 2008 will not be processed unless the household was entitled to a waiver for the period for which the arrears relate to.  If alternative arrangements  were made for waste disposal during the relevant period, proof of disposal methods wil be required before a current waiver will be granted.

It should be noted that if any member of the household is paying income tax, then the household does not qualify for a waiver.  Only those households outside the tax net will qualify.