Refuse collection charging system
Deputy Murphy raises the removal of refuse tags and the resulting registration and pay-by-weight charges for affected households. The Tánaiste says the Minister is monitoring companies and may legislate if necessary.
I want to return briefly to the issue of refuse collection. In my constituency, as my constituency colleague, the Minister, Deputy Naughten, would know, we have a number of people who use the tagging system. That is where one goes to a shop, buys a tag and puts it onto the bag. That system is gone. We managed, as part of the agreement with the Government, to come to an arrangement to suspend charges on people with bins. A considerable number of people in this country have been left in limbo. They are now being charged to register plus pay-by-weight. They are the only people who now have to pay by weight. Will the Tánaiste, the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Coveney, who sympathised with me on this issue, go back to the refuse company and tell it to give these people a break and treat them like everybody else?
Comment on this
I confirm that the Minister, as I said in the House recently, is in continual contact with the companies. A number of issues have arisen in relation to one particular company but he is monitoring the situation and, as I said before, will consider legislation if it is necessary. He is examining any particular issues that are arising in the interim. I suggest the Deputy corresponds with him on that particular issue.