THE cost of the clean-up following a pollution incident in the River Deel has seen Limerick County Council return charges of close to €1 million, almost twice what was initially anticipated.
Two environmental pollution firms were employed by the local authority when oil leaked from a commercial plant outside Newcastle West in January, affecting thousands of households and the ecology of the area.
At the time of the leak it was estimated that the clean-up would cost around €500,000, but in the financial report delivered at this month’s meeting of the council, acting director of finance, Sean Coughlan, said that the total cost would be €900,000.
Total expenditure for the first quarter on the revenue account was at €27.5 million, including accruals of €8.9 million in respect of three months loan charges due to the city for water, waste and fire services, with income at €25.4 million.
Expenditure in the capital account came to €3.7 million, with income at €1.9 million.
Mr. Coughlan said it was very difficult to see trends for the year at this stage but that there was “a very high level of expenditure, including the cost of the Deel pollution, which we are currently dealing with.
“There have been no big hits in savings and payroll so we should be able to pull back, but cash flow was very tight throughout the period”.
The collection of the NPPR (non principal private property) charge for 2012 was at €76,400 for 382 properties registered with the council.
Late payment fees will be incurred from June 30.
Rates collection, according to Mr. Coughlan, is up on last year, with rent warrants having come out a month earlier, and he said that payment of the household charge was estimated at the national average of 60%.
A significant decrease in income at the landfill of €10.1 million, compared with the first quarter of last year, was queried by Cllr James Collins, which Mr. Coughlan said the council was working to recover.
