Dublin People
Dublin City Council is spending on average €100,000 a year on electricity for a northside halting site despite the fact that residents say they are willing to pay their own way.
Residents of St Margaret’s Halting Site have repeatedly offered to pay half and even the full bill but council officials have so far failed to establish a resident payment system.
The site has suffered from several blackouts leaving locals without power and the residents believe they could get a more reliable supply if they paid for it themselves
All 40 families in the site share the same supply which is provided through and paid for by Dublin City Council.
However the shared systen is a source of continuous heartbreak for residents as it regularly fails during winter when demand on the supply is greatest. The last power outage occurred on December 3.
Sarah Lovely, accommodation worker with the St Margarets Traveller Community Association said she has repeatedly asked the city council to set up a payment account system through which residents can contribute towards their electricity bills. She said:
It’s not a case that residents are unwilling to pay their bills, its that there is no mechanism in place for them to do so.
