Wicklow's refuse service threatened

Today the Wicklow county manager, Mr Blaise Treacy, is to seek support for a controversial 300-acre dump at Ballynagran, near…

Today the Wicklow county manager, Mr Blaise Treacy, is to seek support for a controversial 300-acre dump at Ballynagran, near Rathnew.

In a reversal of its previous position, the council decided, on the casting vote of its then chairman, Mr Pat Vance, to include the landfill proposal in its draft development plan earlier this year. Now, with the draft plan due for adoption, the manager is asking councillors to accept formally the Ballynagran dump as part of council policy.

The manager has also warned that all commercial refuse collection in the county will be suspended from Thursday, should the members not approve the Ballynagran plan.

The tactic is not assured of success, however, as the chairmanship of the council has recently passed into the hands of Mr Liam Kavanagh, an opponent of the dump proposal.