DÚN LAOGHAIRE Rathdown County Council collected only 30 per cent of the waste charges due to it in 2006, according to a report from the Local Government Audit Service.
The Local Government Statutory Audit Report for Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council found that over 5,000 households liable for charges in the council's area had paid nothing at all since the waste charges were introduced in 2000.
It also found that 6,899 households had arrears bills of €1,300 or more each at the end of December 2006, accounting for €11.1 million of the total €25.8 million arrears.
The council collected €1.7 million less in charges in 2006 - the latest figures available - than it had in 2005, the report said.The report was sent to the council in April and released to the public last week.
Auditor Tony Doheny said the council needed to have a more pro-active collection policy.
"Legal proceedings should be instituted against non-payers and the legal department could consider registering charges against properties where significant arrears exist," Mr Doheny said.
More than €53 million was collected in development levies in 2006. Mr Doheny recommended that a new accounts system be introduced. He said the current system did not record amounts due to the council, and only recorded amounts actually paid.
In response to the auditors' comments, county manager Owen Keegan said enforcement for non-payment of waste charges was introduced in January 2008, on a limited scale initially.
"Enforcement is being stepped up, but obviously there is a limit to the number of cases that can be handled at any one time," he said. "The pursuit of the legal option is also currently being examined."
He said the planning and finance departments in the council were in discussions regarding implementing a new accounting system for development levies.
