Call to open Limerick recycling centre on Sundays to help those who work in week

COUNCIL bosses are to examine the possibility of opening a local recycling centre on a Sunday to help people who work during the week.

At present Mungret Recycling Centre opens from Monday until Saturday each week.

However, Aidan Finn, senior engineer in the environment and climate action department said a discussion will be held with the firm which operates the facility under contract to council, to see if it can open on Sunday, perhaps instead of Monday.

This came following a motion from Fine Gael councillor Sarah Kiely.

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“It’s a fantastic resource and amenity. The cost of disposal of waste at this facility is very affordable and staff there are extremely helpful,” the City East councillor told this month’s metropolitan meeting.

She feels it not being open on a Sunday is something which should be addressed, and pointed to the fact that vehicles can often back up along the N69 waiting to use the centre.

This, she argued, can often cause health and safety issues.

“We often hit the headlines in a negative way when it comes to the Ibal (Irish Business Against Litter) report and I beleive if we do extend the opening times, it could help to alleviate this,” she said.

Cllr Kiely acknowledged it may have an impact on the budget.“But I think if we spend it now, we save it later in terms of dumping,” she added.

Her motion was seconded by party colleague Dan McSweeney and supported by Cllr Shane Hickey-O’Mara, Social Democrats.

Mr Finn initially stated in a written reply that any extension of opening days would result in additional costs which would need to be passed onto the user through increased charges.

However, Cllr Hickey-O’Mara suggested flipping the Monday opening to a Sunday opening, thereby helping people who work six-days-a-week.

It was an idea backed up by Cllr McSweeney, who said a modest increase to the €5-a-car could be justified if the opening hours were longer.

Mr Finn said he would discuss the flipping of opening days and see how much it would cost.