Future of Ballyduffbeg ‘comes down to income and expenditure’

A SPECIAL meeting of the county council is to be scheduled to determine the future of the Ballyduffbeg Waste Management facility following a report issued to Clare County Council on Monday, where the possibility of a wind-down in its landfill operations was mooted.

Addressing council members, county manager Tom Coughlan said a report on the future of the waste management facility had been issued to the members and that the matter ultimately “comes down to income and expenditure”. He said there is a potential lack of income from the facility and that in order to continue operating Ballyduffbeg, the council needs to carry out phase four, a €4 million development.
“At the current market prices, we don’t know how we can get this expenditure. If we don’t get the facility, then we have to stop collecting the waste. From 2003 to 2010, the landfill has gone from 58,930 tonnes to 21,000 and a drop of revenue from €6.7m to €2.1m. The cost of the facility as of 2009 was €3.6m and it is expected that the costs will go up to €4m. With the reduction in income, do you want to incur another €1m in expenditure on a facility, which is constantly losing revenue? If we cease accepting refuse at landfill there will still be operational costs in 2012 of €2m, rather than if we proceed to phase three, where the costs are €4.4m,” the county manager explained.
Mayor of Clare, Councillor Christy Curtin described the issue as “stark” and one that merited detailed discussion. He said whatever decision is taken in the matter it would be “historic”.
Councillor James Breen sought to have the matter deferred for a full discussion. Councillor Joe Arkins also called for the discussion to be deferred until after a special meeting of the SPC on the environment scheduled for Monday. “It is important that the role of the SPC in this be recognised,” he said.
Councillor Patricia McCarthy called for the matter not to be deferred and said a discussion at the local authority meeting that day was a matter of urgency. She said that the “SPC make recommendations to inform this council. This matter is all about immediate and long-term financial implications for the council.”
It was agreed that the matter would go to the SPC this Monday to discuss policy issues and that it would go for full discussion thereafter.
However the mayor stressed that “ultimately the decision will be made in conclave here”.