Last Monday's meeting of Wicklow County Council, lasting a marathon eight hours, saw heated comments exchanged as members paved the way for privatisation of the county refuse service.
Councillors were told that a service charge of £200 per household was necessary if the council was to continue to handle refuse collection. Members arriving for the meeting found they had been circularised by a local private refuse firm.
In the debate, Labour councillor Mr Liam Kavanagh said no councillor in his or her right mind would impose a 210 per cent increase in refuse charges. Fianna Fail TD Mr Dick Roche warned his colleagues that they "would be eviscerated" if they went ahead with the charges.
Because of the sensitivity of the issue - some councillors warned of the danger of council staff "learning through the media" that they were to lose their jobs - the chairman, Mr George Jones, suggested that the debate continue in closed session in the council staff canteen.
After the meeting had moved to the canteen, Ms Liz McManus TD, of Labour, said the council should not conduct its business in secrecy. It was then decided to return to the council chamber.
In the resumed debate, a number of councillors expressed concern for the council staff should the privatisation move proceed. Mr John Byrne of Labour said "workers shouldn't hear their jobs are gone through the media" and that "direct labour has served this county well".
Another Labour councillor, Mr Tommy Cullen, alleged that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael wanted to split the county between two private refuse collectors - a suggestion that led to angry exchanges. A Fine Gael member, Mr Billy Timmins TD, said there was no arrangement between the parties, while the assistant county manager, Mr Hubert Fitzpatrick, said there was no question of the issue being stage-managed by officials.
After the estimates were adopted without any charge being made for the collection of refuse, the county secretary, Mr Brian Doyle, acknowledged this would lead to the privatisation of the service.
Another item in the estimates which caused concern to be expressed by Ms Deirdre de Burca was the provision of £85,000 for travel by councillors.
The raising of the issue of travel comes at a sensitive time. Next week, the chairman, the county manager, Mr Blaise Treacy, and the Wicklow Gaol genealogist, Ms Joan Kavanagh, will leave for a two-week visit to Australia to follow up on contacts made in previous trips there since the opening of Wicklow Gaol as an interactive museum.