I wish to raise an issue that was raised last week by my colleague, Deputy Clare Daly, and by me the week before that in the course of the debate on the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014. It relates to the industrial dispute at the Greyhound facility in Clondalkin. Following the decision by the High Court on Tuesday, there is now an official lock-out of 70 workers at the depot. Household waste disposal services across Dublin city are being provided by a company which has locked out its workforce and is now operating with scab labour.

At a meeting between representatives of workers and the National Employment Rights Authority, NERA, on Monday, which was facilitated by the Taoiseach, serious health and safety concerns were raised. It is alleged that there is zero maintenance of the fleet of bin trucks, which is a matter of concern for both the Garda, the Road Safety Authority and the Health and Safety Authority. There are serious health and safety concerns regarding the employment of casual staff without proper training on safety procedures and the use of protective clothing. Bin trucks are dangerous pieces of machinery and the handling of waste can involve hazardous materials. In addition, Greyhound has been brought to court by the Environmental Protection Agency on a number of occasions and fined for breaches of the law relating to the protection of the environment.

These issues are arising as a consequence of the privatisation of bin services across the State. Local authorities have effectively washed their hands of the service and there is no effective oversight and regulation of a private waste collection sector that has a deplorable record of illegal dumping and breaking environmental regulations down through the years. A race to the bottom is taking place among the various companies, which can only lead to an increased casualisation of the workforce, minimum wage rates, poor training on health and safety procedures, dangerous vehicles operating in built-up areas and outsourcing of routes. In the case of Greyhound, casual workers are being collected from the local Woodie's carpark by subcontractors. Somewhere along the line there will be very serious injuries or deaths.

We are over time. Will the Deputy put a question?

This issue must be examined in a thorough and joined-up way. The EPA, RSA, HSA, Garda, local authorities and unions are all separate entities. Will the Minister give serious consideration to setting up a task force, perhaps comprising members of the environment committee and with an independent chair, to examine the whole industry? There are Sopranos-style operations going on here.

From the little I know of the sector, I agree with the Deputy that it is a tough industry. There is no doubt about that.

In regard to the issues raised here, the Taoiseach undertook to ask NERA to intervene in terms of assessing some of the claims made in the House. I do not know the outcome of that but if they are as the Deputy said, it is a serious matter. It is a matter that I would have hoped would have been capable of being resolved by resort to the conciliation machinery of the State, which is normally the case and which normally has a very high rate of settlement, no matter what kind of dispute is afoot.

I hear what the Deputy is saying about the wider issue of the industry itself being required to be examined and I would be very happy to speak to my colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton.

I thank the Minister. On Monday, NERA said it could take up some of the issues but not all of them. That is why I raise the need for an overall review of the waste industry. It is highly unregulated. It is almost a snake pit from the point of view of how workers are treated. Some 70 workers were told on 17 June that unless they signed a contract reducing their wages by 30%, they should go home. Workers were being picked up at Woodies, given 15 minutes training and sent out on the routes. I am sure many Members will know from reports from their constituencies that Greyhound is collecting waste at 11 p.m., 12 a.m. and even 1 a.m. Seemingly, this waste is being collected by the workers who are being picked up at Woodies by these subcontractors. What is going on is unbelievable. Permanent workers with decent pay and conditions are being locked out of their workplace. I appeal to the Cabinet to consider setting up an independent task force to look into the whole industry, the waste incinerator in Ringsend and the Covanta deal because it is all linked.

I entirely accept the Deputy's bona fides in this matter. I have not seen any report from NERA and I would like to see precisely what conclusions it has come to. It is not desirable for any category of workers to be required to work in the circumstances the Deputy described. I have to say I am very old fashioned about it. I preferred the situation where refuse was collected by direct labour in the local authorities. Unfortunately, the campaign against the refuse charges drove them towards privatisation.

That is a joke.

Some of the companies operate a very tough regime. The issues raised by the Deputy warrant further study and I will be very glad to sit down with the Minister with responsibility, Deputy Bruton, and press these issues with him.