Call for end to free bottles of water at Cork County Council meetings to cut down on waste

The practice of Cork County Council making free containers and bottles of still and sparkling water available at council meetings should be ended to cut down on recycling waste, a Social Democrats councillor suggested at this week’s meeting of the local authority.

Isobel Towse, who represents the party in the Skibbereen West Cork district, made the suggestion during the any other business section of Monday’s meeting.

It has been the custom of the county council to offer refreshments including tea, coffee, biscuits, freshly baked scones, fruit, and bottled water in the foyer of the council chamber before and during meetings.

Ms Towse questioned whether the making available of bottles of still and sparkling water as a part of this offering should be continued as, she said, it would be a measure to cut down on waste and those who wished to have water during the meetings could refill their own water bottles from a free dispenser near the meeting chamber.

It was observed that bottles of water had been made available during the pandemic to councillors attending meetings to counter the risk of potential infection spread through using the water dispenser.

Councillors were unwilling to forego the offering of bottled water, however, as County Mayor Joe Carroll said he wouldn’t do without water at meetings.

Labour Party councillor Ronan Sheehan said while he would support the suggestion to forego the bottles or containers of water, he wouldn’t be in favour of any threat to withhold the scones.