Councillors held an emergency meeting behind closed doors at Limerick City Hall last night to discuss the ongoing controversy over the refuse collection waiver scheme.
The controversy stems from a row between Limerick City Council and the refuse contractor, Mr Binman, over who should pay the bin charges of certain householders for the first six months of this year.
Members of the Limerick branch of the Socialist Party picketed last night's meeting and called on householders to bin their refuse bills.
Outside City Hall, a spokesperson for the party said the council was trying to "wash its hands of responsibilities" to low-income householders.
More than 3,000 householders, who are entitled to full or partial waivers, were recently hit with bills from Mr Binman, demanding full payment. Many of the affected householders are pensioners while others who live in so-called disadvantaged areas of the city say they are unable to pay.
The council had already refused to pay, claiming there was no waiver scheme in place during the first six months of this year when it was involved in a court battle with the refuse collection contractor.
The controversy began last November when the council was advised by legal sources that its refuse waiver scheme was operating illegally following the privatisation of bin collection services.
The contractor, Mr Binman, then took a High Court injunction against the council, effectively blocking it from appointing another contractor.
As part of the terms agreed during the six months of legal wrangling, Mr Binman agreed to continue to collect waste around the city - but it always maintained it should be paid for the service.
Now residents have been hit with a full bill for that period, from January to June, even though the council claims no waiver scheme was actually in place due to the High Court injunction.
The 2005 bin waiver scheme officially began on July 1st and runs until December 31st but it does not cover the first six months of this year, leaving thousands of householders in a financial limbo.