Looney criticises “unfair and undemocratic” privatisation of bin collection in South Dublin

Cllr Dermot Looney, a Labour Party representative on South Dublin County Council, has said that the Council’s decision to outsource bin collection to a private company is a “grossly unfair and undemocratic act” taken without the consent of elected representatives. Looney was commenting in the wake of SDCC management agreeing over the weekend to privatise the brown and bin collection service to Greyhound R&R Ltd, in spite of a recent Council motion opposing any attempts to privatise the service. Looney seconded an emergency motion proposed by Cllr Cathal King at Monday’s Tallaght Area Committee meeting opposing the privatisation.

“This decision has clearly been in the pipeline for some time,” noted Cllr Looney, “but the manner in which it was announced was bizarre indeed. I first found out about it on a visit to the Council’s website early Saturday morning. It turns out that the elected Councillors had only been informed about this through a late Friday afternoon email in which we were told the deal was done – but we were told to remain quiet about it. Meanwhile, the Council have posted the information to its website, and Greyhound sent out a self-congratulatory press release which the Council have been happy to publicise!”

“The elected representatives of this Council have had no hand, act nor part in this ‘executive decision.’ I have done everything in my very limited power as a Councillor to stand up for the public bin service, and in particular the thousands of less well-off and elderly residents who rely on the waiver, via motions, questions and political pressure at Council level. However, the decision of successive governments to take any powers away from elected representatives regarding waste means we could not halt this move.”

“We are now told that the waiver will only last another 12 months, and that no new applications are being accepted. This is a grossly unfair decision which will cause huge worry for the thousands of people currently availing of the waiver – not to mention those who will be forced to rely on social welfare in the coming weeks and months.”

“Furthermore, it is clear that this decision has already had a huge negative impact on residents. Those on the Friday collection route, including hundreds of people in my own neighbourhood of Greenhills, did not have their bins collected last week and have also missed out on non-collections on Saturday and Monday.”

“Greyhound are promising lower prices – and they may indeed be true to their word in the short term – but this privatisation may very well lead to market oligopoly in time, with a small number of large private companies operating an effective cartel and being able to push up prices. An accompanying decline in service is very possible in such a market environment. I will be calling on the Council management to at the very least retain the existing waiver system in the long term at our next meeting.”

Article for "Look Left"

Look Left is an excellent leftwing magazine which has had three issues in 2010 to date. The magazine is supported by the Workers' Party but is editorially independent.

I wrote the following article for Issue 3 of the magazine about the left-wing Alliance on SDCC. You can find out more about Look Left on the web at http://www.lookleftonline.org

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A left-wing Alliance on South Dublin County Council holds fast more than a year on from the Council elections, writes Labour Councillor Dermot Looney

The 2009 local elections marked a move by voters away from Fianna Fáil and, in urban and suburban parts of the country at least, a shift to the left. Nowhere was this more evident than in South Dublin County, the third largest local authority in the country after Dublin City and Cork County, dominated by large towns such as Tallaght, Lucan and Clondalkin.

Last June, voters returned 9 Labour, 8 Fine Gael and 3 Sinn Féin Cllrs, along with one People Before Profit Alliance and one Independent Councillor. Only 4 Fianna Fáil Cllrs were elected out of 26 – three of those on the final count, one of whom required a recount.

The historic pasting given to Fianna Fáil enabled the Labour Party to enter negotiations to form the ruling group on the Council. But rather than reach agreement with Fine Gael, as has happened elsewhere in deals for ‘mayors and chairs,’ Labour looked left in negotiating an ‘Alliance for Change’ with Sinn Féin and Independent Councillor Guss O’Connell.

The Alliance of 13 Councillors forced Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael into effective opposition on the Council, with PBPA Cllr Gino Kenny tending to support the Alliance in most votes. Remarkably, it has been widely suggested that this may be the first ever formal left-wing Alliance in over 110 years of Irish local government.

Although the standard “Mayors and Chairs” pact is part of the Alliance agreement, all three parties to the Alliance – Labour, SF and Guss O’Connell – focussed on policy matters from the outset. A 36 point plan focussing on housing, environment and heritage, development and planning, enterprise, jobs and value for money priorities agreed in June 2009 remains the working agenda for meetings of the group.

All 13 members of the Alliance agreed to forego the €4,500 a year claimable in Conference expenses and instead divert the money to a fund to provide the first emergency homeless shelter in the South Dublin area. We were joined in this pledge by Cllr Gino Kenny (PBPA) and John Lahart (FF) but the three other FF Councillors, along with all eight in FG, continue to claim these expenses.

At a time of cutbacks and vicious attacks on working people and those left behind, Alliance Cllrs have been engaged in a fight to defend public services as much as to expand them.

The current Council Budget agreed just before Christmas differed greatly from its National namesake introduced by the Government just weeks before. The Alliance sought in its approach to protect frontline services and prioritise the most vulnerable, achieving, for example, a new €1.2 million project for essential maintenance on windows, doors and other features on 500 Council homes.

Indirect taxes too have been the focus of Alliance Cllrs in the Chamber. My own motion to oppose July’s 31% hike in the Council’s bin charges won support from all Alliance Cllrs – in fact, only FF refused to back it. However, the County Manager over-ruled the vote of the Councillors based on a 2003 Fianna Fáil/PD decision to withdraw the democratic involvement of elected representatives in setting waste charges. There is no doubt that the Manager will attempt to do likewise regarding domestic water charges, which were opposed as a matter of policy by the Alliance both in the Agenda and during a debate on a successful motion I brought to the Council last November.

Continuing to oppose these attacks on working people, standing up for quality public services and demanding a sustainable planning future for South Dublin remain the priorities for an Alliance which remains solid in the uncertain times ahead.

Press Release: Looney urges no deal with Veolia on SDCC over Israeli involvement

Cllr. Dermot Looney, a Labour party representative on South Dublin County Council, is demanding that the Council refuse to deal with French multinational company Veolia given their role in building an illegal light rail system in East Jerusalem. Looney is bringing a motion to tomorrow’s (July 12th) full Council meeting to highlight the construction of a light rail system linking Israel to illegal settlements in East Jerusalem, and the involvement of Veolia, who run the LUAS service in Dublin as well as waste and water services across the world.

Looney’s motion comes on foot of similar motions passing in Dublin City Council, Galway City Council, Sligo County Council, Donegal County Council and Castlebar Town Council, and has the full support of the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign. A similar motion will also be brought to Fingal County Council tomorrow by Labour Councillor Patrick Nulty.

“Veolia’s involvement in this project is utterly illegal and immoral,” stated Looney “and I am asking South Dublin Councillors to join forces in demanding that the County Manager does not sign any contracts with Veolia.”

“Ireland has a long record of international solidarity, including the historic role of Irish people in opposing apartheid in South Africa through boycotts and other actions. I believe that the representatives of a quarter of a million citizens in South Dublin are right to demand an ethical procurement policy which will rule out Veolia until such time as they disinvest from this illegal light rail system,” said Looney.

John Dorman, Divestment Officer with the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said that "the IPSC fully supports Cllr. Looney's motion, and strongly encourages all councillors in South Dublin County Council to vote in favour of it. They will be following in the proud footsteps of their colleagues in councils in Dublin, Galway and Sligo who have also adopted similar motions saying 'no' to a company that collaborates with the Israeli.state's theft of Palestinian land. Furthermore, the IPSC encourages all Irish town, city and county councils to pass such motions."

ENDS

Text of motion is as follows;

MOTION 10 – CLLR DERMOT LOONEY

“That this Council, in light of the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people, recognises (1) that Veolia is a leading partner in the consortium contracted to build a light railway system linking Israel to illegal settlements in occupied East Jerusalem, (2) that the Irish government and the U.N does not recognise Israel’s annexation and occupation of East Jerusalem and have repeatedly stated their views that the Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank contravene international law and (3) that Veolia’s involvement in the project is in contravention of the UN’s stated demand that Israeli settlement activities and occupation should not be supported, and calls on the County Manager not to sign any new or renew any existing contracts with Veolia.”

Press Release: Looney Slams Bin Charge Hike in South Dublin

Cllr Dermot Looney, a Labour Party representative on South Dublin County Council, has said news of an increase in bin charges in South Dublin is a further blow to hard-pressed local residents. Charges for the standard black bin and newly-introduced brown bin will increase by almost a third from August 1st. Charges for black bins, currently at €8 per lift, will rise to €10.50, while the charge for brown bins, which deal with food and garden waste, is set to rise from €4 per lift to €5.25. Looney has said that the announcement could mean an extra €100 per year burden on local families.

“Local residents are already bearing the brunt of the recession with job losses, pay cuts and cutbacks to community services,” said Cllr Looney. “One of the few hoped-for benefits would have been a freeze on costs due to the low inflation or even deflation in the economy. Instead, though, one of the necessary services upon which hard-pressed local residents rely is set to jump by a third.”

“For a large family who need to leave out a black bin and a brown bin every two weeks, this represents an increase of €97.50, from €312 per annum to €409.50. As well as the economic cost to local people, there is evidence to show an environmental impact to such decisions, with fly-tipping and dumping set to rise.”

“The increases come in part from an EU decision to level the playing field between public and private waste operators, meaning that local authorities now have to charge VAT on their bin collections; great news for private waste companies, but not for local citizens. Furthermore, the fact that South Dublin County Council receive less per head of population than any other local authority from Minister Gormley’s Local Government Fund means that Council finances are already at a stretch.”

“These increases are an executive function of the Council, meaning that they are introduced by Council officials without the involvement of local elected representatives. Nevertheless, I will be calling on officials to cancel the increase and safeguard the under-threat waiver system at the full Council meeting next Monday.”

Press Release: Cllr Looney Welcomes Water Charge Opposition on South Dublin Council, Slams FF Support

Cllr Dermot Looney, a Labour Party representative on South Dublin County Council (SDCC), has welcomed the decision of the 26-member Council to oppose the re-introduction of domestic water charges. Looney was commenting in the wake of a 21-2 vote in favour of his motion at November’s Council meeting on Monday evening, which won support from members of all parties with the exception of Fianna Fáil.

Looney’s motion proposes that the “Council opposes the introduction of domestic water charges and favours, instead, a combination of water conservation and education measures and a genuinely progressive taxation regime which adequately resources local government.”

During the debate, the Tallaght Central Councillor noted that water charges were no longer aspirational and it was a question of when, not if, the government would try to force the double tax through. “We all agree in the need to conserve water and ensure its careful use,” noted Cllr Looney in proposing the motion. “But doing so through the tax system, as proposed, highlights the difference between those like myself, who view water as a basic human right, and those like the Greens, who see water as a scarce commodity that should be rationed regardless of the social cost.”

“Such a departure will be viewed as a tasty opportunity for profit by large multinationals who will lick their lips at the drip-drip to water privatisation. Furthermore, claims by Council management that such a tax might only cost in the region of €250 a year are misleading. Mary Hanafin’s quote in the Irish Times from December 12^th 2007, that “families would be paying €700 or €800 per annum,’ is a more accurate reflection of the extra tax accruing under a water charges regime,” said Looney.

“Water charges will hit working people and those at the fringes of society hardest. The utterly regressive way in which the government have proposed their introduction – in which each household will have a flat allowance and will be forced to pay for all water use above that allowance – does not take into account the diversity of water requirements for types of households, or the different water use regimes for larger families, families with young children, those who may be incontinent or require other water use due to illness, disability or other needs.”

“I am delighted that my motion has passed and that this Council, representing more than a quarter of a million people in South Dublin, has taken a stand in support of water as a human right, and not a commodity to be played with. I am also glad to see that most other parties have also taken a stance opposing the water tax, although it was not surprising to see two out of four Fianna Fáil Councillors vote in favour, and their two colleagues choosing to leave the Chamber shortly before the vote.”

“Unfortunately, due to the lack of power afforded to local Councils, we in South Dublin don’t have the power to stop water charges being introduced unilaterally by the Government – but they won’t come here if we have anything to say about it,” finished Looney.

Press Release - Looney Calls for Live Webcasting of Council Meetings

Cllr Dermot Looney, a Labour Party representative on South Dublin County Council (SDCC), has called for meetings of the Council to be broadcast live on the Internet.

Looney has submitted a question to September’s Council meeting requesting the County Manager to provide the facility “in the interests of democracy and transparency.” The written question also notes the “free and easy-to-use options available online” to webcast the meetings.

“Our neighbouring Councils of Fingal, Dublin City and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown all broadcast Council meetings live on their respective websites, and archive the meetings so that interested constituents can view the meetings,” noted Looney.

“Council meetings are already open to the public but are poorly-attended. Opening up Council business through the internet will further serve that democratic function as well as making it easier for interested members of the public, the media and others to view meetings. Archiving the meetings online will make sure that Councillors and officials are held to account.”

“With free to use software now available for streaming online events and archiving, I am confident that the County Manager will respond positively to my call, and that streaming may begin later in the year.”

Election Diary: T- 19: Canvass and Class; Gaeilge and Gas; Saints and Libert-ass!

Apologies for missing out on a couple of days of posting. The campaign tends to have other priorities that can take their toll on the blogging, but I hope to make it a clean run to the count.

Our third last weekend on the campaign trail and the work gets more intense as we move closer to June 5th.

I missed out on the launch of the Labour for South Dublin CoCo campaign in Tallaght on Friday, though you can see the pics from here on. If the old saying that pictures speak a thousand words rings true, I was at least spoken for!

The reason for missing the press conference was simple - work! As a schoolteacher in Scoil Maelruain Sinsear in Old Bawn I think it's important for my political campaign remains separate from my professional work, although that certainly requires a lot of effort to avoid conflicts of interest. And that includes blogging - it's somewhat easier to blog for 32 ten year-olds than a gaggle of politically hungry adults!

The staff at my school have been very supportive and the kids haven't missed the posters on the nearby roads. The younger ones think it's for the "Teacher of the Year" competition and are at their own teachers to get their own posters up; the older ones have promised me that all their mams and dads will vote for me - I've not got the heart to tell them that they're just yards across the border in Tallaght South and won't have the chance one way or the other!

One of our campaign team in Templeogue had a visit from Cllr Colm Brophy of Fine Gael over the weekend (his site at colmbrophy.ie has not been activated all campaign). Failing to spot the "Dermot Looney" poster in the window, Colm engaged our colleague in a discussion on health service reform, before our team member brought up the proposed privatisation of Bord Gáis. Colm came out with the standard response and promoted George Lee's candidature, an interesting technique several miles from the Dublin South border. The highlight of the discussion was when our man, a Gaeilgeoir and Irish language enthusiast, raised the issue of Fine Gael's dropping of compulsory Irish from the Leaving Cert curriculum. Cllr Brophy's response was that Fine Gael were in touch with the needs of people in rural Ireland. Our man, born and bred Dubliner, was none too pleased. Ó, mo léan!

Our own canvass is going really well and we are covering the ground faster than I had hoped due to the strong numbers we are getting out. We always need more though, so drop me a mail to get involved in what must be the youngest and most vibrant local election campaign team in Ireland!

There is certainly huge support for my campaign and the Labour Party - and Eamon Gilmore's leadership and popularity comes up frequently. But running counter to the positive aspects, there's the horrific stories of lives and families ruined by the Government and their policies. I've seen unbridled anger, tears and utter cynicism in the faces of those who've been hit hardest by the recession; I've listened to tales of jobs lost, incomes destroyed, bonuses stolen amd beckoning emigration from people who did nothing to cause this mess and who are baffled by bank bailouts and government arrogance in the face of their hardship.

It is very common to have people admitting - often shamefully - that they voted Fianna Fáil all their lives but will not do so again. Our challenge is to convince them that Labour is the real alternative - how well we are doing will be found out on June 6th.

The Euro elections are coming up more and more as people decide on their vote. Proinsias de Rossa MEP, who was out with us a few weeks back, is Labour's candidate in a Dublin constituency which is losing a seat. Last week's poll showed him doing well, but he'll be fighting to top the poll and ensure Labour keep a seat in Dublin. Libertas' campaign is particularly nasty and it will be pleasing indeed to see Caroline Simons, who is running a creatively-funded six-figure campaign on the reactionary right, bomb at the polls.

The Lisbon Treaty has only come up a few times and I've been honest on the doors; the Labour Party supports it, but, as part of a tradition of dissent in the Labour Party which has dated back to 1973 and beyond, I voted against. I've had respect from both sides for my honesty on the issue, which I've also replicated in other 'potential banana-skin' issues, from the serious, such as access to abortion, to the not-so, such as my views on Jeff Kenna's management at St Pat's.

I only made the second half of the Sligo game in Richmond Park on Friday night after our canvass, only to see Pat's throw away first a 1-0 lead, and then a 2-1 lead. I thought that missing so many Pat's games would be a negative point in the campaign, but given our record this season, I'm not as upset as I might have been! Hopefully, come the Shamrock Rovers home game on July 3rd, they'll be able to change the name on my season ticket to "Cllr Dermot Looney?!"

Election Diary: T- 24: First On the Ballot

Huge apologies for the lack of posts of late. I've decided to regularise my blogs by posting a 24 Day Countdown - no Jack Bauer here, just 24 days of candidate blogging.

At 10am on Saturday morning I was delighted to meet with the Returning Officer and staff of South Dublin County Council to lodge my nomination papers. I have been officially nominated by Councillor Eamonn Walsh, who has been Labour's voice in our community for more than a quarter of a century - and a Councillor for 18 years. Eamonn, as you may know, is stepping down from the Council this June and is fully behind my campaign for election. It's a huge and genuine honour to have his nomination for election and I hope to do him proud in the fight ahead.

I was accompanied by Eamonn and my Campaign Manager, Paul Dillon and as well as meeting the friendly and welcoming staff, we also bumped into a number of candidates and agents including our old UCD colleague, Paul Murphy, who is working behind the scenes for Cllr Mick Murphy of the Socialist Party.

I met, for the first time, Arthur Doohan - the Green candidate in Tallaght Central - and Baby Pereppadam, an Independent candidate in Tallaght South, who had a huge entourage with him to register his papers.

Getting on the ballot was by no means easy, given the tough selection process for any significant political party, particularly for such a young candidate. But now that we're on it, we're pushing hard to have as many "1's" beside my name as possible.

For what it's worth, here's the pic that'll appear on the ballot.

Freedom of South Dublin for Ken Egan - Article from Irish Independent

Article on Page 4 of the Irish Independent (Broadsheet Edition), Wednesday August 27th