Members clash over bottle bank location

TWO councillors clashed at the September meeting of Sligo District Council over the possible location of a bottle bank in Mitchell- Curley Park.

Councillor Chris MacManus proposed that the Council would locate a bottle bank in the fenced compound at the car park in Mitchell- Curley Park as there are no recycling facilities located in the West Ward area of Sligo city.

Director of Services Tom Kilfeather responded to the motion by pointing out that while a bottle bank was needed in the West Ward, it was noted that Ballisodare also needed one.

The councillors can decide where to put a bottle bank on Council-owned land (using Part 8 planning procedure) but for private land, they would have to get written consent from the owner.

Mr Kilfeather said that “both locations will be investigated towards the final quarter of this year to find a suitable location and the appropriate procedure will be applied thereafter.”

In response, Cllr MacManus said he specifically asked “is that or is it not a suitable site?”

“We will identify the best location,” insisted Mr Kilfeather.

“If the compound is the best location, we will use that but there might be a private location that might be better. We’ ll have to look see,” he said.

Cathaoirleach Councillor Seamus Kilgannon told the meeting that he thought it would be a backward step to put a bottle bank into Mitchell- Curley Park.

“The amount of extra cars that would be going in to the car park alone, using it...

“I would be very against that and would lobby to ensure it doesn’t go in there,” he told the meeting, adding that he uses it himself regularly.

He said Tom Kilfeather was right to look around the West Ward for a more suitable location.