Water, Water everywhere, but €70,000 to drink!

 Council splashes out €70,000 on staff water

 

8 Feb 2012 Irish Independent Mark O’regan

Cash-strapped Dublin City Council spent more than €70,000 on providing drinking water for its thirsty workers – last year spending €15,000 alone on bottled water..
The council spent more than €58,000 on water coolers, the Irish Independent has learned.
An unspecified sum was spent last year on providing bottled water for firefighters to “consume as required”.
The €58,620 paid to an unnamed contractor includes the servicing and sanitisation of all 61 water cooler units twice a year.
“Breakdown cover” is also included, along with replacement water cooler machines “in the event that a problem cannot be rectified on site”.
Filters are changed every two years and are due to be changed this year.
“In an age of austerity this is a disgraceful and flagrant waste of money, particularly when they’re talking about privatising water. The council should be leading by example and need to shape up,” said local councillor Mannix Flynn last night.
“Things like bottled water are catered for within the budget and delivered within the budget. We certainly don’t overspend on any of these kind of items,” a council spokeswoman said last night.
Meanwhile, Dublin City Council says it will reveal the financial details of its controversial deal with waste company Greyhound in the near future.
During a meeting of the local authority on Monday night, City Manager John Tierney said the council was in discussions with the private bin collection company to determine what details would be made available to council members.
“We're currently in discussions with Greyhound in relation to producing the contract details for members,” Mr Tierney said.