COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 08, 2016

QUESTION NO.17

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

To ask the Chief Executive if he is aware of the campaign by SIPTU asking members of the Council to support the re-introduction of the annual Junk Collection which many believed was of great benefit; will he confirm if any discussions have taken place with SIPTU in respect of the issue and will he confirm if any consideration is being given to the matter.

REPLY:

The junk collection was discontinued when the economic downturn happened in 2007/2008, the service was provided early in 2008 and this was the last occasion that it was provided.    The service was provided to approx. 20,000 houses per year at a cost of over €500,000 per year.  The annual cost of €500,000 could not be sustained once the economic crisis happened, therefore the service was discontinued.  

The correspondence from SIPTU on the matter which has been seen by the Environment Dept. claims that restoration of the junk service would provide ‘direct labour full time positions’.  This is not the case however.  In the past the Council recruited approximately 15 temporary staff for a period of three months to assist in providing the service, a number of regular staff supplemented these temporary staff with those regular staff for the most part performing driving and supervisory duties.  Staff numbers were agreed in 2015 between management and the staff unions through the workforce planning exercise and these numbers do not include for the recruitment of staff to provide a junk collection service.  It is the intention of Council management to adhere to the workforce plan numbers. 

There is also an issue of environmental concern with regard to this proposal.  No charge was levied for the junk collection when it was provided previously, and this is in conflict with the producer pays principle.  To reintroduce the service now on a similar basis would be in direct conflict with National and EU waste policy and also the new waste plan for the Eastern Midlands Regions in this regard.

The Council therefore has no plans to reinstate the junk collection service.