Give me sunshine!

A solar-powered bin that compacts rubbish is being trialled in the Athlone Moate Municipal District – but Green Party councillor, Hazel Smyth, has told colleagues she would like to see the bin in use during the Fleadh Cheoil in Mullingar.

At the June meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad, Cllr Smyth asked if the district is to avail of the ‘Big Belly Solar Compactor’, as provided for in the Athlone Moate district.

The response from the council was that Athlone Moate Municipal District applied for funding for solar compactors as part of a pilot project under the Anti-Dumping Initiative (ADI) 2023.

“The learnings from that pilot scheme will determine what projects Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District will apply for under future ADI applications,” the response concluded.

Cllr Smyth said the Big Belly firm had contacted her and said they were willing to do a free pilot scheme in Mullingar on the back of the success of the Athlone trial. “So I think on the basis of that and with the Fleadh Cheoil coming up in August, I’d love to see us take advantage of that offer.”

District engineer Pat Kavanagh said that could be done.

Solar panels

The installation of solar panels on the County Buildings in Mullingar is likely to take place in the third quarter of this year, Cllr Hazel Smyth was informed at the same meeting.

In response to her query, the executive of the district stated that the photovoltaic panel project has been tendered and tender assessment completed.

“A successful tenderer designate has been identified with a view to appointment shortly, the formal written reply concluded.