Dublin People - Waivers offered by private operator

Home

News

Latest News

Waivers offered by private operator

Thursday, 21 August 2008

A private waste operator in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown is now offering waivers to those in the area who cannot afford to pay bin charges.
Panda announced last week that it will waive its annual standing charge for household waste collection for all customers who qualify for a waiver under Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council’s existing guidelines.
As part of its own waste management programme, the council has had a waiver scheme for households in place since charges were introduced in 2000.
The council’s scheme provides for a waiver of the fixed element of the Pay By Weight charge (ie a waiver of the e80 standing charge) and provides an additional waiver of e120 for large families who qualify for the e80 standing charge waiver.
Panda says all households in the area that currently qualify for an annual standing charge waiver under the local authority’s guidelines will now be provided with the same waiver on their annual standing charge when they switch to Panda. According to Panda, those who will qualify for the waivers include lower income households whose sole income is a Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs allowance or pension and households whose total income is exempt from income tax.
Customers
Panda director John Dunne said the offer was “great news” for customers in the area.
“We are committed to providing the best service at the best rates for all households,” he said. “With this waiver we can now make the Panda option even more attractive to those customers who need a little bit of extra help.
“The benefits of competition will now be equally available to all. Panda is proud to serve in Dún Laoghaire Rathdown and looks forward to reaching even more customers.”
The latest audit to be published into the local authority’s accounts for the year 2006, shows the council failed to collect e25.8 million due to it in waste charges and that it only received some 30 per cent of the charges owed during the same year.
In addition, the report found that over 5,000 households liable for charges in the county had paid nothing at all since the waste levies were introduced in 2000.
Several councillors have called on the council to discontinue their waste service altogether due to the fact that the local authority has lost in the region of e10 million since the entry of private waste firms into the market such as Panda and Greenstar.
As part of its budget estimates for 2008, the council revealed last January that it lost a massive e7m from the operation of its waste services in 2007.
In a statement, a council spokesman said: “The decision by Panda to waive its annual standing charge for Dún Laoghaire Rathdown customers who qualify for a waiver under local authority guidelines demonstrates their willingness to accept some of the social responsibilities associated with operating in this market.”

Outrage over massive hike in horse fines

Thursday, 27 November 2008

The council say the new charges – almost a four-fold increase - which came into effect on November 1 are needed to keep the city horse pound running viably. The costs of having a horse...
+ Full Story

Little Kim gives Dail lesson in cutbacks

Thursday, 27 November 2008

Kim McDonnell, from Sacred Heart of Jesus in Huntstown, wrote to her local TD, Deputy Joan Burton (Lab), saying how she feared that some of her teachers were going to “get sacked because of...
+ Full Story

Brave Amy rewarded for saving brother

Thursday, 27 November 2008

In May, Northside People reported how Amy O’Donoghue (10), from Santry, dramatically rescued her younger brother, Lee (4) from drowning in the Canary Islands. Michael Kitt, Minister...
+ Full Story

Heartless thieves target lifeboat station

Thursday, 27 November 2008

The cards have been on sale since the end of October and are a Christmas favourite with people in the Skerries area. Mary Courtney, Skerries Lifeboat press officer, said the thieves gained entry...
+ Full Story