SKIBBEREEN has a deficit when it comes to bins according to Fine Gael Cllr Karen Coakley.
The councillor gave a breakdown of the number of public bins in other West Cork towns and said Skibbereen is way behind in the numbers game.
Bantry, for example, has 17 while Skibbereen only has three, two of which are ‘antique,’ according to the councillor.
‘There are no bins in Townshend Street or Main Street,’ said Cllr Coakley who believes the ratepayers of the town are entitled to have an adequate public bin service.
‘It is not acceptable as a tourism destination to have so few,’ she added. The councillor rejected the argument that the provision of bins leads to littering because they ‘overflow.’ She said that rule is based on a small group of people who disrespect the service.
‘We need to take action and bring back bins,’ said the councillor, who welcomed an announcement by senior staff officer, Clare Zuk, that two new bins have been purchased for Skibbereen’s Bridge Street.
‘That’s just a couple of bins. Main Street is an important area because there are so many people eating out. We must make that a priority,’ she said.
Calls to have the hours of Skibbereen’s bring site extended was also addressed. According to Clare Zuk, the lunch hour at the upgraded Skibbereen site was changed to 12.30 to 1.30pm to facilitate people, but she said the proposal to open the site on Saturdays ‘cannot be justified at this time.’
It had been stated at an earlier meeting that the changeover day for many holiday homes in the region is Saturday and people have nowhere to bring their waste and recyling on those days, which may lead to illegal dumping.
Calls to have the hours at other sites at Derryconnell and Castletownbere extended were also ruled out, but she said there will be a review of all sites at the end of the year.
