Barna Waste to take over Galway bin collection from Council

Galway City Council will hand over its domestic waste collection service to a private operator, Barna Waste, before the end of the year.

 Last night, City Manager Brendan McGrath confirmed that the company – which is the largest waste and recycling operator in the West of Ireland – had emerged as the preferred bidder for the provision of the service.

Mayor of Galway, Cllr Padraig Conneely, welcomed confirmation that the waiver system – that has up to now saved low-income households from paying for their bin collection service – will continue for the next two years.

“I’m very happy about the fact that the waiver will remain in place until January 2016 — that is included in the Barna Waste bid and is guaranteed,” said Cllr Conneely.

Mr McGrath said that the City Council would now commence disussions with Barna Waste on transition arrangements – it is understood they may take over domestic waste collection by early next month.

The contract won’t be signed before Monday, November 18, and the Council will communicate further with existing customers when the transition terms have been agreed.

It is believed that four companies had been shortlisted as an alternative service provider in the wake of the local authority’s decision to withdraw from providing the collection service – along with Barna Waste, it is understood that City Bin, Greyhound and Walsh Waste were in the running.

The winning of the contract completes a dramatic year for the Barna Waste Group – it was placed under examinership in April but a buyout completed in July by an investment and corporate restructuring business, Cognito Asset Management Limited, placed the company on a firm financial footing and secured up to 270 long-term jobs with the group.

Barna Waste, which operates a new composting facility on the Headford Road at Carrowbrowne, has between 250 and 270 employees and a wheelie bin customer base of 30,000 in the five counties of Connacht.

Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel