Pay by use waste collection customers left in ‘limbo land’

Fianna Fáil Deputy Eugene Murphy has called on Minister Simon Coveney to explore the option of revoking waste collectors licences in Counties Roscommon and Galway if they continue to hike up standard charges for new customers.

Deputy Murphy said he had received numerous complaints from constituents throughout the region who were currently on a pay by use or a tag system who are now being informed by some waste collectors that they are being treated as new customers and are subject to a service charge and a weight charging system despite the fact that a price freeze is in operation.

“Pay by weight charges have been frozen for 12 months while the Government decides how to regulate the system and the sector but many pay by use customers have now been left in limbo land. One particular constituent was in contact with me to say that his bin charges are going up from €13 per bin lift with a tag to a €17 service charge per month plus 0.22 per Kg. This means that this particular individual will have to pay €300 for one year for two adults and this is with the pay freeze in operation which is totally unjust,” said Deputy Murphy.

Deputy Murphy also highlighted the fact that County Roscommon had a significantly higher population of older people and many pensioners may currently be operating under a pay by use or tag system.

“Some single pensioners may have a very limited number of black bins due to their lifestyle and circumstances and each bin tag may have only cost between €12 to €13 yet these pay by usage customers are now being treated as if they were new customers by some waste collectors and now face a flat service charge and a charge per weight,” said Deputy Murphy.

The Fianna Fail Deputy has called on the Minister for the Environment Simon Coveney to put in place an exemption for pay by usage customers as he says they have been left “in limbo land.” Deputy Murphy has raised the matter with Minister Coveney through a parliamentary question.

“The 12 month price freeze was designed to ensure that customers would not be unfairly charged, and we must ensure that all providers play fair and not abuse the system,” said Eugene Murphy TD.

Boil Water notice on Glenamaddy Group Water Scheme to be lifted - Murphy

Fianna Fail Deputy for Roscommon/ Galway Eugene Murphy has welcomed the fact that the boil water notice on the Glenamaddy Group Water scheme will be lifted this afternoon (Thursday)

Deputy Murphy said that Glenamaddy is served from the Boyounagh/Ballyedmond Group Water Scheme and the scheme uses three different sources to provide its customers with water.

“As part of ongoing monitoring by the GWS Cryptosporidium was detected resulting in a boil water notice. Work has been ongoing on this scheme and I am delighted that the boil water notice will be lifted this afternoon, Thursday. This is a welcome relief for the many homeowners and businesses that were placed at a serious inconvenience,” said Deputy Murphy.

During the Dail debate on the Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016 last Friday, Deputy Murphy raised a number of questions in relation to water services in County Roscommon including the issue of the Glenamaddy Group Water Scheme.

Deputy Murphy also questioned the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in relation to the boil water notice on the North East Roscommon Regional Water Supply Scheme.

“ The boil water notice on the North East scheme has been ongoing since March 2014 and the areas affected include Tarmonbarry, Rooskey, Elphin, Strokestown, Ballagh/Ballybeg, surrounding areas and Group Water Schemes served by these supplies. This is an ongoing plight for over 5,400 customers who are affected by this notice and it is a major inconvenience for homeowners and businesses who are already struggling to survive. Indeed many businesses have borne the brunt of extra costs and have paid thousands of euro in some cases to install proper water filtration systems in restaurants and hotels,” said Deputy Murphy.

 Minister Simon Coveney said that in January Irish Water awarded a contract for the design, construction and commissioning of a new €6.1 million water treatment plant for the North East Roscommon Regional Water Supply Scheme. The Minister indicated that work on the project has begun and it is expected to be completed in June 2017. 

Boil Water notice on Glenamaddy Group Water Scheme to be lifted - Murphy

Fianna Fail Deputy for Roscommon/ Galway Eugene Murphy has welcomed the fact that the boil water notice on the Glenamaddy Group Water scheme will be lifted this afternoon (Thursday)

Deputy Murphy said that Glenamaddy is served from the Boyounagh/Ballyedmond Group Water Scheme and the scheme uses three different sources to provide its customers with water.

“As part of ongoing monitoring by the GWS Cryptosporidium was detected resulting in a boil water notice. Work has been ongoing on this scheme and I am delighted that the boil water notice will be lifted this afternoon, Thursday. This is a welcome relief for the many homeowners and businesses that were placed at a serious inconvenience,” said Deputy Murphy.

During the Dail debate on the Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016 last Friday, Deputy Murphy raised a number of questions in relation to water services in County Roscommon including the issue of the Glenamaddy Group Water Scheme.

Deputy Murphy also questioned the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in relation to the boil water notice on the North East Roscommon Regional Water Supply Scheme.

“ The boil water notice on the North East scheme has been ongoing since March 2014 and the areas affected include Tarmonbarry, Rooskey, Elphin, Strokestown, Ballagh/Ballybeg, surrounding areas and Group Water Schemes served by these supplies. This is an ongoing plight for over 5,400 customers who are affected by this notice and it is a major inconvenience for homeowners and businesses who are already struggling to survive. Indeed many businesses have borne the brunt of extra costs and have paid thousands of euro in some cases to install proper water filtration systems in restaurants and hotels,” said Deputy Murphy.

 Minister Simon Coveney said that in January Irish Water awarded a contract for the design, construction and commissioning of a new €6.1 million water treatment plant for the North East Roscommon Regional Water Supply Scheme. The Minister indicated that work on the project has begun and it is expected to be completed in June 2017. 

Murphy raises concerns about Waterways Ireland staffing levels

Fianna Fail Deputy for Roscommon/Galway Eugene Murphy has raised concerns about a reduction of staffing levels with Waterways Ireland on the River Shannon over the past number of years. Deputy Murphy raised the matter with the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys through a recent parliamentary question when he queried staffing levels and also queried how many staff have been redeployed by Waterways Ireland since 2012 on the River Shannon from North Roscommon to Athlone and the numbers of staff currently employed in each of the areas along this stretch.

Deputy Murphy also queried the Minister as to whether there were plans to downgrade or close the Portumna and Tullamore bases while he noted that Waterways Ireland staff had expressed concern about a ‘short lived’ call out allowance.

“Concerns have been raised through my constituency office in relation to the redeployment and indeed loss of staff along the River Shannon over the past number of years. A total of 43 staff were employed on the North Shannon from Athlone to Lough Allen back in 2012 and that number is now down to 37. Constituents have raised concerns with me that staff have also been lost from the Lough Key area,” said Deputy Murphy.

The Fianna Fail Deputy also raised concerns about the payment of a call out allowance which had been allocated to staff during emergency situations. “My understanding is that a call out allowance was paid to workers during emergency situations such as flooding and workers were paid an allowance to be on call during such difficult times but this arrangement is no longer in place and I would urge consultation with the relevant trade unions if there are plans to introduce an on call rota,” said Deputy Murphy.

The Fianna Fail Deputy pointed out that a breakdown of the 37 staff currently employed by Waterways Ireland on the Shannon Navigation indicated the numbers at the following locations: Rooskey (6); Athlone (6); Albert Lock (3); Kilclare (1); Clarendon/ Drumshanbo (1), Tarmonbarry/ Clondra (1), Knockvicar (12) and Carrick-on-Shannon (7).

Deputy Murphy said that he had received confirmation from Minister Humphreys that Waterways Ireland had no plans to downgrade or close the Portumna or Tullamore bases. Minister Humphreys said however that the organisation was in the process of completing a competition to appoint from within its existing staff, a manager, on a fixed term contract of 24 months, to review the services provided by Tullamore and Portumna offices and to examine how these services can be best developed to meet evolving requirements and the changing circumstances in which Waterways Ireland works.

Deputy Murphy also highlighted the fact that Waterways Ireland headquarters was based in Enniskillen and the organisation was a North/South Body yet he said there was a “disproportionate’ amount in the levels of funding allocated from Ireland and Northern Ireland. “Figures show that Ireland has allocated a total of 123.897 million to Waterways Ireland since 2012 to 2016 while the Northern Ireland allocation to Waterways Ireland during this same time period is only 19.879million which means that Ireland is responsible for 85% of the Waterways Ireland funding from 2012 to 2016 while the Northern Ireland allocation for the same time period amounts to 15%,” said Deputy Murphy

Murphy calls for careful analysis of impact of Brexit

Fianna Fail Deputy for Roscommon/Galway Eugene Murphy has called for a calm and careful analysis of the impact of Brexit on the Irish economy.

Deputy Murphy said that the overall economic fallout for Ireland of the UK decision to leave the European Union (EU) will take time to become clear and will require careful economic and political management.

Deputy Murphy said that the result of the UK referendum would have major consequences and was disappointing from an Irish perspective.

“Sterling has plummeted and this will cause an immediate problem for Irish firms exporting to the UK and in the wider conduct of cross border commerce. I am also deeply concerned about the impact on the agricultural export market which is a vital contributor in our economy and with the UK’s exit from the EU we have lost one of our closest allies as Britain is our biggest trading partners in Europe,” said Deputy Murphy.

The Fianna Fail Deputy said that much will now depend on the negotiations around the UK’s exit from the EU. “Until the shape of the UK exit and its post Brexit relationship with Ireland and the remainder of the EU becomes clear, there will be an inevitable period of uncertainty. 

 There will also be a lot of uncertainty around the issue of travel as the UK and Ireland have enjoyed a common travel agreement since the 1920s which was strengthened by EU membership. Brexit may now see some sanctions re-imposed, especially since migration was the recurring issue for Leave voters. There may also be implications for British citizens living in Ireland as they may have to apply for dual citizenship or new passports,” said Deputy Murphy.