Up to 100 members of a residents group opposing the introduction of an annual refuse charge of €150 made their way into a town council meeting after being told a delegation of only 10 people could attend.
The newly-formed Householders Against Service Charges staged the public protest at the civic offices in Tramore on Tuesday evening during the town's monthly council meeting.
The protest sought to highlight the group's opposition to the €150 charge for Waterford city and €130 for the rest of the county. The group also criticised the failure to introduce a full waiver scheme for pensioners and social welfare recipients. The fees must be paid in full by the end of February.
The annual charge is in addition to tags costing €13 each for a grey refuse bin, brown bin tags costing €7.50 and recycling bag tags priced at €2.50.
Protest organiser and former councillor Eddie Walsh said he made a request for the Mayor of Tramore, Cllr Lola O'Sullivan, to meet him. Mr Walsh said all of the protesters wanted to attend the council meeting. One female member of the group said she would go to jail regarding the issue.
Waterford county manager Ray O'Dwyer last month used executive powers granted to him by Government to introduce the annual fee following strong opposition from councillors.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered the local authority to remediate the landfills at Tramore and Dungarvan last year at a cost of almost €10 million.
The Department of the Environment part-funded the remediation costs, while the remaining funds were raised through a multimillion euro loan.
Waterford County Council last month started exporting its waste to Carlow following the closure of both landfills in the county, with Kilbarry dump in the city being closed previously.
The cost of exporting refuse has been estimated at €1 million per annum.
The council, in consultation with Waterford City Council, sought permission for a waste licence on a 50-acre site at Garrynagree, near Dungarvan, it emerged.
The authorities prioritised the site as an integral part of the South East Regional Waste Management Plan.
The EPA refused the local authorities a licence for landfill, maintaining that it would seriously impact on the aqua life forms in Lickey Lake and on the "high amenity" area of Garrynagree.
In a statement, the council said the site selection and design process for the landfill followed the EPA and Department of the Environment procedures that applied at the time.
The local authority said it would not appeal the agency's decision.
The Mayor of Dungarvan, Cllr Fiachra Ó Céilleachair, blamed the situation on a lack of planning by the county council.
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