REVERSE PROPOSAL ON €500 ELIGIBILTY LIMIT FOR WASTE WAIVER SAYS MC DOWELL
Issued : Saturday 16 April, 2011
Brian McDowell, new Councillor for the greater Donaghmede/ Raheny area has called for the Dublin City Manager to reverse his proposal for a €500 upper limit for eligibility for the waste management waiver scheme. According to Cllr. McDowell the City Manager has proposed that any family with a weekly income over €500 will not be entitled to a waiver.
Over 41000 people applied for the waiver last year, a significant increase on the previous years. “ With the economic downturn and the serious increase in the unemployment figures it is no surprise that more people have applied for the waiver and more people have been approved for the waiver. That is the reason the waiver is in place in the first instance, to help the vulnerable and the people who are in most need of assistance” stated Mr McDowell.
“There was no consultation with the majority of councillors on this issue “according to Mr McDowell and when it came to a vote at the most recent full meeting of the Council a majority of Councillors voted against the proposal.
“I voted against this proposal on the basis that there was no consultation and no good reasons given by the City Manager to justify this change to the waiver scheme. It is only a proposal at the moment and the City Manager has promised to review the proposal and revert back to the Council in the next two weeks
Unfortunately the decision will ultimately be in the hands of the City Manager as a former Fianna Fail Minister passed the power over waste management charges to the City Manager rather than Councillors. It is time for these powers to be given back to Councillors to decide on” concluded Cllr McDowell
Ends contact Cllr Brian McDowell - 0879161225
Cllr 
